Indestructible

  I’m stronger than this. Stronger. So much stronger.

  I shielded my face with my arms, stifling a sob—not from fear or trauma, but anger. For the first time since the attack, I felt a swelling ache between my shoulder blades that I was certain was the beginning of a nasty bruise. Worst of all was the touch of him, his bare skin pressed to mine. He had no right! My body had endured enough in the accident only two months earlier, and now it was happening again.

  ‘Angry’ wasn’t the right word for what I was feeling in that moment. I was pissed.

  I wiped the tear prickling my eye before it could sneak out, then leapt up to a seated position. That bastard wouldn’t reduce me to tears—not here, not yet.

  “Cassandra, I need to finish.”

  My eyes met Tara's, and whatever she saw there caused her determination to waver. She pulled away, reached into her bag, and held out a tube of ointment.

  “Here, put this over the wounds twice daily. You don’t need stitches. All the glass is out, and it didn’t embed deep. You can take Tylenol for the soreness and any aches you have, unless it becomes worse.”

  “Thank you.”

  Finally ready to really see, I looked down at my stomach. It was bright red, and covered with a few abrasions spread over what looked like a nasty case of rug burn.

  Tara pulled off her gloves and tossed them in the trash. “You’re all set. If you need anything else, don’t hesitate to come into the ER or call your doctor.”

  I closed the robe and offered an appreciative smile.

  She mimicked me and stood, crossing the room to the door where Logan, as promised, was standing on the other side. The instant she passed him he was beside me, his fingers interlocking with mine.

  “Cassandra,” he breathed, pulling me up and into his arms for an embrace. It was something we both needed.

  “I want so badly to restart this day…anything to bring back the light in your eyes, the smile to those beautiful lips.” He kissed the side of my head. “I should have been here. Should have known he was out. Should have…” His body began to stiffen.

  Logan was the last person that should’ve felt guilt. I held him closer, locking my arms around his waist as I shook my head, silencing him. The scruff of his cheek drew me closer. I inhaled his heady scent and rested my head on his broad shoulder, his voice breaking through our heavy silence after a moment’s pause.

  “I want to take you away from here. Christ, if I could erase what happened—” He released a pained sigh then pulled back slowly, his eyes searching mine.

  “You have to know by now I’d do anything, Cassandra. I can’t bear the thought of you hurting and not being able to have you to myself right now—to comfort you the way you deserve. But I’m here…whatever you need, whatever you want. Say the words, and I’ll take care of it. I’ll take care of you. It’s all I want to do…always.”

  “I know.” I balanced up on my toes and placed my lips against his. “And I love you for that.”

  He kissed me back, but it was restrained and swift as a voice interrupted us.

  “Miss Clarke, the—oh, I’m sorry. Excuse me.”

  Logan and I both turned toward the officer, who ducked out of the room as quickly as he’d strolled in.

  “I think they’re waiting on us,” I said, staring back up into the brilliant depths of emotion in his eyes. It was paralyzing.

  His free hand caressed my cheek, tucking a stray hair behind my ear. “They need your statement. If—”

  “I’m ready,” I interrupted, not wanting to overthink it. There was no way to avoid giving the report to the sheriff. It had to be done. Kurt had to be punished.

  Logan watched me, gauging the emotions he was expecting to see, but I had nothing to offer him. It was time to recite all the facts out loud—to get it on paper and move on.

  Logan cupped my face. “If you need time or...”

  I shook my head. “No. I want to get it over with.” I need to get it over with.

  A faint smile touched his lips. “Always so strong.” His thumbs traced the contours of my cheeks. I closed my eyes and leaned into his comforting touch.

  Logan had become, in such a short time, the only person who was able to lift me up when I was down so low. It was a discovery I cherished.

  “I’m here, sweetheart.” He pressed a soft, tender kiss to my lips. “We’ll get through this. I promise.”

  I knew we would. I believed in him—in us.

  With his hand settled on the small of my back, he guided me out of the room. We proceeded down the hall toward the end, where my bedroom was located.

