Jake’s eyes fixed on her with determination. “I found out Logan was here that night.”
Marty gasped, her face drained of color. “How? Do you think he had something to do with it?”
“I have my sources. And yeah, he had everything to do with it.” His hate-filled voice rose over the sudden boom of guitars.
“Did you tell Kristen?” Her eyes instantly glazed with tears.
He didn’t want to tell her but, an unexpected feeling of pity came over him. “Yeah. She called me.”
Against his will, their conversation about Tia played in his head, frustrating him even more.
“What are you going to do, Jake? Don't you think she's in danger?”
“Hey, she made her choice.” He couldn’t help noticing the flicker of disapproval in her eyes.
She thinks I’m a monster. I need to set her straight.
“Did she tell you about her text dumping me?” He looked in her eyes, waiting for her reaction. She shook her head in confusion. “That's funny. I thought she told her best friend everything. It basically said she loves him and I should go fuck myself!”
Some customers ordered drinks. He walked away quickly, hoping she hadn't glimpsed the anguish in his face.
Marty covered her mouth in disbelief, pondering his words. It didn't ring true to her; she knew Kristen too well. “Something is weird about that, Jake.”
Jake frowned. “No shit! I thought the same thing. She didn't even bother to talk to me about it. And she left all her crap at my place.”
Recognition spread across her face. “Jake, I don't think she's the one who sent that text to you.”
Jake did a double take, his eyebrows raised. “Well who the fuck sent it then? God? It came from her phone.”
He glared at her, his eyes narrowed, unable to control his disdain.
Marty chewed on her knuckles, wondering what to do. Kristen warned her not to tell him anything. But maybe he was right. She had abandoned them all, disappearing without consideration. She didn't have to leave with Logan. Gulping down her beer, she floated off into the crowd. Jake hesitantly glanced back, his eyes shadowed and helpless.
LOGAN/KRISTEN
Logan managed to keep his promise, and stayed close to Kristen all week. He ignored Gina's calls, not trusting himself to reject her. Instead, he surrendered to another one of his depressive periods, sleeping twelve-hour stretches at a time. When Nick called looking for him, he told Kristen to tell him he had the flu.
His mood swings had a devastating effect, increasing her exhaustion. Logan found temporary relief in his drugs, but she refused to succumb to his bad influence, and chose to cope with endless crying bouts and fantasizing. When neither of those worked, her mind raced with colliding thoughts of Jake, and Logan's involvement in Ray's death. It haunted her to a point where every time Logan spoke to her or touched her, she flinched.
It was Saturday night and Logan was napping. Wandering restlessly around the condo, she came upon his cell phone abandoned on the dresser. It beckoned to her. Glancing back to confirm he was still sound asleep, she headed to it. A strange calm embraced her as she entered his call log. He never kept a password on it. Maybe he was certain he could trust her. Or perhaps he thought she was too terrified to betray him. Or maybe just plain stupid. In the end, it didn’t matter since it made it easier for her to accomplish what she needed to. Her eyes darted from the bed to the phone as she zoomed through the texts, searching for Gina’s.
Damn! He must have deleted them all, just like I did with Jake's.
Then she saw a new voicemail.
I shouldn't be doing this! The little voice in her head insisted. Like usual, she shut it out.
A sick feeling struck her gut when she heard Gina's sultry voice saying how hard it was to be away from Logan. How much she missed and hungered for him.
Kristen listened, swallowing the urge to puke all over the carpet. Not satisfied yet, she moved farther back, a few days earlier. This one wasn't as sweet and calm. Gina's voice sounded frantic as she screamed about a woman still in her bed, not moving. How she thought Logan had really, really hurt her this time.
The phone fell from her trembling hands onto the carpet. For a second, she stared down at it, unable to bend over to pick it up.
She had no idea how long Logan was behind her, how he got there without a sound. His hands gripped her shoulders. She sucked in a deep breath, holding it, her eyes crammed shut.
“Find what you're looking for?” His breath on her neck sent a chill down her spine. His arm encircled her waist, dangerously close to her bulging stomach, locking her body to his.
Moving her foot around, she felt the phone.
“I thought we trusted each other, Krissy.”
There was nothing she could say, no lie or excuse she could come up with. She was busted, and it was infuriating.
All of a sudden, he released her.
“Give me the phone.” His voice was frigid.
She thought about running, but how far would she get in her condition? When she handed it to him, their eyes locked. The misery she found in his was confusing, but failed to still her frantic heartbeat.
“Logan...”
He stared at the phone for a minute. As soon as he pressed the play button, she panicked, flew to the bathroom and locked the door behind her.
He is going to hurt me. I know it.
She had to find something to defend herself.
Logan slammed the phone down, following her.
“Open the door, Kristen.”
He sounded too calm as he jiggled the knob. She didn’t respond.
“Do it, Kristen. Don't be stupid.”
The door cracked open. Afraid to move, she stood stone-like, the scissors hidden in her hand.
“Come on out, sweetie, let's talk.” Logan extended his hand in her direction.
She squinted at his blurry face. All she saw was unbridled vengeance blazing in his eyes. Without a word, she took a step forward, thrashing the scissors at him with wild, vicious movements.
It wasn't until he felt a sharp, burning in his palm that the glint of metal caught his eye.
“Kristen, what the fuck are you doing?” he cried out, jerking his hand away, his eyes wide with shock. Without thinking, he lunged at her, grabbing her arm, yanking her roughly into his body before she could slice him again. The scissors clattered to the floor. He kicked his foot out without looking until it scratched along the tiles out of reach.
“Let go of me! You bastard!” He still gripped one arm, the other had broken free. In a blind rage, she clawed his face.
“Kristen, stop! I don't wanna hurt you!” After a struggle, he regained control of both arms. Staring down at her tear-soaked, bright red face, he listened to her harsh panting. “What's wrong with you? You wanna kill me? I just wanted to talk to you!”
“You wanted to kill me! I'm just defending myself—and the baby!” Overpowered by his strength, her words slipped out between desperate gulps of air.
Logan's face slipped into darkness. “That's what you think about me?” Pushing her back farther, his eyes devoured her, waiting for the redness and outrage to die down before he freed her arms. His hands gripped her face, holding steady. She couldn't speak.
“I would never kill you! Are you kidding me?” His eyes held a hint of turmoil. They darted back and forth across her face.