Sacrifice (Heart of a Wounded Hero)

Chapter 14

Ella

I’m throwing everything into bags as my heart breaks in two. I came into the house hopeful but also a little fearful. I’d started to believe what Bryce was saying. There’s no way that Logan would take Harper back. But obviously, we were both wrong.

That’s the only conclusion I can come up with.

He doesn’t want me.

With my bag over my shoulder, I walk toward the front door. Max darts out in front of me, and I drop my bag to pick him up. He curls himself into my arms, happy to be held, and it makes me cry even harder.

I carry him into the kitchen and fill up his food and water bowl before setting him down in front of it.

With one last stroke of his soft fur, I walk away. I carry my bag across the driveway and up the steps. As soon as I’m inside my apartment, I drop the bag and walk to my bedroom before throwing myself on top of the bed.

I think about the last week and the rollercoaster of emotions I’ve been through. Finding out Logan was in the hospital was definitely the low. I was scared to death driving to the hospital and not knowing what I would find when I got there. I remember standing outside his door, trying to train my reaction to seeing him. He wouldn’t want my pity, and I wouldn’t want him to see exactly how worried I was and give my true feelings away.

I was a mess. Literally, a mess.

And then when I finally convinced him to let me go home with him and watch over him, I was completely overjoyed. It was like my prayers had been answered by the fact that I got to be close to him and care for him. We spent a lot of time together, and I was feeling more and more for him, even if I did try to hold back.

But last night. Damn, after last night, I knew there was no more holding back. It’s as if by giving him my body, he had to know how I felt for him. With every kiss and caress, he had to know. I didn’t hold back then.

But maybe I should have.

Because now I’m completely devastated. I love him, and he wants nothing to do with me. I have to move. He gave me a week to get out, and I know I could fight it, but the truth is, there’s no way I can stay here and see him every day. I put my head in my hands and rub my eyes. Especially if he’s with Harper.

There’s no way I can deal with seeing that every day.

But I’m not even going to worry about packing and looking for somewhere to go right now. No, right now, I need to worry about healing my heart. What’s left of it.

Chapter 15

Logan

Four days have gone by since I’ve left my house. Four days since I've seen Ella.

I'm a fucking mess.

The nightmares are worse than ever. I've missed a therapy appointment. I haven't shaved, barely eaten, and I'm pretty sure I'm completely falling apart.

I fought with myself over and over about whether I should go and check on her. I have peeked out the window, hoping to get a glance of her, but not once have I seen her come out of her apartment. It’s stupid that I'm worried about her. I shouldn't even care at this point, but I can't seem to make myself stop.

There's a knock at the door, and for an instant a nervous excitement fills me that it might be Ella coming back, but when I open the door, it's Tommy, Bryce, and two men that I do not know. One has a scar across the side of his face, and the other has a cane. I look at Bryce begrudgingly and turn to Tommy.

"Now's not a good time, man."

He looks at me in surprise and holds the door open when I try to shut it. "It looks to me like we came just in time, actually."

I don’t have it in me to fight with him. "Fine. Come in if you want."

I turn on my heel and walk into the living room and sit down in my chair. The three men walk in, and it’s then I notice the man with the cane has two prosthetic legs.

I look at the four men. "What is this? An intervention or something?"

Tommy laughs. "This is Jeremy, and this is Cole." He points at Jeremy with the cane, and then at Cole, the man with the scar on his face. It’s obvious by looking at them that they are fellow brothers. At one point, they were in the military. I lean forward and shake both of their hands.

"Logan," I say, introducing myself.

They all take a seat, and Tommy is the one that starts. "So you're not looking too good, and from what I hear, you're missing your therapy."