Marie and Logan sat in his vehicle, parked in front of the police station. They'd been arguing for the last ten minutes. Logan had planned on taking Marie to Hank's place for her to hide out there, but despite Logan's recounting of his past with Creed, she was insistent on going with Logan to the diner where Creed told Bobby he'd be waiting.
Logan had no illusions about what Victor would do to get her back and he didn't want Marie in harm's way if Logan had to resort to shooting Creed in the head.
Which he would fucking love to do right now.
Logan gripped the steering wheel so tightly he was halfway convinced it was going to break in his hand. He had to calm down and think straight.
"No, Marie."
"Logan, you know I have to."
"No you fucking don't."
"If I don't go in there and look him in the eye, I might not have another chance to remember who I am. I want this to be over."
He wanted to yell and say that her past didn't goddamn matter, she was here now and he didn't want to risk Creed screwing up what was the best thing he'd ever had in his life. But he also knew that if he held too tightly, Marie would fight back and he could lose her anyway. He sighed deeply.
"Darlin', I know you want to get some resolution here. But you gotta remember that you went into hiding for a reason. I told you my past with Creed. If he even suspects that you and I have…what we have…he'll probably try to kill both of us."
He turned and saw that her determined look held no small measure of fear.
"I just found you, Marie. I can't lose you now."
His voice was so quiet; the words tore at her heart. Marie's logical side told her that Logan was totally right. Hiding would be the safest thing to do. But she knew that confronting this man might be a chance to regain her memories and truly find out who she was.
"Logan, I'd be lying if I said that you being my protector wasn't fantastic. But I ran away from Creed instead of doing what I should have in the first place. If I don't face up to this now, you know I'll never be free."
He didn't want her to be right.
Marie took his hand from its place on the steering wheel, brought it to her cheek and closed her eyes. If, in the next few minutes, her life was completely upended, she wanted to remember the feel of his skin on hers. His hand was tense but, after a moment, she felt him turn it around so that he was cupping her face. She opened her eyes to see Logan turned towards her in his seat. They held each other's gaze and Marie wanted to smile or offer some encouragement that everything would be fine but the intensity in Logan's face left no room for her empty reassurance. Before she could react, Logan leaned forward and claimed her mouth with his. He kissed her as if it were the only way he could mark her for his own. Logan stopped the kiss. His face remained flush with hers as he whispered, his lips brushing hers as he spoke.
"No matter what happens in there, Marie, you gotta know that I love you. I will do anything it fucking takes to keep you safe even if that means I have to track you to the end of the goddamn earth."
Logan opened his eyes and saw the tears running down Marie's face.
"Remember that."
Marie nodded her head slowly and matched his whispered tone with her own.
"Always."
They sat for a moment, their faces touching and hands grasping each other's tightly. The sound of the Sheriff's office door broke their embrace.
Logan looked up to see Bobby standing solemnly on the porch, doing his best to look away from Logan's vehicle and give the two of them privacy. Logan kissed Marie one more time and then moved quickly to open his door. If they were going to do this, he wanted it over as soon as possible.
Jack hopped out of the car and took his place next to Bobby as if he were waiting for Logan to give him the plan as well.
Logan closed the door and approached Bobby.
"You're gonna stick next to Marie like fucking glue, Drake."
Bobby looked from Logan to Marie, who was now standing at the edge of the car's bumper.
"She's going in there?"
Logan's jaw clenched. "She wants to confront him." He stepped closer to Bobby and kept his voice low. "But if anything happens, you get her out of there and take her out to the old Lewis place. You lay low until you hear from me. I don't want him laying a goddamn finger on her, got it?"
"Yeah, boss. Got it."
"Let me go in there first before you bring in Marie. I want to make sure it's clear."
"Copy that."
Logan turned and began to walk down the street, Bobby and Marie following behind. He hated the idea of having to see Creed again and he sure as shit hated the idea of that asshole in the same vicinity as Marie.
