Page 181 of It Should Have Been You

I can’t breathe.

And I can smell him.

He’s coming.

I just need to protect Hannah. When he strikes, I’ll be quiet. I’ll bite my lip until it bleeds so she doesn’t wake.

“Please leave me alone,” I beg again.

There’s a roar in the distance and for a split second, I think it’s Rob coming for me. But it’s not his rasp. The gravel in his voice isn’t the same. Then there’s an expel of air as Benjamin’s grip is yanked from my elbow.

“Did she tell you that you could put your hands on her?”

I spin around, tears spilling whether I want them to or not.

“Logan,” I gasp, my voice getting trapped somewhere deep in my throat.

Benjamin’s eyes turn to saucers as Logan keeps grip of his collar and pins him to the wall. Logan is taller, and Benjamin is on his tiptoes to keep from choking.

“Who the fuck are you?” Logan snarls.

“I… I… I’m a rep…”

“I don’t have all day, buddy, so for your own sake, I’d spit it out.”

“He’s a reporter,” I blurt. “Now let him go.”

Logan tightens his grip, causing a strangled cry from Benjamin. “I knew I recognized you.”

Like all the air is gravitating towards that goddamn photo, his eyes fall to the Polaroid still clinging between Benjamin’s fingertips. He grabs it, and there’s a brief moment of disgust before he lowers his face so close, they’re almost touching.

“What the fuck is this?”

“Logan, will you let him go?” We’re attracting quite the audience.

He doesn’t even acknowledge that I’m speaking. It’s no use. I don’t think he can hear me.

“We’re investigating Robert Ellison,” Benjamin explains, his voice strained. “We wanted a comment from Beth.”

“And this?” Logan holds the picture to his face.

I’m going to be sick.

I think I hear Molly exit the café, but I can’t be sure because my heart is ringing in my ears.

“It’s proof of what he did.”

Logan slips the photo into his back pocket. “I don’t give a shit what kind of proof you have or what you’re investigating. Beth’s name doesn’t leave your mouth and appear in any newspaper. If you ever even breathe in her direction again, I guarantee it will be the last breath you take. Do you understand me?”

“Logan!”

Desperate, Benjamin’s head bobs up and down before Logan pushes him and he scurries away from his hold, running back in whatever direction he came from.

He waits until Benjamin is out of sight before his gaze falls on me, and it’s hardly a second before he grabs my hand, pulling me down the narrow alley beside the café and away from prying eyes.

“What the fuck was that?”

“I don’t know how he got those pictures.”

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