"Here." Logan reached into his back pocket and I forced myself not to flinch. He didn't seem to notice my concern as he reached out and handed me his phone. I frowned in confusion and, as if on cue, it started to ring. "It's been ringing all morning."

My frown deepened. "You want me to answer your phone?" I asked him, wiping away the tears on my cheek with my sleeve.

He nodded and I studied the number lit up on the screen. My home phone number flashed across the phone that was now covered in Henry's blood. Before he could change his mind, I pressed the green button and lifted the phone to my ear.

"Mia!" My sister exclaimed happily. Despite the fact I was standing beside a dead body and staring into the eyes of a heartless monster, I couldn't help but smile at the sound of her voice.

"Hey, little sister," Iteased, my voice strained from the lump in the back of my throat, but shedidn't seem to notice.

She giggled softly. "I'm six minutes younger than you! Anyway, how have you been?"

I frowned, my stomach twisting in knots. I hated lying to my sister but I couldn't tell her that I'd just watched my captor murder my friend for kissing me. "I'm fine Ash," I managed to force out, my eyes still locked with Logans. "Why did you call?"

"I've been ringing all morning," she stated and I could imagine the pout on her lips. She hated to be ignored. "Why haven't you answered?"

"This is Logan's phone," I explained, practically spitting his name.

"Oh," she muttered, "oops, sorry."

I couldn't help but smile as I shook my head. "That's okay, what did you want?"

"Stacey left," she blurted.

I froze, blinking a few times while her words processed through my head. "Left? What? When?" I asked her before shaking my head. "How?"

"Her parents suddenly changed their minds. Theycame to the house and spoke to dad while she packed her stuff and then theyleft. Dad said he doesn't know what happened or why they changed their mindsbut they agreed to remain peaceful and she's gone."

"So you're safe?" I asked her breathlessly.

"Yes Mia, I promise."

The happiness in her voice made my heart swell and I smiled, forgetting all about Logan and Henry for a moment and relishing in the fact my family were safe and happy. "I wonder what changed their minds," I voiced my thoughts, "they seemed to think marriage was the only option a few years ago. What changed?"

"I don't know," she said nonchalantly, "dad doesn't understand it either, he's just happy she's out of our lives."

"Is hethere?" I asked her.

"Yeah, wait there," I heard her shuffling around and then her feet padding along the floor before she called him.

"Make it quick," Logan ordered and I nodded.

"What is it?" I heard my dad ask Ashley before there was a shuffling sound on the other end of the phone. "Mia?" He called; his voice clear now. "Mia, honey, are you alright?"

Tears welled up in my eyes at the sound of his warm voice. "Hey dad, I'm okay," I told him. "How are you?"

He talked a little about the gang and explained the Stacey situation again, repeating everything my sister had already told me but I didn't stop him, I wanted to hear his voice for as long as possible. After a while, he sighed softly. "Honey, I am so sorry about everything. But sweetie, tell Logan I have the money and more for him now ok, he will let you come home then," he told me but I frowned, highly doubting Logan would just take the money and let me leave.

"I will dad, but I am okay," I told him again. I didn't want my dad worrying about me and despite the fact that he was an ass that would quite happily kill someone just for the sake of it, I did believe that Logan wouldn't hurt me. He'd had every reason and opportunity to do so already and if there wasn't even a slither of decency in him, he wouldn't have stopped himself the other day.

"I knew you would be," my dad said, "I miss you so much sweetheart."

"I miss you too," I told him, meaning it with all my heart. Talking to my family over the phone didn't fill the void from not seeing them every day like I was used to. "Have fun celebrating tonight now that bitch has left," I said with a laugh and I knew he was rolling his eyes. "I love you both."

"We love you too, stay safe, okay?"

"Promise," I said. We were silent for a while, neither of us willing to hang up but eventually, one of them ended the call. I held the phone out to Logan and he took it back. "Why did you do that?" I asked him.

"It had been ringing all morning, it was driving me crazy."

I frowned. "Why didn't you just mute it? Or block the number?"

He shot around to look at me. "Would you rather I didn't let you speak to your family?"

Immediately, I shook my head. "I'm just confused. You said last time was my one and only chance to speak with them."

"Well, it won't be happening again," he confirmed and I frowned. "Now let's go so someone can clean this up." He gestured towards Henry's body and I felt a stabbing pain in my chest when I looked back at him. 

"My dad wanted me to tell you he has your money," I whispered as he guided me out of the room. Even without his body in front of me, I could still see Henry in my minds eye hanging limply from the ceiling, blood staining his skin.

Logan stopped and glared at me. "He's far too late," he said simply before pushing me the rest of the way to his office.

"You're not even going to consider it?" I asked with a sigh.

"No."

I sighed, expecting that answer but hoping for another one. "My step mother left," I told him once I was sat on his knee and he was typing on his computer. "Thats what she was calling to tell me."

"Mm." He clicked away at the keyboard, barely listening so I remained silent and examined all the papers on his desk.

I frowned when I noticed one file with the name 'Stacey Mitchell' scrawled at the top. I grabbed it off the desk before it was ripped out of my hands. "What was that?" I asked as Logan tossed it aside.

"These are private, don't ever touch them again," he growled, not even glancing up from his work.

"Logan, that was my step mothers name. Why do you have a file on her?" I asked him, reaching towards it once again.

He slapped my hand away. "It's none of your business," he snapped and I frowned. Deciding he would never allow me to look at it, I sat silently until he was entirely engrossed in something before snatching the file and jumping off his knee and backing away from him.

He scowled deeply. "Mia," he growled out, taking steps forward while I backed up, flicking through the file.

"Oh my god. You are the reason she left. You called her parents," I accused, reading all her families phone numbers and information about when she married my father and a copy of the contract they signed.

"I don't like someone ruining my property," he barked, pulling the folder out of my hands and dumping it into the bin nearby. "She left marks and bruises all over you, making you damaged goods and nobody gets away with selling me damaged goods." His face was centimetres from mine and held a threatening gaze as he stared straight into my eyes. 

"Why do you care now though? Its too late to change what happened to me," I breathed.

"Like I said-." He leaned closed and bent down so that the tip of his nose barely brushed against mine. I could feel his warm breath as he spoke and found myself holding mine. "- she hurt you. Nobody gets away with damaging what's mine."

I smiled slightly. "I don't think thats what it is," I whispered, staring straight back into the pit of darkness in his eyes.

"Hm? And what do you think?" He raised an eyebrow, never breaking eye contact. His voice was so deep and smooth that my spine tingled.

"I think you actually did a nice thing."