I couldn’t find him.
And the room went quiet the second I stepped inside.
56 vouchers
Conversations trailed off, and every head turned toward me like ‘d just kicked in the door with a bomb strapped to my
chest.
Abby stepped in behind me and laced her fingers with mine, but even she couldn’t stop the weight of their stares from crushing me.
Scarlett was behind the bar. When her eyes landed on me, she froze like she was seeing a ghost.
I lifted my hand and waved meekly.
Then she dropped the glass she was cleaning and vaulted over the bar. Her boots hit the floor with a loud thud, and she jogged across the room, yanking me into a hug so tight I gasped
“Holy shit, Hailey,” she muttered into my hair.
I winced as her arm pressed against my shoulder, and she pulled back immediately. Her hands hovered over me like she was afraid I’d shatter. “Shit, sorry. Forgot about the shoulder. You good?”
I nodded, but my voice felt stuck in my throat. “I’m fine.”
Scarlett’s eyes flicked to Abby, narrowing. “Who’s this?”
“My sister, Abby,” I said, my voice shaky. “Abby, this is Logan’s sister… Scarlett.”
Scarlett gave her a quick nod, her eyes already shifting back to me. “Logan’s not here,” she said softly. “He and River are out on a recon mission. The Russian thing.”
My stomach twisted, and I glanced at Abby who was now looking at me quizzically.
“Russian thing?” she murmured.
I squeezed her hand apologetically. “I’ll explain later.”
Scarlett faced the room, her jaw flexing as she caught the eyes still locked on us. “Alright, assholes, mind your goddamn business!” she barked, her voice cutting through the silence like a whip.
The room erupted back into chatter, but I could still feel their sideways glances as Scarlett led us to the bar.
She gestured for us to sit, leaning on the counter with her arms crossed. Her blue eyes studied me. “You look like hell,” she said bluntly. “What the fuck happened? Logan would barely tell me anything.”
I swallowed hard, my fingers twisting in my lap. “I… Logan and I had a fight. He left.”
Scarlett sighed. “Yeah, I know that much. That idiot’s been a wreck since he
got
back.”
My heart skipped a beat. “What do you mean?”
She sighed, grabbing a bottle of whiskey and pouring three shots “He’s been drinking himself into a coma, avoiding everyone, and snapping at anyone who tries to talk to him.”
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Chapter 67
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She paused, sliding the shots toward us and downing her own. “River’s the only one who’s been able to get through to him. So, Jake sent the two of them out this morning on recon. Figured it’s the best way to pull my brother’s head out of his ass.”
My stomach dropped. “When will he be back?”
“No idea,” Scarlett said, pouring another shot. “Tomorrow, probably.”
I threw back my shot, and Abby took hers. Scarlett refilled our glasses. “What’d you two fight about? If you don’t mind me asking.”
I hesitated, my fingers tracing the rim of the glass. “He said I deserve someone who won’t ‘drag me into the chaos, I murmured. “I told him I loved him. And he… he walked out.”
Scarlett sighed, running a hand through her curls. “Of course he did.”
“What the hell does that mean?” Abby asked, her tone sharp.
Scarlett glanced at her with a sad smile, then back at me. “Logan’s… complicated. He’s not good with feelings. Never has been. This thing with Hailey is the closest he’s ever had to a relationship. He pushes people away before they can-
“Hailey!” Ruby’s voice cut through Scarlett’s sentence, bright and bubbly. She bounded toward us with Kayla and Monty trailing behind her. “Holy shit, you’re back! How are you? How’s the shoulder?”
I forced a smile, but my stomach was already churning. “Hey, Ruby. I’m… okay. Shoulder’s healing, I guess.”
Kayla gave me a warm smile. “It’s good to see you, Hailey. We missed you the last few days.”
Ruby leaned against the bar, and her eyes sparkled with mischief “So, what’s the plan? Are you here to kick Logan’s ass? Because honestly, he deserves it.”
Monty shot her a glare. “Don’t start your shit, Ruby.”
Ruby shrugged, unbothered. “What? I’m just saying. Logan’s been a mess since he got back. Drinking, moping around, snapping at everyone… Oh! And let’s not forget that girl he brought home the other ni-”
“RUBY,” Monty hissed, sharp enough to cut glass.
Ruby froze. Her eyes darted to Monty, then to me, wide. “Oh, shit. Uh… I mean-”
The room seemed to tilt. My heart sank into my stomach again, and I gripped the edge of the bar to steady myself. “What?” I whispered.
Ruby winced, glancing at the others like she’d just dropped a grenade. “Uh… Look, it’s not a big deal or anything-”
“Ruby,” Scarlett said. But it was too late.
“What girl?” I asked. I was almost trembling with a mix of panic and rage.
Ruby hesitated. “It was nothing, Hailey. Really. He was wasted, and—”
“Ruby, have some fucking tact,” Scarlett growled, leaning across the bar like she was ready to physically shut her up.
Ruby threw her hands up in surrender. “I feel like she deserves to know!”
The world felt like it was collapsing around me. My chest went tight, and I couldn’t breathe.
Logan. With someone else. After everything.
“Hailey,” Abby said quietly, putting her hand on my arm. “Don’t”
Jan 2
Chapter 67
I shook my head, pulling away from her. I couldn’t think. Could process. My head was spinning, my heart breaking all over again.
Scarlett glared at Ruby, “You’re such an idiot.”
Ruby sighed, crossing her arms. “Look, I’m sorry, okay? But it’s not like it meant anything. She was only here for like twenty minutes and he kicked her out. She stormed outta here yelling profanities, and-”
“Stop,” I interrupted. I didn’t want to hear anymore. Didn’t want to know the details.
My hands were shaking, and I couldn’t stop the tears that were welling up in my eyes. “L.. I need some air.”
I pushed away from the bar, stumbling toward the door. The roon felt like it was closing in on me. The weight of their stares pressed down on my chest.
“Hailey, wait-” Scarlett called after me, but I didn’t stop.
I burst out into the cold night air, gasping for breath. The tears spilled over, streaming down my face as I leaned against the wall trying to steady myself.
“Hailey,” Abby’s voice came from behind me, soft and worried. “Are you okay?”
I shook my head, wrapping my arms around myself. “No. I’m not okay.”
She stepped closer, resting a hand on my shoulder. “Do you want to leave? We can go.”
I stared at the ground, my mind racing. Should I leave? Should I stay and confront him? What was I even doing here?
But before I could answer, the rumble of motorcycles filled the air. My stomach twisted into knots as I turned toward the sound.
Two bikes pulled into the parking lot, headlights cutting through the dark. I recognized Logan immediately.
It knocked the breath out of me.
He swung a leg off the bike like a man held together with duct tape and adrenaline.
He looked exhausted. Haunted. Thinner, somehow. Like the last few days had carved pieces out of him.
And despite everything – the fight, the leaving, the mystery girl my stupid heart reached for him anyway.
His eyes lifted, and he froze.
And in that split second, with the cold air burning my lungs and tears freezing on my cheeks, I realized something awful and undeniable:
I wasn’t ready to see him.
But
AD
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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.
