“Logan,” I scream. “Abby, stop it.” My heart sinks into my stomach, wishing they weren’t fighting over a loaded gun. Dread seeps into my bones, knowing this most likely wasn’t going to end with the four of us alive.
I finally get the rope loose enough to pull my legs away from the chair. I’m crawling to a stand when I hear the loud pop of the gunshot. I gasp and look up. My ears ring with the shot. A piercing noise reverberates in my eardrum and I reach up, covering my ears. I open my eyes, terrified of what I’m going to see. Logan is lying on top of Abby and I can’t tell where the gun went off.
Natalie’s sobs continue to echo, and her shoulders shake. I leave her and crawl over to Logan and Abby.
My breaths are deep and weighted. Every part of my body aches but I shove the pain aside and hold my breath.
“Logan?” I reach out and touch his back. My fingers are covered in blood as they shake, touching his back. “Logan?” I sob. I sob for Abby and Logan. Whichever way this ended, I didn’t want to lose either of them. Abby may have been the one who put us in this position to begin with, but I still wanted her to be alive. She needed help and I hoped she still had the chance.
I’m terrified as I watch Logan’s body, waiting for any sign he wasn’t harmed.
As soon as my fingers touch Logan’s back, his entire body expands, contracting with a breath. I gasp, relieved he’s okay. He sits up and rolls off Abby’s body. The gun falls from his hand and he falls back onto the floor. He’s crying, tears streaming down his flushed face. His cheeks are red, but his eyes are dilated and vacant. Fear overtaking him.
I cover my mouth when my eyes meet Abby’s. She’s laying on the floor, her hand over her stomach, her other arm splayed out beside her. Her violet eyes are spread wide open as if she’s staring at the ceiling and her silver hair is fanned out around her. Her eyes are empty, a shell of the life that used to dwell inside them. I swallow the lump in my throat, knowing she’s no longer alive. A large red pool of liquid seeps out from underneath her, soaking into the old matted carpet. It smells metallic and the scent combined with the musty air makes my stomach twist.
“Abby.” I move toward her and reach out, sliding my hand across her cheek but Logan reaches out and stops me. He wraps his arm around my chest and pulls me back.
He pulls me against his chest and rocks me back and forth. I didn’t realize until his body was steadying mine, that I was sobbing uncontrollably. I shake my head and close my eyes, the image of Abby still burning in my mind. I’d lost my best friend even if our friendship wasn’t real from the start. She pretended to be my friend as a way to grow closer to me, convinced we could be more than best friends.
Despite the deceit of Abby’s friendship, I feel a sharp twist in my chest. As far as I was concerned, Abby was the closest person I had to a best friend. Everything I had believed the past four years has been wrong.
Logan holds me against his chest, his forearm wrapped around my shoulders. He presses his face to the side of my head and places his lips against me. “I’m so sorry, Lena,” he whispers. “I’m sorry.” His tears fall onto my hair, soaking into the blood matted to the side of my head. I cry, leaning forward. I’m falling and Logan’s arm is outstretched, ready to catch me.
The sight of Abby blurs as I sob against Logan’s arm. A few seconds pass before he slides his arm away from me and crawls to a stand. He walks over to Natalie and unties the knots still keeping her tied to the chair. Once she’s free, Logan walks back over to me and crouches down.
I cover my mouth to mute my sobs. I’m staring at Abby’s hand. I study every chip in her black nail polish. How could I have been so blinded to not see how she was in love with me?
Sirens wail in the background, growing louder as they get closer to Abby’s office. I wasn’t sure how they knew to come here. Maybe Natalie had called or maybe someone had heard the gunshot go off, killing Abby.
Another hand lands against my back. I look up through my tear-stained eyes to see Natalie. Her chin quivers and her eyes are turned down in sadness. “Are you okay?” she asks me.
I nod. “Are you?”
“I’m fine.” She swallows.