As they arrived at the front steps to walk up to the diner, Logan's body tensed, he surveyed the area and his hand went to rest on his holster, unfastening the strap that held his gun down. He motioned behind him for Bobby and Marie to stay where they were. Jack sat down next to Marie. Logan reached the door and swung it open.
He stepped inside and saw the hulking figure of Victor Creed bent over a plate of food as if he were a lion devouring its prey. There were two large goons, dressed in black, sitting in the far back on either side of the restaurant. Logan would have chuckled at how cliché the scene was if not for the knowledge that the man sitting in front of him intended to rip Logan's life apart.
Jubilee stood back by the kitchen door, looking both pissed off and terrified at the same time. The woman could hold her own with bikers, but there was something about this guy that she inherently knew was bad news. If anyone was going to run this douchebag out of town it was James Logan.
Creed finally looked up at Logan and smiled. The last time Logan had seen that smile, Creed had a gun pointed at the side of Logan's head.
Victor put his arms out to the side as if he wanted Logan to run into them for a long-anticipated embrace.
"Jimmy! Long time no see, partner!"
Logan's lack of response didn't seem to dim Victor's elevated mood.
"Come have some breakfast with me, Jimmy. For a one horse town, this place makes the best fuckin' eggs I've had in years."
"What do you want, Creed?"
He already knew the answer to the question before it was asked, but Logan needed to hear it from Creed's own mouth. Victor grinned.
"You got somethin' of mine, Jimmy. I want it back."
Keep calm. Keep focus.
"The way I understand things, she left your sorry ass, Creed."
Victor sat back in his chair and wiped his mouth with the paper napkin.
"Beg to differ there, buddy. Anna Marie's little vacation doesn't change the fact that she's mine. And I ain't leavin' without what's mine."
Logan took one step forward and the goon twins sat up straighter in their chairs.
"You're not touchin' her, Victor."
Victor's large hands latched behind his head as he leaned back and stared at Logan intently.
"But you are, ain't you Logan? You're touchin' her everywhere those bony fingers of yours will go." Victor moved his arms back in front of his body and crossed them over his chest. "Did she put up a fight or just spread 'em for you?"
Logan was a second away from launching himself at Creed when he heard the door open behind him. The room grew quiet instantly. Logan continued to watch Creed and his vision clouded red when he saw the unabashed lust that dropped over Creed's face at the sight of Marie. In that instant, Logan was faced with the realization of exactly what Victor had put Marie through. He knew that if given the chance, Victor would show her no mercy. And no mercy at the hands of Victor Creed was not something Logan would wish on his worst enemy.
Marie stood just inside the door, her body shaking while her head pounded. She'd heard Victor's voice while outside and it had acted like a key opening a lock. Her stomach dropped as a wave of nausea overwhelmed her. Her memory was complete and with it came the full recollection of what had prompted her to run away. Logan turned to her, his face clouded with anger. She locked eyes with him and it was all she could do not to run into his arms and let him fight her battle. But if she wanted any future with him, she had to confront her past now.
Marie smiled weakly at Logan then stepped forward, just far enough to speak to Victor without raising her voice, but with enough distance that she could get away should she need to.
"I'm only going to say this once, Victor. I am not going back with you. Pack up the mafia morons and get the hell out of here."
Victor's smile vanished.
"You know what happens when you backtalk me, girl."
"Yeah, I know damn well what happens, Victor. You rape me."
The quiet words resounded through the room as loudly as if Marie had shouted them through a megaphone. She knew that the gasp came from Jubilee and the muttered words were Bobby's. But Logan's silence was truly terrifying to her. She didn't want to turn around and see his eyes; risk the possibility of humiliation. Shame.
"I didn't do no such thing, Anna. Was just showin' you what you could look forward to on our weddin' night."
Maybe it was Logan's presence that was giving her the strength to confront Victor. In all the years she known the man, Marie had never dared speak up for herself. A fat lot of good that did her. Well, now was her chance to be free.
"I hope you enjoyed it, asshole, because it's the last time you're ever gonna touch me."