  The door was destroyed, its remnants left still hanging from the hinges. As our steps grew closer, the voices and shadows of officers inside gripped my attention. The click of a camera rang through my ears and sent a shiver down my spine. It was like being in a horror movie.

  We continued walking, turning the corner into the living room. As we did, I glanced into my room to catch sight of the blood stain on the floor—the floor Kurt had held me down against, his body pressed against mine. His erection…

  I slammed my eyes shut to push the memory away and shook my head, quickening my steps.

  “Hey, you don’t have to do this yet,” Logan whispered, stopping abruptly and moving in front of me. He lifted my chin. “They’ll understand.”

  “I need to,” I murmured.

  “Cassandra,” a familiar voice said. I looked past Logan to find the burly man with a receding hairline I’d known since childhood: the deputy sheriff and my mother’s boss, Harry Mackwell.

  He opened his arms and I walked straight into them. Harry had always smelled of warm spice, and today I sought comfort in it.

  “How are you?” he asked when I stepped back.

  “You know me,” I replied coyly as Logan slipped his hand back in mine.

  “I do.” Harry gave a somber nod, then looked over to Logan. “I hate to jump right into it, but if you don’t mind, I’d like to speak to this young man first.”

  “Of course.” I peeked up at Logan.

  “I’ll be back,” he assured me, his fingers slipping from mine as he followed Harry into the kitchen.

  Unsure what to do, I sat on the sofa and watched as men and women in uniforms, some I knew, carried on around me. It was my house now and where I’d spent most of my childhood, yet I’d never felt more disconnected from it than I did in that moment.

  Nothing felt real or whole. I was simply living, breathing, and waiting.

  Chapter Two

  Heat Wave

  The longer I sat, the harder my eyes struggled to remain open. Logan and Harry had been in the other room for over thirty minutes. I knew that only because I’d watched every second tick by on the clock sitting on the table that once held photos, which were now scattered on the floor.

  A kitchen chair squeaked, sliding against the linoleum. Heavy footsteps followed, and then Logan was there, sitting beside me. I sat up, snapping out of my trance and wiping my eyes to stay awake.

  It’s my turn.

  With a slight tilt of my head in his direction, I forced a smile. He saw through me and lifted my hand, covering it with his before bringing it to his lips. Anticipating a peck to my knuckles, I relished the touch of his lips pressed to my skin. He closed his eyes and inhaled deeply, savoring it himself. The affectionate act soothed my tensions, and I believed his as well.

  Harry sat across from us, his solemn gaze fixed on the notepad he held. When he raised his head, a commanding power emanated from him.

  “I’m going to try and keep this as brief and straightforward as possible, Cassandra, but I need to know all the details for us to properly prosecute the case. I know how strong you are.” A hint of a smile eased the heaviness of his words. “A lot like your mother. So let’s get through this, and then I’ll have my officers out of your home. All right?”

  I bobbed my head awkwardly, unsure where to start. What were the details? My thoughts were a flurry of bits and piece
s in no particular order. I needed to think back to the beginning, but all I saw was Kurt standing outside my car, reeking of resentment and hatred, and then his fist smashing the window. The snow I’d run through was deep and cold and the forest was viscous, wicked branches blocking my way as my feet trudged forward as fast as they could.

  I recoiled, breathless, and stared at Harry. A sweltering, suffocating heat suddenly infiltrated my trembling limbs. I squirmed, suddenly uncomfortable in my own skin. Is anyone else feeling this?

  Logan held our interlaced fingers protectively above his heart and gave mine a supportive squeeze. I peered his way and was met with cool, deep aqua eyes so soft and full of concern that I wanted desperately to relieve.

  I traced my thumb over his knuckles absentmindedly and then looked back at Harry, who sat waiting patiently.