Logan grabs on to my hand and pulls me to a stand. I reach up and finally touch the wound on the side of my head. Blood is clinging to my hair and I wince when I touch the open flesh with my fingertips.
The three of us walk out of the building, leaving Abby on the floor. Beside her is the article Abby had shown me about Julian not even being in Seattle. As far as I knew, he’d taken my advice and started his own life. A piece of me fractures at the thought. Abby had deceived me from the beginning. All the way back to the day we’d met in college. She used every means possible to ruin my relationships and my life.
Once we make it outside, heavy rain blankets us in sheets. Water falls onto my shoulders and hair, blending in with the constant stream of tears running down my face. The rain mixes with the blood caked onto my body, pooling at my feet in rivers of faded crimson.
Logan keeps his hold on me as the police begin to surround the building.. Ambulances, fire trucks, and police cars form a barrier to the street. I look up and feel the rain splash across my face, injecting new breath into my lungs. The cool air makes its way down my throat and inflates my chest. Its cleansing yet heavy all at the same time.
One of the police officers walks up to me and Logan. She points behind us. “Is there anyone else still inside?”
I nod, pressing my lips together.
She nods once then glances over her shoulder, waving one of the paramedics over to work on me and Logan. Once the medics begin inspecting my wound, the police officer walks into the building. Another paramedic ushers Natalie into one of the ambulances. Logan stays with me as we head to the back of a different ambulance.
Once I’m inside the safety of the ambulance, I realize I’m no longer crying. The moisture on my cheeks were the warm raindrops falling from the clouds. Logan stands in front of me, his hands on my knees. He’s standing outside the ambulance as the paramedic finishes wrapping a bandage around the top of my head.
He reaches his hand up and traces a line across my cheek with his finger. He tilts his head to the side and stares into my eyes. “I’m sorry, Lena.”
I nod, unsure of what to say. I tuck my bottom lip between my teeth and bite down. This tiny bit of pain is nothing compared to the agony I’m feeling inside.
I move my gaze past Logan, watching as police and paramedics move in and out of the building. Once they walk out the door pushing a stretcher with Abby’s body wrapped up in a black bag, I turn away.
Logan tucks my hair behind my ear, pulling me back to him.
“How did the police know we were here?”
He sighs, his eyes focused on my forehead. His hand continues to caress my skin, tracing invisible lines. Every stroke is a silent promise, healing me with every touch. “Max called the police. Abby sent him a resignation email posing as Natalie. I recognized the email it was sent from as the same one Abby was using to send you those emails.”
Again, I nod. I’m at a complete loss for words. Outside my body is calm, slowly digesting everything. On the inside, I’m torn apart.
Finally, I move my eyes to Logan’s. There’s a battle waging inside them. He’s both relieved to know it’s over but concerned for me.
“Logan?” I stare into his eyes, swallowing the sadness threatening to swallow me whole. His hand slides from my forehead to my cheek. I lean into him, feeling his warmth. “Where do we go from here?”
His shoulders fall and his hand wraps around mine. His finger circles my wedding ring. “We go wherever you want to go.”
Thirty
Logan
The house has been eerily quiet these past few days. For the first few days after Abby took Lena and told us the truth, Lena has been distant. I don’t fault her for it, giving her the time she needs to heal. I knew it would take longer than a simple few days to get over the events that happened inside the f
our walls of that abandoned office building.
Lena and I had escaped nearly uninjured. But our wounds weren’t on the outside. They were buried inside, deep within our souls. For months we lived with the belief Julian had been the one stalking us, but in fact it was Abby. Our whole relationship had been built on a foundation of lies and deceit.
Guilt is still embedded in my bones. I had been the one who ultimately killed Abby. My finger was on the trigger, the barrel of the gun pressed against her chest. Although Lena assured me she understood how it happened, I couldn’t reconcile with myself. Even if Abby had wanted Lena to herself, she didn’t deserve to die.
I stare at my hands, thinking of everything they’ve ever touched. A knife slicing tomatoes. Clenched into fists, blocking punches from Julian’s assault. Pulling the trigger of a gun and killing my wife’s best friend.
