“I tried to tell you,” I snapped, throwing my hands in the air. “But you shut me down.”
Tension filled the air, thick and heavy as it consumed us both. I saw it, a flicker of red-hot rage that happened so fast it didn’t allow me time to move before he acted.
Without warning, he lunged. His hand shot out and grabbed my jaw, fingers digging into my cheeks as he forced me to look at him.
“You don’t get to play these fucking games with me,” he snarled.
“You’re hurting me,” I gasped through clenched teeth, but he didn’t loosen his grip.
“I don’t get rejected. And I sure as hell won’t let some stupid small-town girl be the first.”
I ripped my face from his grasp. One thought slammed through my mind, and that was to run—run as far and as fast as I could. I knew I shouldn’t have come here. I was so fucking stupid.
As I tried to back away, he grabbed me by the arms and spun me, slamming my back into the island. Pain shot through my spine, stealing my breath for a brief moment before I gathered myself to fight back.
“Let me go!” I screamed, struggling against him with everything I had. But he was so damn strong.
“Not until I get something in return,” he hissed. “I took you to an expensive dinner, helped you move,cookedfor you. What have you done for me?”
Each word was punctuated by him shaking me, ramming me again and again against the countertop.
Spit flew from his mouth. His rage filled every corner of the room.
I was frozen. Terrified. My mind was screaming at me to move, to escape, but my body locked up, paralyzed by fear.
“Answer me!” he shouted, then shoved me away like I weighed nothing, tossing me like I was some kind of rag doll.
I stumbled, catching myself on the counter before I could hit the ground. That jolt brought me back, kicking me into motion and knocking the fear aside, even just for a moment.
I took the clarity and bolted for the front door, choosing to leave my shoes and grabbing only my purse.
The front door slammed open against the wall as I tore outside, the night air hitting me like a wave. I sprinted down the sidewalk toward my truck, fumbling for my keys.
My hands trembled so badly I nearly dropped them.
I threw myself into the driver’s seat and slammed the door shut, locking it with a click that barely registered over the pounding of my heart.
“Come on, come on,” I sobbed, trying to fit the key into the ignition with shaking hands.
The engine roared to life, and I slammed it into drive as I peeled away, tires screeching across the pavement.
My heart thundered in my ears. My vision blurred at the edges from pure adrenaline and raw fear. The tears came hard and fast—falling in a relentless cascade into my lap.
I didn’t stop. Couldn’t.
I wasn’t sure if he’d even followed me out the door, I didn’t give myself the time to glance up.
I had to drive.
Drive until I was somewhere safe.
Somewhere no one could touch me.
Somewhere I could finally… breathe.
18
LOGAN
