Page 53 of Rhythm Of Redemption

Steve dismissively waved off her concerns, a hint of superiority colouring his response. “That's different.”

Frustration tinged her voice. “How is it different?”

“Because no one got shot then, did they?” he retorted self-righteousness creeping into his tone. “And what were you thinking, Lou, getting involved with a bloody drug dealer?”

Exasperation welled up within her, her head shaking in disbelief. “He's not a drug dealer. He owns a club.”

Steve's dismissive tone hardened. “It's all the same damn thing.”

Lou couldn't help but scoff. “Don't be so ridiculous.”

With a smug smile, Steve issued his ultimatum. “I want you to stop seeing him.”

Lou's eyes widened in shock and disbelief. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me,” Steve replied firmly, leaving no room for negotiation.

Defiance blazed within Lou as her voice sharpened. “Who do you think you are? It's none of your damn business who I choose to go out with.”

Steve's voice turned stern, asserting his control. “I don't give a damn who you go out with, but I won't let you involve Dani in all of this. Either you stop seeing him or-”

“Or what?” Lou interjected, her chin tilting defiantly as she took a step forward.

“Or Dani will have to come and live with me.”

Dani emerged from the doorway of a nearby shop, her determination etched across her face. “I'm sorry, Dad, but there is no way I'm leaving Mum to move in with you and Truda,” she replied, echoing her mother's defiance.

“Well, you can't stay with your mother if she's going to continue seeing that … drug dealer.”

Lou's frustration boiled over; her arms thrown up in exasperation. “For the love of God, he is not a drug dealer.”

“What else would you call someone who gets shot in a seedy drugs den then?” he argued.

Lou stood her ground, her gaze hardening. “Brave … and selfless … and wonderful, and a hundred other things that you couldn't possibly understand.” The onlookers outside abandoned their pretence of disinterest, their attention captivated by the unfolding confrontation. “Do you want to know why he was shot? Do you?” Lou's voice crackled with intensity, demanding a response. “Because he was saving your daughter, the one you claim to care so much about. When that psycho pulled the trigger, he didn't hesitate to shield your daughter with his own body, someone he hardly knows. Yet, you couldn't even be bothered to call her on her birthday. What does that say about you?”

He stumbled, searching for an excuse, but Lou raised her hand to silence him. “Yeah, you said. You were busy.” She pressed on; her voice resolute. “And what about tonight? You knew how important this was to Dani, but you had to go and spoil it, didn't you?”

His gaze shifted to Dani, and in that moment, Lou felt a flicker of sympathy for him. “Dani, honey … I'm so sorry,” he murmured remorsefully.

Without hesitation, Dani delivered her verdict. “I think you should go, Dad. Maybe you can stay with one of your friends tonight, and I'll call you tomorrow,” her words carried an air of finality.

“If that's what you want,” he replied resigned.

“It is,” Dani affirmed with unwavering determination.

A surge of realisation coursed through Lou's veins, intensifying her every sensation and overwhelming her with a whirlwind of emotions. The weight of her words to Steve about Logan's character reverberated within her, carrying the profound truth she had been blind to. In that pivotal moment, when the gunshot pierced the stillness, Logan emerged as a resolute guardian, his selflessness etching its mark deep within the recesses of her soul. Time stood suspended as she witnessed the unwavering determination that had consumed him, his unwavering devotion to protect Dani at all costs. He had been her shield, valuing her daughter's life above his own. The enormity of his sacrifice crashed upon her, leaving her humbled and breathless in its wake. How could she ever repay him for such an indescribable act of selflessness and bravery?

With a sense of urgency, her hand dived into her bag, desperately searching for her phone. Frustration swirled within her, relentless as a shadow, as the device continued to elude her grasp. Overwhelmed by a sigh of defeat, she slowly sank to her knees, scattering the contents of her bag onto the floor.

“Mum?” Dani's voice broke through the chaos, confusion on her face.

Lou's frantic search continued, her desperation growing. “My phone. I can't find my bloody phone.”

“It's here,” Dani offered, holding out the elusive device to her. Lou's hand trembled as she took hold of it, her fingers fumbling over the screen as she quickly navigated to Logan's contact details and hit call. As soon as he answered, she gasped into the phone, her words tumbling out in a rush. “Logan, I'm so sorry for …for everything. For what I said about Amberlene, for blaming you for the shooting, for abandoning you when you needed me, for …”

“I know,” Logan’s voice came through, his warm tone. understanding her fully. “But maybe you should get up off the floor.”

Confusion furrowed her brows. “What?”

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