v
“Is everything okay?” I asked, hesitantly.
His jaw clenched. “No”
The turned and left the room, his footsteps purposeful, already pulling on a shirt as he disappeared down the hallway.
I stood there for a second, uncertain, until 1 heard H–a drep, nülden that
It wasn’t muffled like before. It echoed up the stairs, a bust sound that made the walls teens for shiver.
Another thud.
My breath hitched, fear creeping in with every heartbeat. This one sounded closer–more violent. A scuffle, something falling, then silence.
My instincts screamed at me to stay put, but my legs moved on their own, carrying me toward the stain crept down lowly, my hands gripping the banister, heart thadding like a drum in my chest.
Then I heard it.
Alessandre’s voice, low and urinus. “I told you not to touch him,”
A third Thud.
A groan. Someone else was down there. Someone in pain.
Tidescended the last few steps and inched closer to the basement door, which was slightly ajan. 1 pushed it open jast enough to peer through–and what 1. saw made my blood run cold.
Logan
He
was
mine.
tied
to a chair, blood dripping from his nose, one eye already swelling shut. He looked up dazedly, and even in his beaten state, his gaze Incked onto
“Nik… he rasped.
Before I could move. Alessandro turned, eyes blazing. “I told you,” he growled, “he’s not your boyfriend.”
“I never said he was?” I shot back, voice cracking.
He stalked toward me, every step like thunder. “Then why was he snooping around my property ke jealous lover? Why did he lie to my men about knowing you?”
“I don’t know!” I yelled, overwhelmed. “I told him wy‘ weren’t dating, I swear–1”
Alessandro’s expression didn’t soften. If anything, it turned colder.
“Then you won’t mind,” he said, his voice suddenly calm, “if I remind him of that… personally.”
arp twist in
in my gut
He turned back to Logan, and I felt something sharp
“Alessandro–don’t–please, just let me talk to him first.”
He paused, his back to me, “You don’t give orders here, Nikolai
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Chapter 63
But after a beat, he moved aside slightly, his hand still gripping the bark of Legan’a chair.
“You have one minute,” he said quietly. “Say whatever you need to say.”
wear to gros, 1 told him everything. I told Him we’re not inertia),
I crouched down in front of Logan, forcing myself in meet his gate. Logan, listen to me. I swear that I didn’t want this. My voice trembled slightly, a mix of desperation and guilt,
Logan’s swollen eye flickered with something–regret? Sorrow? He opened his mouth, best the words didn’t come out the way he Ekety wanted. “I ka Nik… but I had to make sure… he paused, his voice nispy and weak, I had to make sure you were okay after what happened between us.”
I clenched my fists at my sides, feeling the weight of his sends, the tension heiseen us thick in the air. Logan, top this. I’m fine. I don’t need you to protect me like this.” I reached out, brushing my fingers gently against his arm, trying to reassure him, though my own emotions were all over the place.
Alessanden’s voice broke through, low and menacing. “You’re fine?” He scoffed, his dark eyes locking onto me with a moldering intensity. “He’s the one who can’t even stand up without crumpling to the Hour, Nikolai, What exactly makes you think you’re “line?
I flinched, the bite in his tone sharp and cutting. But I didn’t look at Alessandm. I focused solely on Logan, who, despite the pain, managed another faint smile, though it didn’t reach his eyes.
“I couldn’t just walk away, Nik,” Lagan sald quietly. “I know I’m not the one you want, but I couldn’t let him… let to be alone with him like this.
The finality in his voice was like a punch to the gut, and for a moment, I forgot about everything else–the basement, Alessandra’s presener, the danger. All that mattered was Logan, the man who had stayed by my side even when couldn’t see clearly
“Why did you have to do this?” I asked, my voice cracking. “Why didn’t you trust me to handle it?”
Logan’s expression softened for a second, but then his eyes flicked toward Alessandro. He must’ve realized the mistake he’d made, challenging the man who held all the power in this situation.
”I didn’t mean to put you
this position,” Logan murmured. “I thought maybe… maybe if I made him see the truth, he’d back oft. But now. He let out a pained sigh, as though accepting his defeat.
Alessandro’s eyes were cold, calculating. He hadn’t moved an inch, still holding onto the back of Logan’s chair with that predatory grace. “You should’ve thought of that before, Logan,” he said softly. “Now you’ll pay the price.”
“Alessandro, please, I pleaded, stepping forward. “Don’t hurt him. It’s my Tault he’s here. He didn’t do anything wrong. My voice was pleading now, a last- ditch effort to reach him.
aze flicked to me, and for a second, I thought I saw something like… hesitation? But it w
Alessandro’s gaze
was gone as quickly as it appeared.
He stepped away from Logan’s chair and walked toward me, his movements deliberate and slow. “You really think I care about your pleas, Nikolai?” he asked quietly, his breath hot against my ear as he leaned in close. “You think you can stop me?”
I held my ground, though my pulse raced, my body trembling in his proximity. I wanted to slap him, scream at him, but I couldn’t. I had no power here.
He straightened up, eyes gleaming with something dangerous. “You’re not the one in control anymore, Nikolai. And if you continue to defend him…. He nodded toward Logan, who had gone silent in the chair, his head lowered in defeat. “You’ll be putting yourself in an even worse position
I swallowed hard, my throat dry. Every part of me wanted to lash out at Alessandro, to break free from his grip on me and take control, But the truth was, couldn’t
ng because of me. Because of what I’d allowed to happen between Alessandro and me.
Logan was suffering
dit in Logan’s eyes, he was will waiting for me to make it all better, to somehow save him from this nightmare. But how could I, when the one holding the knife was standing right in front of the?
“Please.” I whispered again, my voice barely audible. ‘Don’t hurt him. I’ll do whatever you want. Just let him go.”
Alessandro paused, his old gaze flicking between me and login, a slow, almost predatory smile curling at the corners of his lips.
“Whatever I want, huh? He stepped back and motioned toward the door with a sharp gesture. Then get out of my way.
You’ve said enough.”
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Chapter 63
I stood frozen for a moment, the weight of the situation suffocating me. There was nothing I could do to make this better thing
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