Chapter 71
-Hailey-
“Logan!” After the initial shock wore off, I rushed toward him.
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He lifted his head, and his green eyes met mine. They were clouded with pain, but there was a flicker of relief when he saw
- me.
“Ace,” he murmured, his voice rough and strained.
I reached for him, my hands trembling as I touched his face. “What happened?”
He winced as River and Link helped him into a nearby chair. “I’m fine,” he muttered, though he clearly wasn’t.
“Fine?” I repeated, my voice rising. “You’re bleeding, Logan!”
“It’s just a graze,” he said, gritting his teeth as he shifted his weight. “Bullet caught my leg. Nothing serious.”
“Nothing serious?” I shot back, my panic turning to anger. “You could’ve died!”
He smirked, reaching for my hand. “I didn’t.”
I wanted to scream at him, to shake him until he understood how terrified I’d been. But instead, I knelt beside him, my. hands hovering over his thigh. “We need to get you cleaned up. Someone get a first aid kit!”
“Scarlett, go grab mine from the office,” Jake said. “Bottom drawer of my desk.”
Scarlett was already moving, disappearing into the back room. Kayla grabbed a bowl of water and some towels, handing them to me without a word.
I took a deep breath, trying to steady my hands as I untied Logan’s t–shirt. The wound was deep… the bullet had torh a chunk out of his thigh. Blood seeped steadily from the gash, soaking the fabric around it.
“Jesus,” I whispered, pressing a clean towel to the wound. “You’re lucky it didn’t hit an artery.”
Then Abby was there, pushing me out of the way to assess the wound.
Of course… how could I forget? My sister was a nurse.
My hands shook as I dipped a fresh towel into the bowl of water squeezing it out before handing it to her.
Logan hissed as Abby pressed the towel to the wound. His fingers dug into the arms of the chair.
“You’re lucky it’s just a graze,” Abby muttered, her voice calm as she worked. “If it had hit the inside of your thigh, you would’ve bled out at the scene.”
“Told you, Ace,” Logan grunted, his voice strained. “Nothing serious.”
I wanted to slap him. Or kiss him. Or both.
My chest was tight, and my heart was hammering in my ears. I’d spent hours worrying, drinking, waiting for him to come back. Now here he was, bleeding and still trying to play it cool.
Scarlett returned with the first aid kit and a pair of scissors, handing them to Abby before stepping back. Her face was pale too, her eyes darting between Logan and me like she was trying to figure out what to say. She settled on silence.
Abby used the scissors to cut his pantleg open, then held up a bottle of antiseptic.
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Chapter 71
“This is gonna sting like a bitch,” she warned.
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I ran back to the bar and grabbed my beloved tequila bottle, taking a swig myself before shoving it into his hands.
He took three big gulps and set the bottle on the table.
“Okay, do it,” he muttered, his voice low and gruff.
He flinched when she poured the liquid over the wound. His hand gripped the arm of the chair so hard his knuckles turned white.
I reached for his other hand without thinking, lacing my fingers through his. He squeezed back, his grip almost painful, but I didn’t mind. If it helped, I’d let him crush my hand.
“I’ll wrap it up for you, but you’re going to need stitches,” Abby said, glancing up at him.
“Fuck that. I’m not goin‘ to the hospital,” Logan muttered. “Can’t you just do it?”
“Yeah,” she said. “But it’s gonna hurt.”
“Just do it. Please.”
“Alright… hold still,” Abby said, threading the needle.
He didn’t even flinch as she started stitching him up. His eyes were fixed on me.
I held his gaze, and for a minute or two, everything else faded away. The fear I’d been holding onto since he left tonight bubbled up, threatening to spill over.
“Don’t do that again,” I said quietly. “Don’t just–leave. Without saying goodbye.”
He squeezed my hand. “Didn’t have much of a choice, Ace.”
“I know,” I muttered, using my free hand to brush the sweaty curls off of his forehead. “Just… at least stick around until I’m done peeing next time. Would you?”
