Chapter 16
Jasmine
I pause at the bottom of the steps, taking in the man standing beside Logan with the same dark grey eyes as my daughter’s, and I swallow hard as fear takes hold with the realization of exactly who this man is.
It’s his dad, meaning…
I quickly look around the front yard, and though I don't see the woman, my body stays locked up tight, even after experiencing the best orgasm not caused by my own hands at the memory of Logan for the first time in six years.
I came out here to snap at the stupid ass man for walking away like he did, leaving me like that.
I get that I hurt him but leaving me feeling used after amazing sex was not okay.
I was about to tell him that or more like scream at him when I saw the man next to him stopping me, a man whose wife wants to kill my daughter.
“You must be Jasmine,” the man says as he takes a step forward, side eyeing his son, who tenses, “I didn’t realize Lo was bringing you home. I’m Rocky.”
“I know who you are, and I didn’t even know I was coming home until your son sedated me,” I say coldly, and the man narrows his eyes at me while I stay tense as I glare at Logan, who tilts his head at me. I curl my lip and snap, “So we’re safe, are we, Logan?”
“My dad would never hurt our daughter, Jasmine,” he says without emotion, and I flare my nostrils as his dad quickly jumps in, “Wait daughter? What fucking daughter?” he looks at his son, “What have you been keeping from me, son? And what in the fuck have you told her to make her believe I would harm a child?”
“He hasn’t told me anything,” I sneer, gaining both their attentions, Rocky frowning at me. I can feel my body trembling, my temper rising, and my decisions don’t seem so stupid right now.
“Jas,” Logan sighs, seeing where my mind has gone, and I give him a sharp look that makes him wince before giving his father my attention again, who looks confused.
“I’ve met your wife,” I state coldly, causing him to raise a brow, but his mouth parts when I ask, “Has she gone around threatening any more pregnant women to slice their baby's throats when they’re born, or was it just my daughter that got that special treatment?”
Logan clears his throat while his father looks completely horrified as he stumbles back as if I hit him and I curl my lip before turning to my daughter’s father, and I snap, “You say we’re safe, yet your father—the man married to the woman who threatened my daughter, who threatened me if I didn’t leave town—is standing right before the house I used to call home. So who is the liar now?!”
“Still you, buttercup,” he says softly, completely shattering the pieces of my heart I was slowly gluing back together.
I didn’t lie to him, I left to protect him and our child and I think that is something he is never going to forgive me for.
I nod before side-eyeing his dad, then I state to Logan, “Let me know when you’ve got rid of him.
We need to talk because clearly what just happened upstairs meant nothing to you because if it did, you wouldn’t have walked away, leaving me like that, feeling used,” Logan raises a brow, but I shrug, “We need to figure out the whole childcare thing because Aisling and I are not staying here whether you like it or not because clearly, we’re not safe like you promised. ”
I turn before seeing the anger on his face, and as I walk back inside the house I used to see as my forever home, but suddenly feel very unwelcome. I hear Rocky demand, “Want to explain to me about my fucking granddaughter I had no clue about?” but I shake my head and continue walking.
Something tells me, if Aisling wasn’t a part of all this, Logan wouldn’t look twice at me anymore.
Blinking away the unshed tears, I walk into the kitchen and look around, seeing everything the same, yet it feels different. I don’t recognize this Logan, the one who is ensuring we can’t have a civil conversation and making me feel continuously down about the choices I made.
I understand his pain. I kept Aisling from him, but not out of spite, dammit.
I thought I was going to marry him, have more kids with him.
I didn’t foresee his mama threatening me, I didn’t foresee my own mother kicking me several times in the stomach with her stiletto heels, trying to kill our daughter.
I thought I was doing the right thing.
With a sigh, I sit on the stool and drop my head into my hands, overwhelmed.
“I couldn’t imagine my life without you, buttercup,” Logan whispers, and Granny grins widely from her seat opposite us, clearly hearing him despite the chatter from the residents.
“I approve of this one, my darling,” Granny praises as she picks up her drink, and I swear my cheeks heat, and by the smirk on Granny’s face, I know I’m red and rosy.
I feel Logan kiss my head, and I melt and lean into him as he wraps his arm around me, and I mumble, “I love you.” Meaning the words just like I always do when I tell him and he replies lovingly, “I love you too.”
A few tears drop, and I quickly wipe them away, again, regretting my decisions despite what I thought out there.
I was so loved up with him, so goddamn happy, but people got involved, our own family, and ruined everything, and now I feel like I can’t breathe. Every day is a struggle, and knowing how he feels about me, knowing he walked away upstairs, it’s broken me.
I feel like I’ve lost my one true love, and I didn’t even believe in that crap.
I quickly wipe away another couple of tears that fall as footsteps echo, and I tense, hearing more than Logan's just before both men walk in, Rocky eyeing me with suspicion which just pisses me off.
Of course, he doesn’t believe me.
I narrow my eyes at the man, and Logan sighs, “Easy tiger, put your claws away,” before he states, “And if you think I’m going to allow you to leave, then you have another thing coming.”
I shake my head as I stand up, suddenly too tired for this. Though that could be the drugs leaving my system.
“You haven’t got a choice because you know what, Tank?
” I sneer, and he narrows his eyes at my use of his road name.
I snap, “Why don’t I use your tactics shall we?
Pretty sure stealing sedatives from the hospital is a felony and not only could you lose your job, but you could also end up doing time, so, you try and keep me here, I will make waves because what you did upstairs was disgusting and not fucking okay no matter what has gone on.
What I decided to do in order to protect you and our daughter especially when you are my only, meaning the past six years I have devoted to our daughter and a job I didn’t actually want all while pining for you,” Logans face turns hard but I don’t stop, “You made me feel cheap and dirty and I refuse to stay around here when you look at me like I’m a piece of shit on your shoe.
I’ve made a life for myself in Huntingdon, and while it’s hard and I’m struggling, it is my life, one that isn’t being controlled by my mother, so I won’t let you come and derail it. ”
Shaking my head at him, I turn and look at his shocked father and I snap, “Your wife needs locking up!”
Now it’s his turn to turn stoic, but I ignore him and the man I broke and I walk out of the kitchen where I made plenty of meals for us—where we had food fights and made love on the side—and head for the stairs to check on my daughter and somehow, I need to see how I can get back to my new life because let’s face it, my brother won’t help me.
The ass allowed Logan to stab a freaking needle into my neck but hey, am I shocked? No, not really, he also stood back and watched the treatment I got over the years.
I get to the top of the stairs when a knock sounds at the front door, and I growl as I turn and stomp back down and out of habit I call, “I’ve got it,” just as I get to the door before swinging it open, only to suddenly regret it.
Crap…
“What are you doing back here?!” my ex’s, I guess that is what Logan is now, lover demands, and I eye the trenchcoat, and Deja vu hits me.
You have got to be kidding me!
“I asked you a goddamn question, little girl!” she snaps, and I snort, I can’t help it.
I’m nearly thirty, and she’s calling me a little girl, seriously?
“Coming from the one who prefers little boys,” I say, causing her face to redden, “I mean, screwing your best friend's sixteen-year-old son nearing the age of forty, trying to trap him, well, you are one hell of a cougar, aren’t cha?”
Her body trembles, and I curl my lip at her and call, “Logan, it’s for you, your cougar is back.”