Chapter 8
-Hailey-
The first thing I felt was weight. Heavy and warm, draped over me like a shield.
Logan’s arm.
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His skin was hot against mine, his breathing slow at the back of my neck. I didn’t dare move. If I shifted even an inch, I might wake him and then reality would slam back between us like a door.
–
The sheets smelled like cedar and smoke… and sex. I closed my eyes and let myself sink into it, just for a minute. Pretending this was normal.
I should’ve felt ashamed. Guilty. Maybe I did, under all the noise in my head.
But stronger than either of those was something worse. I felt hopeful.
My fingers twitched, itching to trace the tattoos that sprawled over his arm, across his chest, down into places I shouldn’t be thinking about this early in the morning. Each line of ink whispered a story, and I wanted them all.
He stirred behind me, groaning low in his throat. The sound vibrated through me.
“You awake?” His voice was rough, heavy with sleep.
I swallowed. “Yeah.”
His arm tightened for a second, pulling me closer before he seemed to catch himself and let go. He rolled onto his back, the heat of his body peeling away.
Just like that, the spell broke.
I sat up, tugging the sheet up across my chest, and tried not to feel the emptiness where he’d been. “So… what now?”
His green eyes slid to me, unreadable. “You eat somethin‘. Rest. Figure out what the hell you want.”
That shouldn’t have stung. But it did.
I turned away, chewing the inside of my cheek. My phone buzzed on the nightstand. Matt’s name lit up the screen.
The weight in my chest returned, heavier than Logan’s arm was.
He rolled out of bed and started digging in his dresser, pulling on boxers and jeans.
When I managed to peel my eyes away, I picked up my phone. The screen lit up with notifications. Twenty–three missed calls. Twelve texts. All from Matt. My pulse raced, my stomach in knots. I didn’t want to open them… I already knew what they would say.
But I did it anyway.
-where are u?–
-answer ur phone, Hailey.-
-ur making a mistake-
-where the fuck ru-
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-answer me-
-baby, I didn’t mean it-
-can we please talk about this?–
-if you think u can just walk away from me-
-ur mine. Hailey.-
The last one was simple:
-when i find u… ur dead.-
I felt like I might puke. My pulse spiked. My vision tunneled. For a second the screen blurred like I was underwater.
I glanced up at Logan. He was pulling on a t–shirt with his back to me, muscles flexing. He turned and caught me watching, and he looked like he wanted to say something heavy. But he didn’t.
“You okay wearin‘ your clothes from yesterday?” he asked, his voice casual but his eyes sharp. Like he could see the panic creeping into my chest.
I shrugged, trying to play it off. “Yeah, I guess. Not like I have much of a choice.”
He hesitated, then nodded toward the closet. Scarlett might’ve left somethin‘ here you can borrow. She’s always leavin‘ shit around.”
I nodded, grateful for the distraction. “That’d be nice.”
He opened the door, rummaging through a stack of clothes that looked like they hadn’t been touched in a while. He pulled out a pair of black sweatpants and a dark green hoodie, tossing them to me. “These should fit.”
I caught them, the fabric soft against my fingers. “Thanks.”
He didn’t say anything, just turned back to the dresser and grabbed a pair of socks. I watched him for a few seconds, the way his shoulders tensed, the way his jaw worked like he was biting back words.
He glanced at me again, catching me staring, and I looked away.
“What’s that shit–stain sayin‘ to you?” he asked finally, nodding toward my phone.
I shook my head, swallowing the lump in my throat. I debated showing him the texts but decided against it. “Nothing good.”
He nodded, his expression unreadable. “Get dressed. Let’s go get you somethin‘ to eat.”
I watched him head down the hallway, shrug into his cut, and climb out the window for a smoke. Then I crawled out of bed and put on the borrowed clothes. Scarlett was a few inches taller than me, but they fit well.
I put my boots on, then frowned into the bathroom mirror, trying to tame my hair.
When I came back out, Logan was standing next to the bed, staring down at my phone. It was buzzing again, Matt’s name flashing across the screen.
“You should let me answer it,” he said, leaning against the doorframe. “Or you should. You’ll have to eventually.”
I stared at the phone and my stomach twisted. I shook my head. “Not now. I can’t.”
Logan didn’t argue. “Alright… Let’s go.”
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He pushed off the doorframe and led the way downstairs.
The clubhouse was quieter now, the smell of stale beer overshadowed by the scent of fresh coffee and bacon.
The moment Logan pushed the door open, every eye in the room shifted to us.
I froze.
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The women were at their same table, coffee cups instead of alcohol in their hands. Kayla gave me a small nod. Ruby smirked around her cigarette like she’d been waiting for this. Trina’s smile was warm.
On the other side of the room, a cluster of men leaned against the bar, tattoos and leather cuts on full display. River raised a brow, grinning like he’d just won a bet. Jake gave Logan a look that was equal parts curious and warning.
Heat crept into my cheeks. I stuffed my hands into the pocket of the hoodie, wishing the ground would swallow me.
Logan didn’t even blink. He guided me toward the kitchen with an easy grip on my waist, like the stares didn’t exist.
Kayla leaned back in her chair as we passed, her smirk sharp as glass. “Well,” she said slowly, “looks like someone had a fun night.”
Ruby barked a laugh. “About time,” she said, flicking ash into her coffee cup instead of the ashtray.
Trina elbowed her. “Be nice, Ruby.”
“Morning,” Scarlett sang from the stove as we entered the kitchen. She was flipping pancakes with practiced ease, and she glanced over her shoulder, her dark curls bouncing as she smirked at Logan. “Sleep well?”
He shot her a look. “Don’t start.”
She laughed, her eyes darting to me. “You hungry, Hailey?”
“Starving,” I admitted, sliding onto a stool at the island. The smell of food was making my stomach growl despite the knots
in it.
Scarlett slid a plate in front of me, piled high with pancakes, bacon, and eggs. “Eat up. You look like you need it.”
I didn’t argue. I picked up the fork and dug in. Logan leaned against the counter beside me, sipping his coffee. He didn’t say much, but his presence was comforting.
I glanced up at him, catching the way his eyes lingered on me before he looked away.
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There was something between us. A tension that hadn’t been there before. Or maybe it had, and I’d just been too scared to
notice.
“So,” Scarlett said, breaking the silence. “What’s the plan for today?”
Logan shrugged. “Figured we’d hang around here for a bit.”
I looked up at him, surprised. “We?”
His eyes locked on mine, and I felt a familiar heat curl through the. “You’re not goin‘ anywhere alone. Not until we figure
this shit out.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but I couldn’t. Where would I even go?
Scarlett leaned her elbows on the counter, her chin propped on her hands as she studied us. “You know, Hailey, you’re welcome to stick around as long as you want. This place could use more feminine energy.”
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Matt’s text flashed in my head again. -when i find u… ur dead. The words buzzed under my skin like they were carving themselves into my bones.
I nodded, swallowing the lump in my throat. “Thanks.”
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Sara Lili is a daring romance writer who turns icy landscapes into scenes of fiery passion. She loves crafting hot love stories while embracing the chill of Iceland’s breathtaking cold.
