Page 46 of Somewhere Without You

Forty Four

Jackson’s blonde hair was matted, darkened with dirt and grime.

His navy button-down clung to him in wrinkles, and his gray slacks were torn at the knee.

The bright blue of his eyes were dulled with exhaustion, and his once-flawless skin had been scorched by the sun.

He looked like he’d been surviving in the wild for weeks.

“Jackson. . .”His name scratched the back of my throat, and Iinstinctivelytook a step back.“What the hell are you doing here?”

“What a strange question to ask your husband,”he said, inching closer.

I raised the spadeI’dbeen using in my hand, gripping it tight like a shield.“Stay the fuck away from me.”

“Emily,really?”he tsked.“Don’t you think you’re being a little dramatic?”

My eyes darted across the field, scanning for Winston, but hewasnowhere in sight.

“How did youknowIwashere?”

Jackson let out a short laugh.“Youactuallythought youcouldhide from me and I wouldn’t find you?”

I thought of the rock—the flat tire, the word SLUT carved into my car. Of course heknew.He’dknownall along while he lurked in the shadows. Watching. Waiting. Biding his time for the perfect moment to strike.

He stepped closer, and Iimmediatelybacked away—my foot catching on a root. I tumbled backward into a tangle of thistles, the thorns clawing at my skin. The stingbarelyregistered. My heart thundered as I glared up at him, eyes fixed on his every move.

Jackson loomed above me, casting a long shadow in the fading light.

“Youlookscared,”he said, crouching so wewereeye-level.“That’s not how I want you tofeel, Emily.”

I scrambled backward, the thorns biting deeper as I clawed through the bush. Blood warmed my skin in thin trails, but I didn’t care. Ijustneeded to put space between us.

“I’m not scared of you,”I said, forcing calm into my voice and failingmiserably.“Not anymore.”

He paused, his smile twitching.“I’ll admit,thatnightwasn’tmy finest hour,”he said, straightening to his full height.“An unfortunate incident, to say the least.”

“An unfortunate incident?” I echoed, disbelief tightening in my throat.“You tried to kill me!”

Jackson took a small step back, as if the accusationhadstruckhim.“IfI wanted to kill you, I would have.”Likethatsomehow made it better—like beating your wifenearlyto deathwasjusta matter of miscommunication.

I scrambled to my feet, my heart crashing against my ribs. I gripped the spade tighter.“You need help,”I said, voice shaking.“You’re sick.”

He tilted his head.“Maybe, butthatdoesn’t erase our vows.Andlast I checked, you’re still my wife.”He swept a hand around us.“This little fantasy? It’s over. It’s time to come home.”

A chill crawled up my spine.

“I am home,”I bit outthrough clenched teeth.“AndI’m not going anywhere with you.”

Jackson’s face darkened—causing his charming mask to slip.Andfor a brief, chilling moment, the monster underneath emerged.

“Don’t make this harder than ithasto be,”he said, voice tight.“Youknewthis couldn’t last. Hiding out here, playing house like some broken little bird. It isn’t real, Emily.Andno matter where you go, I will always find you.”

I scanned the field, desperate for a glimpse of Winston—but all Isawwerelong shadows bleeding from the base of the mountains. The sunwasalmost gone, swallowed by dusk, and the moonwasalready rising like a warning. Hot panic surged through my veins.

“I’lljustkeep running,”I said, my voice trembling with false bravery. I took another step back, my spine meeting the back of the house. Ihadnowhere left to go.

Jackson’s jaw flexed.“You still don’tgetit, do you?”he said, advancing.“You’re mine. You always have been.”

“Iwas never yours,”I spat.“You shattered everything the moment you laid a hand on me.”

A flicker of rage ignited in his blue eyes.“You think anyone else would want you?”he snarled.“Your own parents abandoned you. Your sister left the second shecould. I’m the only one who’s ever stayed. The only one who’s evertrulyloved you.”

“Your love is fucking poison,”I snapped.

Alowrustle sounded in the distance. My eyes flicked toward it—justfor a second.

Itwasall he needed.

Jackson lunged, his breath hot as he grabbed my face with both hands, fingers digging into my skin.

“You’ve always been such an ungrateful bitch,”he spat.

I struggled against him, the spade slipping from my grasp as his grip tightened. His thumbs pressed against my cheekbones, forcing my head back.

“Let go of me!”I thrashed, but hewasstronger. Rage and desperation burned in my chest as I tried to fight back.

“I gave you everything,”he growled. “You belong to me, Emily. You owe me.”

“I don’t owe youanything!”I screamed, twisting hard.

