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“Bonjour, Cassandra,” Luc says. “I’m happy to see you home.”
“Merci, Luc.” I smile up at him.
He makes a grunting noise and with a shuffle, he turns and starts back to his apartment. A clucking sound, and Henri hops out of my lap to take off after him. I sit for a moment looking in their direction, trying to decide what to do now.
I don’t have my phone. I don’t have anything, but I always leave that spare key above my door. I’m about to stand and head inside when I hear a banging on the metal door below. My brow furrows, and I’m about to speak when I hear the buzzing release of the lock. It opens with a clatch, and I’m frozen on the spot.
Who…
“You left without telling me.”
The breath leaves my body at the sound of Logan’s voice. He’s here, and I can’t decide if I want to cry or laugh… or allow him to take me into custody.
“I’m sorry.” Is what I manage to say. “Cameron was there… H-he’s alive.” I’m still overwhelmed by the reality of that, and my eyes heat.
Heavy boots take my stairs two at a time, and I exhale What? just before I’m scooped up in two massively strong arms.
“You’re alive.” Logan’s deep voice is at my ear. He kisses my neck, my temple.
Leaning forward, I wrap my arms around his neck. My legs are around his waist, both his arms are around my lower back, and I bury my face in his collar. For several minutes, we only hold each other that way. Both of us are breathing fast, and it feels as though we’re melting into one another right here on the landing in front of my apartment.
At last he lifts his head. “I’m not letting you leave me again.”
Nodding quickly, I don’t even consider arguing. “Okay.”
“These last few days were a fucking nightmare.”
Lowering my face to his shoulder, I nod again. “What happens now?”
“Can you get in your apartment?”
With a sniff, I lower my legs. He releases me and waits while I reach along the top of my door until my fingers make contact with the small piece of metal. I unlock the door, and we step inside the tiny room.
“Let’s pack up and move everything to my place.”
But my stomach twists unexpectedly at his words. “Wait…”
He’s with me again, and in the bright interior of my tiny apartment, I can make out his dark form looming over me. He cups my face in one hand and slides his thumb over my cheek.
“What’s the matter, Sass?” His voice is melted sunshine in my chest, and I don’t really know the answer to his question. All I’ve ever wanted is him standing here saying these things. I want him, us, together. Yet, at the same time…
“It’s all happening so fast. I-I just woke up, and I don’t even know… Where is Ava? Is she okay?”
He sits on my bed and large hands circle my waist. “Come here.” With a gentle pull, I’m sitting on his lap in a straddle facing him, my hands resting on his shoulders. “Ava is fine. She got hit on the head pretty hard, but it wasn’t concussive. She’s back at the palace.”
“I’m so glad… But…” Another vision is in my mind, and I can’t tell if it’s real or a fantasy.
Long fingers trace the hair off my cheek. “What is it?”
“Blix.” Blinking fast, I remember Logan shouting in pain. I remember my insides filling with fear, anger, and adrenaline. I remember fighting through my own pain, calling on all the strength I had left in me to stop the madman. I remember the scraping of knife against bone.
“I wanted to hurt him. I wanted to—” I’m afraid to say what I hope I did. Will it make me as savage as Blix?
“What did you want, my love?”
So much warmth and safety is in his beautiful voice. I know I can tell him everything, even my darkest truths. I realize now I always could. “I wanted to kill him. But… not just kill him.” I have to whisper it. “I wanted to make him suffer.”
An edge of anger is in Logan’s voice. “That bastard is no longer a threat to you or anyone else.”
