Saven Deception (21 page)

I’m aware of two things at once. Logan
moves quickly, hopping over the end of the row and stalking toward the stage,
and Dante captures me by the waist, spinning me around as he says something to
the director. He leers at me, and I jump back, panicked, but I’m trapped in his
solid embrace.

“That’s a wonderful suggestion, Dante,”
the director says. “It’s important to ensure you both have appropriate
chemistry considering you are enacting the world’s most famous star-crossed
lovers.”

In a nanosecond, Dante has lowered his
head, and his lips are on mine—wet, hard, and demanding. I attempt to struggle
but it’s no use. Dante firmly holds the back of my head as his lips continue
their assault on my mouth. His muscular arms keep me in place, and I think I
might puke. All I can do is steadfastly clamp my mouth shut and refuse to kiss
him back.

Dante is yanked off me with such force
that I’m propelled backward out of his arms, falling flat on my butt on the
hardwood stage. I watch open-mouthed as Dante and Logan get into a full on
boy-fight in front of an incredulous crowd. The director attempts to intervene,
and he receives a powerful jab to the jaw for his efforts. He skims the floor,
his head hopping painfully off the boards. I wince.

Logan has been more than holding his own
which is somewhat surprising given Dante’s superior Hulk-like advantages. But
suddenly he’s flipped on his back and Dante hovers over him menacingly. Raising
his fist, he aims for Logan’s face, but Logan moves his head in time. He isn’t
so lucky the second time, and Dante’s aim is spot-on. Logan takes another
savage blow to his jawline, and I’m on my feet before I can contemplate what
I’m doing.

Jumping on Dante’s back, I wrap my arms
and legs around him and scrape my nails across his cheeks. Dante lets out an
inhuman roar before thrusting back and flinging me off like a ragdoll. I land
heavily on my butt, and a sharp dart of pain shoots up and down my spine. A
moan slips past my lips.

Dante looms over me and his massive arm
reaches out, yanking me up. Grabbing my throat, he squeezes hard, and
indisputable panic waylays me. My eyes bug out of my head, and I claw at his
hands as my lungs scream for air. White dots blur my vision, and I’m close to
passing out. 

Dante drops me suddenly, and I slink to
the ground on my side, my cheek scraping the edge of the wooden floor. My chest
heaves as my lungs draw greedy mouthfuls of air.

The sounds of fighting continue, and I
haul myself upright. Logan and Dante are running at each other headfirst, and
their matching fierce expressions are terrifying. They look like they want to
tear each other apart.

Logan slams into Dante pushing him back.
Dante falls backward over an upturned chair, and Logan grasps the opportunity.
He rains blow after blow on his head and torso, pummeling him without
hesitation. Shocked gasps echo around me, and I spot the crowd who has gathered
at the base of the stage, shuffling anxiously from foot to foot as they trade
horrified looks.

A keen, screeching sound assaults my
eardrums, and I raise my hands to shield the noise. A light trembling startles
me. Awkwardly, I climb to my feet and stagger down the steps as the floor
starts to buckle. Logan darts forward, pulling me into his arms.

As he cradles me to his chest, I wrap my
arms around him and stare in shock at the scene unfolding behind us. The entire
floor of the stage has crumpled and disintegrated into the basement,
demolishing anything in its path. There’s no sign of Dante or the director.

Extreme concern for Logan ambushes me.
What
has he done? Will they kick him out because of it?

A few heads spin in our direction as Logan
picks up pace and races out of the auditorium.

He doesn’t stop running all the way to the
RT station, and neither of us speaks the entire journey. For my part, I’m
relishing being in his arms, and I don’t want to do or say anything to ruin the
moment, so I nestle in close and inhale a lifetime of him.

For once, my heart and mind agree. He
defended
me
. Went out on a limb
for me
. Risked expulsion
for
me
. Unnamed emotion inflates my heart to bursting point.

 When we reach the entrance to the
station, Logan puts me down, keeping an arm wrapped around my back to support
me. “Can you walk? Are you seriously hurt?” His fingers linger on my cheek. We
stare wordlessly at one another, and the invisible cord pulls and stretches
between us.

I ache all over, and I’m more than the
literal definition of “butt-sore” right now, but I don’t feel any of that. All
that exists is the delicious warmth radiating between us, and I never want to
leave his side. My eyes zoom in on his lips, and I want to kiss him so badly
I’d happily trade my life for one kiss.

Logan is the first to break away. Shaking
his head, he removes his arm from my back. Straightaway, I’m cold. Hesitantly,
he reaches out and laces his fingers in mine. The giddy feeling returns.

