Logan Kade (Fallen Crest #5.5)

Logan nodded. He didn’t speak, just watched.

Jeremy cast a quick glance at me. “Well, huh.” He ran a hand through his hair, upending the strands. They’d been perfectly combed to the side, but the slightly messy look suited him better, made him less stuffy. “Taylor.” He moved toward me, angling away from Logan with the same movement. “I wanted to make sure you were okay, and to thank you for coming even if it was for a short while.”

Logan scooted over on the car, moving closer. He looked between us like he was a spectator enjoying the show.

I fought against rolling my eyes. He was trying to get underneath Jeremy’s skin, and it was working. I suddenly felt sorry for Jeremy. “I’m fine. I just wasn’t up for a party after all. I’d thought maybe I was.”

“Oh.” His head lifted and moved down again. “That’s good then. I’m glad you’re not sick or anything.”

“I’m fine.”

Jeremy was still giving Logan the side-eye. Logan stared back at him without reservation. My pulse quickened. I’d never seen Logan in action, and I didn’t think this would come to fighting, but I still felt something dangerous in the air. Logan almost reveled in making him nervous. Instinct told me to remove Jeremy from the situation or he was going to be humiliated, so I gestured to my car.

“I’m—uh. I’m actually going to my car—”

“I was hoping to talk to you,” Logan said, his eyes meeting mine.

And there it was. I couldn’t leave now, and there was no doubt about Logan’s purpose here. Jeremy straightened.

“Oh,” he said. His face twitched, then cleared. He gave me a smile. “I’ll, uh, I guess I’ll see you in class tomorrow.”

“Yeah.”

He nodded to Logan, then headed back, his shoulders slumped a bit. I felt a twinge of sympathy for him.

“Don’t do that.”

I turned to Logan. He shook his head.

“Do what?” I asked.

“Feel sorry for that pretentious prick.”

I pressed my lips into a disapproving line. “You don’t know he’s like that.”

He scoffed. “You do.” He gestured to my face. “It’s written all over you. And you feel sorry for him because of what? I’m the big, bad asshole, and he came off looking like a regular nice guy next to me? Please.”

He stood up and ran a hand through his hair. His hadn’t been combed perfectly like Jeremy’s. It was already messy, and when his hand dropped back to his side, it was even messier, which added to his already dangerous allure.

“Don’t be fooled by that guy,” he said. “If you were in a bad spot, a guy like that wouldn’t save you. He’d save his own ass. But me?” He stepped closer, softening his voice. “I’ll always save you.”

“Eric!” Someone was screaming in my ear. I didn’t know who it was, but as Eric looked at me, I realized it was me. I reached out. He could pull me to safety. I looked for my mom again. I didn’t know where she was.

A gunshot boomed from down the hallway.

A second scream started in my throat, but I slammed a hand over my mouth. I couldn’t let it out. They’d find me…

The flashback ripped through me. Everything lurched inside me and I clenched my eyes shut, lowering my head. I didn’t want memories. I couldn’t handle them. Even now, I was trembling, my teeth rattling against each other.

“Hey.” Logan’s voice was low and soothing. He stepped even closer. I could feel his body heat, and his hand touched my arm. “What just happened?”

I reached up to move his hand off me, but found myself holding it instead.

“Taylor?”

I concentrated on breathing. That was what the counselor had said to do. One breath. Hold. Five, four, three—I counted down and exhaled, repeating the countdown. In through the stomach, out through the lungs. I cycled through the process, and when I was done, my forehead rested on Logan’s chest. His free hand held the back of my head, keeping me in place. His other hand tangled with mine, our fingers laced together.

When the pressure began to ease, I looked up to blink at him, clearing the tears that had come with the panic. I felt ridiculous.

He shook his head. “Don’t.”

“What?”

“Don’t be embarrassed by that. I can see it on your face. You had a small panic attack just now?”

It was a flashback, but I nodded. It was easier to let him think it was a panic attack. “You get them?” I asked.

“I used to, when I was little. I had a few.”

“Someone helped you through them?”

“My brother.” His eyes lowered, shielding him. I couldn’t see into him anymore. He’d put up a wall.

I stepped back, and his hand fell from my neck. The shield he’d projected brought me back to reality. I didn’t know him—not like I knew Claire, not like Jason.

I lifted a shoulder. “I’m sorry.”