My blood boiled, rage igniting at the sight of her hand skimming up his back, resting there as though it belonged. I knew there was a reason for the atrocity, but it was still hard to watch. I noticed Lawrence escorting Katie out of the tunnel with the boys, and Edward and Blythe following behind as if they knew a lot more than I did.
Typical.
Jax stepped in front of me, staring down at me impatiently. “Why don’t you go see the penguins with the boys?” he asked, loudly enough for Natasha to hear. “Give Logan some time alone with his son’s mother.”
She didn’t look my way, but I caught the way her body stiffened. She was listening.
Jax’s voice lowered to a hushed murmur, and he threw me a wink. “We got this.”
“Got what?” I whispered. My eyes were still glued to Natasha, who was practically draped over Logan’s front as he walked with her a few feet farther away. If she tried to leave this tunnel with him, he’d be fearing more than my fist.
“Shit, time’s up. Get out of here, now, or you’ll ruin this. Got it?” Jax leaned in and whispered, then dragged me up, his features darkening. Logan and Natasha were already at the opposite end of the tunnel.
I had to trust him. Moving quickly to the door Lawrence held open for me that led out of the tunnel and into another section of normal-but-still-extremely-large tanks, I was bombarded with anxiety.
As I passed through the doorway, Lawrence grabbed my arm gently. “This shouldn’t take long,” he said quietly, his smile easy but giving nothing away.
Unsure what to say in response, I smiled and continued out, stopping only when I heard the door shut behind me. I ran back, peeking inside the tiny window. I couldn’t see much, but I sure could hear the loud, gravely roar of Natasha’s name echoing through the thin door.
I swung back to see if anyone else had heard it, but the room behind me was empty. Wherever Logan’s family had disappeared to, it was out of earshot—likely for Oliver’s sake.
When I shifted back to the door, I saw Josh rushing in, winded.
“You slut!” he seethed, stalking toward her.
Lawrence stood a few feet inside the door, focused intently on the scene unfolding in front of him and not me propping the door open just enough to hear and see better.
Natasha attempted to pull away from Logan, but he held her tightly at his side. He even took a strand of her hair and wrapped it around his finger, smiling at Josh.
Is he taunting him? Why? My temple throbbed with unanswered questions.
Josh stared at Logan’s arm wrapped around his girl. I wasn’t sure what he was about to do, but the expression on his face was manic.
“Josh, baby, what are you doing here?” Natasha asked, attempting to shove Logan away once more.
“Came to see my girlfriend.” He swept his attention to Logan. “Gonna give her back?”
Logan shrugged smugly. “Depends on whether she wants to go back to you,” Logan said, completely at ease. “Maybe I’ll keep her a while longer.”
Natasha began to panic. I saw it clearly in her movements as she squirmed and shoved at Logan to release her. “Let me go, Logan.”
“Why? Afraid he’ll get the wrong impression?” His voice was dark and coarse. “I think it’s time you confess to your little boyfriend here. Tell him what’s been going on between us.”
Even from across the room, I could see Natasha’s eyes bulge. “Logan, what are—” she started, but he cut her off.
“Like how you fucked me just last night and the night before that and that. Does Josh here not know how you tell me he’ll never please you like I do?”
My eyes slammed shut, pain coiling in my gut. This wasn’t real—I knew that. He was goading them. Still, nausea hit me at the mere thought of it.
“No fucking way!” Josh growled. “You told me it was me and you. That you loved me—needed me!”
“I do!” Natasha slapped at Logan’s hands that still didn’t release her.
“Bullshit!” Josh roared. “I did your dirty work! That’s all you wanted. You lied to me, used me.” Josh’s face grew redder with every word he hissed. “Promised me we’d leave this shithole town! And here you are with him—the man you say you despise, the man you wanted in prison!” Josh was inches from her face now.
“Baby, calm down, please.” Natasha looked frightened, and now, instead of demanding Logan release her, she sought protection in his arms. But Logan didn’t offer any, stepping away as he pried her hands from his shirt.
“I killed a man for you and this is how you repay me? By sleeping with him? You fucking bitch!” Josh flew at her, but Lawrence and Jax were there instantly to flank each side, holding him back.
“Logan, he’s lying. He’s crazy!” She stumbled toward Logan. His arms were crossed over his chest, his face hard. “I never told him to touch Kurt. You have to believe me. Why would I do that?”
“Because you knew I’d never want you. Because I told you I was going to marry Cassandra, and you couldn’t stand it.”
He’d told her that? When? Before Kurt was killed, I didn’t know he’d even thought about marriage.
My thoughts were pulled away as Logan continued.
“So, tell me, how did you think it would play out?” Logan asked, way too calm for the conversation. “I’d go to prison, and you’d take Oliver? Or you’d play the supportive role until I let you get close enough, and then what? You thought I’d take you back?”
He placed his hands on her shoulders, his eyes locking with hers.
“I never loved you. I was too young to see I was nothing more than a boy in lust with an immature, ungrateful slut. The only reason I haven’t thrown you out of my life for good these past few months is because I wanted to believe you would do right by my son. But not anymore.” He dropped his hands. “I’m done.”
“No!” Natasha gasped. “I didn’t have anything to do with this, I swear. I would have told you about Josh if I knew.”
“You’re gonna pay for this!” Josh yelled. “Was it all a lie? Just answer me that. Did you ever love me—even like me?”
The hurt tone in Josh’s voice was too much. The entire thing was overwhelming, and tears welled up in my eyes—angry, needing-to-kick-her-ass tears.
Jax retrieved his phone without releasing his hold on Josh’s right side. “Doubtful. I got some snapshots of your little tramp in some compromising positions with my sister’s douchebag ex-boyfriend Mark. Took it right after you two started up. Wanna see? Or maybe the one of her blowing the bartender down at Haven last week? Got some of that too.”
I didn’t miss the smirk Jax threw Natasha, whose face had gone pale.
After peeling his eyes from Natasha, Josh glanced at the phone.
“I loved you!” he yelled as he looked up from the phone, his rage snapping even further.
“Calm down.” Natasha held up her trembling hands, her legs shaking.
“You bitch! I’m taking you down with me! You hear me?” Josh struggled against the hold of Logan’s brothers, unable to break free.
“Logan, please. I’m sorry. I didn’t do this. You have to believe me.” Natasha’s hands went for Logan’s chest but he stepped back again, moving to stand in front of Josh.