“Would’ve,” he grunted through gritted teeth. “Couldn’t find you
I felt tears welling up in my eyes, so I switched my focus back to Abby.
“Done,” she said finally, tying off the last stitch and leaning back. She wiped her hands on a clean towel, then wrapped a clean bandage around his thigh, looking weary but satisfied.
“Keep it clean, and don’t put too much weight on it for a few days. Keep it bandaged if you’re going to wear jeans over it. Otherwise, you can let it breathe. If it gets red or starts to swell, you need to see a doctor for some antibiotics…. Got it?”
Logan nodded. “Thanks, Doc.”
Abby rolled her eyes with a smirk. “Don’t thank me,” she said, her tone sharp. “Just don’t be an idiot. My sister loves some reason.”
you
for
Logan smirked at that, his eyes flicking to mine. There was something softer in his gaze now, and it made my chest ache. He didn’t say anything, just held my hand a little looser, with his thumb brushing against my knuckles.
The room felt too small suddenly. Too crowded. I could feel everyone’s eyes on us.
“You should get some rest,” I said softly. “You look like shit.”
He chuckled, though it sounded more like a groan. “Thanks.”
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20:44 Sat, Jan 30.
Chapter 71
“I’ll help you upstairs,” Scarlett offered, stepping forward.
“I’ve got him,” I said quickly. Maybe too quickly.
But I didn’t care. I wasn’t letting him out of my sight.
Scarlett hesitated, glancing at Logan like she was waiting for him to protest. But he didn’t. He just nodded.
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I slipped my arm around his waist, helping him to his feet. He leaned heavily on me, his weight almost too much for me to handle, but I didn’t complain. Not when he was here, alive, and almost whole.
We moved slowly toward the stairs with his arm draped over my shoulders. Every step was a struggle, but we made it. Step by step, until we were upstairs, down the hallway, and I was pushing open the door to his apartment.
He sank onto the couch with a groan, and his hand fell away from my shoulders. I knelt in front of him, staring up at him.
“I’m fine, Ace,” he murmured. His voice was soft now, almost gentle.
“You’re not,” I whispered, my voice breaking. “You’re officially in the bullseye club.”
He chuckled, a low rumble in his chest, and patted the couch beside him. “C’mere.”
I was next to him immediately, ignoring the fact that he’d called me like a dog. He wrapped his arm around my shoulders. and his warmth seeped into me. But there was something heavy hanging between us still.
For a few minutes, neither of us said a word. The silence was brimming with everything we hadn’t said yet.
But for the first time since being back, I felt like I could breathe. And that was when I noticed the state of the room. The “empty whiskey bottles. The overflowing ash trays. Jesus, he really had been a wreck while I was gone.
“Hey,” he said, finally, reaching up to stroke my cheek. I turned my head toward him, and his face hovered close to mine. His green eyes locked onto mine, and he tucked a strand of hair behind my ear.
My heart pounded as he leaned in. I could feel the pull… the magnetic force pulling me closer. But then, just as he closed the distance, my eyes flicked over his shoulder for a split second.
The bedroom door was open.
I had a direct line of sight to his bed.
Ruby’s voice echoed in my head. *That girl he brought home.*
I froze, my stomach twisting into knots all over again. The image of Logan with someone else flashed in my mind. My heart lurched, and I pulled back, breaking the spell.
Logan blinked. His hand was still hovering near my face. “What’s wrong?”
I shook my head. My chest felt like it was about to collapse in on itself.
“1-1 need a minute,” I stammered, slipping off the couch. His arm fell away from me, and I felt the loss immediately.
I ran for the bathroom as the first sob knocked into me like a freight train.
I heard him shift behind me, the couch creaking under his weight. “Hailey? What did 1—~
“I just need a minute” I choked the words out one more time before closing the door.
When it clicked shut, I slid down it and broke.
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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.
