Page 30 of Straight to You

LOGAN

I wake up before my alarm because my anxiety over going into the office won’t let me sleep.

I’ve been tossing and turning for what feels like all night—it’s a miracle Ryder is still snoring lightly beside me.

He’s always been a heavy sleeper, though, so I lean over and brush my lips against his forehead before dragging myself out of bed.

He’s so cute like this, peacefully curled up in the sheets, completely unaware that my brain is spiraling over leaving him. I want to crawl back in and pull him into me, pretend the rest of the world doesn’t exist.

The realization hit me hard last night that the only thing in the world I care about now is him.

We curled up together, kissed slowly, held each other through every lingering and unspoken fear, and it ended up being one of the best nights of my life.

That makes leaving him alone for hours on end today feel even more unbearable.

I don’t want him out of my sight for a second.

I sigh and force myself into the morning routine I haven’t missed at all, starting by turning on the shower. When I step in, the water is scalding against my skin, but I don’t care. I hope the burn will settle my thoughts, or at least distract me from them, but they keep playing on repeat.

What if something happens while I’m gone? What if Kyle takes my absence as an opportunity? What if I’m not there when Ryder needs me?

By the time I step out of the shower, I’m already exhausted. I head back into the bedroom, and Ryder’s still sleeping, his arm draped over the spot I left. The sight makes my heart clench, and I want nothing more than to stay here.

But I know I can’t.

Work has already been more than reasonable, letting me work from home because of the stalking and harassment. I know I need to go in today if I want to stay employed, but this situation is pushing me closer and closer to saying ‘fuck it,’ and finally quitting my job to explore freelancing.

Dragging my eyes off Ryder, I walk to the closet to get dressed before making my way to the kitchen. I start the coffee and take two mugs out, one of which is Ryder’s favorite. Well, he says he hates it, but he grabs it more than any other mug, so that’s Ryder for ‘this is my favorite.’

It says, ‘I’ve got a dig bick,’ followed by ‘you read that wrong,’ in a small font below it.

He’s complained since the first mug he got at a white elephant exchange, but I know he secretly thinks they’re funny, so I keep collecting them.

Every time I bring home a new one or gift him one, he sighs dramatically and mutters something about how I should stop wasting my money on these ‘stupid mugs,’ but sure enough, he still always uses them.

When the coffee is ready, I fill our mugs, doctoring his the way he likes it.

He still hasn’t come out of here yet, but there’s no way I’m walking out the door without saying goodbye, so I grab both mugs and head back toward the bedroom.

If I only have a few more minutes before I have to leave, I’m going to spend them with him.

Setting his coffee on the bedside table, I slide back into bed and settle close. The warmth of his touch immediately starts to ease my nerves, even as I count down the minutes until I need to leave.

He stirs slightly, and I reach out to brush my fingers through his brown hair. “Morning, baby,” I murmur, leaning down to press a gentle kiss to his head.

His eyes flutter open, and a slow smile stretches across his lips. “Mmm…coffee?” he asks, voice rough with sleep like it always is when he first wakes up.

“On your nightstand, sleepy.”

He grunts in approval but makes no effort to sit up and grab it. Instead, he buries his face against my chest and slings his arm across my stomach. “Too early, don’t go,” he mumbles.

I let out a small laugh, running my fingers up and down his back. “I agree. I wish I could stay.” More than you know.

Ryder lifts his head enough to peek at me through barely open eyes. “So don’t go.”

God, I want to listen to him so badly, but I know I don’t have a choice. I lean in and press a kiss to his temple this time. “You know I would if I could. I don’t want to leave you, but I have to go, baby. It’s mandatory.”

He groans, then finally pushes himself upright to reach for his coffee. He takes a slow sip. “I hate this,” he admits, and I nod.

I cup his face in my hands, grazing my thumbs over his cheekbones. “Me too. You remember what I said, right?”

He nods .