We scan our wrists and enter the train.
Logan leads me to the end of the carriage, to a section of empty double seats,
and motions for me to sit. His arm automatically winds across my shoulders.
Snuggling into him, I circle my arm around his waist. When he kisses the top of
my head, I feel like I’ve died and gone to heaven.

We journey in complete silence, wrapped in
our strong embrace. I’ve no idea where he’s taking me or what he plans to do.
But I couldn’t care less. All I care about is that I’m finally in his arms, and
it feels so amazing, nothing else matters.

Logan guides me off the train at the
outermost city stop. We are on the edge of the city, bordering the start of the
residential sector. “I want to show you my special place. It’s about a
twenty-minute walk. Do you think you can manage that or would you like me to
carry you?”

My first instinct is to hop willingly into
his arms, but I don’t want him to think I’m weak, so I decline. “I’m okay to
walk.”

He clasps my hand firmly in his, and we
set out in a northerly direction.

“What happened back there—”

“Let’s not talk about that yet,” Logan
interrupts me. “It will be safer to talk when we get to our destination.”

“Thank you,” I say a few minutes later.

Lowering his chin, he looks at me.

“For saving me from him.”

His finger draws circular motions on the
back of my hand, and it’s amazingly soothing. Then he pulls me into his arms.
My head barely reaches his chest, and it’s one of those rare occasions where my
height is actually advantageous. I cling to him as he holds me tight. His lips
continuously brush the top of my head in a nurturing gesture.

I’m fearful to put on a name on what we’re
sharing because when you start applying labels, it changes things. For now, I
want to bask in the glorious sensations he invokes in me. It feels like all my
Christmases and all my dreams have merged into one wondrous melting pot of
joyous exhilaration.

I don’t care if I am booted out of
Thalassic City.

It was so worth it to have these few
precious moments with the boy that I care about.

With this boy who I know could mean so
much more to me.

If only I was allowed.

Logan presses his lips to my forehead and draws a deep
breath. “You doing okay?”

I can only nod, such is the strength of
the emotion eddying inside me.

“Okay. Let’s keep going. We are almost
there.” He squeezes my hand. “I don’t know how much time we’ll have.”

Dampening down my disappointment, I force
my legs to match his Godzilla-like strides. A rumbling sound in the distance
snags my attention. The farther we advance, the louder the sound is, like stones
pelting off a wall. As we round the corner, the volume intensifies. The
thunderous, gushing sound is accompanied by a gentle breeze that peels my hair
from my face.

I stare questioningly at Logan and he
grins. “Almost there.”

We round the next bend, and I stop dead in
my tracks. The noise is deafening, and the breeze is stronger. But it’s the
view that steals my breath.

We are in front of the massive waterfall
I’ve only seen from the safe confines of the train. Its powerful magnetism
entrances me, and I stand motionless, mouth agape, at a total loss for words.

“It’s hypnotic, isn’t it?” Logan says in
an awestruck voice.

“For sure.” It’s on the tip of my tongue
to add, “Like you.” Thankfully, common sense prevails.

“Wait until we reach the cave.” His eyes
spark alive.

“Cave?” My eyebrows lift.

“I discovered it the first day we arrived
here,” he says, moving me forward. “No one else knows about it. It’s become my
… sanctuary. I’ve wanted to bring you here so many times, but, you know …”

He doesn’t need to verbalize it.
I know
.

As we near the mouth of the waterfall, the
booming noise is earsplitting, and a light spray of misty water coats my skin
and sinks into my clothes. Logan veers left and we walk through a thick deluge
of shrubs that enclose the waterfall on both sides. Always the gentleman, he
goes first and restrains the branches so I can walk through unscathed. When we
emerge, we are at the far rear side of the waterfall. A dense, solid, granite
ledge protrudes underneath the cascading flow of water. The jagged rock face
juts out at an angle overhead, and there is maybe four feet in height that is
accessible.

“The surface can be a bit slippery so walk
carefully,” he advises. Taking my hand, he crouches down and steps out onto the
ledge. I don’t have to hunch over much, but my back still remonstrates with me.
It’s testament to Logan’s considerable hotness that I haven’t felt any pain
thus far.

He’s definitely my kind of distraction.

Logan walks really slowly—most likely for
my benefit—before darting quickly into the side. He pulls me through the small
opening in the rock front. Once inside, he straightens up, arching his back,
and drops my hand. The space is in pitch-black darkness, and I can’t even see
my hand in front of me. I sniff, detecting a rank, moldy, musty flavor in the
air.

