Indestructible (28 page)

My hands slipped up to the collar of his shirt and tugged him forward. “It’s beautiful. Massive and extremely unexpected, but by far the best piece of art I’ve ever seen.”

“Just you wait. There will be plenty more.” A smirk appeared on his lips.

“When did you paint it?” I asked, intrigued.

“Back in the fall. I was at the window of my office watching you with Oliver and couldn’t help myself. I snapped a picture and spent that week working on it after Oliver went to bed. I was afraid if he saw it, he’d tell you, and the last thing I wanted to do was freak you out.”

My laughter bubbled up. “Since when did you care about freaking me out, Mr. Invite Me to Join you for a Threesome?”

His hands slipped behind my neck as his mouth slanted over mine.

“Hm, good point.”

He took control of the kiss as I parted my lips, feeling his tongue sink inside my mouth, caressing and stroking the contours of my own. My fingers dug into his arms, and I felt addicted to his embrace, savoring the decadent growl he released.

He tasted of lust, sex, love—everything I’d ever need to survive. My fingers sank into his hair and my body fell flush against his, begging for more.

My brain somehow found its way back from the fog, and with one annoying glance at the clock, I was reminded that there was no time.

“I need to get dressed. I can’t be late,” I said, breaking the kiss before it led to something I knew neither of us would be able to stop.

He released me reluctantly and stared down at his cock, which strained against the designer fabric of his trousers.

I stroked my hand over him and grinned. “If I wasn’t in a hurry, I’d surprise you with my mouth again.”

His thumb traced my lip. “Tonight, I expect to enjoy just that.”

“We’ll see how good you are till then,” I teased.

He grinned, totally relaxed—the polar opposite from how he’d looked when he’d arrived. “I have to get Oliver ready for school.” He stole another nip at my lips as his hands explored down my back and over my ass, squeezing. “You want me to give you a ride there?”

“I do love the rides you take me on,” I murmured against his skin, my lips skating over the scruff of his jaw as my arousal began to boil. Someone needed to stop us. He was an addiction.

“Tonight, I’m all yours.” He placed one more kiss to my forehead, then strode to the doorway. “And if you hear from Hilary, let Caleb know. The man’s a mess. He’d make a damn good father. It’s a shame she didn’t have more faith in him and their relationship.”

“I’ve been trying to reach her, but she’s not answering,” I explained, sobering.

The tightness in Logan’s features returned when he turned to face me. “Caleb flew to her aunt’s house last night. She’ll be sorry when he finds her—and trust me, he
will
find her.”

The blood drained from my face. “If he hurts her…”

Logan leaned against the doorframe, a wicked smile curving his lips. “Oh, he’ll hurt her, but she’ll love every minute of it. That is, unless she’s done the unthinkable, in which case…” Logan’s voice lowered with grief. “She’ll break him, and I don’t know what he’ll do. He loves her. I’ve never seen him so distraught.”

“She would never abort the baby.” The words rushed out as though I needed to reassure myself, but I knew they were true. Despite her recent actions, I knew where her heart was. “That was never her plan, and she wouldn’t do it now.”

“Hilary doesn’t strike me as a fool. There’s no way she honestly believed she’d have been able to put the child up for adoption without Caleb finding out.”

I fell onto my bed, exhausted, not wanting to discuss it further. Not then, anyway. “I don’t know. She was scared and didn’t think it all out.”

His hand scrubbed through his hair. “She’d need his permission to do such a thing, even in Canada, and I can assure you Caleb would never allow it.”

“Can we just talk about this later? Please, I can’t be late today.”

“Of course. Get dressed and I’ll meet you out front in thirty to drop you at school.”

“Thanks, but I haven’t had a chance to drive my car yet. I just want a little normalcy today. How about you and Oliver come to dinner and I can cook for
you
for once?”

His eyes brightened. “Mmm, you in the kitchen preparing my meal. I do like the image that presents.”

