Irreplaceable (8 page)

“I’ve never been better. He was—” she began, but the
interruption of the bathroom door opening revealing Natasha changed her grin
into a more formal, friendly smile.

She strolled in, ignoring us as she went straight to the
mirror and applied a new layer of deep-crimson lipstick. It did little for her
olive complexion.

“Sorry about coming off a little harsh back there. It’s
been a long night,” Hilary said in a way-too-friendly voice. “I hope you enjoy
our small town.”

“I’m sure I will. Caleb seems eager to show me around.”

It took everything in me not to say something, but Hilary
took the jab like a champ. I wasn’t sure if Natasha had caught on to Caleb and
Hilary’s relationship status, and I knew from her seat she wouldn’t have seen
them kissing in the back, but anyone could’ve seen there was something between
them from the way Hilary had stormed over originally.

“Yeah, Caleb’s great. I’m sure you’ll enjoy him.” Hilary
turned back to the mirror in front of her, smoothing a finger over her
perfectly trimmed brow. We stood in silence until Natasha left a minute later.

“All right spill!
You’re sure she’ll enjoy him?
What the hell, Hilary? Please don’t tell me you guys have some weird
open-relationship thing going on!”

“Hell no!” She turned away from the mirror, her face
scrunched in disgust. “That is one man I’ll never share.”

“Good to know. So what’s going on, then?”

“Caleb’s doing a favor. He told me she’s Logan’s ex.”

I nodded, confirming I already knew.

“She’s pretty,” Hilary said.

Yeah, she was.
I sucked in my lips, averting my
eyes that no doubt relayed the pang of jealousy I hated feeling.

“But you’re gorgeous. She has nothing on you. Not to
mention she looks like a slut.”

A smile broke out over my face. “So what’s the favor
Caleb’s doing?”

Her face lit up, ready to divulge, but first she danced
over to the door peeked out. All must’ve been clear, because she turned back
and started talking.

“Logan asked if he’d try to get some information out of
her—see why she was really back in town. You know, two guys working a scheme,
playing out some James Bond fantasy. We would totally be the Bond girls!”

She looked pleased with the image, but I was more
interested in hearing her continue. Catching the hint, she rolled her eyes at
my insistent hand motion.

“Anyway, Logan told Natasha he’d meet her here, but when
she arrived, he texted her that something came up and he couldn’t make. He said
her drinks were on his tab for the night, then handed her off to Caleb, whose mission
was to try and get her drunk and sweet talk her into spilling her guts.” She
said the last part with extra enthusiasm.

“Spilling her guts?” I laughed once. “So why is she
back?”

“Turns out we interrupted before he got anything out of
her—at least, anything other than the fact that she wants to take him back to
her hotel and do things that would have me ripping her eyes out and send me to
a life behind bars. Orange is
not
my color.”

“Gotcha.” I rubbed my hand over my chest, my brain
nearing exhaustion. “Well, let’s leave them to it, shall we?”

“Actually, Logan asked if I’d stay. He said he’d take you
home, and I could cover his job.”

My head began to pound. “His job?”

“Yeah, he’s been in the back keeping an eye on her—you
know, in case she really came back to try and take Oliver. He wants as much
information as he can get on her, and from what I understand, she’s not one to
turn down a drink or five to loosen up. At least, he
was
keeping an eye
on her till Mark decided to sit beside you. Now Caleb’s trying to cool him
down. Logan does not like Mark, by the way.”

I only heard one thing. “Take Oliver? You mean she wants
custody?”

The thought brought a tremble to my knees. Just the icy
look in the woman’s eyes told me she’d be no good for him, but maybe I was
wrong. The fact that Logan was setting her up left me torn. What if all she
really wanted was a fresh start?

“Logan didn’t say. I only talked to him a moment in the
kitchen—you know, in between his threats of killing the two cooks holding him
down. Poor guys. One took a punch in the face.”

“Oh my God!” I gasped. “Because he was trying to keep
Logan from coming out and blowing some so-called scheme?”

“No, because the guy made a comment that he once heard
Mark say you were terrible in bed.”

I blanched. Mark had said that, and Logan had heard it.

“Ignore him. Mark just started rumors to keep other guys
away from you because he knew you could do better.”

“Right,” I mumbled under my breath, my pulse racing.
There were rumors? And to drive it home, they were about my performance in the
bedroom? I wasn’t sure how I felt, other than ready to get the hell out of
there.

“Come on, let’s get you home. I’m going to stay in the
back with a camera, in case anything happens and Natasha does something he can
use against her if she tries to go after Oliver.”

Hilary walked with me across the restaurant, then gave me
a small hug and a sympathetic smile. “It’s gonna be all right. Logan should be
waiting for you outside.”

I slipped out my phone the second she was gone and sent a
text.

At Haven. Need a ride home. Please get here fast
.

It only took a minute to get a reply.

Be there in 5
.

I knew Logan was there the moment
I opened the door and stepped outside, the cool night air filling my lungs and
helping me keep myself strong. Logan paired with the Haven parking lot was not
a friendly memory. He stood in a shadow beside the building.

“You’re supposed to be at home resting.” His hoarse voice
was thick with underlying disdain.

I rolled my eyes, making sure he could see it. I knew
where I was supposed to be, and it wasn’t with some controlling nut. I started
to continue making my way toward the sidewalk when his arm wrapped around my
waist, steering me in the opposite direction.

