Page 54 of Shattered Souls
I respond to Royce, choosing to ignore Grayson’s message.
Royce
Leave it with me. Meet us at the diner.
Grayson
Riley, answer me!
“Royce says to meet them at Leon’s,” I tell Logan, pocketing my phone without responding to Grayson. That will earn me grief from him, but a part of me enjoys the thrill of riling him—of pushing him to that edge and seeing what he’ll do when he snaps.
Like chase me through an abandoned church.
“Milkshakes!” Logan groans the word, earning a laugh from me. “I’m fucking starving.”
“Same,” I admit.
“You didn’t eat a bite of your dinner, so no wonder.”
“Hard to swallow in the presence of pure evil,” I comment.
Logan gives an undignified snort. “Sing it, sister! The few bites I managed to swallow were ash in my mouth. I can’t get over what massive piles of steaming shit yours and Grayson’s parents are. I mean, I knew, obviously. But seeing it, holy fuck.” He glances my way, the dark road and infrequent streetlights casting his face in shadow. “Did Bertram seriously try to keep you in his house against your will?”
I shudder, my throat instantly drying at the reminder. What the hell would I have done if Logan hadn’t been there? Would he even have let me leave? My gut tells me no, and that’s terrifying as fuck!
“How the fuck did he think that was going to go down? Did he seriously think he could just hold you hostage inside that house?” Logan shakes his head, his shoulders tense and hands twisting the leather of his steering wheel as he seethes.
“He must have thought he’d be able to; otherwise, he wouldn’t have tried.” I chew on the inside of my cheek, frowning out the windshield. “If he’s been sending me cards, perhaps he’s had someone keeping an eye on me. Enough to know that I’m a loner on campus. Enough to ensure that I could disappear and not be missed.”
“But not enough to know you have a boyfriend,” Logan tacks on correctly because Bertram definitely wasnotexpecting Logan tonight.
“Or that I’m spending all my time at his son’s house.”
“Yet, he knew you weren’t staying at your apartment.” Logan frowns in thought.
“He said the landlord told him that.” I shiver. “How long do you think he’s been reporting my comings and goings to him?”
With a look of resigned disgust, Logan says my worst fears aloud, “Probably since you moved in.”
I sigh heavily, the two of us falling silent for the remainder of the journey to Leon’s diner. Only when we’ve pulled into the gravel lot, and Logan has shut off the engine does he turn to me. Leaning across the center console, he effortlessly lifts me into his arms, depositing me in his lap so I’m straddling him.
My gaze latches onto his, and I can feel the rapid thump of his heart beneath my palm, the warmth of his chest seeping into my skin. Through the small amount of light seeping in from a distant streetlamp and the glow from the diner, I can see the tension in his clenched jaw, the muscle ticking just beneath the surface. His eyes are intense, almost glowing in the darkness. There's a storm of emotions there—anger, frustration, but most of all, a fierce, unyielding need to protect me.
His arms are wrapped around me, holding me close as if he's afraid I'll disappear if he loosens his grip even a little. The silence between us is heavy, charged with everything we’ve been through and all that’s still to come.
“You would absolutely be fucking missed, Shortcake.” There’s so much pain in those words. A desperate need for me to believe them. “Not just by me—by us. You know Tara would tear the world apart to find you if you just disappeared on her. That woman is utterly terrifying.” Sniffling a little at the sentimental moment, I chuckle. “And Ava cares about you too. I don’t believe she’d just sit back and do nothing if you disappeared, either.” His hands climb my body until he cups my face. “However, the point is that you willnotbe disappearing. None of us will let Bertram get his hands on you. I won’t let anything happen to you.” That last part is said in a whisper, his voice rough and full of conviction.
I reach up and gently trace the lines of his face, trying to soothe the tempest within him. His gaze softens slightly at my touch, but the underlying determination remains. He presses his forehead against mine, his breath warm on my skin.
“I love you,” he vows. “You’re everything I ever wanted and never thought I’d find. You are my breath, my blood, my life. One day, we’re going to get married. The four of us will raise Aurora together, along with her future siblings.” A mischievous twinkle enters his eyes. “We’re going to have a happy, beautiful life.”
The conviction behind his words leaves no room for argument. Nor do I want to argue. Iwanteverything he’s saying—even the parts I have yet to fully accept.
I bring my lips to his, and he tightens his arms around me. In the cab of his SUV, Logan is my fortress, my shield against the world. And though the night is filled with uncertainties, I feel a flicker of hope. We might be in the middle of nowhere, but with him, I’ll never be lost.
We break apart at the bright glare of headlights slicing through the cab before Royce’s truck pulls into the space beside us. It hasn’t even fully stopped before Grayson jumps out, practically ripping Logan’s door from its hinges as he flings it open.
“My car never did anything to you,” Logan grouses. “There’s no need to be such a caveman.”
