Total pages in book: 71
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 69098 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 345(@200wpm)___ 276(@250wpm)___ 230(@300wpm)
No one runs. Hell, no one even moves. Except for Logan. He prowls slowly up behind her.
“Th-They’ll rape your women and k-kill your kids,” she warns. “You’re all going to die.”
Dad appears in my peripheral, menacing and poised like he might strike. The tension around the fire is pulled as taut as it will go before snapping.
“Babe,” Logan growls.
“NO!” she screams, jerking around to point the gun at him. “NO!
He takes a step forward and she fires the gun.
Pop!
I cry out in horror, waiting for the blood to bloom across his chest. Nothing happens. She missed. Holy shit, she missed. Relief washes over me, but we’re not out of the clear yet. A madwoman is still waving a gun around and shooting at people.
Logan darts forward and swings his arm as he moves. He knocks the gun from her shaky grip. I expect him to pick it up, but he keeps going, this time swinging again but at her head.
Crack!
The bones of the back of his hand slam into her cheek. She sways, blinking away her daze, and then he hits her again.
What the fuck?
This time, she goes careening toward the fire. No one does anything. I’m frozen in shock. Dad springs into action first, launching himself toward Kristen. Logan is already charging at her again. This time, his fist rears back.
“I j-just wanted t-to save them,” Kristen chants through her tears. “I just w-wanted to save them all.”
Dad shoves him away before he can hit the poor woman again. He hauls her to her feet and then to his side as she sobs uncontrollably. His eyes are flickering wildly as he darts his gaze between Logan, Michael, and Owen, the latter two who sit watching but make no moves to intervene.
“Let me deal with my crazy-ass wife,” Logan snarls, chest heaving like he’s a charging bull. “I’m not about to let her get away with this shit.”
“She’s been through a horrific trauma,” Dad snaps back. “You will not beat your wife in my goddamn yard.”
Logan stalks up to Dad, eyes on Kristen. This isn’t going to end well. Both men are big, fearless, and strong.
I frantically look around for my brothers because I feel the need to break this up but can’t do it on my own. Rowdy is trotting our way with Mage and Spirit on his heels while Ryder and Raegan burst in through the gate. Thank God.
“What’s going on?” Rowdy booms as he enters the circle.
“Hand over my wife,” Logan barks at Dad, taking another menacing step toward them. “Now.”
Rowdy picks up the discarded gun, which causes the other men in the camp to tense up. CJ and Jace both jolt to their feet, drawing their own weapons. Holy shit, this is escalating fast.
“Stand down,” Michael commands, lifting a hand toward CJ and Jace. “You’ll only make this worse.” Then, to his son, he says, “Logan, that’s enough.”
Logan ignores him, glowering at Dad. “Wife. Now.”
Kristen whimpers and cowers behind my father. Mom enters the fray with Declan on her hip, frowning hard at the situation. Dad grunts Rowdy’s name and then nods toward Mom. My brother strides over to Kristen to guide her over to where Mom is standing.
“Take her back to the big house,” Dad instructs. “Get the girls out of here too.”
Michael slowly makes his way over to where Dad and Logan are facing off like one might approach two dogs who are fighting and doesn’t want to get bitten.
Dad is protecting the innocent.
Logan is the predator here.
I’m struck with the sudden realization of how terrifying he is. There’s always been something too intense about him. Now I’m understanding it’s because this violent man lurks beneath.
He hit his wife.
He almost punched her.
My stomach roils painfully, threatening to rid me of my breakfast. I can’t believe I was ever interested in this man. I’d fallen helplessly for his charms. And when I backed off, he was so cold to me. It’s because this cruel man is hidden under the façade.
“Let’s all just simmer down a minute,” Michael urges as he comes to stand beside his son. “Logan just lost his cool. He’s sorry. Right, Son?”
Logan transforms before our eyes. The tension bleeds out of him as he falls into a relaxed stance. Fury melts from his features and is replaced with an impassive expression. The abrupt change in him is almost as frightening as the monster he’d unleashed moments before. How can someone turn it on and off so easily?
“I apologize,” Logan mutters. “That shouldn’t have happened.”
Dad scoffs. “You beat your wife in front of my fucking family.”
Logan’s nostrils flare, the anger peeking back through, but he quickly pushes it away as he opts for a look of chagrin.
“It was inappropriate,” Michael agrees. “It won’t happen again.”
“You’re right about that,” Dad says, crossing his muscular arms over his chest. “Because you’re leaving. All of you.”