Page 47 of Tethered to the World
Logan lowered his arm, using the towel to wipe off the droplets clinging to his chest. “If I had a choice between my old life or this new one—I would pick this new life without hesitation. You did me a favor.” He wrinkled his nose, then shrugged. “I can handle whatever shit comes my way. They’ll get bored and move on eventually. I’m not as easy a target as they think.” He smirked, then his smile slowly faded.
She bit her lip, not sure she was convinced.
When he dropped the towel in his hands on the bed and boldly walked toward her, she held perfectly still. But instead of touching her, he reached past her and picked up a phone from his table. “Keep this with you at all times.”
He tossed it at her, and she automatically caught it. It was the latest model. “You bought me a phone?”
He shrugged it away, avoiding her gaze. “We need a way to get ahold of you.”
Maybe. “And the clothes?”
“We didn’t have time to shop.” He pulled out a shirt and pants from his dresser, clearly dismissing her.
She watched him for a few more seconds, then headed toward the door, glancing at him over her shoulder. “I will pay you back.”
His head snapped up, his eyes so fierce, they almost seemed to glow. “That bitch nearly killed you. A few pieces of clothing are hardly enough to repay you.”
He glared at her, daring her to protest.
“No need for repayment.” She touched her hand on the door to steady herself, feeling infinitely sad. “Being my friend is enough of a payment. I don’t have many of them. A little pain in exchange for your freedom was worth it.”
* * *
Logan watched Annora leave, her words destroying him. He couldn’t remember the last time someone didn’t want something from him. His kitsune spun wildly in a circle with the need to be set free. Sparks of fire snapped around him, heating his skin, while snow fell slowly in his room as he struggled to control the dual nature of his beast.
Instead of letting her past destroy her, Annora was stronger for surviving it.
Unlike him.
He’d allowed himself to wallow in self-pity, becoming a man he couldn’t face in the mirror anymore. He went through the motions of living but couldn’t get through the day without drugs or a drink.
He stared at the cigarettes on his dresser, fiddling with the pack, then crushed them in his fist, tossing them in the trash.
When he found Annora in his room, his heart threatened to leap out of his chest, his cock hardening so fast he went light-headed. In that one second, the pure delight at finding her waiting in his room sent his spirit soaring, and he experienced the joy that had been absent his entire life.
He longed to experience the feeling again.
She was his grá…his perfect woman, created just for him and the rest of the pack.
He didn’t know how he got so lucky, but he wasn’t going to let her slip through his fingers. He would do whatever was necessary to claim her as his, and work for the rest of his life to make sure no one ever hurt her again.
* * *
Annora headed toward the kitchen, marveling at the turn her life had taken. All the pain she’d suffered to get here was worth it. She’d never met anyone like these guys.
They were…sweet.
She didn’t want to lose that scrap of kindness. If things failed with them, she didn’t think she’d be able to start over.
“Let’s get this party started!” Logan hooted from the top of the stairs, and the rest of the guys quickly followed them out to the car. She gave a thought to the knives hidden under her pillow but ruled them out. Until she had time to train with them, the blades would be more of a hindrance than a help.
Logan gallantly swung open the door, then bowed with a flourish, giving her a roguish smile she found charming. He seemed…lighter, more playful, and she liked this side of him more than the man she first met…the one who had only been going through the motions of living.
She recognized the signs, having seen them in the mirror for the past ten years. Annora sat in the back seat with Xander and Logan, the car ride silent, each man lost in his own thoughts, giving her time to observe them when they weren’t watching.
They drove slowly down a rutted road in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by miles and miles of trees and no party in sight.
What had she done?
