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“Addy—”
He reaches for me, but I slap his hand away. “No! Don’t touch me.” I climb out of his bed, needing space between us. “And to think I saw you as someone I could be with—whatever. I refuse to be associated with anyone who can be part of something so disgusting.”
He opens his mouth to argue, but his phone goes off. Saved by the bell. “I gotta take this.”
“Now?” I look at the time. “It’s close to one in the morning. Who in the heck is calling right now?”
He turns his back to me. “Go back to bed, Addy.” And he walks out. How dare he just dismiss me? I follow him out, ready for a fight, but he’s already in the backyard having what looks like a heated conversation.
I tiptoe into the kitchen to eavesdrop. Holding my breath, I try to be sly, but I knock into the corner of the table. A glass tips off and shatters at my feet. Logan’s eyes whip up at the distraction. Shoot! He quickly ends his call and storms inside.
“What are you doing?”
“I…uh…I was getting something to drink. Who were you talking to?”
“No one.”
“Oh, so you were just yelling at no one?”
He thrusts his hand through his hair. “Leave it be, Addy. For once.”
“For once? How about, for once, you trust me and not leave me in the dark?”
“This isn’t about not trusting you. It’s about keeping you safe.”
I throw my hands up in frustration. “Then tell me what’s happening? Who were you talking to?” Shoving past me, he disappears back into his bedroom. I’m hot on his tail. He’s not getting out of this. “Stop blowing me off. If I’m in this ’til the end, I get to know what’s happening. Stop treating me like a child.”
He whips around, and I almost fall backwards at the fury rolling off him. “Then stop fucking acting like one. All your fucking questions! Just let it fucking be.”
“How am I supposed to do that? This affects me too. You’re leaving me in the dark.”
“Where you should be. You’re a journalist. You collect fake stories. Three fucking days and all of a sudden, you think you know all about the world of drugs and trafficking? You think you’re going to save the day and rescue all those girls? Stop the war on drugs? Jesus. Stay in your own lane right now, Addy. This shit is way above you—”
My open palm raises and slaps across his face. A loud gasp falls from my lips at my assault. I’ve never in my life slapped anyone. Logan lifts his hand to touch the growing welt. “Real nice.”
“I—”
“You’re right. I didn’t have to pull you into my shit. And every day since, I wish I hadn’t. It’s been a headache I don’t need.”
“Fuck you,” I hiss as my lower lip begins to quiver.
“Oh, she swears now? Using her big girl words.”
“Why are you doing this?”
His hands fly upward, grabbing at his hair. “Doing what! Trying to keep you alive while you continue to stir shit up?”
“How am I stirring up anything?”
“I told you not to get on Vincent’s radar. And what did you do?”
I take a step toward him. “I told you it was a mistake—”
“Too fucking late, sweetheart.” He scoffs and turns away from me. “Get some sleep. We have a busy day tomorrow. I’ll take the couch.” He brushes past me without another word, and I bite on my bottom lip, fighting back my tears.
“I regret ever meeting you.”
“Good. You should.”
I toss and turn all night, or what’s left of it. When the sun begins to peek through the windows, my legs are so tightly wound around the bed sheets, I worry I’ll have to cut myself out of them. My brain is working overtime attempting to break down exactly where we went wrong with one another last night. The way he spoke to me was uncalled for. It was harsh and cold. He just dismissed all my concerns and treated me as if my feelings meant nothing. He had no right to belittle me. I’ll give him a pass on calling me childish. From the start, my mouth has gotten us both in trouble. But it still doesn’t justify the way he spoke down to me.
I can’t believe I actually thought once the dust settled, we would find something real together. “How stupid can I be?” I huff. Because living happily ever after with a mob thug was going to happen. “So realistic, Addy.” And I don’t care what he says, I’m not sitting back and allowing hundreds of innocent girls to be trafficked. Dangerous or not, this is something I refuse to stay quiet about.
When the sun is up enough and starting to blind me, I decide I’ve had my fill of moping. Now I’m just pissed. If he thinks he’s going to stop me, he’s way wrong. I throw my legs off the bed and prepare for a fight as I open his door and storm down the hall. “Listen here, you…jerk…” I look around the living room, but he’s not there. The couch is empty. I stomp into the kitchen. “Listen here…Logan?” Where the heck is he? I spot a note on the counter.
