Page 78 of Snared Rider

Chapter Twenty

Ten years earlier…

“Logan, what’re you—”

“Hush,” he cuts me off rather indelicately. “Can you see?”

“I’m blindfolded—what do you think?” I can’t see a thing beyond the material wound around my eyes, which I guess is the point.

He chuckles. “Stop moaning and let me help you out of the cage.”

Without my sight I’m completely reliant on him, so I reach out blindly, holding on to him as he grabs my hands and slowly guides me out of the car, careful to protect my head. I might be moaning (his word, not mine) but I’m actually intrigued what he has planned. Logan isn’t much for surprises, so this whole espionage thing is completely out of character.

Once I’m out of the car and standing upright, he brings me closer to him, tucking me against his side. I trust him completely. I know he would never do a thing to hurt me but losing one of my senses is disorientating. I have no idea where we are or what we’re doing.

“I was busy before you kidnapped me, you know?” I tease.

This time his chuckle turns into a full belly laugh. “I did not kidnap you. You’re such a drama queen.”

“I am not!” I fling out an arm to hit him and although I make contact with the hard muscles of what I’m sure is his stomach the movement makes me wobble. Logan instantly steadies me. He is always there to steady me.

“Instead of trying to hurt me—which you’re never going to do, by the way—just concentrate on walking, yeah?”

“Fine!” I groan with a dramatic huff. This gets me another laugh and I vow to make it my mission to get him to laugh every day, just so I can hear that sound.

“There’s a step here. Be careful.”

He helps me to navigate the step and then guides me up to another and another. My mind is in overdrive. Where the heck are we? I wrack my brain, trying to think of anywhere he could have brought us with steps, but I come up empty.

I hear the scrape of metal and the unmistakable sound of a key engaging in a lock. Where the hell are we? My curiosity is well and truly piqued now. I can’t imagine what he has planned and that makes me excited, but also a little nervous.

Logan steers me forward and the light, which is the only thing I can make out through the blindfold, dims and I know we’ve stepped inside whatever space the locked door opens into.

“Move around this,” he mutters and pulls me to one side, so I avoid whatever obstacle is in the way. Then, he comes to a stop.

“And we’re here.”

He moves to the knot at the back of my head and undoes it, careful not to tug on my hair. When he slides the material off my eyes I can’t help but blink at the sudden change in light. When I’m able to focus I see I’m standing in a narrow hallway. There are two doors off of it, but they’re closed. I glance at Logan, so many questions running through my mind. First and foremost, where are we?

My face must give away my confusion because he grins, his dimples coming out in full force, and it takes everything I have not to roll to my toes and kiss him senseless. This thought is halted in its track because he seizes my hand.

“Come on.”

“Logan, what’s going on? Where are we?” I press for answers as he moves me towards the end of the corridor. Then he pushes the door open and pulls me into a small dining kitchen.

There are the usual wall and base cupboards, plus sink, cooker and fridge freezer—all the mod cons you would expect to find in any kitchen, but at the opposite end of the room is a small table. On that table is a cake with candles in it. They’re not lit but Logan releases my hand to grab a box of matches off the worktop. He quickly sets about lighting the twenty candles and I can’t help but smile at him as he works. His energy is infectious.

When he finishes, he lifts his head and gives me a lopsided grin. “Happy birthday, baby.”

“It’s not until tomorrow.”

“Yeah, but tomorrow I’m not going to get a look in with all those other fuckers wanting time with you.” He crosses the room, closing the space between us and pulls me against him. His fingers sift through the hair at the side of my head before he cups my face and dips close. “I want to celebrate your birthday alone.”

My stomach flips at his words but I don’t have chance to think too much about them because his head dips closer and his lips brush over mine. I melt against him as the kiss deepens, my arms sliding around his back. I love this man. I love him more than I thought it was possible to love another person. I never imagined this day would come, the day when I would be in his arms.

He breaks the kiss, although I feel the reluctance from him to do so. “Blow your candles out, Beth.”

I smile up at him. “I can’t believe you got me a cake. You know the Club will have one for me tomorrow as well, right?”

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