“Pig!” I giggled.

“I can’t tell you what it did to me when I walked in on you covered in flour the day you watched Oliver after school. I still think about it from all those months ago.”

After dragging myself back up, I sauntered toward him, fueled by my unyielding desire to taste him just once more. He watched me, his eyes bright as I dragged my fingers gently up his chest. “You liked that, huh?”

His lips curled up into a smirk. “You have no idea. But you will…very soon.”

“All these promises…”

“So many I plan to deliver on.” He swathed me in his arms, then swatted my backside. “Now go get that fine ass dressed, and I’ll see you later.”

As I stood outside my classroom, my life came back into view. Greeting students and parents was exhilarating. I felt useful—needed. Their words were supportive and caring. They were genuinely happy about my return, wishing me well and explaining how they’d kept me in their thoughts and prayers. It was nice to be back in my element.

The crowd in the hall thinned as the clock ticked closer to class time. My students put their coats and book bags in their cubbies and shuffled to their seats while I watched from my door, my smile unwavering.

As I was about to enter the room, I paused when I noticed Logan walking past with Oliver. His eyes locked on mine.

Be professional
, I reminded myself, giving him a friendly nod. Oliver waved before entering his classroom, and Logan turned my way as another of my students appeared with her mother.

“Miss Clarke, you’re back!” the little girl, Victoria, exclaimed.

“I sure am, and I can’t wait to see what you guys have been up to while I was gone.”

“We made you a giant picture on the wall.”

I’d already seen it when I’d come in, and had taken multiple photos of the masterpiece. A large canvas of paper covered the wall, and the substitute had had all the kids paint flowers and rainbows however they chose. It was the cutest piece of art I’d ever seen, and the perfect start to my day.

“Welcome back,” her mother said.

I smiled. “Thank you.”

I watched her leave after kissing her daughter’s cheek. As I turned to enter the room, I saw Logan standing across the hall, as still and silent as a predator, watching me.

Hi
, I mouthed.

His stare was penetrating and primal.
Gorgeous
, he mouthed in reply.

“Hi, Miss Clarke!” another student exclaimed as she entered the room. I smiled at her, then looked back to Logan.

He strode over and dipped his head to my neck, his lips brushing my ear. “Keep that dress on tonight,” he whispered before walking away.

The day went better than I’d expected. My students were happy to have me back, and eager to help my day run smoothly. It was nice, but I wasn’t naïve enough to believe it would last. I’d just enjoy it until they got comfortable again and made me work to hold their attention.

As I left my class at the end of the day, part of me hoped to see Logan waiting. It wasn’t the plan, but I knew he’d be there to pick up Oliver, so there was a chance. But no such luck.

I was heading to my car when my phone pinged to life in my coat pocket. It was the first sound it had made in almost two days. With a rush of hope, I stopped mid-step a few feet from my car to retrieve it.

With one look, my heart jolted. Hilary’s name lit my screen. It was a text and not a call, but it was a start.

I rushed to my car, unlocked the door, and shoved my tote in the backseat, taking shelter from the deep chill.

With a nervous hand, I opened the text.

I just need some time to think. Tell Caleb I’ll call him soon

No way!
I needed more than that. Irritated, I twisted my hair up in a knot, then replied.

He knows! You have to call.

There’s no way he hadn’t texted her that he’d found out about the baby, but just in case, I felt I should let her know.

My phone lit up with an incoming call.
Thank God.

“Hilary, where are you?” I blurted out the second I answered.

“How could you tell him, Cassandra!?” she screamed hysterically, sobs dominating her speech.

“I didn’t get a chance to. Natasha had that honor. Now where are you?”

“Natasha! That bitch!” she hissed.

“What did she say to you in the bathroom at Haven, exactly?” I cranked on the heat.

“Nothing I didn’t already know.”

