“I want to go home.”
“Don’t do this.” He isn’t pleading, but he also is.
How do I know this man so well when we’ve only just met?
I step back, again, freeing myself from his touch.
“You were hired by the man I ran from. The one who wanted to break me. And you almost did it. How am I supposed to live with that?”
“You were never supposed to know.”
“Oh, so I should thank you for protecting the lie?”
Silence.
“I thought you were different,” I whisper. “I thought you were better than him.”
He closes his eyes for a moment, lets out a ragged breath. He opens his eyes slowly. There is no panic now. Just acceptance.
“I’ll take you home.”
“No. I’ll go myself.”
“Calista, it’s not safe,” he grits out.
“Not you, then.” I look away, crossing my arms.
It’ll hurt to say goodbye. It’ll hurt too much.
Oh, for God’s sake, stop being maudlin, you just met this man!
But my soul spoke to his. We are kindred spirits.
“Okay,” he agrees.
He sends me down the elevator in the cashmere pajamas, and the bra and panties he got me.
A man is waiting for me right outside the elevator. “Hi.”
I feel unsafe without Lucian. But I can’t stay with him. He’s a killer. He’s like my father, my grandfather, my uncle, and Remo.
I can’t go back to that life.
“I’m Logan Maddox.” He holds out a hand.
I shake it.
“I’m that asshole’s brother. I’m nicer and better looking.”
I let out a watery chuckle.
I want to cry.
As he drives me home, he asks me questions.
Where do you live?
Where do you work?
