Broken Souls

Chapter 13 - Bailey

We finished our breakfast in a comfortable silence. I occasionally glanced at him, thinking about how incredible he is. I wish I had someone like him supporting me over the past five years. However, it was safer to be alone than to give that asshole any leverage against me. I won't risk anyone else's life ever again.

We left the diner together as we both had to start our day. I opened my car door, assuming he was already on his bike, but when I turned to wave goodbye, I bumped into his chest, which felt like a brick wall. He grabbed my waist to steady me. We were so close that I had to crane my neck to look into his eyes, which were so intense and a beautiful ice-blue. "Sorry, I didn’t realize you were behind me," He didn’t respond, just stared at me, making me feel like I had done something wrong. Then he brought his face closer to mine, and I could feel his breath on my lips. "Can I kiss you?" he whispered. Taken aback by his request, I know this is a bad idea but f**k it I want this just as much, "Yes." He closed the gap between us, pressing his lips to mine. His lips were incredibly soft, as he slipped his tongue into my mouth, I gave him more access. Wrapping my arms around his neck, he pulled me closer and placed his hands on the small of my back.

After we said our goodbyes, I drove back to the Inn to meet Leila. I couldn't stop smiling the entire way. That kiss was extraordinary; it made me forget all my problems, even if only for a moment, and it felt amazing. I walked over to the front desk to see if Leila was ready. "Hey, are you ready to go?" She looked up from the computer where she was typing, "Yeah, just give me a sec and we can leave."

I told her that I would wait in the car and that she could join me whenever she was ready. Ten minutes later, she got into the car, and we headed to the mall. What I initially thought would be a boring trip turned out to be surprisingly fun as we spent hours shopping. I never imagined that searching for the perfect dress could be so enjoyable. We laughed a lot at some of the dresses she tried on. Although I don't have much fashion sense, I couldn't help but notice that some of the dresses were absolutely terrible, making her look like a cupcake or worse. Luckily, we found a perfect summer dress for her: a black tube dress with lace at the bottom, which looked amazing on her. Afterward, we went for coffee. She is really fun to hang out with and very witty.

We discussed a wide range of topics, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Once we finished, we drove back to the Inn. While we were walking towards the entrance, I received a text:

Logan: Hi Angel! I hope your day’s going well.

Me: Hi! So far, so good. We're back at the Inn now. Hope this day is treating you well.

Logan: I had a question for you.

Me: It depends on what you want to ask. ;)

Logan: It's not that big of a deal. I was wondering if you'd like to join me for lunch. I can’t leave the shop, but we could eat in my office if you’re free?

Me: I had plans with Bob.

Logan: Who the f**k is Bob?

Me: My shower head.

Logan: f*****g hell; you’re going to be the death of me.

I started laughing—it felt so amazing that I wished the feeling would never end, even though I knew it eventually would.

Me - What should I pick up to eat? I'll be there at two. Does that work for you?

Logan - I’ll order something that matches your cravings, and no, I’m not on the list.

Me - Darn, I guess I’ll just have to starve then… You choose; I’m not picky at all.

Logan - I’ll make sure you don’t go hungry. See you at two ;)

I hurried to my room to change my shirt and freshen up before heading out. The drive to Logan's shop was silent. Normally, I keep the radio on, but my mind was so preoccupied with thoughts of the kiss that I barely noticed. Despite his intimidating presence, I knew it was life that had shaped him this way. In the moments we’ve interacted, he has always been gentle.

I arrived at the shop and got out of the car. Since I had never been here before, I didn’t want to just walk in, so I decided to call Logan and let him know I was outside. But then someone grabbed me by my hair from behind. I screamed as I was shoved against the side door of my car, my face crashing into the window and my one arm bent behind my back so far I was sure it was going to break. Terror surged through me. “Hey babe, remember me? my wrist was broken because of you. You were a tease and when the time came, you played hard to get. Now it's payback, and I’m going to take my sweet time with you.” He yanked me back and slammed my face into the window so hard it cracked, and I felt blood trickling down my face. Rage began to build inside me. “Let me f*****g go, What happened was all your fault and your stupidity,” I screamed back, taunting him even though I knew it was a reckless thing to do. But at that point, I don’t care.

