He turns to me, a look of mild surprise in his eyes. “Well, he hit you, didn’t he?”
“Yeah.So?”
Another shrug. “Didn’t think Carmelo would appreciate that.”
I actually laugh in disbelief at that. “Are you serious? Carmelo doesn’t give a shit! He’s the one who tells them to do it! He thinks it’s hilarious when his goons punch me!”
“Does he?” Logan’s voice is neutral again, and I can read a threat in it, but I can’t understand it.
“Yeah, he fucking loves it. I can’t even remember the last time my face wasn’t sore. I don’t even care anymore.” I step over the body to get to the car, shivering with disgust as I slide into the back seat. One look at Aurora reassures me that she didn’t see what happened, or that she didn’t understand it, at least, because she looks as cheerful as ever.
“Everest, get in the back seat,” says Logan suddenly, opening the front door.
“Uhm… okay, dude. What the fuck was that, by the way?”
Logan ignores him. “Lia, get your ass up here.”
“What? No.”
I latch onto Aurora’s hand, the feel of her fingers squirming against my palm steadying me. With all the dead bodies I’ve witnessed living at Carmelo’s, another one shouldn’t faze me,but I just can’t get used to it.
“Out.” Logan’s opened the car door, and his full 6 feet 3 inches look down at me threateningly. “Get out.”
“I said, no!”
His hand grips my wrist, and he tugs. Hard.
“I’m holding Aurora’s hand!” I say, trying to keep my voice calm so she doesn’t get worried. “If you keep pulling on me like that, she’ll get hurt.”
“Then you’d better let go of her.”
One look in his eyes, and I realize just how serious he is. Clenching my jaw, I release my hold on her hand, trying to reassure myself with the thought that Everest will be with her. And she seems to like him.
“I’ll be right back, baby,” I croon, hoping that I’m not lying. Then I turn to face my captor. “What is it? Want to shoot me in the back of the head like you did that asshole? Want me to kneel, execution-style?”
I realize taunting the man who just killed a guy in cold blood is probably not the best idea, but I just can’t seem to help it. Old habits, and all.
He allows his eyes to slowly rove up and down my body, and I squirm with discomfort under the intensity of his gaze. “Yes, I think Iwouldlike you on your knees.”
“Asshole!”
At once, he pushes me back against the car, his hand finding my face and squeezing my cheeks together. “Be very careful, Lia, unless you want a second punch to the face. I just killed a guy, and that has a tendency to make me alittleantsy.”
“Yeah, well, I told you, I don’t care,” I spit out. “I get punched all the time, I’m used to it.”
I squeeze my eyes shut, expecting him to follow through on his threat, but instead, he lets go of me.
“Get in the passenger seat,” he growls. “We’re leaving.”
“What about the body?” questions Everest.
“Who cares? It’s fucking Oakley. It’ll fit right in with the surroundings.”
The moment Logan walks to the other side of the car, I heave a shuddering sigh of relief. He scares the shit out of me, but I don’t want him to know that. Maybe Iama masochist in a way, because all I can think of is how much I want to piss him off again, no matter how terrified it makes me.
“You’re going to be in so much trouble when Carmelo finds out,” I mutter, sliding down into the front seat.
He turns on the ignition and lets out a dry chuckle. “I doubt it.”
