Page 51 of Savior
The man next to me squirms in his seat, the chain on the handcuffs clanking discordantly against the lacquered chair. “Come on, man. I can’t go back to jail,” he whines.
I very nearly roll my eyes. When I do manage to look up, I find the man himself staring straight at me.
Now, I’m no wimp, I’ve dealt with my fair share of intimidating individuals, my ex-fiancé and father included, but no one—and I mean no one—has ever made me freeze like Logan does when he directs that stare my way. My lungs seize and my shoulders lock. Just about the only part of my body that doesn’t come to a stop or jump ship, is my heart, which is trying its damnedest to beat itself straight out of my chest.
When he turns away a few seconds later, I suck in air in deep gulps while turning my head to face the parking lot. Anything to keep my eyes off his intimidating form. The energy that surrounds him is palpable and all the sensible parts of my brain are screaming, “RUN!”
If my experiences have taught me nothing else, it’s to listen to my instincts.
I force myself to swallow down the panic that threatens to claw its way up and resume deep breathing like I had in the car. At least this time, the air is fresh, clean, and slightly scented from the air freshener plugged into the outlet next to the reception area. When I’m reasonably calm, I manage to glance back, curious in spite of my trepidation.
Logan is bent over the desk, his thick brows furrowed in dark lines as he scribbles something down on a piece of paper. If he weren’t so intimidating, I’d think the way his lips twist slightly to the side as he fills out his paperwork was adorable.
But I’m not sure a man his size should actually be called adorable, though.
The gray T-shirt leaves little to the imagination and based on a cursory—okay maybe a thorough—inspection from the other night, he’sallman underneath those unassuming garments. I give myself a little shake and pull my eyes away from his hunched form. Shit, butshit,I promised myself he wouldn’t be a distraction.
Focus, Sienna. Don’t be an idiot.
I don’t have much time to consider the curls of ink I’d seen snaking over his biceps from underneath his shirt, because the bulky man beside me decides to lurch to his feet and dive toward the door.
I’m no ninja superstar, but I did take several self-defense lessons. I haven’t had much need to use the techniques, but it’s like muscle memory. So, when the idiot beside me attempts to make a run for it, I stick out one sandal-clad foot directly in his path and catch his shins just as he’s crossing in front of me.
He lets out a girlish squeal as he falls face first against the floor. Logan rounds the desk with scowl on his face and jerks the lump to his feet. The guy lets out a grown, but Logan shows no mercy when he yanks the door open and thrusts the guy outside the side entrance to the newly arrived squad car.
He and the officers talk for a few minutes, and I use the time to run a trembling hand through my hair to calm my frazzled nerves.
I barely manage to pull myself together by the time he strides back through the door. With my eyes on my pearly pink toes, I’m in the perfect position to see his booted feet stop right in front of me.
Managing to control my racing thoughts, I look up and subtly suck in a breath.
“Why the hell did you do that?” he asks, his face hard and direct.
Um...“I’m sorry?”
“That man is twice your size when he’s not a goddamn fool from throwing back gin like it’s water. If he would have gotten pissed instead of stupid, he could have put his fist in your pretty little face.”
My neck snaps back so fast the back of my head bumps into the plaster wall behind me. I’m so shocked, I can’t even wince in pain. “Excuse me?” I manage to squeak out.
“Did I stutter?” He runs an impatient hand over his close-cropped hair and scrubs back and forth impatiently. “I’m sorry,” he says before I can object. “I’m sorry. I’m just...I’m not handling this as well as I thought I would.”
Ignoring the tell-tale burn in my throat, I press my lips into a line before saying, “I can speak with another officer if you prefer.” When he just gives me a blank look, I add, “I don’t mean to drag you into all of this. I didn’t want you to be involved.”
His expression darkens, and he rounds the desk to put his hands on the chair where I’m sitting. He hunches that powerful torso over, his face stormy with concentration. I can almost feel the electric sizzle of lightning on my bare skin.
“Let me put this to you straight. I am involved and there’s no amount of back-peddling that will change that fact.”
Indignation, that has nothing to do with his attitude or the anger I know he must be feeling, balloons in my chest. “This isn’t like any other statement I’ve given. Can we just do what you called me here to do?”
The fight goes out of him, and he drops to his knees in front of my chair. His head goes into my lap, and I find I don’t know what to do with my hands. After a moment’s hesitation, they come to land on his powerful shoulders. His voice is muffled when he begins to speak. “I’m so damn sorry this happened to you, honey,” he whispers.
He clamps down around my thighs when I try to heave him upward. Mindless with panic, I don’t realize he’s pulling me into his arms until we’re both standing, and I’m pressed against his broad chest.
“I changed my mind,” I say, voice obscured by the cloth. “I can’t do this. I can’t go through this again.” I look up at him, eyes beginning to burn with tears. “I’m not strong enough for this.”
His head is already shaking before I even finish my pathetic pleas, and I want to curse myself for ever even considering the thought that he was attractive. For ever allowing him to see all these vulnerable parts of me.
“I think you do want this,” he says. “I think you need to get it out. To face it.”