Chapter 30

Logan’s POV

I stood there, frozen for a moment, watching the scene unfold before me. Xaden—of all people—was standing close to Violet. His posture was tense, like a predator poised to strike, but there was something else in his eyes. I couldn’t place it, but it was there. Something that made me question everything I thought I knew about him. He looked almost... conflicted.

I had always thought Xaden hated her. Hell, it sure seemed like it. After all, he had rejected her—pushed her away—broken her heart into a thousand pieces. I’d seen the aftermath, the way Violet had retreated into herself, trying to pick up the pieces of what was left of her shattered trust.

So, why the hell was he tackling her now?

I watched them from the corner of the room, my mind racing as I tried to make sense of what I was seeing. Xaden’s hands were on Violet’s shoulders, his grip firm as if he were afraid she might slip away. Violet, though, didn’t seem as scared as she should have been. She didn’t flinch at his touch, didn’t pull away. Instead, there was this... understanding, this flicker of something between them.

It made my blood boil. I had always thought that after what happened, after Xaden's rejection, she would move on. She had to. She couldn’t keep going back to someone who didn’t know what the hell he wanted. I wanted to be the one there for her—comforting her, making sure she didn’t fall for Xaden’s games again. But now, seeing them standing so close, their chemistry undeniable even in the silence, something inside me twisted.

I was pissed.

I hadn’t expected it. I thought I was over this, over her, over the damn complication that Xaden represented in my life. But standing there, watching them, I couldn’t deny it. I still wanted her. And the thought of her going back to him, even after everything, made me want to rip my own heart out.

“Logan?”

The voice broke me from my thoughts, sharp and concerned. I turned to see Jackson standing in the doorway, his brow furrowed. He was one of the few people who still stuck around to check on me, even when I wasn’t asking for it. He knew how messed up my head was right now, especially with Violet at the center of everything.

“What?” I snapped, my voice too harsh, too raw.

“You okay?” Jackson asked, stepping closer. “You’ve been pacing for the last hour.”

I gave him a tight smile, trying to mask the frustration burning under my skin. “Yeah, just... thinking.”

Jackson eyed me, his expression unreadable. “About her.”

I didn’t need to ask who he meant. I just nodded.

“I thought Xaden hated her,” I muttered, barely able to keep my voice steady. “I thought he rejected her for a reason. And now—what the hell is he doing? Why is he back in her life?”

Jackson didn’t answer right away. He just looked at me with that same pitying expression he always wore when he thought I was being irrational. I hated it, but deep down, I knew he was right. He was always right.

“You know the answer, Logan,” Jackson finally said, his tone low, steady. “Xaden is a mess. But he’s still a part of this. He’s never going to be out of her life completely. You can’t just erase him.”

I clenched my jaw, trying to fight the wave of anger building up inside me. He was right. Xaden wasn’t just going to disappear. But I wasn’t about to stand by and let him worm his way back into Violet’s heart. I couldn’t. She didn’t deserve that.

“I’m not erasing him. I’m keeping her safe.” The words came out colder than I intended, but Jackson didn’t flinch.

“She doesn’t need you to keep her safe from Xaden, Logan,” he said quietly. “She’s been through hell with him. She knows what he’s capable of.”

“She’s too damn vulnerable to be messing around with him again,” I shot back. “She’s always going to end up hurt.”

Jackson shook his head slowly, his expression softening just a little. “Maybe she’s not as fragile as you think. She doesn’t need you to fight her battles. She’s stronger than that.”

I wanted to argue. Hell, I wanted to yell. But I knew he was right. Violet was strong. Stronger than I gave her credit for sometimes. But that didn’t mean I was willing to sit back and let Xaden drag her through more pain.

“I’m not letting him get to her,” I said firmly, my eyes hardening. “Not this time.”

Jackson sighed, rubbing the back of his neck as he looked away. “I know you’re pissed. But you can’t control everything, Logan. You can’t control her. You’ve got to let her make her own choices. If she wants him in her life, then that’s her decision. You’re not going to change that by forcing her to choose.”

I didn’t know how to respond to that. Part of me wanted to tell him to shut up, to remind him that I was the one who had always been there for Violet, not Xaden. But another part of me knew what he was saying was true.

I couldn’t control her. I couldn’t make her pick me, or pick anyone, for that matter.

I ran a hand through my hair, frustrated and unsure of what to do next. Jackson had a point, and that’s what made it all the worse.

“What do I do then?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

Jackson looked at me for a long moment, and then, finally, he spoke. “You do nothing. You let her figure it out herself. Just be there for her, whatever happens. Don’t push her away because of Xaden.”

That was the hardest thing I could hear right now. But I knew he was right. I had to let her choose. As much as it tore me up inside, I couldn’t force her into a decision that wasn’t hers to make.

The door creaked again, and I turned just in time to see Violet standing in the doorway, her eyes searching mine. She was quiet, like she was waiting for me to speak.