Jackson grabbed a fistful of my hair and yanked me forward. Pain exploded across my scalp as I hit the ground. I struggled for air as the breath knocked itself from my lungs.

“You never learn,”he sneered, towering over me.“MaybeI need to teach you another lesson.”

I curled onto my side, folding into myself as I braced for the inevitable blow.

Butit never came.

A sudden, sharp yelp cut between us.

I lifted my headjustin time toseeWinston snarling, his teeth sunk deep into Jackson’s ankle. Jackson reeled, trying to shake him off.

“Getthe fuck off me!”he shouted, stumbling backward.Butbefore hecouldbreak free, a shadow stretched across the lawn.

Logan.

He moved with an eerie calm—his face set in stone as he closed the distance. He didn’t say anything as heslowlyapproached Jackson, raised his arm, and swung. Hard.

The crack of fist against bone echoed into the twilight.

Jackson’s head snapped to the side, and he crumpled to the ground with a guttural grunt—Winston still growling at his feet.

Logan didn’t stop.

He grabbed Jackson by the collar, yanking him upjustenough to drive his knee into his gut. Jackson gasped, the wind knocked clean out of him, folding over with a strangled noise.

“Touch her again,”Logan said, his voicelethal,“and I’ll bury you myself.”

Jackson coughed, choking on his breath. He tried to speak but Logan shoved him back down, hard—the impact sending up a puff of dirt.

Winston stood over him, teeth bared, body tense, ready to strike again. I sat upslowly, my entire body shaking from adrenaline and fear.

Logan turned to methen, concerned. He crossed the distance in two strides, dropping to his knees beside me.

“Are you hurt?”

I nodded,thenshook my head.“I’m fine.”

“You’re safe now,” he said, carefully brushing a strand of hair from my face.“I’ve got you.”

Behind him, Jackson let out a raspy cough. Logan turned, the softness in his face vanishing as he stalked back toward him.

“People disappear in these mountains all the time,”Logan saidcoldly, nodding toward the dark silhouette of the Appalachians.“No one’s going to ask questions. Notevenfor someone like you.”

Jackson pushed himself upright, fury still burning in his eyes. He opened his mouth to speak—but alowgrowl from Winstonquicklycut him off. He snapped it shut, his gaze flickingnervouslyto the dog.

“I’m going to count to five,”Logan continued, voice like steel.“Andif you’re still standing here, Winston and I willpersonallydrag your sorry ass into those woods.AndI promise, once you’re inthere, you won’t be coming back out.”

Jackson glanced between the three of us. He dusted off his shirt, smirking.“Suit yourself. She’s all used upanyway.”

Logan didn’t hesitate. His fist shot out, connecting with Jackson’s nose with a sickening crack. Jackson reeled back with a cry, blood pouring down his face.

Logan shook out his hand.“Want to try for a third?”

Jackson stumbled, one hand clutching his face, the other groping for balance as he glared up at Logan. Buthe didn’t step forward again.

Heknewbetter now.

“This isn’t over,”he grunted through bloody fingers.

Logan stepped forward again, forcing Jackson to backpedal.“Foryou,it is. Now go.Beforeyou bleed out right here.”

Jackson hesitated—justenough to make me wonder if hewasstupid enough to try something else.Thenhe turned and staggered down the drive, disappearing into the encroaching shadows.

The second hewasout of sight, my knees gave out.

Logan caught me before I hit the ground, arms tight and steady around my shaking body.“Hey, hey—I’ve got you,”he murmured, his voicelowand soothing.“Everything’s ok now. He’s gone.”

Winston circled us once,thensat by my side, pressing his weightgentlyagainst my hip.

Buteverythingwasn’tokay.Becausewhile Jacksonhadhurtmephysically, what Loganhaddone, left behind woundsthatcutjustas deep.

Andnow here hewas, holding me like hehadn’ttornme apart only days ago.

I pulled away from him, my body stiff.“You should go.”

Logan flinched likeI’dstruckhim.“Emily. . . please,”he said, eyes begging.

ButI didn’t have the strength to argue, tohearwhatever apology he thought would fix it.

“I can’t do this right now,”I sighed, too exhausted to carry the weight of my own voice.

He hesitated, his lips parting like he might say more.Butthen,slowly, he nodded.

I turned to Winston, resting a hand on his head as I walked toward the house. My legsfeltheavy. My heart, heavier.

Beforestepping inside, I paused, twilight pressing against my back.

“Thank you,”I said, without turning around.“Forsaving me.”

ThenI closed the door behind me.