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Tapping her fingers on her thigh, she nibbled her lip, trying to make a decision.
“Come on, Ava, you don’t want it to be like this,” he said.
Turning on her heel, she rushed back into town, but she didn’t go into the diner. She went straight to the library. He was following her, but he wouldn’t do anything if she was in a public place. He couldn’t risk it.
Inside the library, she ignored the angry language from the women working behind the counter.
Logan had really messed up her reputation.
Ignoring them, she dialed Logan’s number. It had been mailed to her with a card, offering her a second chance. She didn’t know who mailed it, but she kept the card on her, and she held it now within her grasp.
There was no way she was going to confront Luke, not right now. She didn’t have the strength to do anything.
The town was against her.
Logan hated her.
There was only one option for now, and that was to get Logan.
“Hello,” he said.
“It’s me.”
“I’m sorry, who is it?”
“Ava Marshall.”
“Now, why would you be calling me?”
She looked up to see Luke standing in the doorway of the office.
“I want you to come and pick me up. I think we need to talk, don’t you?”
“Are you having difficulty already?” he asked.
“I want to negotiate.” She wasn’t going to talk anymore on the phone, not with people listening. “Will you please send someone to the library? It’s urgent.”
Luke closed the door, but he didn’t say a word.
Her heart began to pound.
“Hunter is already on his way. He’ll be with you in a couple of minutes.”
“Good. I look forward to seeing him.” She put the phone down, and Luke grabbed her, shoving her up against the wall with his arm across her neck. “He’s coming for me. Hunter was already on his way.”
“You think you’re so smart, don’t you?”
“I think I’m willing to do whatever it takes to make sure you pay.”
“How is that working out for you? I heard no one is willing to listen to you.”
“Fuck you.”
“One day soon, you will. Do you really think Logan is the one calling the shots? It won’t be long until he’s passing you around for all of his friends to enjoy.”
“That day is not today,” she said.
She had to find a way for Logan to see the truth. Tears sprang to her eyes, and she glared at him.
“What’s it going to be, Luke? Are you still going to be here when Hunter comes? I don’t think he likes you.”
“Oh, please, Hunter is Logan’s little lapdog, but it’s me he listens to.”
“You better hope so. One day, he will believe me, and then your act will be up. I don’t know what it is you did to make all of my statements to go away.”
Luke burst out laughing. “Well, darling, that will be for another time, won’t it?” He stroked her cheek. “Until then.” The pressure tightened across her throat, and she stared at him, waiting for him to end it. To kill her.
Would dying be so bad after what he’d done to her?
He wouldn’t allow her to find out as he pulled away and she was able to breathe again.
She took several deep breaths, inhaling.
“We don’t want the likes of you here anymore,” Trudy, her old boss, said, coming to the office. “Whatever dirty call you just made, you better hope it wasn’t a fortune or we’re billing you.”
“You’ve got me all wrong,” she said.
“No, I don’t. Once a whore, always one. I know what I saw, and you didn’t fall too far from your parents either.”
She didn’t allow them to see how much their words hurt.
Don’t show weakness.
Hold your head high.
Stepping around Trudy, she ignored the glares, walking toward the front doors.
Hunter was already walking toward her, and she rushed out.
Before she knew what she was doing, she threw her arms around him. “I’m so grateful you came.”
“Does this have to do with Luke I see trying to avoid being detected?” he asked.
She pulled away and nodded.
There was no way she could trust Hunter.
“Come on.” He took her hand, leading her back to the car.
She didn’t know whom she could trust. The sheriff should have been the only person, but he’d lied and look how he acted now, as if she’d been lying the whole time.
Hunter helped her into the car, and she dropped her head into her hands.
“He’s dangerous, you know, Luke is. To Logan.”
“I know.”
She turned to look at Hunter. “You know?”
“I see the way he looks at my boss. There’s no love or happiness there. Just anger, hatred, and even resentment.”
“Haven’t you told him? Told Logan?”
“They’ve been friends a hell of a lot longer than I’ve been his. I don’t know everything, only what I’ve been told.”
“Luke was always the asshole. The main bully. Logan … he did things, but he wasn’t as bad as Luke.”