But when I look up and see Lena sitting on the edge of the bed, sliding on her shoes, I think of how my hands have held her. It’s funny how our hands have the power to change our lives so easily.
Lena stands from the edge of the bed and slaps her hands on her thighs. “Are you ready to go?”
I’m leaning against the doorframe to our bedroom. It’s a chilly fall day but the sun is shining bright today. Lena’s opened all the curtains, allowing the most sunlight possible to filter in. It covers every surface of our house, even Lena. Her smile has changed since the other day but her warmth reminds me she’s still herself.
The bandage wrapped around her head is now gone. She needed several stitches to close up the wound Abby had given her when she knocked Lena to the ground. Afterward, when the police had conducted their investigation, they found out Abby had struck Lena with a hammer. The doctors had said she was lucky she didn’t receive any more damage than a concussion and a few stitches.
Aside from a few bruised ribs, I made it out virtually unharmed. But I knew Lena and I would need some time to get over the wounds on our souls.
And we were starting with today. I push off the wall and close the gap between us. I slide my arms around her waist and pull her close to me. She tips her chin up, matching her eyes with mine.
“I’m definitely ready to go,” I tell her. I place a kiss on her lips, savoring the way she tastes. My chest explodes, the sparks spreading out across my body. I pull away from her but keep my arms wrapped around her.
“Do you know which kind you want?” I ask her.
“I want one that’s cuddly, loving, playful, and big.”
I laugh, running my hands through her hair. “That’s a pretty tall order for getting a dog.”
She shrugs her shoulder. “Honestly, I think I’ll know when we get there. We have to have a connection.”
“A connection, huh?”
“Yeah,” she says, standing on her toes. She ghosts her lips across mine. “You know, like me and you.”
“You’re right.” I nod, running the tip of my nose across hers, my lips dancing around hers. “I do know.”
The End
Epilogue
Lena
“Well, it’s finished.” I slide my laptop to Logan, showing him the new logo I designed for Bistro 59. “What do you think?” I bite down on the tip of my thumb, waiting for his reaction.
It’s been three months since Logan officially signed the paperwork to become Max’s business partner. Max didn’t rush Logan to come back to work, knowing we needed to take the time to heal. Candace didn’t rush me either. However, after a few days, I started working from home, doing anything and everything to keep my mind off Abby and what had happened.
It’s been three months since Logan signed the paperwork to become Max’s business partner, but it’s been eight months since Abby died. For a while, I felt like a hole had been carved out of me, nothing left behind to fill it. It took me time to come to terms with the direction my life had taken. I’d lost a friend, and nearly lost Logan again.
Logan and I were convinced we had control over our lives. After Providence, we promised to live our lives the way we wanted, unwilling to keep running. Instead, I learned my life was never mine to begin with. Even before Julian, Abby had control.
It was tough to come to terms with her love for me. I began to dissect our relationship, wondering how I had missed the signs. But after a few weeks, I realized I couldn’t blame myself. That only allowed Abby to continue to keep her hold on me, even after her death.
As far as Julian was concerned, I no longer worried whether he was after me and Logan. He had started over in a new place, cashing in on the second chance on life I’d given him.
Logan studies the logo I designed and pushes my laptop back over to me. He diverts his gaze to our back yard. The flowers surrounding the fence have started to bloom. Yellow and purple petals are scattered across the yard. Our dog, Archie, walks over to one of the flowers and sits beside it, chewing on his favorite ball. Archie has become a blessing in my life, healing parts of me I didn’t know were still hurting. He was the missing piece to our lives.
The shed we had built last summer still stands in the center of our yard, the pale yellow paint chipping near the ends of the planks of wood.
I make a mental note to repaint the shed this summer.
“Well?” I ask Logan. “You hate it don’t you?” I slide my finger across the screen, choosing a different color for the logo.
