A Debt To Pay

26

LOGAN'S POV:

The ride back to the house was silent and I couldn't keep my eyes off Mia. She had tears swimming in her eyes and a small, red bump had started to form on her forehead. I couldn't unclench my fists for the entire journey, my mind replaying the eventful evening.

I couldn't stand that family but they had a talent for avoiding the law and were useful allies. But that didn't excuse him for a second. Seeing him manhandle Mia had my blood boiling, and the bump on her head only served to make me angrier. Nobody got away with damaging what was mine.

I was relieved when we arrived home to find everything still intact. Tonight's dinner was an event that was well known by the mafias and while the banquet was supposed to be peaceful, I didn't trust any of the other leaders not to launch an attack or break into my house while I was gone. There was a lot of information in my home that would be beneficial to my enemies and while there wasn't a chance that they'd find it; I didn't put it past them to try.

That was the real reason I took Mia with me.

The house was quiet when we entered and Mia still hadn't said a word. "Are you alright?" I finally asked her, unable to tolerate her silence any longer. That wasn't exactly what I was used to.

She shrugged her shoulders before turning to look at me with glossy eyes. "I feel awful," she said softly, "we left those girls with him. What if he hurts them?" The guilt drenched her features and I felt my chest ache a little.

"There was nothing either of us could've done," I assured her. Fuck knows why. For some reason, I couldn't stand the sight of her upset and that only made me angrier about the entire evening. I should've been the one that yelled at her and punished her but instead I was protecting her and risking war breaking out between mafias just to stop her getting hurt.

I was being completely fucking pathetic just because I wanted to fuck this girl.

"What if I really did make it worse?" She asked with a sigh.

"You were just trying to help them," I reminded her, stepping a little closer. "You showed them kindness, I'm sure they don't experience it often."

She appeared to be lost in her own mind for a moment before she turned back to me. "How can he treat them like that?" She suddenly spat. "He acted like they were animals, not people."

Her small hands curled into fists at her sides and her eyes hardened. All I could do was nod, understanding her anger. Watching the way he treated those girls made me sick, and I would've loved nothing more than to put a bullet through his skull.

"How's your head?" I asked her, reaching up to gently brush the lump there. She winced from the pain and I frowned. "I'm sorry I didn't stop him faster," I said.

A small smile flickered across her lips as she looked up at me. "That's the second time you've apologised to me," she pointed out, her tongue darting out to wet her lips and completely capturing my attention.

When I dragged my eyes away, her words finally registered in my mind. "Don't get used to it," I warned, my lips involuntarily quirking.

She smiled up at me. The mark on her forehead did nothing to distinguish her beauty. "I think it's bruising," I muttered, reaching up and cupping her chin in my hand. I didn't know what I was doing. I prided myself on being distant. Emotionless. But since meeting this woman, I'd shown more emotion than I ever had. I'd never felt so out of control.

"You looked beautiful tonight," I admitted without meaning to. It was the truth. She was the most beautiful woman in the room and I'd spent all night ignoring any business talk and instead thinking about everything I wanted to do to the woman in front of me if she'd only let me.