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She can sense the pride in his eyes, one that held her glued to a spot while giving away nothing but that proud that she’s found

the courage to face once again.

“Let go of me." She muttered.

She could still feel that grip of his hand and even more, that rage in his heart as it beat heavily, perhaps she had taken it too far by trying to hit him, she thought to herself.

He chuckles. “Don't try hitting me ever again.” He warned.

She didn't panic like every other woman would under his gaze, Instead she held his gaze as she quietly observed his eyes, each sinking into the cavity of their graves, grief and anger rushing through her.

She dragged her hands away… “let go of me." She repeated the words.

Apparently, he started a fire this whole fight in his drunken state, as she dragged her hands again she is free with no fingers pinning her.

He backed away from her, this time taking steps back to the door, he could still hear her heart racing.

“Don't! Try hitting me again." He muttered one more time before slipping out of the door.

She is angered, her fist hit the wall in fury . “How did he know!" She started as still filled with rage.

She walked back to where the table was and found the drink he had been taking, she gulped it down as her face contorted from the burning sensation on her tongue.

She walked away dropping her clothes as she did, was she truly as ingrate just as he had called her before slipping out of the door?

With the thought weighing heavily in her mind, she let herself into the bathtub.

****

A cool bath was all it took to calm the rage in her chest, when she got back it was to several miss calls from Van.

This time she didn't bother picking , she still blamed him for the last incident that had happened, and all of this incident .

Two rooms away from her he did get the call again, repeatedly…

He really didn’t want to track her phone, he saw it as invading her privacy but still there was no way he could have ignored that urge when the opportunity came.

Logan had barely gone in to retrieve his key when he listened to the faucet running slowly, he had picked the keys without making any sound but while making his way out, he phone had rung.

Left with no choice, he had picked the phone after it and gone off and had paired his app with hers while she seemed ignorant of what was transpiring outside the door.

He sees the incoming text from Van Halen as it appears on Joanne’s screen:

I’m so sorry, I really need to see you, it is about your dog.

The rest was a text telling her where he would be meeting, he stared at the screen for what seemed like a while rubbing his jaw.

He listened for her the sound for her door, wanting to know if she would leave—

When he didn't hear the sound of the door, he let go of the thoughts in his heart, concentrating it on more trivial thing's … it wasn't easy to get it out of his mind though.

It only took a moment of glancing at the screen to commit it to memory.

Soon he laid his back to sleep unaware of the creaking door nor a feminine shadow walking through the hallway, she let herself out.

“Take me to seventh avenue." She muttered to the chauffeur.

*****

The night is colder than last time, Something tells her she shouldn’t be doing this and that perhaps she was taking a risk.

She looked behind her to be sure she wasn't being trailed, somewhere in her mind was still the thought of how he got to be aware of the fact she had gone to the Courier…

She increases her pace, the fact she needs to burn off her anxious energy occurred to her even as the car behind her lit the air that was filled with an heavy air that was let out in frustration.

Her breath comes in short clouds in front of her face as she walks, ahead of her she could see the car ahead of her now, amidst the heavy heartbeats that were raging deep in her heart.

There are too many things to process and first on the list is the thought questioning the thought of why she was there—

Van smiles when he sees her, alighting from the car and walking to where he was.

He soon reached where she was, and hugged her … Reluctantly, she pulled away she wanted to know why he had called her, after using using his Influence to calm her after seeing that

part of her is furious, he was quick to rebuff her question about why he had called her.

“You need to make this quick, that is all I am again, he is all over me, that is what I am trying to say.” She mutters.

" Then let us get him off your back for good, all I insist on having with you is an alliance.”

" An alliance?” She chuckles. "You seem to forget that he is my husband."

“On paper… Do you know what I think, I think he has you wrapped around his finger's, you just act strong but you are not."

How dare he reduce her to nothing but a submissive creature? She thought to herself.

Shr thought about what he had said, though it had a bit of truth in it, she never felt as safe as she did when she was Logan… She wouldn't deny that.

He was a soothing balm to her soul and quieted the fears, till there was that fear that he was doing all of this for himself and while she couldn't stop thinking about how sinful his lips were, she still knew deep down she couldn't trust Logan deeply.

“Are you sure your plan will work this time. " She asked.

“I am positive it would."