“Don’t lie to me, Hilary. You left me in a real crappy position here. Caleb’s furious, hurt, and…I don’t know what he’s going to do when he finds you. So you need to just call him and explain—or, better yet, come home.”

“I really screwed up.” She sounded dejected.

I blew out a breath, forcing myself to calm down. She needed my support, not a bombardment of demands. “You panicked. He’ll forgive you, but you
need
to call him.”

“What if I’m a shit mother like Natasha was? What if I forget to feed the baby, or leave it somewhere? Oh God, I can’t.” Alarm rang through her voice.

“First of all, we’re talking about a baby, not an object. You’ll feed him or her, and if you forget, they’ll cry and remind you. And I’ll be there any time you need me, day or night.”

She continued as though in a fog, my words lost on her. “Caleb hates me. He has to. I just
left
him, Cassandra—snuck out! What the hell is the matter with me? He’s everything I could ever want or need, and I lied to him—betrayed him. Oh my God. Oh my God. I can’t breathe.”

“Hilary, listen to me: You have to calm down, okay?”

“I love him. I love him so much, Cassandra.” Her words were broken between sobs and pants.

I hated not knowing where she was. I needed to find out and go to her. “I know you do. Has he texted?”

“Not since yesterday morning. He stopped and now it’s only been calls, about every hour. I can’t answer, though. What is there to say? He’s gonna see me—the real me. I’m not good enough for him, and he’s finally going to figure that out. I’m not a fighter like you, Cassandra. I’m weak and pathetic, obviously, and now he knows. The only man I’ve ever loved now sees me for what I’ve become: a coward.”

“Hilary, he—”

“Oh God,” she gasped, her words slurred. “What if he takes the baby?”

“Let’s worry about that later, all right?”

“You think he will, don’t you?”

Obviously, my attempt to pacify her had failed. Hoping the truth would at least knock
some
sense into her, I said, “He has the right to—it’s his child. You can’t go ahead with an adoption when the father is there waiting in the wings, and honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if he does. I mean, if you don’t work it out with him, anyway.”

“He’s calling now,” she whispered, as though he could hear.

“Answer it. Be honest with him. He’ll understand.”

“Yeah, right. I know Caleb, Cassandra. He has a temper.”

“Yeah, I saw it,” I said, remembering how Caleb’s fists had redecorated Logan’s living room.

“He’d never lay a hand on me,” she added quickly, “but he
would
shut me out…remove me from his life. I can’t even imagine it. It hurts too much.”

“Listen, whether you answer his call or not, he left for your aunt’s house yesterday. He should be there by now.”

She sighed into the phone. “I’m not there. I wasn’t ready to go…I just needed to think.”

“Then where are you?”

“I should go.” I could feel her numbness setting in through the phone. “I don’t want to put you in the middle of this.”

“Too late for that! Hilary, just tell me where you are. I’ll come to you. Caleb doesn’t have to know, I promise.”

“I’m sorry. I’ll call you soon. Love you.”

She hung up, and there was no stopping the tears that ran down my cheeks.
Damn her!
Why did she have to be so bullheaded? Well, if she wouldn’t let me help her, she left me no other choice.

I dialed Caleb.

“Did you find her?” was his rushed greeting.

With the car fully heated now, I tugged the scarf loose from my neck. “No, but she called. I just got off the phone with her.”

“Thank Christ,” he blew into the phone, sounding relieved.

“She’s not at her aunt’s.”

“Yeah, I know. I was already there and searched the place.”

My smile was instant. “Searched it? Her aunt let you?”

“Not at first, but once I explained why I was there, she agreed to help to put my mind at ease. It didn’t work and I’m back to square one, so you need to call her back and tell her to pick up the fucking phone when I call!”

I shook my head and leaned my throbbing head back. “She won’t. You should try texting her. She’s just scared.”

“She should be.” The dark threat in his voice twisted my gut.

“Okay, that’s
not
gonna get her to speak to you!” I snapped.