Page 72 of Save Me

He turned his cheek. “Come on. I give you the first hit.”

I didn’t move. “Like I’d give you the upper hand and get within your guard.”

“Fine.”

He charged me, but I was ready for him. I threw my foot out, aiming for his chest. He smacked it out of the way and swung for me. I ducked to the side, grabbed his wrist, and jabbed my elbow toward his face. He caught it, which I was expecting, and I rammed my knee into his side. He let out a grunt and grabbed hold of my hair. He yanked it back, making me scream out. I quickly twisted to get to the far reaches of his guard and dropped to the ground, holding onto his wrist and forearm as I went down. Once I was on my butt, I threw my elbow down on his inner arm, forcing it to bend and him to get closer. When he was within my guard, I punched him.

He let go of my hair and stumbled back a couple of steps, rubbing his jaw. “You must really have your panties in a twist about something.”

I got my feet under me and crawled backward.

“Shiloh,” Keelan said, his voice full of worry.

“Stay out of it!” I ordered.

“Maybe you should accept the help. You can’t take me on your own, Shi. You never could,” Logan taunted.

“Your attempts to get a rise out of me are pathetic,” I snapped. “Sounds to me like you’re just annoyed you can’t figure out why I’m pissed at you. Or is this a tantrum because you still can’t figure out who I’m dating? Poor Logan, the ex-Navy SEAL isn’t as sharp as he used to be.”

He chuckled. “I’m so proud of you right now.”

I pushed to my feet.

“You’re stronger. More confident,” he said.

I fisted my hands at my sides, not liking how things were shifting.

“I know you hit a bump in the road recently, but when we fall, we get back up stronger. You got back up stronger, Shi.”

How dare he use my mother’s words. “You don’t get to do that,” I seethed. “You don’t get to show up and pass judgment on my life based on the few hours you’ve been here. You have no idea how hard it’s been.”

“That’s it, isn’t it?” he asked. “You’re pissed I left.”

I ground my teeth.

“You know why I had to leave,” he said.

That was the lie that broke my control. I charged him. I swung. He ducked. “You didn’t have to do anything!” I screamed at him and swung at him again. He caught my wrist. “You lied to me!” I yanked my wrist free. “You left me when I needed you!” I went to shove him and he let me. He stumbled back a step. “You wanted revenge! Catching X was more important to you than me!” I shoved him again, but he braced for it. So I tried again. He didn’t budge. “You’re all I have left and you left me!” I slammed my fists on his chest and he caught me by my wrists. I choked on a sob. Tears were already pouring down my cheeks. “I needed you.”

Logan tried to wrap his arms around me, but I yanked out of his hold. “No! Don’t fucking touch me!” I stormed toward the door, passing a shocked-looking Creed and Knox.

21

“You left your shoes behind,”Knox said as he stared down at me. “Keelan has them.”

I tightened my arms around my legs. “Okay.”

“Why did you decide to hide in here?” he asked me. “Keelan’s office is right across the hall.”

I was sitting behind his desk on the floor. “I’m not hiding.”

“That didn’t answer my question,” he grumbled.

Because I need you, I almost said. I hated that I had three wonderful guys who made me happy, yet I couldn’t stop feeling his absence. “I shouldn’t have come in here,” I said and got to my feet.

He didn’t stop me as I walked by and headed for the door.Chase me,I begged in my head. I made it all the way to the door and stopped walking.

Stop being a coward, Shiloh.