“You heard her let her go,” a gruff voice said from behind us, which wasn’t Logan’s.

Why does this keep happening? I was yanked back and slammed against the window again. As everything began to fade, I closed my eyes, surrendering to the darkness.

“Angel, please wake up,” a voice pleaded. Did I actually die this time? Am I in heaven?

“She’s going to need stitches.” No, it wasn’t heaven; it is the same voice I’d heard earlier. I opened my eyes and tried to sit up, but my head and face were throbbing with pain. “Take it slow, you took a pretty hard hit,” Logan was sitting in front of me on a chair, one hand pressing against my eye, which hurt like a b***h. “God, my head is killing me. What happened?” I glanced around and noticed three very large men in the room with us. They looked intimidating, and fear started to creep in. As if noticing “These are my brothers, they won’t hurt you, I promise.”

“I’m taking you to the hospital. You’ll need stitches, and we need to get you checked out,” This wasn’t how I imagined my day unfolding. I’d never really known what peace felt like, but I’m certain this wasn’t it. “I’m fine, honestly. A bandage and some aspirin will do the trick,”. Logan’s intense gaze made it clear that arguing wasn’t an option. “Alright, I’ll go with you.”.

Logan helped me into an SUV and settled in the back seat with me, keeping pressure on my eye. Two of his brothers took the front seats while the third stayed behind. I glanced at Logan, "Please don’t make a big deal out of this. It’s not as serious as it looks, I’m sure of it."

“Be quiet and keep pressure on your eye,” the imposing, brooding figure ordered. I wanted to protest but decided against it—I simply didn’t have the energy for a fight right now. All I wanted was to sleep. I glanced at Logan, who wore a grin as if enjoying his brother giving me s**t. I rested my head on his shoulder and briefly closed my eyes. “Angel, keep your eyes open, talk to me so you can stay awake,” he urged. I struggled to open my eyes, which felt impossibly heavy. “I hate hospitals,” I muttered. He pressed his lips to my forehead, “I’ll be right by your side the entire time.”

We arrived at the hospital. As we entered I saw that Logan’s two brothers were following us. We were directed to an empty bed in the corner. The nurse told me to lie down and that a doctor would be with me soon. The broody brother thanked her as she left. Despite my insistence that I could hold the towel myself, Logan kept his hand pressed against my eye, so I eventually let him be.

I began to feel anxious since I'm not fond of hospitals, so I started fidgeting with my shirt. I glanced up at Logan’s two brothers who were standing at the end of the bed with their arms crossed, watching intently which only intensified my nervousness. “Hi, I’m Bailey. What are your names?” They told me their names: the serious one is Brian, and the other is Julian, which means Justin must be at the shop.

The doctor approached us with a friendly smile. He appeared to be in his early fifties. "Good afternoon, I’m Dr. Grayson. Let’s see what we have here". Logan lifted the towel so the doctor could examine the injury. "You’ll definitely need stitches, and since it’s a head wound, we’ll also check for a concussion," the doctor explained as he prepared his instruments. Sensing my anxiety, Logan took my hand in his.

After everything was settled, the doctor confirmed that I had a concussion and outlined the necessary steps for recovery. As we were leaving the hospital, I noticed Logan and Brian exchanging a look that seemed to convey a silent conversation—it was quite intriguing. Logan then gave Brian a nod. I got into the car, and we drove away. Logan lifted me onto his lap, and I rested my head against his chest, letting sleep take over.

I suddenly shot up from the bed. I felt arms envelop me, holding me tight. “You’re safe, Angel; nothing can hurt you. Just follow my breathing,” Logan whispered in my ear. I followed his instructions, and after a few minutes, my breathing began to steady. He gently laid me back down and drew me closer to his chest. With my eyes closed, I drifted back to sleep.