Starting sometime last month, though, his grandfather demanded he commit fully to his job in New York. Logan refused and told him that he wanted more time in Boston. That’s when his grandfather began to cut him off financially, revoking his access to his trust fund, and most recently putting a hold on his paycheck. Logan’s personal savings had just about been depleted. He must have been meeting with his grandfather over his finances. I knew money was of concern to him, but only because he needed it to buy information and hire help to assist in whatever quest he had masterminded in his head.

Glancing between the older gentleman and Logan, it was odd because I could see pieces of him in Logan, just as I had when I looked between Logan and his father. Different pieces, though—these were the more refined ones.

“This must be the lovely young lady you were telling me about,” the older gentleman said to Logan.

Logan’s hand spread wide against my back and the possessiveness in his touch sent delicious chills up my spine. “Yes, Grandfather, this is Elle Sterling.” Logan spoke with a pride in his voice that had my heart swelling. He was talking to his grandfather about me.

“Logan Ryan,” the distinguished older gentleman said, offering me his hand.

“Mr. Ryan, really nice to meet you.” I smiled, taking my red hat from my head. Suddenly, I became conscious that my attire was anything but appropriate for meeting a powerhouse like Logan Ryan. He was a legend in the business world and here I stood before him dressed for comfort in a pair of black leggings, a white blouse, and a red sweater with matching red ankle boots.

Logan’s body seemed to unconsciously drift closer to mine. Like the two magnets we were, we couldn’t stay far from each other.

“I was just leaving, but I’d love to take you and my grandson out to dinner one night. How long will you be in town?”

My eyes darted to Logan’s beautiful hazel pools. “Not long. I have to get back to Boston. I have a business that I just opened and a niece I’ve been helping care for.”

“I heard about your boutique. On my next trip to Boston, I must stop in. I have a penchant for unique things. Collecting them is one of my many hobbies. Drives my wife crazy.”

I knew about his penchant for unique things from my previous life, but didn’t mention where I used to work for no other reason than that I needed to talk to Logan and didn’t want to start up a long conversation with his grandfather. “I’d love to show you around.”

Logan was unusually quiet.

His grandfather squeezed my hand. “Elle, I look forward to getting to know you in the future.”

I managed a smile and hoped Logan and I had a future.

Diverting his gaze, he held out his hand to Logan. “Thank you for being honest with me, and take as much time as you need.”

When Logan grabbed his outreached hand, he tugged his grandfather in for an almost hug and said, “Thank you for understanding.”

They must have discussed his job. I wondered what was decided.

Just as the door was closing, Logan’s grandfather said, “Call me once in a while, and your mother, too.”

I guessed Logan wasn’t going to be working for him.

Logan had no reaction to his comment. Just answered, “Yes, I will, sir.”

As soon as the door closed, the air in the room shifted yet again.

My gaze circled the space but then landed on the virile man in front of me. The doubt I saw in his eyes made it hard to breathe. I opened my mouth to speak, but he spoke first.

“You shouldn’t be here.”

His words punched every last bit of breath I had out of me. “But, I had to—”

“It’s too dangerous for us to be together.”

A pain in my chest flared. “Logan, listen to me—”

He cut me off again. “We’ve talked about this.”

Reeling from his words, my fists and my jaw clenched in anger. “No, Logan, we didn’t. You did.”

Logan’s gaze remained steady. “Then I did.”

The cold tone of his voice told me his guard was completely up, and that pissed me off even more. I took a breath and said what needed to be said. “You have to stop allowing Tommy Flannigan to rule the direction your life takes.”

He pinned me with his stare. “That’s not what I’m doing, Elle. What I’m doing is keeping you safe.”

I shook my head. “I know that’s what you think you’re doing but he’s been your enemy for so long, you can’t see what’s real anymore. Don’t get me wrong—I get it. He’s threatened you your entire adult life and you’re scared, but he’s behind bars now.”

Maybe I imagined it, but I swear I saw him roll his eyes. “Like I already told you, that doesn’t mean shit.”

I swallowed bitter vile. “Can we at least talk about this?”

For the first time during our conversation, he dropped his gaze. “There’s nothing left to say.”

Resigned, I knew I couldn’t do this anymore. This back and forth wasn’t good for me. I had to keep my life stable for Clementine’s sake. There was no knowing how long Logan would need to be alone and my mind was already scattered enough. I couldn’t live day by day like that. I couldn’t leave things between us open ended. I knew if I did it was consume me.

My next words felt like a knife stabbing through my heart. “Then you have to let me go, Logan, because I can’t live like this. You want me. You don’t. You pull me close and then leave me behind. It’s making my head spin and I can’t think straight. I can’t work. I can’t concentrate. I can’t do it.”

His face went blank and he said nothing in return, but his gaze rose and this time he didn’t look away from me.

Looking into those intense hazel eyes, I felt as though I was caught in a swirling storm. I straightened my shoulders and pushed on. Desperation kicking in, I put it all out there. “I mean it, Logan. If you can’t let your fear go, then we need to end things.”

Vastness stretched between us.

He said nothing.

Pleading now, I said, “You have to know, together, we are stronger. We can support each other.”

Stare unwavering, he still said nothing.

Nothing.

Guilt and fear were written all over his face.

I hated myself for evoking these emotions within him, but I wanted so much for him to understand we had to do this together. Looking at him, I could see the turbulence in his stare and I blurted out what was so obvious. “Tommy already knows about us, so what is staying away from me going to do?”

“Save you,” he whispered.

“You don’t know if he’ll actually try to do anything,” I rationalized.

“That’s a big if. You weren’t there when he attacked Kayla right in front of me. She was petrified and I couldn’t help her. I can’t go through something like that with you. I won’t risk it. I just can’t.”

Bile rose up my throat.

I wanted to take him in my arms but instead I just stared.

This was it.

Self-preservation kicked in. I had to accept that under his strong exterior, he was a runner, through and through. And I couldn’t live like that.

In a state of utter desolation, I shouldered past him and flung the door open. One last time I turned to look at him. God, this was so hard. “Together or apart—you choose. There is no in-between.”

He blinked as if in shock and opened his mouth, closed it, opened it again. “Don’t do this, Elle. Don’t make me pick. I told you I needed time to figure things out and nothing has changed.”

It had. He refused to even try to see things my way. In truth, I was afraid to be alone. I’d been alone my whole life. I needed him now because yes, I was scared. “Time isn’t going to change anything.”

Abundant sunlight was like a halo around his lean swimmer’s build and I watched with disappointment as he shook his head. “Please, just give me some time.”

My emotions had never switched gears as quickly as they did around Logan. Anger gone, heartbreak set in. “Here’s the thing, Logan: Time is an abstract word. It could be days or weeks, but it also could be months or even years. I can’t live my life in limbo. Not anymore. My emotions can’t be up and down. I have to think about Clementine. I need stability in my life for her sake. I hope you can understand that.”