Page 62 of Every Sunset
I pressed my face against the front of Logan’s shoulder and pulled my body against him as tightly as I could. I knew it made me a coward to hide behind the men I loved, but I was scared. No. Scared wasn’t the right word. I was petrified and I didn’t have it in me to try and be brave. After the things that monster had done to me, the idea of him even being close to me had me breaking apart at every seam.
“Max?” I managed to force out.
“He’s safe at school, Anna. As soon as we handle things here I’ll call the principal to check on him, okay?” Logan told me aswe moved through their house. Logan was moving at pace, and I realized why when it became clear Madd hadn’t followed us inside.
“Where’s Maddox?” I asked as I forced myself to lift my head and meet his eyes.
“Checking the perimeter of the house. I need to get out there with him. We don’t know what we’re dealing with and he’s alone…”
“Go, Logan. I...I’m okay,” I cut in as I unwrapped my legs from his waist and dropped my feet. They didn’t reach the ground. Logan was too tall.
“Anna…”
“Put me down and go, Logan, please! I d-don’t want Madd getting hurt. I don’t want anyone hurt. Just go! I’m good!” I cried desperately, and completely breathlessly.
“Go to my room and lock yourself in my bathroom for me, okay? Don’t open that bathroom door until you hear me or Madd,” he told me as he set me down, but didn’t relinquish his hold on me.
“Logan,” I whispered when he just stood frozen, staring at me, clearly torn about whether to leave me. “You have to go. I’ll go to your room. I’ll be okay. Just get out there!” I ordered. I pressed my hands against his shoulders to try and shove him a little. If Callum was out there, I didn’t want either of my guys out there with him but I definitely didn’t want either of them to be alone with that monster.
“Promise me you’ll be safe,” he almost pleaded as he gripped my arms even tighter.
“I promise. You too, okay?” A single nod, and a kiss on the top of my head were what I got, then he was gone and the huge housearound me and it’s silence suddenly felt terrifying. It made me think straight enough to get me moving up the stairs. I ran right to Logan’s room and almost had the door closed behind me, when I heard Madd’s voice call through the house.
“Anna? It’s safe, baby. I need you to come down here.”
Even though I knew it was Madd’s voice I was still vigilant as I walked back out of the room and stepped cautiously into the hallway. My fear was too great and it couldn’t be easily quashed. I tiptoed to the banister that over looked the hallway and looked down. My hart was still racing and I couldn’t remember ever feeling as cold as I did in that moment. I didn’t even know if I was shivering, or if adrenaline was causing me to tremble.
When I looked down I saw Maddox stood at the bottom and Logan was even closer, halfway back up the stairs towards me.
“Logan?” I uttered shakily as tears filled my eyes.
“It’s gonna be okay. It was just some people at the gates. Everything’s okay,” he assured me as he quickened his leaps up the stairs to me. I ran along the hallway and met him at the top of the stairs, throwing myself into his arms. Relief flooded me when he picked me up just as he’d held me before, and I instantly wrapped my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered as I fought to get myself together now he held me. “I was j-just so scared.”
“I’ve got you. It’s gonna be just fine, sweetheart, but I need you to listen to me now, okay?” Logan whispered close to my ear as he held me. There was something in his tone that had me looking up into his face, and what I saw there didn’t settle me. He looked worried.
“What?” I questioned.
“It’s the FBI. They’re investigating some murders and they’ve been looking for you. We think they’re searching for Callum, but they probably don’t know that yet,” he told me in a whisper.
“Murders?” I gasped.
“Anna, listen to me. You have to tell them what happened, but don’t tell them about you trying to get rid of Callum, okay? Tell them Max hit him, saved you, and you both ran. When you went back to your place Callum was just gone, okay? You understand, sweetheart?”
“Max…” I whimpered.
“He didn’t do anything wrong. He was just defending you. Tell them what I told you to, okay? Max will say the same. Madd will tell him,” Logan assured me.
“I’m scared, Logan,” I admitted.
“We won’t let anything happen to either of you,” Logan promised, but I still found myself clinging to him even harder when he started to descend the stairs. “How do they even know? Did he go to the cops? Callum?”
“They’re investigating a series of murders. I’m guessing they linked the victims to Callum. It’s gonna be okay, sweetheart. Just tell them what I said to, okay?”
“Yeah…okay,” I nodded.
I was a ball of tension and nerves by the time we reached the living room where Madd now sat in an armchair, directly opposite two strangers who were side by side on the sofa. I paused in the doorway and just stared at the strangers, too afraid to walk in there and make things any worse than they alreadywere. It wasn’t just the cops, it was the FBI. What if I messed up and said something to get Max into trouble?
