“How the hell did you get past security?” Emery asked, forcing herself to stay still.
She should be more scared than this. A man had just shown up in her room-unannounced, uninvited, and unnoticed by anyone. He hadn’t even known her exact address, and yet here he was, standing in front of her like he belonged here. Like this was normal.
She should be panicking. No-she should be terrified. But for some reason, all she felt was heat rising under her skin, and that made her even more unsettled.
Logan looked too rxed. He didn’t have a scratch on him. No dirt, no signs of effort. It was like he had walked through the front door with an invitation in hand. He sat there, one leg crossed, watching her like she was the one trespassing.
He leaned back slightly. “Why are you so focused on how I got in? That’s not your concern.”
Her eyes narrowed. “What is my concern, then?”
“You disappear without a word,” he said. “That’s what you should be exining.”
“Exining?” Emery snorted. “What I do with myself is none of your business.”
Logan’s gaze followed her. “You are my business.”
She let out a breath. She got up and turned away. “This ‘you have my child’ nonsense needs to stop. You need to stop showing up wherever I go.”
Irritation bubbled under her skin. She didn’t know what annoyed her more-his words or the way he said them, as if it was a fact carved in stone. And the way his brown eyes locked on her, sharp and focused. He wasn’t looking at her like she was a person. It was more like he was trying to keep something in. As if touching her again would solve something, he couldn’t say it out loud.
His stare made her feel exposed. It unsettled her more than she wanted to admit.
Logan didn’t respond right away. He just watched her.
“Besides, we haven’t even confirmed yet if the child is yours. Again, I am not doing any procedures. There is no way to confirm that unless… you wanted to get the courts involved. Which means you would dere yourself as the father of my child and would have a legal connection to-”
Emery stopped mid-sentence when she felt him move.
Logan closed the distance between them in two strides and grabbed her by the wrist, pulling her close before she could react. His grip wasn’t painful, but it was firm. Possessive.
“I don’t want to hear that again,” he said.
Her eyes narrowed. “Or what?” She yanked at her arm, but he didn’t let go. “Are you going to hurt me?”
He didn’t answer. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his gaze dropped to her mouth. She saw it-saw the shift in him, the way he looked like he was holding back something.
“I can manage on my own,” she continued. “As you can see, I don’t need your money or your support.”
“You’re carrying my child,” he said. “That will always be the case.”
“We don’t know that, and until then, you don’t have the right to my child,” Emery snapped.
Logan’s jaw tightened. His hold on her wrist did, too. Almost immediately, her heartbeat picked up, quick and sharp. She hated how aware she was of his body, of the heat radiating off him, of how close they were. His features were tense, drawn- but infuriatingly handsome. She hated that, too.
“Don’te here again,” she said. “You got in once, fine. But that’s it. I’m not calling the cops because of how you saved me in the past. That’s the only reason. Next time, I won’t be so patient.”
Logan didn’t move. He kept his eyes on her.
“You don’t get to tell me what to do,” he said.
Before she could speak, his hand came up. His fingers touched her chin, firm but careful, and tilted her face to the side.
??????;
She froze.
His thumb hovered just near the edge of her cheekbone, and his brow furrowed.
“Someone pped you,” he said.
Emery swallowed hard, her fingers curling into fists at her sides. She wanted to snap at him-say something that would draw a line, something like don’t touch me again or keep your hands to yourself. But nothing came out. Her body betrayed her.
Her pulse kicked up, sharp and fast, and it had nothing to do with fear. That realization made her jaw tighten. She hated that he could get under her skin so easily. How could a stranger do that?
Technically, this man was nothing but a stranger to her.
“Is it your father?” he asked.
“Don’t,” she answered. She tried to move her face away, but she quickly realized that she wasn’t strong enough to do that. She bitterly bit her lower lip as she tried to stop herself from exploding in anger. “Don’t start.”
“You came in here knowing that your father could hurt you?” he asked.
No. That wasn’t just a mere question. It was a demand. It was as if he already knew what her father was capable of. She swallowed.
Emery didn’t answer. Her jaw clenched as she stared back at him.
She came here expecting to be cornered. She knew her father would push her. She even prepared for it. But she hadn’t expected Logan to show up-much less like this. And now, he was standing in front of her, his hand still on her chin like he owned the right to check her for damage.
Why did he care so much? Why was it bothering him?
More importantly-why wasn’t she pulling away?
Her breathing slowed. She hated this. Hated the warmth spreading under her skin. Hated the heat blooming in her stomach. This man wasn’t part of her life. And yet, her body wasn’t cooperating.
Logan’s fingers moved slightly. He let go of her chin but didn’t step back.
“No one gets to do that to you,” he said.
She was about to react when the doorknob moved. Emery frowned. She was certain that she locked the door when she got <ol><li></li></ol>
Emery didn’t have to say anything. Logan took a single step back, like he already knew what to do. His movements were smooth, calcted. He crossed the room in silence and slipped into the attached bathroom without a nce back.
A secondter, the bedroom door creaked open.
Her eyes locked on the man stepping inside.
Carl Moregardh.
The moment she saw him, her face twisted in disgust. She didn’t even try to hide it.
“What are you doing here?” Emery asked.