Logan’s hand quickly wraps around mine, stopping me from working. “No, don’t.” I turn to face him. He smiles, the corners of his mouth curling. “Keep it the way it is. I love it.”
I tilt my head. “Are you sure?”
“What?” He laughs. “You think I’m lying?”
“I’ll ask Natalie for her opinion. I don’t trust you.” I turn back to my computer, hiding my smirk from Logan.
Surprisingly, Natalie and I have grown close over the past few months. I never expected us to grow close since the day Abby changed our lives.
Abby had taken advantage of everyone around her, including Natalie. I couldn’t fault her for what she had done. I knew the power Abby had over those she considered vulnerable. Me included. In a way, I understood Natalie.
I gasp when I feel Logan stand up and hover over me. He slides my chair to the side, turning me toward him before he places both arms around me, caging me in.
His long hair hangs around his sculpted face. His beard has grown out significantly since last year. I lift my hand and run my fingers through it. My heart races, knowing marrying him was the best decision I made in my life. Because despite knowing my life had been controlled by someone else, this was one decision I know I made for myself.
“Keep the logo,” Logan says, bending down to kiss the hollow of my ear. Chills scatter across my skin and I inhale a sharp breath. “It’s perfect.”
Sneak Peek
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Continue reading for an excerpt from Brittany Taylor’s, Back to Me, the final book in the Back to Me Series!
Copyright 2019 Brittany Taylor
Sara
Sprinting down the sidewalk on Sylvan Avenue, I wince in pain as my toes continue to squeeze toward the narrow tip of my black stiletto heels.
“Shit,” I mutter to myself.
Since I had to park almost a mile back, just off the exit to Interstate 30, I’ve been hauling ass trying to make it to The Fabrication Yard in time to meet up with Graham. Tonight is the first night he has been able to bring himself to display his art on the giant brick wall located in Dallas’ most popular graffiti park. For months I’ve begged and pleaded for him to gather up the courage and show off his art.
Of course, as with most things in my life, I’m late. Even if it wasn’t particularly in my control, I feel terrible for missing one of the biggest nights of Graham’s life. Clutching my phone in my hand, I glance down to check the time. “Fuck,” I breathe out. I’m twenty minutes late. Running past the sea of cars parked along the street, listening to the clicking of my heels meeting pavement, I find several unanswered texts fr
om Graham.
Graham: Just got here. I’m so nervous.
Graham: I feel like my stomach is dissolving from its own contents, and I’m going to vomit all over the park.
Graham: Are you almost here? I don’t see you.
Graham: Sara, where the hell are you? I need you here.
I feel those last four words stab straight into my heart. He needs me. In the six years I’ve known Graham, I can only think of a handful of times where he said he needed me. One of those times was when he asked me to move to Dallas from our hometown, two hours away. I didn’t even hesitate when I told him I would. And ever since, we’ve lived together, shared the same apartment, yet never allowed ourselves to be anything more than roommates and best friends.
I have been in love with Graham since the moment I met him, all those years ago. But in that time, I’ve come to realize he may never love me the way I love him. It’s moments like these where I’m sprinting down a busy sidewalk, in five-inch heels and a dress that barely covers my ass to meet the man one I can’t seem to get over. Because truth be told, I would do anything for Graham Ward. Including risking a rip in my dress or a quick snap of my heel, breaking off into one of the many cracks in the sidewalk.
Looking down at my phone, I stare at those four words, convincing myself they don’t hold nearly as much meaning as I think they do when I run into a wall. Well, it’s not so much a wall as it is a man, dressed in a perfectly tailored black suit.
He grips my arms, steadying my body, preventing me from falling face first onto the concrete. I glance up at the man who saved me, catching myself staring into his bright green eyes. The sky is pitch black, not a single star shining, but the streetlamp beaming down on us illuminates every shadow and line of his body.
“Are you alright?” he asks. Concern spreads across his face as three lines crease the smooth skin of his forehead.
Mine: A Romantic Suspense Thriller (A Back to Me Series Book 2) Page 25