Victor stood up and Logan and Bobby had their guns drawn instantly. The two men in back didn't even have time to react. Jack, who had been left outside, began to bark.
"You're fuckin' wrong about that, girl. You're comin' back with me and that's the end of it."
"No. The end of it was when you raped me. You don't know why I left, Victor." Marie stepped to the side.
"I couldn't stand the idea of being pregnant with your bastard child."
Now it was Creed's turn to be stunned.
Marie reveled in his pain because it was finally his turn to endure torture.
"Yeah, that's right. Mamma helped me leave so I could give the kid away the second it was born."
"You bitch."
"But the good Lord took pity on me and I lost it. Then I knew I could truly be free from you."
It took all Marie's strength not to break down into tears. She was lying about not wanting the baby. As much as she hated Victor for what he'd done, she wouldn't wish the worst on an innocent child. Marie had intended to put the baby up for adoption only because she knew if Victor found out, the child would grow up in a family of violence and hate. That's not something she wanted for anyone, much less her son or daughter. When she'd miscarried, it had devastated her completely. But she would show no weakness to Victor Creed. She would crush his heart as thoroughly as he'd obliterated hers. Only then would she have a possibility of escape.
Victor remained still, watching her with the same fury she'd seen that night. If Logan and Bobby hadn't had their guns trained on him, he most likely would have already been at her throat.
"I can make you pay for this Anna Marie."
"Pay? Pay for what? You were the one that violated me, Victor! Did you tell that to my Daddy? 'Hey Owen, I beat the shit out of your little girl and fucked her until she bled!' Would he want you for his fucking second then?" Marie paused to compose herself. "No. I didn't think so. So unless you want me to make a little phone call to Daddy, I'd suggest you get the fuck out of my life for good."
Marie turned and stormed out of the diner. Jack took a moment to look inside and Logan could see he was resisting the urge to latch himself to Creed's throat. Instead, he padded off behind Marie.
Logan stood still, wanting more than anything in the fucking world to pull the trigger and end Victor Creed's miserable goddamn life. He took a breath and released the pressure on the gun, putting it slowly back in its holster.
"Get out and never come back, Victor or I will end you."
Victor roared in anger, flinging the plate of food across the diner as he did so. He crossed the space between him and Logan. Drake kept his gun drawn and watched the two men. Creed looked down on Logan and snarled.
"This ain't over, runt."
Logan didn't say a word while he stared down the man he once called brother. Victor broke eye contact first and pushed past Logan, the two bodyguards following behind. Logan turned around and saw the trio clamber into a large black SUV and pull away quickly, speeding down the road.
It was the first time Logan felt himself actually take a breath in ten minutes.
"Well, that's one guy I don't want to meet in a dark alley. Or a lighted alley. Or anywhere else on the damn planet."
Logan could see Bobby's hand shaking furiously as he put the gun back in his holster. Poor kid.
"You did good, Officer."
Bobby's face lit up as if Logan had told him he could have a new puppy.
"Yeah?"
"Yeah."
"Thanks, boss."
Logan called out to Jubilee.
"Hey, Jubes. Bill me for the broken plate."
Jubilee moved forward and uncrossed her arms.
"Hell no. That's a small price to pay for having that psycho out of here."
Logan tipped his head and threw a wave goodbye. He put his hand on Bobby's shoulder and let him out to the porch.
"Creed will probably be back, Bobby."
Bobby's face fell as if Logan had taken away that brand new puppy.
"Dammit."
"Yeah. So keep an eye out and make sure your radio and phone are on and next to you at all times."
"Got it."
"I'm gonna take Marie home."
Bobby shook his head and smiled wanly. "She's kinda been through hell, huh?"
Logan hung his head, his anger flaring again at what Victor had done to Marie.
"And back, man. She's been to hell and back."
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Author's Chapter Notes:
Okay, we're getting dark and angsty here, kiddos. It includes discussion of rape and some serious stuff. Thank you for your reviews. They make me do happy dances of joy. XXOO
Chapter End Notes:
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