High-Sided (Armed & Dangerous #3)(22)

Knowing he wouldn’t leave unless I made him, I thrust the door open, embracing the anger I felt welling in my chest. I needed it to get rid of him. Logan stepped back and I held my breath, taking in the desperate look in his eyes. For a second, I could feel my resolve slip, but then I remembered the hurtful words he’d said to me in the hospital.

“There’s nothing to say, Logan. If you want to say you’re sorry, then say the words and get the hell out of here. Other than that, I have no desire to see or talk to you.”

He looked straight into my eyes. “Saying I’m sorry doesn’t even begin to cover it, but I am. I am so f*cking sorry for what I did.”

“Great, you said it. We’re done here. Goodbye, Logan.” I slammed the door on him and locked it.

“Dammit, Kassie.”

“Don’t call me that!” I shouted, slamming my hand against the door.

He moved closer to the door and I stepped back. “I know you’re pissed at me, but I need you to hear me out. I’ll stay out here the whole night if I have to.”

“Not if I call the police.”

“They’re not gonna be able to do anything to me. At least, not before I get in there myself.” The doorknob wiggled and I gasped.

“What are you doing? You can’t come in here,” I growled.

“Yes, I can, and I will. If it’s the only way to make you listen, I don’t care what I have to do.” He fumbled with the doorknob again and I choked, stumbling back into one of my bar stools. I had no doubt he could get in my house, but I wasn’t going to be in it when he did. Grabbing my phone, I jammed it into my back pocket and raced to my bedroom, locking the door behind me. I had to get out of there fast.

I changed into a pair of jeans and fetched my black leather jacket out of my closet. My motorcycle and helmet were in my garage, but all I had to do was climb out my window to get to them.

“Kassie!” Logan called out.

The front door slammed shut and I sucked in a breath; it was time. Opening my window, I carefully slipped out.

Logan knocked on my bedroom door and tried my handle. “Kassidy, please come out. I don’t want to do this.”

As soon as I was out the window, I raced to my garage. Slamming my helmet on my head, I jumped on my bike and turned the key. The engine roared to life as I revved it and I sped out of the garage as fast as I could. Logan had no idea I could ride, but I wished I could see the look on his face when he saw me. All I knew was that I had to get away from him, and fast.

Once out of the driveway, I took a left turn, clearly realizing the lapse in judgment. It was the road I’d avoided ever since Levi died on it. “Dammit,” I cried. My eyes watered and there was no way I could wipe the tears away with my helmet on. The sound of Logan’s bike drew close behind and I panicked. What was I going to do?

He gained ground on me, clearly not stopping unless I did. More tears fell down my cheeks, especially when I arrived at the spot where Levi had been run off the road. I pulled over and shut off my bike, ripping off my jacket so I could breathe. Logan parked beside me, but I jumped off my bike and walked away from him to the dented guardrail. I took off my helmet and stared at the rubber markings on the metal. My fingers traced the tire marks and I broke down, falling to my knees. My heart felt as if it’d been ripped out of my chest.

Logan’s hands closed over my shoulders, but I smacked them away. “Don’t touch me.”

His touch left my body, but I could feel his warmth as he sat beside me. “I didn’t know you could ride.”

“Levi and Sean taught me after you left. It helped get my mind off things.” I tried not to look down in the ravine where Levi was found, but I couldn’t help it. The amount of pain he must’ve felt had to be excruciating. I slammed my hand against the guardrail and sobbed.

“I’m gonna miss him too, Kassidy. Levi was a good friend.”

Angrily, I wiped my tears away and scoffed. “How would you know? You left eight years ago, and never looked back.” I glanced over at his legs, only everything was too blurry to see. “Even after you started walking again, none of us ever heard a single word from you.”

He shook his head and started to touch my face, but held back. “That’s not true. In fact, Levi and I talked all the time. So did me and your father.”

I stared at him as if he’d lost his mind. “That’s not true. Levi would’ve told me.”

“I told him not to. That includes your father as well.”

I felt so lost; nothing made sense. “I don’t understand.”

Resting on his knees, he looked at me and smiled, only it was the saddest expression I’d ever seen on his face. “I kept in touch with them to keep tabs on you. I needed to know you were okay.”

“Why?” I growled, tears flowing down my cheeks. “You don’t love me, remember? You only said you did so you could f*ck me. I still remember everything about that day, as if it happened yesterday.”

He clasped my face in his hands and I tried to jerk away, but he held me in place. “It was a lie, Kassie. I never wanted to leave you. This is what I’ve been trying to tell you.”

“Liar,” I cried. “Why would you hurt me like that?” Closing my eyes, my lips trembled as I sat there, helpless. I had no energy to fight him.