Chapter 25
Goodbyes Are Not His Thing
Logan didn’t knock. He never did. The door opened before he reached for it. Penny stood there in a tank top and cherry-print shorts, hair scraped into a messy bun, phone in hand. Her gaze skimmed over him, sharp and unreadable.
“Well, look who remembered I exist,” she said coolly.
Logan exhaled through his nose. “I’m not doing this.”
“You mean apologizing? Explaining?” She stepped aside anyway. “No surprise there.”
He walked past her like it hadn’t been two full days since he’d vanished. Since she’d stitched him up. Kissed him softly. Made him feel like something more than a weapon.
Penny followed him into the kitchen, arms crossed, bare feet tapping against the tile.
“Going somewhere?”
“Island job,” he muttered. “Probably guns. Maybe machetes. Something cute.”
She didn’t smile. “And what you need is to say goodbye with your dick?”
That made him stop. Really look at her. Jaw clenched, eyes restless.
“No.”
A beat.
“I needed to see you.”
Penny blinked. Her throat went tight.
Logan raked a hand through his hair, visibly uncomfortable. “I don’t know why I ignored you. I just… fuck. I’m not used to people. Or… whatever this is.”
“Honesty? Vulnerability? Affection?” she supplied.
“You’re making it worse.”
“You are worse.” She stepped closer, voice softening. “But I like you anyway.”
He flinched. Not at her words , at her care.
“Don’t,” he rasped.
Her brows knit. “Don’t what?”
“Don’t… care.”
The words landed like a bruise.
She wanted to ask if he’d ever thought about staying. About choosing her over chaos. But she didn’t. If she asked, he’d run.
Instead, she tugged lightly at his shirt. “You’ll come back?”
“Always do.”
“That’s not what I asked.”
His reply was quick, rough, and real. A kiss that tasted like smoke and unsaid apologies.
“I’ll try,” he whispered.
And then he was gone.