An incandescent glow lights up the cave,
followed by a mad burst of vibrant colors that glance magically off the walls.
I whip my head around the small space. Logan has tacked successive lines of
multi-colored lighting to the walls of the cave on either side. A small brown
rug lies across the floor in the middle, and two accompanying black beanbags
look inviting. A heap of books is stacked in a neat pile off to the side beside
a small cardboard box.

“What do you think?” Logan asks.

“Christmas lights?”

“I had to improvise.”

I sense how much it means that he’s
brought me here. “I love it.” I don’t need to gush. It’s the truth.

He beams at me and the charge sparks
between us again. “Are you thirsty?” He crouches down in front of the box.

“Yeah.” I’m pretty parched.

He hands me a bottle of water and a
protein bar. “Sorry, that’s all I’ve got to eat.”

“It’s perfect, thanks.”

“Come, sit,” he says, his fingers curling
gently around the tips of mine.

I plop down on the beanbag beside him and
yelp.

“You
are
hurt.” He frowns. “Let me
take a look.”

He scrunches the edge of my shirt, but I
clamp down on his hand. There’s no way I’m admitting that it’s my butt that’s
sore, and no way am I ready to let him inspect that part of my anatomy. Yet.

Get you
,
my inner devil teases.

“I’m fine.” I pin him with a “drop it”
look.

“You are so stubborn.” Shaking his head,
he unscrews the cap from his bottle.

“I’m stubborn?” I level an incredulous
look his way. “Have you not looked in the mirror recently, dude?”

He laughs and the sound sends warmth
flooding through me.

“You’ve a lovely laugh,” I blurt out.
Ohmigod! I can’t believe I said something so cheesy.

“I do?” He looks amused.

“Yep.” I’m resorting to one-word replies
now for fear of what else might inadvertently tumble out of my mouth.

He stares intently at me, his fiery eyes
penetrating my soul. The cord buzzes with anticipation. I might’ve forgotten how
to breathe again. “You are beautiful, through and through.”

With each passing second, my heart pounds
faster and faster. He inclines toward me and I move closer. Butterflies are
throwing a mad party in the pit of my stomach. Like magnets, we inch closer and
closer still. As my pulse throbs, he zeroes in on my lips and his eyes linger
there.

I’ve imagined this moment so many times
without ever really believing I’d get to experience it. Now that I’m here,
seconds away from my first real kiss, I’m terrified of the strength of my
emotion. I never knew it could be like this. That I could feel such a strong
connection to a boy; that my body could tremble with such intense desire. And
our lips haven’t even met yet.

We are a hairsbreadth from one another. I
bridge the final distance and close my eyes. His fingers brush my lips and I’m
tingly all over. Reopening my eyes, I see the adoration glistening in his gaze.
For me.

“Ala beatra.” The words roll seductively
and respectfully off his tongue.

I’ve no idea what it means, or what
language he’s speaking, but it sounds beautiful.

And like a form of worship.

Though it’s possible I’m deluding myself.

He closes his eyes and presses his mouth
to mine. His touch is feather soft and it unravels me. I kiss him back equally
gently and he moans softly. His lips exert more pressure as he draws me in
flush with his solid chest. I’ve never felt this much emotion before. It’s
almost too much, but at the same time, not enough.

Gaining in confidence, I encircle my arms
around his neck and melt into him, savoring the feel of his body as it presses
against mine. Angling his head, he extends the kiss, and it grows in intensity
and fire. I’m matching him, kiss for kiss, and my need for him is reaching an
all-time high. I can’t get enough of him. He is everywhere, and yet I need
more.

We cling to each other, itching to get
closer as our kissing becomes more and more frantic. Our lips move together
desperately, hungrily, with a passion beyond anything I’ve dreamed of.

Being with him like this is heaven.

I never knew it could be so intoxicating.

It’s as if I’m truly alive for the first
time in my life.

A recognizable burning sensation starts to
inflame my bones. My head swims as my vision darkens behind my closed eyelids.
I know what’s coming next. It takes all of my willpower to rip my lips off
Logan’s, but I’m glad to discover I have some modicum of self-preservation.

Slowly, I inhale and exhale and silently
pray I don’t black out. Frankly, it’s getting embarrassing at this stage.

“Did I do something wrong?” Logan asks
quietly.

“Water,” I manage to croak out.

He presses the bottle to my lips and I
drink greedily. The water helps ease the internal fire.