“I mean it, Ry,” I continue. “If anything feels off, call me. I don’t care what it is. I’ll sprint out of that meeting and get here as soon as I can.”

“I know,” he says softly. “I will.”

“I’ve gotta go,” I groan. “Fuck, I already miss you.”

We both stand, and he walks with me to the door. I kiss him slowly and deeply, letting myself get lost in him for a second longer. Then I force myself to pull away, resting my forehead against his.

“I’ll be back before you know it, and I’ll call you when I’m on my way home,” I promise.

He swallows hard, pulls me into a hug, and whispers, “Okay. I miss you already, too.”

I squeeze him tighter, take a deep breath, and finally step back. Before I can change my mind or do something like tell him I’m in love with him, I grab my keys and walk out the door.

I curse everything as I drive away from the apartment, and I don’t feel any better when I park in the office parking garage. Everything feels wrong, and I can’t pinpoint why, maybe because I feel like I don’t belong here anymore.

When I walk through the parking garage and into the office, I’m met with the familiar fluorescent lights that buzz overhead.

The office smells like burnt coffee and cleaning products, and it feels hollow and cold despite the fake plants and wall art.

It never used to bother me before, but after being away for so long, I can’t stand it.

All I want is to go home to Ryder and wrap my arms around him.

“Logan! There you are. We’ve missed you around here.”

I flinch at the sound of my manager’s voice, pasting on a polite smile as she approaches.

“Conference room B in five!” she says, overly chipper .

“Heading there now,” I answer as enthusiastically as I can manage.

She gives me a thumbs-up and walks away, her heels clicking against the tile. I stand there for a second, trying to mentally hype myself up for something I don’t want to do.

There are a few people in the room when I get there, so I pour myself a cup of the coffee waiting on the counter and pull out my phone.

Logan:

Miss you already. Everything okay?

His reply comes almost immediately.

Ryder:

I’m good, just working. Cameras are quiet. Don’t stress, okay?

I exhale and type back a quick response.

Logan:

I can’t help it when you’re involved. You mean too much to me, baby.

I make my way to a chair near the back of the room, nodding at a few coworkers as they chat about projects and after-work plans. Everything around me feels completely normal, so why can’t I shake the feeling that everything’s about to come crashing down?

The meeting starts, and I try my best to focus—the HR rep drones on and on about updated policies and workplace initiatives. I scribble a few notes to look engaged, but the only thing on my mind is Ryder.

I pull out my phone to check the cameras in hopes of easing my nerves. Like he said earlier, nothing is showing up, but I do see a new text from him.

Ryder:

Miss you too. Do what you need to and come home to me soon.

I smile to myself before being yanked back to reality.

“Something interesting, Logan?”

I jerk my head up, meeting the HR rep’s pointed stare.

“No, sorry,” I say quickly, shoving my phone back into my pocket, even more annoyed about the interruption.

The meeting drags, each minute stretching painfully long.

By the time it ends, I’m out of my seat before anyone else.

I have no idea why I even needed to be here in the first place.

I get that it’s a required quarterly meeting, but it feels like a complete waste of time.

I showed up and did my part though, so now I’m getting the fuck out of there.

Any overachieving I used to do? Dead and gone.

I wave a few half-hearted goodbyes, pack up my bag, and head for the parking garage. I’ll call Ryder once I’m on the road, like I promised—he’ll want to know I’m on my way.

My footsteps echo across the silent parking garage in a way that sets my nerves on edge. I keep glancing over my shoulder, but there’s nothing there.

When I near my car, I let out a sigh of relief and hit the unlock button. The chirp echoes louder than it seems necessary, and suddenly, I feel like a target has been placed on my back.

I should have unlocked it with the key, damn it.

I reach for the door, fingers barely grazing the handle, when a voice I never wanted to hear again stops me cold.

“Logan. ”

My breath locks in my throat as my hand stills. A sickening wave of unease curls through my gut, forcing me to turn around slowly as my heart hammers in my chest.

