Page 106 of Snared Rider

I straighten my spine, smooth my hands down my thighs and clear my throat.

“I’ll let it go,” I tell him, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll let it all go. You’re right; we can’t avoid each other. Our lives are too entwined for that to happen, but things can’t be as they were between us, Logan.” I meet his gaze. “We’re not the same people we were back then. Well, I’m certainly not. I grew up, I changed, and what I want now isn’t what I wanted then.

“So, I’ll forgive you; I’ll stop giving you grief about what happened but that’s as much as I can give you right now.”

His smile is tight. “Then that’ll be enough.”

The ‘for now’ hangs in the air between us.

“I’m sorry you got punched by Dean and I’m sorry if our situation caused problems between you both. I’ll do what I can to smooth it out before I leave, but I’m not sure Dean’s in a place to talk yet.”

“Don’t worry about me and Dean. We’ll sort our shit out.”

This I doubt, but I don’t contradict him; it’s not my place and to be honest, I have my own problems to deal with on that front. I have no idea if Dean will ever forgive me for lying to him. I’ve always told him everything. I even told him when Ryan dumped me in that hotel room in London after we went to that stupid concert. I confessed to the whole shitty affair, including the fact Logan came to get me. I admitted the whole humiliation of the being abandoned like a dog at the pound.

I didn’t tell him Logan snogged the face off me and that I slept with him, though. I’ve been lying to Dean for a long time, and I wish I could take it back, but I can’t.

“Look, I’m going to be here for another couple of days at least, so you do your thing, I’ll do mine. There’s no reason we have to tiptoe around each other anymore.”

“Beth—”

I don’t let him finish because I can see the protestation on his lips and I know I won’t survive another heart-to-heart with him.

“Thanks for taking care of me at the hospital and at the clubhouse.”

And before he can say another word, I flee the room.

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