“Cassandra, talk to me! Why did you sit there with him?”
Logan yelled.

I flinched, not expecting harshness after the gentleness
I’d experienced the past week from him.

“It’s none of your business who I sit with!”

“He’s no good! Don’t let him sway you otherwise.”

“You know what, Logan? Despite what you might think, I
really can take care of myself. I know exactly who Mark is now, and I don’t
need you protecting me from him or anyone else!”

My head spun. Standing there with him again, so close and
with such raw anger, caused the memory of New Year’s to begin running wildly
through my thoughts. Something in him seemed to notice, as his rage began to
dissipate slowly.

“Fine. I’ll go get the car. Wait here.” Irritation
riddled his voice.

Yeah, I was going to wait all right, but not for him.
Just being in that parking lot left me raging inside, as memories of the last
time we were there filled my thoughts. I closed my eyes, fighting to block out
the haunting images with little success.

“Please hurry, please hurry,” I whispered to myself, my
hands shoved deep in my coat pockets, legs trembling. I needed my ride to
arrive before he returned, and for once, my wish came true.

“I’m not even going to ask why you’re here,” Luke said,
leaning over from his driver’s seat to open the door.

“Good.”

The moment I stepped forward, Logan’s car pulled up,
blocking the road from the traffic behind us. I hurried into Luke’s truck and
slammed the door just as Logan’s door opened and he began jogging toward my
side of the vehicle.

“Just go,” I panted, my adrenaline spiking.

It was childish, but I needed Luke to put some distance
between my past and me. Unfortunately, he wasn’t moving, and instead staring at
me like I was speaking a dead language. I shot him a puppy-eyed plea, but it
was too late—his gaze was focused past me to my window, where Logan was
lurking. He leaned down and tapped on it.

To my dismay, Luke hit the button to lower the window.

“I can take you home,” Logan whispered, leaning against
the truck.

“Already have a ride. Good night, Logan.” I turned my
gaze back out the windshield, staring at the snow-covered road and bright lamp
posts.

“I’m sorry, all right? I snapped seeing him there with
you. Cassandra, I miss you.”

I closed my eyes, his gentle words ripping through me and
pounding on the walls surrounding my thumping but still broken heart.

“I’m tired,” I murmured. “I just want to go home.”

His thumb and forefinger caught my chin, turning my face
back to him gently. “I’ll stop by in the morning?”

The longing in his voice was thick and heavy, begging me
to say yes. I needed to get away—from that place where my heart was destroyed,
from him and his soul-searching gaze.

“Do what you want. We both know you will, anyway.”

“It’s too hard to stay away from you, Cassandra. It’s
killing me.” He released my face, finding something in my eyes.

I looked away and took a breath, trying to stay strong.
He always got to me. I couldn’t hear anymore that night. I couldn’t endure the
agony in his voice.

“Good night, Logan. Let’s go, Luke.”

“Make sure she gets inside safely,” Logan demanded.

“Of course. I’ll take care of her.”

Luke’s words didn’t appear to sit well with Logan. I
caught his grip tightening on the windowpane of my door, and I turned to catch
his hard stare at Luke. His jaw ticked, but my voice broke through and
lightened the intensity.

“I’ll be fine. You might as well stay and help Hilary.”
My own words fell out so evenly and calmly. I relaxed into them.

He stared at me in a long silence, then straightened
himself and walked back to his car without another word.

“Take me home, Luke,” I said, resting back in the seat.

We drove in silence for only a
few minutes before Luke asked, “So, you’re not dating him, correct?”

“No,” I said with a sigh. I didn’t want to think about
Logan or the darkness plaguing his deep-blue eyes tonight.

“Maybe you should clarify that with him. Or at least
shoot him a text to get the hell off my bumper.”

I whipped my head back and there, a few feet behind the
vehicle, was Logan’s car, following us. I rolled my eyes and turned back
around.

“Ignore him.”

“Easier said than done. This truck’s my baby. One
scratch...”

I shook my head, laughing at the ridiculousness of that
statement.

“Logan’s a safe driver,” I said, staring blankly out the
window.

As we pulled up my driveway, Luke switched off the
ignition, and the headlights of Logan’s car pulled up on Luke’s side.

“Thanks for the ride.” I opened the truck door and looked
back, catching Logan standing beside his car door, waiting—for what, I had no
idea.

“You want me to walk you in and make sure he doesn’t
bother you?” Luke asked, his eyes on Logan’s intimidating stance.

“No, go home and get some sleep. I owe you enough for
making you drive all the way out here.”

“It’s not a problem, but between you and me, the guy has
some serious boundary issues.”

“You have no idea,” I said with a small chuckle, and
leaned across the seat to give him a warm hug and kiss on the cheek. “Thanks
again, and good night.”

As I climbed out, I noticed Logan’s hard gaze was still
fixed on Luke, who was now backing out of the driveway. With an irritated eye
roll, I headed to the front door and pulled out my key.

“Cassandra—”

“Go home, Logan.”

“I just wanted to make sure you got home safely.”

I could feel him standing close behind me. Goose bumps
flared over my neck and down my arms. Sweat beaded under my thick coat as my
body reacted to his nearness, calling out for him to take what he wanted and
put me out of my misery.

It was only a matter of time; we both knew it. The only
thing I held out hope for was that when he was through with me, I’d someday
find a man to put me back together.