Chapter 56
Chapter 56
-Hailey-
:
The stiches in my shoulder itched like hell, but it was the least of my worrics.
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36 vouchers
Logan had been restless all week, pacing the apartment when he thought I wasn’t looking. The last day or two, he’d been disappearing for hours at a time when he thought I was asleep.
I was trying to be patient and give him space, but the tension was starting to wear on me. Every time he glanced at his phone or muttered something under his breath, I felt the weight of whatever he wasn’t saying.
Tonight, I decided enough was enough.
He was leaning against the kitchen counter nursing a beer, his jaw tight as he stared at some invisible point on the wall.
“Logan,” I said, joining him in the kitchen.
He blinked, snapping out of whatever train of thought he’d been on. “What’s up, Ace?”
“You’ve been acting weirder every day this week. What’s going on?”
He hesitated, staring at his beer before glancing back up at me. “Nothin‘. Just club shit.”
I arched an eyebrow. “Don’t lie to me.”
He sighed, running a hand through his hair. “It’s… complicated.”
“Try me.”
He stared at me, his jaw working like he was debating how much to tell me. Finally, he set his beer down and stepped closer to me.
“Remember when Viktor showed up last week and pulled me, Talon and Jake into the chapel?”
“Yeah,” I said slowly.
“Well… he told us about these Russians… Not his. Other Russians. They set up shop about a hundred miles south of here, and he’s been keeping an eye on ‘em.”
“Okay?” I murmured, pulling out a stool and sitting down at the kitchen island. “Are they dangerous?”
“Well yeah,” he muttered. “Course they are. They got no beef with the club, though… yet. As far as we know. But the thing is… we found out this week they started runnin‘ drugs. Meth.”
I frowned. “So, what does that mean?”
Logan’s jaw flexed. “Means we’re gonna have to deal with it. Soon.” He leaned on the counter in front of me, and his green eyes were dark.
17:38 Wed, Dec 31
Chapter 36
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“The Warriors don’t fuck with drugs. Never have, never will. We always kept that shit out of Riverstone, and we’re not about to let some Russian dickheads roll in and turn it into a goddamn wasteland.”
The intensity in his voice sent a chill down my spine. “But… they’re Russians. Won’t Viktor be able to handle it? He’s got connections, right?”
Logan snorted. “Yeah. He does. And he’ll help us, but it’s not his fight. He’s… complicated. These guys are fresh off the boat. They’re hungry, and they don’t give a shit about boundaries. If we don’t stop ‘em, they’ll flood the city with meth and poison everything we’ve built.”
I swallowed hard. The reality of it hit me like a slap. The club was going to war. But I needed to hear him say it. “So…. what happens now?”
He sighed, his fingers drumming against the counter. “We’re gonna have to make a move, Jake’s been working on a plan, but… it’s gonna get bloody, Ace. Real bloody.”
I stared at him, trying to process it all. The thought of him walking into another fight made my stomach flip. “When? How soon?”
“Soon,” he said, his voice low. “But I don’t want you anywhere near it, Hailey. You’ve already been through enough.”
I opened my mouth to argue, but he cut me off. “I talked to Jake about it. We’re holding off on any moves until after our trip to see your family. You need this, Ace. Time away from all this shit. Time to breathe.”
I blinked, surprised. “You talked to Jake? And he’s okay with delaying things?”
He nodded, absently stroking my fingers where they rested on the counter. “Yeah. He understands. We got eyes on the Russians. If they make a big move before we’re back, it could change things. But for now… this trip’s the priority.”
I felt a lump in my throat. He’d been planning this
thinking about me, about what I needed – while I’d
been stewing in my own head, wondering where he kept disappearing to.
“Logan,” I started, my voice shaky. “I don’t want to be the reason-”
“You’re not,” he interrupted, his tone firm. “This isn’t just about you… I need this too. Time away from the club, from all the bullshit. Time with you.”
I swallowed the lump. He meant it. I could see it in his eyes, in the way his shoulders relaxed when he said it. But I couldn’t shake the guilt gnawing at the edges of my thoughts. “And if something happens while we’re gone? If the Russians-”
“Then we’ll deal with it,” he said, cutting me off again. His hand moved to my cheek, rough and warm against my skin. “But right now, you’re what matters. Not the Russians, not the club. You.”
“Okay,” I said softly, my heart swelling at his words. “But promise me something.”
He raised an eyebrow. “What?”
“Promise me, whatever happens next, we’ll face it together.”
17:38 Wed, Dec 31
Chapter 56
He dropped his hand away from my face, shaking his head.
“Listen to me,” I continued, standing and backing him up against the counter. “No more secrets. No more disappearing acts. If it’s going to get bloody, I want to know. I don’t want to be left in the dark.”
His smile faded. “Ace, I don’t want you anywhere near the violence. I’ve seen too much of your blood.”
I shook my head. “You don’t get to decide what I can handle, Logan. I’m in this now- bullet for you.”
He laughed, exasperated. “You’re gonna hold that over me forever, aren’t you?”
“Probably,” I said, smiling. “Gotta at least take a shot at it.”
with you
I took a
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He chuckled, the sound low and warm. He grabbed my hips, pulling me into him. “Fine. No more secrets. But you gotta promise me somethin‘ too.”
“What?”
“You gotta stay alive. No more jumping in front of bullets, no more reckless shit.”
My chest ached at the emotion in his voice. “I promise,” I whispered, sealing it with a kiss.
When we pulled apart, the tension in the room had shifted. Softened.
“We leave tomorrow morning,” Logan said. “If you’re feelin‘ up to the ride. Pack light – just the essentials. But
He chuckled, the sound low and warm. He grabbed my hips, pulling me into him. “Fine. No more secrets. But you gotta promise me somethin‘ too.”
“What?”
“You gotta stay alive. No more jumping in front of bullets, no more reckless shit.”
My chest ached at the emotion in his voice. “I promise,” I whispered, sealing it with a kiss.
When we pulled apart, the tension in the room had shifted. Softened.
“We leave tomorrow morning,” Logan said. “If you’re feelin‘ up to the ride. Pack light – just the essentials. But wear somethin‘ warm.”
I nodded, already mentally running through what I’d need to bring. I felt ready.
We’d been dueling with my past from the moment Logan brought me here. But tomorrow, we’d face what was left of it.
And after that… we’d face whatever came next. Together.
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.
