Marked By Pain (The Marked #2)(14)

“Listen I brought you in here to explain--”

“Explain? You think you can just talk your way out of this? No way, Logan. Get out of my way, I'm leaving. Where the fuck are the towels?” I question, as I try to push past him. He grabs my wrists and pulls me back, pinning me up against the wall of the shower again. After what just happened with Ryan, I concentrate on keeping my powers under control, taking deep breaths.

“Let me go,” I demand, once I have calmed myself enough to think straight.

“You can go, but you have to hear what I have to say first. Please, Kenzie,” he pleads. I look into his eyes and sigh, seeing the sincere look in them. Whatever he has to say, he truly thinks it's important.

“Fine,” I say reluctantly. Sighing agian as I lean back against the wall, the water still pouring down over us.

“I'm not meant to be telling you this, fuck I may be ruining the whole escape plan here, but I can't stand seeing you hurt like this. I can see why East did what he did now, I think his job may have been the easier one in hindsight.” Logan swallows, and I can see how nervous he is to continue.

I link my hand in his. “Explain.”

“We're here to get you out. Me, Locke, Enzo, and Kelly. Mr Daniels is on our side now too, but he can't break his cover, it's too important.”

“What do you mean he's on our side now?” I ask.

Logan licks his lips. “Well, he really was a part of the rebels, but that's changed now—”

“Like fuck it's changed!” I snap. “Have you not seen him, running around like he's the boss here?”

“Keep your voice down, Kenz. We should be okay to talk in here, but don't risk it any more than we have to,” Logan whispers harshly. “Look, he found out something that changed it all for him, something he wouldn't ever allow to happen. It's to do with you, we can't let the rebels have you, we just can't.”

“I don't understand, is this about the twelfth mark?” I ask.

“Yes, no, kind of? It's what could happen by using it,” he says.

“What do you mean, what could happen? What does my mark even do?”

“I don't know, he won't tell me what your mark does. What he did tell me, is that using it could kill you, Kenzie. There's no records of anyone using the twelfth mark and surviving. We have to get you out of here,” he answers.

“Shit. They're planning on killing me? Does Ryan know this?” I ask frantically.

“He's been told that you will live, that they have a plan to ensure you survive using the mark,” Logan says.

“But that's a lie?”

“It's untested, there's no guarantee their plan would work, and I'm not convinced they care if it fails to keep you alive. So long as they get use of your power first, that's all they care about.”

“But Ryan thinks I'll be okay? He's not...he's not okay with me dying, right?” I ask in a small voice, the betrayed feeling rushing through me already.

“Hey, it's okay,” Logan says as he pulls me close. He holds me tightly to him. “Ryan thinks you will live, he wouldn't do this otherwise. You're his little sister and he loves you.”

“Then why don't you just tell him that I might not live?” I ask and Logan swallows thickly. “You think he won’t believe you? That he might reveal your plan to them?” I question, making a guess.

“Yes, he’s been completely pulled into this, Kenzie. He’s basically brainwashed. Your dad sent Verity to Ryan a couple years ago, and she’s been slowly poisoning him for years.”

“Shit. How did we not realise?” I ask, looking up at Logan.

“We couldn’t have known. Don’t blame yourself, gorgeous, this isn’t your fault,” he says, and I sigh. I don’t believe that, but now isn’t the the time to argue that point.

“What’s the plan? And if you’re here to break me out, why is East locked up right now?”

“I can’t explain the plan now. Just be ready to go at any moment, Kenz,” he says, and I nod. “East is…East is locked up because he couldn’t deal with the thought of you feeling like we had all abandoned you, that we all betrayed you. He didn’t want you to feel alone in this. He knew his rescue attempt was likely to fail, but he accepted that, because he knew then you’d feel like at least one of us was still on your side. He said it would help keep you strong and motivated to escape, so Daniels gave the plan the okay. He wasn’t happy about it though, he knew it was likely that East would get hurt,” Logan explains.

“He knew they would hurt him, if he got caught trying to rescue me, and he did it anyway? To stop me from being alone? He did that for me?” I question softly.

“He did. Fuck, I wish I’d done it. Seeing you hurt, thinking we all betrayed you, it was so hard, Kenzie, I couldn’t do it,” he whispers, leaning down his face closer to mine.

“Really—” my words are cut off as his lips claim mine again, and his body moulds into mine as I’m pressed against the wall. He releases my hands to move his own into my hair, gripping it as he holds me firmly in place.

The shower door is slammed open, and Logan slides me down his body as we turn to face Locke who is holding the door. He reaches in, switching the shower off.