Chapter 33 #2
I released her immediately, stepping back, horror washing through me as she rubbed her throat, eyes wide and glassy with unshed tears.
"Cadence, I-"
"Get the fuck away from her!" Ryder's voice boomed down the hallway as he and Cole rushed toward us. Ryder's face was contorted with fury, and Cole looked equally livid, though his anger was contained in that cold, deadly way that was somehow more frightening.
"It's not what it looks like," I started, but Ryder shoved me hard, sending me stumbling back against the opposite wall.
"It looks like you had your fucking hand around her throat," he spat, positioning himself between Cadence and me like a shield.
"What the fuck is wrong with you?" Cole moved to Cadence's side, gently tilting her chin up to examine her neck.
His eyes met mine over her head, cold with accusation.
"She's already bruising, Logan." Confusion flickered through me.
Already bruising? I hadn't grabbed her that hard, barely applied any pressure at all.
But I could see the marks formed on her pale skin, distinct finger-shaped bruises that couldn't possibly have developed so quickly from my brief touch.
"I barely touched her," I said, frowning. "Those marks-"
"Take a walk," Ryder cut me off, his voice vibrating with barely contained violence. "Before I do something we'll both regret."
I looked past him to Cadence, who was now leaning into Cole's protective embrace, her face half-hidden against his chest. Something wasn't right here, but with Ryder looking ready to tear my head off and Cole's silent condemnation, I wasn't going to get answers now.
"Fine," I said, raising my hands in surrender. "I'm going."
As I turned to leave, I glanced back one last time.
Cadence had pulled away from Cole slightly, and her eyes met mine across the distance between us.
What I saw there wasn't the anger or fear I expected, but something more complex, a mixture of sadness, guilt, and something else I couldn't quite name.
It hit me harder than any physical blow could have.
I walked away, the weight of that look following me like a shadow.
I slammed the front door behind me as I stormed from the house. I headed for my car but stopped short of getting in. I looked back at the house, part of me hoping to see someone in the window. But the windows were cold, dark and empty.
I shook my head, trying to go over what happened.
Cadence seemed extra defiant tonight. I knew she was stressed with the recent developments, but there had been something else there.
And those bruises. I wasn’t some medical expert, but I had been the cause of my fair share of bruises and never had I seen one appear that quickly, not like that.
Maybe I had squeezed harder than I thought, I was pissed off.
No, something wasn’t right. I needed to speak to the guys and figure out what the fuck was going on.
I sat on the steps of the house for an hour or so, unsure of what to do or where to go. Then I heard the door open and close, and soon Ryder joined me on the steps. He sat down next to me not saying a word.
“How is she?” I asked quietly.
“She’s upset,” he said. “She went straight to her room. Cole is going to go see her.” I nodded, feeling a pain in my chest at the thought of what I did. I turned to Ryder, water lining my eyes.
“Fuck man, I didn’t mean to hurt her, I swear it.” Ryder didn’t even look at me. He just nodded.
“I know you didn’t,” he said. “I know how much your father can push your buttons.” He then turned to look at me.
“But the fact is, you did hurt her. Not only did you wrap your hand around her throat, but called her a whore. You disrespected her, and you did the one thing we decided we wouldn’t do anymore.
” I closed my eyes and nodded, a tear slipping down my cheek.
“You might not have caused the bruising-” My eyes flew open again.
“What?” I exclaimed. “You know?” Ryder laughed then, but there was no humour in it. He nodded.
“Yeah, I know,” he said. “I know the difference between fresh bruising and hours old bruising as well as you do.”
“So why didn’t you say something?” I asked, suddenly angry. “Why did you look like you were going to kill me?” Ryder sighed.
“Because you still hurt her,” he said. “And I’m a bit fucked up and very obsessed with the purple-haired vixen in that house, I wasn’t thinking straight.” He looked at me again, any humour gone from his eyes.
“I so desperately want us all together, us all on the same page,” he said. “There is something going on out there, and I think it is trying to rip us apart, and I can’t have that.” He clapped his hand on my back. “This is not the best way to prove that she can trust you, brother.”
“I know,” I said. “I’ll apologise.”
“Yeah, just not tonight, eh?” he said standing up. I raised an eyebrow at him and he winked at me. “I fully intend to talk to our girl up there, and maybe fuck a reason for those bruises out of her.” I scoffed and shook my head.
“Hey, don’t underestimate me just yet buddy,” he started walking away, back up towards the house. “I’ll put in a good word for you,” he called over his shoulder, “As long as you stop being a jealous prick.” Then I heard the door close, and I was back on my own, again. Yeah, me and my jealous prick.