Page 37 of Rhythm Of Redemption

With Lou's voice providing urgent instructions, Logan manoeuvred the car through the labyrinth of streets, each passing moment heightening his unease. They approached the destination; the atmosphere growing more tense with each passing second.

Lou's gaze fell upon Steve's rusty old scooter, parked by the curb. “Another conversation we need to have,” she murmured wearily, releasing a tired sigh.

“Wait here,” Logan insisted when they arrived outside the graffiti-covered building with broken windows, cracked like fragile spiderwebs, marring the facade.

“No, I'm coming with you.” Lou swiftly unbuckled her seatbelt and darted out of the car. “She’s my daughter.”

“Fine, but stay behind me.”

Logan pushed open the front door, and the pungent stench of urine and vomit assaulted their senses. “Be careful,” he warned, pointing to a used syringe on the floor. Uncertain of what awaited them, Logan wished Lou had listened to him and stayed in the car. “Are you sure you wouldn’t rather wait outside or in the car?”

She shook her head, gripping his hand tightly.

Ascending the stairs, they passed boarded-up front doors and yellowed walls with peeling paint. “Do people actually live here?” Lou whispered.

“Seems like it.” Logan gestured towards the mailboxes.

The front door to the apartment stood ajar. “Dani?” Logan called as they cautiously stepped into a tiny living room. “Mum,” Dani exclaimed guiltily, springing to her feet. “How did you find me?”

“That doesn't matter,” Logan replied sharply. “What the hell are you doing here?”

“Did you say something, babe?” A male voice called from another room.

“You,” Logan growled, lunging towards the young man, but he slipped past him with ease, bounding over the couch and sprinting towards the open patio doors. Logan chased him onto the roof terrace, watching helplessly as the man effortlessly leapt across the small space and onto the neighbouring balcony before disappearing.

Lou looked behind him, her eyes filled with worry. “Where did he go?”

“He got away,” Logan admitted, with frustration etched on his face.

“But we're on the third floor. How could he have escaped?” Lou's confusion was palpable.

“Let's just say this isn't his first time using an alternative exit.” Logan's gaze swept across the room, landing on a partially smoked joint in an ashtray before meeting Dani's apprehensive eyes. She subtly shook her head, a barely noticeable gesture that would have gone unnoticed if he hadn't been watching her closely. He’d keep her secret, for now at least, but this wasn’t over by a long chalk.

“How did you find me?” Dani snapped again, her voice laced with defiance and frustration.

“We'll discuss it later,” Logan responded evasively. “But seriously, Dani, look at this place. It's a dump. How do you even know this guy?” Anger and disappointment welled up inside him. He'd call Angel later, she had a knack for being in the know about people's activities. “Let's just get out of here. I doubt your friend will be back anytime soon.”

For once, Dani didn't argue back, obediently trailing behind her mother as they made their way back to the car.

“What about the scooter?” Dani asked.

“Leave it,” he replied sternly, determined to prevent a repeat of her reckless behaviour. “I'll arrange to get it picked up.”

Logan's thoughts churned with a mix of worry and unease during the drive home, a storm of emotions brewing within him. The guy in the apartment had to be the same DJ from that night at the club when Dani had collapsed. It left him questioning Dani's innocence and pondering the true nature of what had really happened.

Logan's internal struggle intensified, fuelled by his own haunting past. Memories of Amberlene, his former fiancée lost to the darkness of drug addiction, echoed in his mind. He couldn't help but wonder if his previous experiences were driving him to be overly invested in Dani's situation. The fear of failing once again, of not doing enough to save someone he cared about, weighed heavily upon him.

His concern for Lou battled with his haunting memories, stirring a complex mix of emotions within him. He wanted to shield Lou from the pain he had endured before, and that desire pushed him to confront Dani's involvement with drugs. Yet, at the same time, he grappled with the lingering doubt of overstepping his bounds.

Heavy-hearted, Logan found himself torn between the desire to protect and the fear of his own inadequacy.

Chapter seventeen

Lou mechanically chopped vegetables for the salad, her hands moving on autopilot while her mind remained consumed by exhaustion. She couldn't escape the feeling of fatigue, pushed to her limits by the relentless strain of the day's events. The repetitive motion of slicing through the crisp lettuce leaves offered a brief respite, but the weight of her fractured relationship with Dani persisted.

Each slice of the knife echoed the arguments, the acting out, and the disinterest in school that had taken their toll on Lou. The vibrant colours of the vegetables contrasted with the heaviness in her heart, casting a shadow of doubt over the once strong bond between mother and daughter. Lou had poured every ounce of her love and energy into being a great mum, yet she found herself confronted with distance and defiance from Dani, leaving her feeling lost and questioning her own role in their strained dynamic.

As she seasoned the chicken and prepared it for cooking, Lou's thoughts swirled with a mixture of sadness and frustration. The tantalising aroma of the spices filled the air, mingling with the weight of her worries. She yearned for a way to bridge the growing divide between them, to mend the cracks that had formed in their once unbreakable connection. The chicken sizzled in the pan, a reminder of the tensions that simmered within their relationship.

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