Page 7 of Logan

Was he saying he knew where she lived? Was that the strange sensation she felt in the elevator? His proximity. Or was she simply going mad?I’m losing my mind.

You are not.

Yes, because talking to yourself in public is considered normal.

I am quite real.

Like the other one?

He is real, too, but dangerous. I will figure out who has fixated on you and remove him.

Was he actually insinuating he wanted to protect me?

That is exactly what I am saying.

Stop reading my mind. It’s annoying.

As is your need to ignore the facts. Go home and get some rest. I will not allow anything to happen to you.

“Emily!” Ming shouted, calling her attention back to her uncle.

“What?” she said in a dazed voice

Ming smoothed his tie. “Emily, you are exhausted and are useless to me like this. I guess I have pushed you too hard. I should have considered that you are still just a woman and not as sturdy as my sons. You will have some time off. I will have Mito finish this job.”

She glanced at the massive bodyguard.

Emily observed the Chinese bodyguard standing by Ming’s side with a sense of wary respect. Though not particularly tall in stature, he possessed a formidable presence that commanded attention. Muscles rippled beneath the fabric of his suit, a silentreminder of the strength and skill that lay dormant within him. Despite his stoic exterior, there was an undeniable air of danger that surrounded him.

His gaze swept over the room with a vigilant intensity, taking in every detail with a precision that bordered on the uncanny. Emily could sense the coiled energy that lay beneath his calm facade, a potent combination of strength and readiness that marked him as a force to be reckoned with.

Mito had been one of the few people in Ming’s orbit to treat her with respect. She suspected he was interested in her as he touched her back when he led her from the room and once broke a man’s jaw who hit on her while in his presence. He would never contradict anything her family said or did, though. Jun had ripped a couple of her stitches and he had stood stoically by and watched. That was not the kind of man she could trust.

Ming flicked his hand. “Go home, Emily. I do not want to see you until you have recovered from your injury.”

She stood and kept her eyes on the exit as she left. The door chimed, and, for some reason, it reminded her of a death bell.

CHAPTER 4

Emily hurried along the sidewalk with a sense of urgency as she made her way back to her apartment building. The absence of a jacket left her exposed to the chill of the midmorning air, but it was the crimson stain marring her shirt that drew the attention of passersby. She could feel the weight of their gazes upon her, some filled with wariness, others tinged with concern, but she pressed on, determined to reach the safety of her home.

With each wary glance and concerned stare, Emily quickened her pace, her heart pounding in her chest as she neared the entrance to her building. Ducking inside with a sense of relief, she navigated through the lobby, her movements swift and purposeful as she made her way to the waiting elevator.

As the doors slid shut behind her, Emily let out a shaky breath, her hand pressing against the fabric of her shirt where the stain still lingered. Though she knew the risk of drawing attention to herself, she couldn’t afford to delay any longer. With a silent prayer for anonymity, she leaned back against the cool metal of the elevator, her thoughts consumed by the events of the last twelve hours.

With each passing floor, she drew closer to the sanctuary of her apartment, where she could tend to her wounds and regroup in the safety of her own domain. She knew Ming wouldn’t wait that long before calling on her, but she should have at least a week to recover if things went well.

She had just entered her suite when laughter erupted in her mind.

I feel your pain. It is the sweetest nectar.

He was back. The thing that had taunted her for the last few months. She never responded, but that didn’t seem to discourage her unwanted admirer.

I have sent someone to collect you. Go with him, or I will crush your mind, and you will live out your days drooling out the side of your mouth. Your blood will not be as sweet under such circumstances, but I can make do.

She closed her eyes, trying to block the intruder from her mind. He seemed to have some kind of backdoor access to her thoughts, and that was just plain scary.

She stopped at her bedroom door when she found the large man lying on her bed.

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