Kyle stands a few feet away, hands buried in the pockets of a dark zip-up sweatshirt. Guess he decided to leave the leather one at home today. He’s wearing jeans and boots, and it feels like everything he put on was intentionally chosen to blend in.

And, of course, he knew I’d be here. He probably followed me here or hacked into my fucking email, but none of that matters right now because he is here, stepping closer to me.

“You fucked up, Logan. I told you that you shouldn’t have touched him, but you didn’t listen. It’s your loss because he’s mine now.”

The rage I felt the other day somehow pales in comparison to this because Ryder is mine . “He doesn’t want you,” I spit. “He’ll never want you. This obsession has gone too far, you need to let him go.”

An amused look takes over his face, and I’m seconds from punching it off of him.

“Obsession?” He laughs bitterly. “No, you’ve got it wrong, Logan.

You’re the one who’s obsessed—clinging to him and sticking by his side like a parasite.

He doesn’t want you, and I promise you he won’t miss you.

Not when he realizes how good it is with me.

He’s my angel, and now I’ll finally have him. ”

I can’t fucking take it anymore. I lunge at him, my fist connecting with his smug face, sending his head jerking to the side. He stumbles back a step, then brings a hand up to rub his cheek .

“Oh,” Kyle chuckles darkly. “So you do have some fight in you. This just got more interesting.”

I don’t waste a second. I swing again, landing a solid punch to his ribs.

He grunts, but before I can hit him again, he retaliates.

His fist slams into my gut, knocking the wind out of me.

I barely register the pain before he shoves me against my car.

He’s a big dude, but all I care about is Ryder, and I’ll fight until I have nothing left to give to protect him.

“Let me guess,” Kyle sneers, stepping closer. “You think you’re the hero in this story, don’t you? The one who gets to save him.” His eyes are violent and dark. “But you’re the one he needs saving from.”

I shove off the car and swing again, catching him in the jaw and raising my fist again, but freeze when I see him reach inside his jacket and pull out a knife.

“I told you what would happen if you touched him again. But you didn’t listen. Now you both get to deal with the consequences,” he snarls. “This is your fault, Logan. The only person you can blame here is yourself for making me do this.”

He lunges, and an explosion of pain tears through my lower abdomen.

I stumble back, gasping in shock as my hand flies to the wound. Blood seeps out around the knife still embedded in my gut, and I see it spread through my shirt. How could I have been so stupid? I should have been more prepared, but instead, I keep fucking up and breaking my promises to Ryder.

Kyle steps closer, until he’s practically on top of me. He leans in, so close I can feel his breath on me as he whispers, “You don’t deserve him. But it doesn’t matter now. I’ll take care of him. The way you never could.”

I want to rip his throat out. I want to grab the knife and stab him until there’s nothing left but a bloodied shell of the monster who tried to take everything from me. But my body betrays me—my knees give out, and I barely catch myself before I collapse onto the pavement.

Kyle crouches beside me, watching me struggle, like he’s committing this moment to memory.

“You’re pathetic,” he spits and then, with a brutal twist, he yanks the knife from my body, and a scream tears from my throat as blinding agony rips through me. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. Everything fucking hurts.

I watch him pick up my keys, and panic fills me for Ryder.

Kyle’s going to go to the apartment and let himself in.

He knows where I live. Fuck! He starts to walk away, but before he disappears to let me bleed out on the cold concrete, he turns over his shoulder with a smirk and says, “Ryder’s mine now. ”

No.

Fuck no.

I can’t let this happen!

I have to warn Ryder. I have to call him—tell him to run.

My fingers fumble for my phone, struggling to pull it from my pocket. Blood makes it slick, and my grip is weak and clumsy. My vision starts to blur, black spots crowding the edges.

If I can just press the right buttons. If I can just hold on long enough to make the call…

But the world keeps slipping, and the phone falls out of my hands.

And then?—

Everything goes black.