Scartissue by T.L Hodel

CHAPTER 24

Shelby

After Logan untied me, he didn’t try to stop me from leaving. He simply said he’d find me tonight, and let me go. And go I did.

I ran down the stairs and out the door, ignoring Riley’s voice calling after me. I saw her come out of the house as I sped down the driveway and still didn’t stop.

I didn’t know where I was going, just that I needed to go.

The irony of the situation was that I was running from the one person that told me the truth. For all his faults, Logan never once lied to me.

He didn’t deny the supposed secret society, even when I freaked out. What really scared me was the image of Logan covered in blood that I couldn’t shake from my mind.

I lay trapped on that bed, wondering what happened to Noah and Evan. When I could finally speak, I was too terrified to ask. Because if even half the rumors were true, I wouldn’t like the answer.

The Order of Ravens and Wolves was real, and I didn’t know who to trust.

It certainly wasn’t Riley. She was hiding something from me, just like my mom, and my dad, and who knows who else.

Which is how I found myself parked in front of a little white church, staring up at the large cross on the roof. I wasn’t a religious person. My family didn’t go to church on Sunday or pray before dinner, but right now, I could use a little faith.

I walked inside and dropped down in the closest pew. It was quiet, only a few people remained from Sunday service. None of whom paid me much attention. Except for one.

Marnie was putting away hymn books when I walked in. She looked as confused as I felt. I didn’t see Trina anywhere; she usually left the second their father was done preaching. Marnie stayed behind. She said she liked the peace, which I got now. It was calm in here.

“Hey,” Marnie said, slipping in to sit next to me. “Are you okay?”

I didn’t know if anything would ever be okay again.

“Did something happen with Logan or Riley?”

I huffed out a snort.

Did something happen with Logan or Riley.

Everything happened.

If anyone would understand, it’d be Marnie. She researched the Order, and it wasn’t like I could talk to Rye. But I really wanted to talk to her. I missed my friend.

My heart hurt when I thought about how things used to be. Rye was gone, my dad was with someone else, and my mom hid a kid. I had no one except Marnie.

“You were right you know, about the Order.” I turned my teary eyes her way. “I don’t know what to do?”

Marnie’s lips tipped down in a frown. “There’s nothing you can do.”

Like I said, no one.

I sniffed and stared at the cross on the altar. “I could run?”

“You wouldn’t make it far.”

Marnie and I turned our heads to see Preston standing beside us, his cold dead stare focused on me.

“You and I need to talk.”

He was the last person I wanted to talk to.

“You shouldn’t be here,” Marnie whispered.

His eyes snapped up to her, and for just a second I thought I saw a spark of life in their cold dead depths.

“We’ve had this discussion, Little Bird.” He leaned over me, brushing his jean jacket off my shoulder, and added in a soft growl that scared even me, “You don’t get to tell me what to do.”

The Marnie I knew would’ve thrown his words back in his face. This Marnie didn’t do that. She squeaked a quiet apology and hung her head.

“Leave her alone,” I snarled and pushed him back.

I was so tired of all this bully bullshit. That’s when I learned Logan might be scary, but Preston was terrifying.

“Here’s what’s going to happen.” He braced his palms on the pews and leaned in, “You’re going to walk out that door with me and not say a goddamn word.”

“And if I don’t?”

“You see that sweet little old lady?”

I assumed he was referring to Mrs. Jenkins, who was on her knees deep in prayer.

“Yes.”

He didn’t say anything, just held open his coat enough for me to see the butt of a gun.

I swallowed a lump of fear and whispered, “You wouldn’t.”

“He would,” Marnie answered.

With my heart pounding loudly, I hesitantly rose off the pew. Preston smiled and waved his hand at the door. I didn’t want to go. It was the look on Marnie’s face that convinced me.

Pushing the door open, I took one last look at my friend and tried to reassure her with a smile. It didn’t work. For either of us.

All I could think as Preston marched me over to his car, was how normal life was before Logan. My biggest worry a week ago was Christmas for my little sister. Now, I felt like I was walking to my execution.

Once we were seated in his BMW and the doors were closed, Preston turned to look at me.

“There are very few people I actually care about in this world. My parents don’t even make the cut.”

He pulled out a cigarette and placed it between his lips, before holding out the pack to offer me one.

“No thanks,” I said, shaking my head.

He shrugged and tucked the pack back in his pocket before continuing.

“Logan does. I’m sure you know he didn’t have the most ideal childhood.”

My chest tightened thinking about all the scars marking his perfect body. I nodded.

“He’s not the most stable person, but last night I saw something I never thought I would. He was frenzied, going off on that prick that drugged you, and you pulled him out of it. You didn’t have to hit him, or pin him to the ground, you just had to say his name. One word from you and he snapped back.”

How was I supposed to take that?

“Are you trying to tell me Logan’s crazy?”

“He’s most definitely crazy.” Preston exhaled a stream of smoke and rolled his eyes my way, “But you make him sane.”

Was it wrong that my heart melted a little?

That five words from Death Himself made me fall deeper for a man I should be running from?

“I only have one question. Do you love him?”

***

“Mom!” I called out and closed the door. “I’m home!”

I wasn’t excited to see my mom, and even less so when she walked around the corner with Riley.

I sighed and hung up my coat.

“What do you want?”

“Shelby Harlow Grace, is that any way to talk to your friend?”

I glared at my mom. She would never talk to someone like that. God forbid she show an ounce of attitude. Perfect Cheyenne Grace and her happy little life.

“Would you prefer we talk about the kid you’re pretending doesn’t exist?”

“I understand you’re upset, Shelby.”

That was an understatement.

“I was young and alone. What was I supposed to do with a baby? I was still a child myself. The responsible thing was to give him to parents capable of raising a child. As much as it hurt, I had to think about him.”

I hadn’t thought about that. Mom loved Mags and me, she’d never given me any reason to think otherwise. It was probably incredibly hard for her to give up her baby.

“I’m sorry, Mom,” I cried, and threw my arms around her.

“It’s alright, sweetie. I understand.” She kissed the top of my head and smiled down at me. “You should talk to Riley. She was worried about you.”

Mom walked away, leaving us alone. We stood there in awkward silence for a few seconds before breaking down and embracing in a violent hug.

“I’m sorry,” Rye cried.

“No, I’m sorry,” I cried back.

We let our tears wash away our anger and guilt before sitting down to talk. That’s when I found out about the horrible things that happened to her.

The stuff Logan’s dad made Mason do, and how Micha saved them. She told me a bit about The Order, but didn’t know much about it herself. She didn’t want to.

After what she’d been through, I couldn’t blame her. When I asked her where Logan’s dad was, all she’d say was that he couldn’t hurt anyone anymore.

That wasn’t true though. He hurt Logan every day. I saw it in his eyes when he looked in the mirror. He was haunted by his past. It tormented him.

‘You make him sane.’

But maybe I could save him.