Page 137 of Snared Rider

I push this aside for now because there are much bigger fish to fry right now, and I’m sure time is not on our side. If the police have been informed about the shots, they’ll be here sharpish.

“What about me, Logan? What the hell do I say?” I demand.

Lying is not my forte and if he wants me to do it convincingly, I need time to practice my story.

“Stick to the truth, just omit that you know anything about who did it. Play up the fact you’re just visiting and not embroiled in Club business.”

This is all true, so it should be easy to regurgitate. I nod and swallow. I may have been out of the MC life for a long time but I still know the drill.

The Club comes first.

If that means lying to the police, you do it. Christ, you lie to your own mother if the Club demands it.

But lying is the least of my problems right now. Once again, someone has tried to kill me. Granted, this time Wilson could not have known I was inside the building, so at least this attack was not directed personally at me, but the fact I keep getting caught up in this shit is terrifying.

And Logan…

He threw himself bodily on top of me. He protected me, shielded me with his body. He put himself in the line of fire.

For me.

“You saved my life.” I barely speak the words because they clog in my throat. “If you hadn’t pulled me down like that…”

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he mumbles with a tired, but sexy lift of his lips.

“And now?”

“I’m rethinking it.”

I laugh through a stifled sob. “You’re an idiot.”

“Yeah, I am,” he murmurs and then winces. “Shit.”

My free hand sifts through his hair as my anxiety starts to bloom again. I hate that he’s in pain and I hate that he’s still bleeding.

“Help’s coming, love, just hold on.”

The endearment comes naturally, so naturally it slips unbidden from my mouth. I don’t look at Clara but I can feel her eyes on me. I don’t care who knows I’m with Logan now. I don’t care about anything except the man in front of me.

“I’m sorry,” he murmurs and I frown.

“You don’t need to apologise. You protected me.”

“I’ll always protect you,” he tells me, his voice serious. “And I’m sorry I failed in that task in the past. I thought I was doing the right thing stepping away from us.”

I don’t want to do this now. Not while he’s bleeding on tiles, and not with Clara at his back.

“We can talk about this later, Logan. Just concentrate on you right now.”

“Quiet, babe; I’m talking and you’re going to listen for a change. I love you, Beth Goddard. I loved you back then and I love you now.” He swallows, his Adam’s apple bobbing frenetically as he tries to control his pain. It takes him a moment, and when he speaks again his voice is tight. “You’re mine. You’ll always be mine and I’m going to spend the rest of my days making you mine again. Here, London, the fucking moon—I don’t care where we are as long as we’re together. And I’m sorry I hurt you. I’m so fucking sorry. I hope you can forgive me for that because I can’t forgive myself until you do.”

He loves me.

I’m his.

I don’t think. I don’t think about anything but his words and the warmth spreading through me at hearing them. I lean over him and, awkwardly because of our positions, press my lips to his. I don’t expect him to respond, but his mouth moves instantly. This kiss isn’t about lust or passion. It’s about reminding myself he’s still here, that he’s still breathing, that he will keep on breathing.

Once I’ve had my fill, I pull back a little, my mouth inches from Logan’s. I see adoration and love in his eyes, and all our wasted time burns through my guts. I never want to be without him again.

“You two…” Clara’s voice is uncertain. “You’re together?”

Clara knowing about us would have terrified me at the beginning of the week. Now, with Logan sitting here bleeding it doesn’t seem important anymore. Nothing does.

Not even the police, who suddenly swarm the building screaming at us to put our hands up.

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