Feeling somewhat composed, I glance shyly
at him. “You didn’t do anything wrong.” I stroke his arm. “When I’m close to
you, I feel like I’m on fire.”

He smiles broadly, showcasing his
impressive set of dimples. Then I realize how my words could be misconstrued.
“No! Not like—” I stop myself mid-denial. Who the hell am I kidding? While it
does
feel like I’m actually inflamed, I can’t deny the scorching blaze of hot desire
that kindles inside me at Logan’s touch. So, attempting to deny his assumption
is a moot point. “Okay, maybe it
is
a bit like that.”

He grins. “I know what you mean.”

“You do?”

“Yes.” He tucks a stray strand of hair
behind my ears. “You ignite my world.” Tears prick my eyes. His tender
adoration unlocks something in me. “I can’t stay away from you anymore,” he
admits, pressing his lips all too briefly to my mouth.

My arms wrap around him.

“I won’t.”

“We may not have much of a choice,” I
mumble.

“What do you mean?” He looks puzzled.

“We’ll probably get kicked out now.” I
squeeze him tight. Despite my earlier bravado, I can’t bear the thought of
expulsion. Not when this is all I’ve wanted for months. Years. What I hankered
after before I even knew how to articulate my hopes and dreams.

“Nuh-uh.” He rouses me from my melancholy.
“I won’t let that happen.”

“You won’t have a say.” My hands land on
his sturdy chest.

“My dad has strong connections. They won’t
remove me. I’ll speak to him and ensure that protection applies to you too.”

“I thought he didn’t know about me?” I
say, remembering something Neve said the last time I blacked out.

“He didn’t,” Logan says, a muscle thrumming
in his jaw. “But I’ve rectified that now.”

I frown, not understanding his meaning. “I
don’t get you.”

“I’ve just drawn his attention to you. My
actions back there have catapulted you into the spotlight. I’m so sorry, Sadie,
but I couldn’t let Dante do that to you.” A pained expression crosses his face.

I rub my hands up and down his chest,
anxious to ease his pain. And yeah, I love feeling him up too. “You’ve nothing
to be sorry for, Logan. You protected me from him, and I’m so grateful for
that.” I recoil at the recollection of Dante’s invading lips on mine.

Logan kisses the top of my head. “I
promise I’ll keep you safe, Sadie. Now and always.”

“Who is going to keep Jen safe? I hate
that she’s with him. What if he hurts her too?”

He tightens his grip on me. “Tell her not
to sleep with him, okay?”

A rosy stain blooms in my cheeks. “What’s
that got to do with it?”

He wipes his hand on his pants. “She won’t
get hurt as long as she doesn’t sleep with him. Trust me on that.”

Another cryptic Loganism. Honestly,
they’re stacking up at an impressive rate. “If we get to stay here,” I say,
looking up at him, “what’s he going to do to me now?”

“He won’t …” Logan’s eyes glaze over and
his arms stiffen around me. He doesn’t speak, staring vacantly into space.

“Logan?” I gaze intently into his face.

I wiggle in his rock-solid embrace and
manage to free one of my hands. Tentatively, I stroke his face. His skin is icy
cold. “Logan? Can you hear me?” Panic rims the edge of my voice. “Logan? Please
say something. You’re scaring me.” My eyes dart quickly around the space in
blind panic. His arms slip off my waist. “Logan? Are you all right?”

He blinks and his stunning blue eyes drill
into mine. “Sorry about that, I kind of zoned out.”

My inner bullshit-o-meter sends out a
glaring signal. “You were freezing cold and stiff as a board, Logan. That’s not
normal.” I eye him warily.

“I’m sorry if I scared you, but I’m fine.
Don’t worry about me.” He kisses me softly and I’m temporarily distracted.

Logan hauls me to my feet. “I have to meet
my father, but I’ll take you home first.”

I plant my hands on my hips and pin him
with a stern look. “I need some answers, Logan.”

“I know you do. And if we’re going to do
this, then you need to fully understand what it is you’re getting involved in.
But it’ll have to wait. At least until after I’ve spoken with my father.”

He extends his hand to me.

“You promise?”

“I promise.”

“Okay, then.” I take his hand. “I guess I
can wait a little while longer.”

***

Logan kisses me passionately at my door before eventually
tearing himself away. He appears as reluctant as I am to part. He promises to
contact me later with an update. I close the door and lean against it, staring
off dreamily into space. Running my fingers lightly across my swollen lips, I
smile to myself.

“You’re grinning like a total idiot,” Jenna
says, emerging from her bedroom. “What gives?”