Xaden's POV
The silence of the house felt too thick, like the walls were closing in on me. It had only been two days since that damn beast had returned, but Violet’s name still echoed in my head, lingering like the scent of something toxic that I couldn’t shake off. I sat on the couch in the living room, my legs spread apart, arms crossed tightly across my chest, staring at the empty stairway. I could feel the heat rising inside me, every muscle in my body wound too tight, waiting for the moment when I would finally get some answers.
Logan’s footsteps creaked from upstairs, a rhythmic sound that pulled me from my thoughts. I could hear him coming down, each step deliberate, as if he knew I was waiting. He had always been the calm one between us, the one who could hide his emotions behind that calm demeanor. But today, I was going to force something out of him, whether he liked it or not.
He appeared at the top of the stairs, dressed sharply in a black blazer that made his usual nonchalance seem even colder. He was holding his car keys between two fingers, twirling them idly as if he hadn’t a care in the world. His face, a mask of cool indifference, didn’t show any sign of hesitation as his gaze met mine for a split second before flicking away. He was in a hurry, I could tell that much.
I uncrossed my arms and leaned forward, my voice low but carrying a sharp edge. “Logan,” I called, making sure I had his full attention.
He froze mid-step, one foot still on the stair as he glanced back at me, his lips curling slightly into a tight smile, though I could see the irritation in his eyes. “I’m in a hurry, Xaden,” he replied, the words clipped, like he was trying to distance himself from whatever this conversation was going to be.
I didn’t let him off that easy. “Your meeting can wait,” I said, my tone firm. “I’ve never known you to go to one that ends up being successful anyway.”
Logan’s jaw tightened, his fingers gripping the car keys a little harder, the only sign of his rising frustration. He wasn’t the type to lose control easily, but I could feel the irritation simmering beneath the surface. “I don’t have time for this right now,” he snapped, his voice low and dangerous.
I stood up, my body tense, but I kept my voice level. “This is about Violet.”
The mention of her name hit him like a slap. His posture stiffened, and for a moment, I thought he might actually break something in the room. He clenched his jaw, his eyes narrowing, and I could tell he was fighting to keep his composure. “Violet?” He repeated, his voice colder now. “What about her?”
I couldn’t help the smirk that tugged at the corner of my mouth, even though I was still furious. “I want to know why you released her. Why you saved her from Aaron.”
For the first time, I saw a flicker of something in Logan’s eyes—something darker, something I didn’t like. He looked like a man who was about to make a move he wasn’t proud of, but then he took a deep breath and forced his expression back into something neutral.
“It’s none of your business,” he muttered, turning away to continue down the stairs.
My hand shot out before I could stop it, grabbing the railing for support as I moved to block his path. My heart hammered in my chest, blood rushing to my head as the anger finally broke through the dam I’d been holding it behind. “Don’t you dare walk away from me. I’m asking you, Logan. How did you save her from Aaron?”
Logan stopped in his tracks. The tension in the room grew thicker, suffocating. His face remained impassive, but I could see the flicker of something in his eyes—a warning, maybe, or perhaps regret. “You should’ve stayed out of it,” he muttered, his voice barely audible.
I shook my head, refusing to back down. “I won’t. Not when it comes to Violet. I deserve to know what the hell you did. You don’t just—” I paused, frustration clogging my throat as I tried to keep my voice steady. “You don’t just go around saving people without some kind of explanation. Not to me.”
Logan’s eyes narrowed further. “I told you, it’s none of your business,” he said more firmly, pushing past me. His shoulder brushed mine as he continued down the hall, but I didn’t move. I stayed planted, feeling like a wall that wouldn’t bend.
I couldn’t help the anger that surged through me, the heat crawling up my neck, but I kept my voice low. “You don’t get to walk away from this, Logan. Not when you’re hiding something from me.” My chest tightened with a mix of fury and confusion. “I want to know why you’re protecting her. What the hell did she mean to you?”
He halted again, his back to me now, and for a split second, I thought he might turn around. But instead, he just stood there, his shoulders tense. “You’ve already asked,” he said quietly, but I could hear the underlying tension in his voice. “I’m done answering.”
I clenched my fists, feeling the rage rise up again, but I didn’t lash out. Not yet. Instead, I took a step forward, keeping my voice steady but low. “You’re making a mistake, Logan.”
He finally turned to face me, his eyes sharp and cold. “What do you expect me to say, Xaden? That I’m sorry? That I regret saving her from Aaron? Do you really think that matters to me?”
My stomach dropped at the venom in his tone. “I don’t give a damn about your regrets. I care about what you’re not telling me.” I stepped closer, feeling the air between us thickening. “You’re not just some distant stranger, Logan. I need to know why you’re hiding this. Why Violet?”
He shook his head, his lips curling into a thin smile that was anything but comforting. “You’ll never understand,” he said, his voice softer now, but there was an edge to it that sent a chill down my spine.
Before I could respond, he moved past me, his hand brushing against my arm as he did so. He didn’t look back.
I stood there, seething, my mind racing. I had known Logan long enough to understand that when he shut down like this, there was no breaking through the wall he built. But I wasn’t going to let this go. I couldn’t. There was something he was hiding, something important about Violet, and I would drag it out of him, even if I had to tear the walls down piece by piece.