  “I saw him in the grocery store—the one on Main Street.” I shook my head. “Well, I guess there’s only one grocery store, huh? So you know where it is already. At least…only one in town, only one I go to,” I said, rambling like a fool. “I don’t care much for the big-box store they built down the road. My mom does. I think it’s too crowded…too many options, and honestly, I felt like I was cheating when I went—you know, like I’m not supposed to be there. I can’t stand the thought of being responsible for closing down a local business that I’ve shopped at my entire life just to save a buck.” I wiped my brow; Harry was just staring at me.

  Crap, he probably shops there. What am I even talking about?

  “Anyway, like I said, my mom shops there and loves it. Says it’s worth the drive. She doesn’t make much money, so she needs to save that buck. I mean, not that the station doesn’t pay her well. You do. She loves her job, really—never has a bad word to say.” I let out a short, broken chuckle. “Well, except for this one time at a Christmas party you threw. She said that—”

  Logan’s finger pressed to my lips, silencing me. Thank God!

  “Breathe, then tell him about what happened with Kurt.”

  My head nodded for way too long. What the hell had I been about to tell him? My mom would’ve killed me.

  “Right. Anyway, I…I s-saw him—I mean, h-he saw me,” I stuttered. Pull it together. “I’m not sure who saw who first.”

  I wiped away the sweat that had begun beading at the back of my neck. Why was this so hard? I didn’t even recognize myself.

  Harry looked as confused as I felt. “You did or did not see him at the local grocery store?”

  “I didn’t.” God, I’m burning up. I scrubbed my hand over my forehead, then it slid down between my throat and the fabric of the suffocating robe.

  Okay, think. Stay focused.

  Harry leaned forward, appraising me. “Would you like a glass of water?”

  “Yes, please. I’m sorry, it’s just so hot in here.” I lifted my hair from my neck, twisting it over my shoulder. “The damn furnace.” I huffed out an awkward laugh. Not helping.

  Harry stood and walked into the kitchen. Did he know where the glasses were? I guessed he’d find them.

  “Hey, you okay? You’re shaking.” Logan shifted to face me. He released my hand, his eyes growing wider as I tugged at my robe, needing airflow to calm the flames within.

  “Just hot. Aren’t you?”

  Logan was still dressed in his work suit, but his jacket was missing and tie was loosened. He looked perfect, as usual, but there was no way he wasn’t experiencing the same extreme heat.

  “It’s a little warm in here, but you’re…you don’t look well.” His fingers brushed over my blazing cheeks. Closing his eyes with a poorly suppressed groan, he stood. His features hardened, and suddenly there was undeniable anger written across his face.

  But why? I was fine—just severely overheated.

  “That’s it. I’m telling him you’ll come to the station tomorrow. You need to rest—depressurize.”

  “No.” I ran my hand down my chest, fanning the flames. “Can you just turn down the temperature?”

  He shot me a crazed look. “Cassandra, that’s not the furnace, that’s you. You need to take some time. Get some sleep, and then you can give the statement.”

  “It’s best if we take it now,” Harry interjected as he reentered the room and offered me a glass of cold water.

  Oh, thank God. I chugged a big gulp to douse my internal fire. Relief flooded my system.

  “While it’s still fresh in her mind,” he continued. “I know this is difficult. There’s no rush. Take all the time you need, but it has to be today.” Harry sat back in his seat and pulled out a pen and notepad. His eyes were on me; they were full of kindness, and I knew he’d wait all night if he had to. “I’ll be ready when you are.”

  I turned my gaze upward to Logan’s, pleading silently for him to sit back down. Looking anywhere but at me, he raked his fingers through his hair and sucked in a breath so deep his nostrils flared. After a long pause, he conceded. The instant he sat, he folded his hand over mine and held it on his lap once again—exactly where it belonged.

  I finished my water and set the empty glass on the coffee table.

  “Okay, I’m ready.”

  Harry readied his pen.

  “I felt someone watching me at the grocery store. I didn’t see who it was, but Kurt told me he saw me there. He said it was a coincidence.”

  Harry jotted in his notepad and looked back up at me. “We can check security cameras. What happened next?”

  I drew in a breath to fill my lungs and began reciting the events of the attack, my eyes cast down to the belt of my robe the entire time. The heat returned, searing my stiff body in place. I couldn’t even lift my head to peek at Logan, but the fury radiating off him was evident.

