Chapter 42
Chapter 42
-Hailey-
I was sitting at the bar, nursing a cup of Irish coffee. Waiting with bated breath. When the door to the back room finally creaked open, I almost fell off my stool.
But it was only Viktor.
We all watched him, waiting for him to acknowledge us. To say goodbye. Anything. But he kept his eyes straight ahead, walked out the front door, and climbed into his waiting SUV.
The silence lingered like a bad smell. I stared at the door Viktor had just walked through, half–expecting him to turn around and offer some grand explanation or at least a parting word.
But nothing. Just the faint hum of the SUV’s engine as it disappeared down the road.
Scarlett broke the silence first, tossing a rag onto the bar with a frustrated sigh. “What the hell was that? No ‘goodbye,’ no ‘see you soon… just *poof*? Typical Viktor.”
I glanced toward the back room again as Logan came out of the chapel. His jaw was clenched, his green eyes dark. He walked straight to the bar, grabbed a bottle of whiskey, and poured himself a shot. Then he knocked it back like it was water.
I slid off my stool and moved around the bar to him, touching his arm lightly. “Hey. You okay?”
He shrugged my hand off — not harshly, but enough to make my stomach twist. “Fine,” he muttered, pouring another shot.
Right… fine. That’s why he was slamming shots at 9am.
I bit my lip, unsure what to say. “Did he… I mean, did he have a plan? Something we can work with?”
Logan’s shoulders stiffened, and he stared at the bottle. “Yeah… sorta.”
“Sorta?” I pressed, my voice rising a little. “What does that mean?”
He slammed the shot glass down harder than necessary, making me jump. “It means we sit around and wait,” he snapped. “Let Viktor work his magic while Becker’s out there circling like a goddamn vulture.”
I flinched, taking a step back. “Logan, I’m just trying to help. I want Monty out of that cell as much as you do.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “I know, Ace. Sorry. I know. It’s just…” He trailed off, his jaw flexing. “I hate this. Sitting around, doing nothing. It’s not how I work.”
I reached for his hand, squeezing it gently. This time, he didn’t pull away. “We’ll figure it out. Viktor’s here now. That’s something, right?”
He glanced down at me, his expression softening a little. “Yeah. It’s something.” He exhaled sharply, squeezing my hand back. “He wants you to reach out to Andrews. See if she’ll talk.”
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Chapter 42
My stomach dropped “What Me? Why mer
“Because she likes you,” he said bluntly. She helped you. Maybe the’ll help you again”
I chewed on my bottom lip, the weight of his words setting on my shoedders. “What am I expone un sep Hey, Officer Andrews, wanna help us take down your bon
He smirked, reaching out and tucking a strand of hair behind my ear. “Somethird like that?
I sighed, leaning against the bar. The idea of reaching out to Andrews made my stomach chern. She’d helped me because she saw Matt for the monster that he was.
But this? Asking her to go against Becker? That was a whole different level.
“Logan,” I said quietly, staring at the bar top. “What if she says no? What if the reports it back to Pecker? This could make everything worse?
He sighed. “We’d be no worse off than we are now. But if she says yes, we might have a way to put Becker in
check.”
He was right. I had to try. “Alright,” I said finally, “I’ll call her”
Logan smirked, reaching out to squeeze my hand again. “Put your tough face on, Ace
I laughed, but it sounded more like a strangled cough. I don’t feel very tough right now?
He grinned, leaning close enough for me to smell the whiskey on his breath. “You killed a man. That’s pretty fuckin tough.”
I rolled my eyes, but I felt a smile tug at my lips. “Yeah, and I’ll do it again if you don’t watch out
“Oh yeah?” He teased, leaning even closer until his mouth was a few inches from mine.
My breath hitched. His green eyes were dark and intense, and I felt like I was falling all over again.
But then Scarlett’s voice cut through the moment. “You two done?”
I took a step back, my cheeks burning as Logan straightened up.
Scarlett’s face was pale. She tossed her phone onto the bar. “Kat just texted me. Becker’s pushing for formal charges against Mav. He’s gonna bury him.”
The air left my lungs like I’d been punched in the chest. “Shit. Okay, I’ll call Andrews.”
The thought of calling her terrified me. But I wasn’t about to let Monty rot in that cell. Not because of me.
I pulled my phone out of my pocket and found the number for the police station. Before I could talk myself out of it, I pressed send.
The phone rang twice before a bored voice answered. “Riverstone PD, how can I help you?”
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Chapter 42
I swallowed hard. “Uh, hi. I’m looking to speak to Officer Andrews. Is she available?”
There was a pause, the sound of papers shuffling on the other end. “Don’t know. F’il transfer you”
I gripped the phone tighter. My palms were sweating. Logan leaned against the bar next to me, and I could feel him watching me.
When the next voice came through, it was calm, professional, with a hint of curiosity, “Officer Andrews.”
“Hi, uh, Officer,” I said, trying to keep my tone light. “It’s Hailey Conway.”
There was a beat of silence. “Hailey. Of course. How are you holding up?”
D
Her voice was softer now, and I breathed a little casier. “I’m… managing. Listen, I know you’re probably super busy, but I was wondering if we could meet up somewhere? I just–I need to talk.”
Another pause. I could hear her tapping a pen against something. “Sure. How about the Firefly Diner? Off Route 12. Noon?”
Relief flooded me. “Yeah, that works. Thank you.”
“See you then,” she said before hanging up.
I lowered the phone, staring at the screen for a second before shoving it back in my pocket. “Firefly at noon.”
Logan nodded. “Good job, Ace.”
It didn’t feel like it. My stomach was still in knots. That was the easy part. The thought of sitting across from her, trying to convince her to help us, made me feel like my skeleton was trying to crawl out of my skin.
Scarlett appeared next to me. “You’re gonna kill it, Hailey. Just… don’t let her know we’re desperate.”
I snorted, despite the tension. “Easy for you to say.”
Logan’s hand shot out, catching mine as I fidgeted with the sleeve of my hoodie. He pulled me into him without a word, like he was trying to shield me from the storm brewing in my head.
I felt his lips on the curve of my ear, and a shiver raced down my spine. “You’re wound up tight, Ace,” he murmured. His teeth grazed my earlobe, and I sucked in a sharp breath as heat traveled straight to my core.
“Logan-” I started shakily, but he cut me off by gently biting the side of my neck.
“Upstairs,” he whispered, his voice heavy with promise. “Now.”
My heart skipped a beat. The tension in my chest unraveled just enough to let me breathe. I glanced around the room, but the few people there were too wrapped up in their own worries to pay us any attention.
Scarlett was pacing again, and River was trying to calm her down. Laura was talking to Trina, and Jake and Talon were still nowhere to be found.
Logan didn’t wait for a response. He tugged me toward the stairs, his hand still locked around mine. I
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Chapter 42
…
followed without protest, feeling warmer with every step.
55 vouchers
The weight of what was coming-
the meeting with Andrews, the uncertainty hanging over Monty, the mess was still hanging over me.
we were all tangled in
– –
But right now, all I could focus on was Logan’s touch. The way his presence grounded me so easily when everything else was spinning out of control.
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.
