Chapter 13
-Hailey-
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When we finally made it downstairs, the bar was alive with chatter and laughter. River was at the pool table, a beer in one hand and a cigarette in the other. Scarlett leaned against the bar, her dark curls bouncing as she laughed at something Monty said.
Logan guided me to the bar, his hand resting casually on the small of my back. Ruby was bartending, and she slid a whiskey toward me without asking.
“Lookin‘ good, Hailey,” she teased, her eyes flicking to Logan. “Someone’s got a glow.”
I rolled my eyes but smiled as my cheeks burned.
River sauntered over, his grin wide. “Well, well,” he drawled, leaning against the bar. “Look who finally came up for air.”
Logan shot him a look. “Can it.”
I laughed, sipping my whiskey and letting the warmth spread through me. The banter felt easy, and for the first time in ages, I felt… light.
Logan leaned closer to me, his voice low. “So, you’re goin‘ to work tomorrow?”
I hesitated, swirling the whiskey in my glass. “Yeah,” I said finally. “In the afternoon. I’m scheduled at the shop.”
His brow furrowed. “The shop?”
I nodded. “I work at a tattoo place downtown… Receptionist.”
Logan blinked, leaning back in his chair. “A tattoo shop.” He looked at me like I’d just told him I trained guinea pigs for a living.
I raised an eyebrow. “What?”
He shook his head, his smirk returning. “I just… didn’t picture you there. Thought that kind of place was more…” He gestured vaguely, like he was searching for the right word.
“Rough?” I supplied, smirking. “Dangerous? Full of bikers?”
He chuckled, his hand sliding down to my waist. “Somethin‘ like that.”
“I’m like… sixty percent tattooed. You’re really surprised?” I looked at him incredulously.
He shrugged.
“But anyway, it’s an all–female shop,” I added, glancing down at my drink. “That’s the only way Matt would ever let me work there. And he still wasn’t a fan of it.”
Logan’s jaw flexed at the mention of Matt, but he didn’t say anything. His fingers drummed against the table, his gaze distant for a second. Then he looked back at me. “You like it there?”
I nodded. “Yeah, I do. The girls are great.”
He nodded, something like understanding flickering in his eyes.
I smiled, feeling a warmth in my chest that had nothing to do with the whiskey. Logan’s hand stayed on my waist, his thumb brushing lightly over my hip. The noise around us sort of faded into the background, and for a while it felt like it was just us.
13:02 Mon,
Chapter 13
Then my phone buzzed in the back pocket of my jeans.
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I froze, my stomach twisting. Logan’s hand tightened on my waist, his eyes narrowing as he glanced at me. He’d felt it buzz.
I pulled the phone out just enough to see the screen, hoping it was a spam call. But Matt’s name was on it.
My fingers trembled against the phone screen. I didn’t answer, but Logan’s grip tightened on my waist, his body stiffening beside me.
“Hailey,” he said, his voice sharp.
I looked up at him, and his jaw was clenched so tight I thought it might crack. His green eyes were dark, narrowed on the phone like it was a live grenade. Before I could react, he snatched it from me.
“Nah,” he growled, his voice low and final. “We’re not doin‘ this shit.”
“Don’t,” I whispered, panic clawing up my throat. The room around us seemed to freeze, the chatter fading into silence as heads turned toward us.
I reached for the phone, but he grabbed my wrist, his grip firm but not painful. “He wants a fight, he’s got one.”
He didn’t look at me. His thumb slid across the screen, answering the call.
He didn’t say hello. His voice was calm, but it was laced with menace. “She’s done, man. You don’t get to talk to her again.”
I could hear Matt’s voice on the other end, sharp and bitter, but I couldn’t make out the words. Logan’s expression hardened, and I knew Matt was saying something stupid.
“You wanna find me so bad? Try it.”
He hung up before Matt could respond, tossing the phone onto the bar. The sound echoed through the room, and the warmth in me from the whiskey disappeared, replaced by a cold, heavy dread.
My pulse was hammering, my breath coming in short, shallow gasps. I felt angry scared, and weirdly safe all at once. I was used to men losing control, but this wasn’t the same. Logan’s anger was pointed outward instead of at me.
His presence was a shield, but his fury was gasoline on the fire.
“You just made it worse,” I said quietly.
He picked up his glass, downing the rest of it in one swallow. His eyes stayed locked on the phone. “Oh well,” he said, his voice rough. “He’s a dead man.”
The finality in his tone sent a shiver down my spine. I stared at him, searching for something to say, but the words stuck in my throat.
He turned to me, his hand finding my waist again. “You’re not goin‘ to work tomorrow,” he said, his voice low and steady.
I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
“He knows where you work,” Logan said, his eyes scanning my face. “He’ll come lookin‘ for you there. You’re not steppin‘ foot in that shop until I deal with him.”
I shook my head, panic bubbling up again. “Logan, I can’t just this is my job. The one good thing in my life. I can’t let him
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“You’re not lettin‘ him do anything,” Logan growled, cutting me off. His grip tightened on my waist, his green eyes blazing. “I’m not lettin‘ him near you.”
13:02 Mon, Dec 22
Chapter 13
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The intensity in his voice was overwhelming, but I wasn’t backing down. I stared at him, my chest tight. “I’m going to work,” I said, my voice trembling as I held my ground. “This job is all I have left. I’m not letting him take it from me.”
Logan’s jaw twitched. He blew out a slow breath, trying to keep his temper from boiling over. “You think I’m just gonna sit
back and let him walk in there?”
“I’m not saying that,” I shot back, frustrated. “But I can’t hide forever. I won’t.”
For a long few seconds, he didn’t say anything. His hand was still on my waist, his fingers drumming lightly against my hip. Then he exhaled hard, his shoulders dropping.
“Fine,” he said finally. “You go to work. But I’m goin‘ too.”
I blinked, caught off guard. “What?”
“Me and the boys,” he said, nodding toward River and the others scattered around the bar. “We’ll hang out there. All day. If he shows up, he’s got a problem.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but the words didn’t come. Part of me wanted to fight him on it, but the other part that still felt the sting of Matt’s threats was… relieved. More than relieved.
“Okay,” I said quietly, nodding. “But you can’t scare off the clients.”
Logan smirked, his hand sliding up to my back. “We’ll be on our best behavior.”
I rolled my eyes, but a smile tugged at my lips. “That’s what I’m afraid of.”
He chuckled, leaning in closer. “Trust me, darlin‘ You’re in good hands.”
“I know how good those hands are,” I muttered, taking another sip of whiskey.
He chuckled, but his eyes lingered on the door. The laughter around us felt louder than before. Too relaxed… like the calm before a storm.
AD
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.