  “Kurt was mad at me. He blamed me for…” I stopped, remembering his words about Logan paying off guards.

  “Blamed you for what?” Harry pressed.

  I tucked that secret away and lifted my head. “For his arrest outside Haven.”

  Harry wrote it down, seemingly convinced, and continued with more questions that left me uncomfortable and fidgeting under the pressure to relive the events so soon.

  “I’m sorry I have to ask this, Cassandra, but it’s important.” The sheriff’s brows dipped as he glanced from me to Logan, then back at me. “Did he sexually assault you?”

  I shook my head without thinking, not wanting to reveal those details, and bit down hard on my bottom lip. Logan’s hand grasped mine tighter; I moved to pull it away, but his grip didn’t falter.

  My scalp prickled, my entire body scorching from the heat of what I wanted to avoid. My throat went dry; all attempts to swallow and clear it were in vain.

  “No,” I answered hoarsely. “He tried, but Logan arrived in time to…to intervene. He didn’t rape—” My breath cut off.

  “Yes, but was there sexual assault?” Harry asked, choosing his words carefully.

  The shock of what I’d been trying to deny was setting in slowly. I wasn’t raped, but I was terrified, threatened, and hurt by what Kurt had almost done—what had almost happened.

  Almost. A pounding began in my temple, cruel emotions seeping through.

  “I don’t know.” I shook my head again, willing the tears away. No, I can’t crack. I didn’t want to feel it yet. I preferred the numbness.

  Logan dropped my hand and released an exasperated, drawn-out breath, startling me. I thought he was going to jump to his feet with how quickly he sat up vibrating with rage, but instead he pumped his hands into fists at his sides, his knuckles ghost white.

  “Yes, he assaulted her. I told you already. He had her on the goddamned floor with his pants open. Her panties were…”

  Logan pressed his lips together as though he was enduring physical pain before continuing through gritted teeth.

  “He would have raped her! You’re gonna charge him with sexual assault on top of attempted murder. His intent and threats were clear, so you better put together a list against that piece of shit long enou
gh to keep him locked behind bars for the rest of his pitiful fucking existence, or I swear to God I’ll…” Veins bulged in his neck.

  I stared at him, unable to look away. Logan could never really scare me, but I still trembled at his intimidating tone and the excruciating hurt in his eyes.

  “I understand this is difficult, Mr. West, but you need to remain calm,” Harry said carefully, trying to defuse the ticking bomb beside me. “We will, of course, do everything in our power to ensure he remains off the streets.”

  “You’re damn right you will. My family has a long-standing relationship with the district attorney. I won’t let this case fall through the cracks of a backwoods buddy system.”

  Harry cleared his throat, his irritation evident, and sat up taller. Shit, here it comes. One thing I knew about Harry was he wasn’t someone you wanted to cross.

  “Mr. West, I can assure you that my office has no buddy system in place. We abide by the law—backwoods or not.”

  Logan’s knee jolted, frustration seething from his features. “Really? Then how did Kurt get released?”

  “The same way any inmate does: His bail was posted. He was out free while he awaited trial.”

  “Don’t patronize me! I was to be notified if that happened, yet my guy knew nothing about it.”

  Harry cocked his head to the side, more interested in than annoyed by Logan’s admission. “And who would your guy be?” Harry asked.

  Logan said nothing, his expression frozen with fury. I’d never seen him like that before. He looked different—threatening and dangerous—but I knew it was because he cared about me and wanted to protect me. But still, the knowledge that he’d paid guards the first time Kurt was arrested didn’t sit well with me. Was there a dangerous side to Logan I didn’t know about?

  I suddenly remembered my mother warning me about an arrest on his file.

  Harry tapped his notepad against his leg. “It seems you have your own buddy system, Mr. West. As for the district attorney, I will make sure they have everything they need to properly prosecute this case.”

  Logan opened his mouth to respond but I spoke up, ending the exchange before it got any more heated.