Chapter 267 A Lonely Place
Logan
The chilly wind that night was relentless, and as I stepped out of the car, I felt a pang of emptiness as I looked up at my dark mansion. The ever-present guards flanked my home, silent statues in their tailored suits.
Their stillness was deceiving, because beneath the calm exterior, they were ready to leap into. action at any moment. All it would take was one order from me. The fight that ensued earlier when they stupidly kidnapped Ella was proof of that.
However, even with their presence, I couldn’t help but feel isolated. My home was a testament to my tastes: large, opulent, and overlooking the vast expanse of the sea. But tonight, it felt different.
The house that had been a silent refuge now. echoed the solitude of my thoughts. Why was it that just a short meeting with Ella made everything seem so… incomplete?
As I walked through the spacious rooms, I noted the intentional lack of decor. A deliberate choice. The walls held memories, some that I preferred to forget. To fill them with decorations would be to acknowledge those very memories that I was trying to bury.
Before I could drown further into the mire of my thoughts, my phone rang, its shrill tone shattering the stillness. It was Harry, my brother.
“Logan,” he began, his voice dripping with that familiar arrogance, “I’m hosting a little soirée to introduce everyone to my fiancée. Remember her? The Alpha’s daughter?”
I smirked, feeling a hint of sarcasm in my voice. “How could I forget? With her father’s questionable legal dealings, you must be thrilled.”
There was a brief silence. I could almost picture him, his face contorted in that infuriating smile. I always hated it. I hated most things about that bastard, but sometimes it felt as though I hated his smile the most.
“Actually, I am thrilled,” he said after a moment of hesitation. “Her family will be beneficial for our expansion.”
That word ‘our’. It always felt misplaced when Harry said it. Our objectives were far apart. He craved power, money, dominance. I… I wanted out. Out of this life that had stolen my childhood, torn apart my family. Every day, I dreamt of the day the word ‘Mafia’ would no longer define me.
“You should come,” Harry continued, his nasally voice breaking through my reverie. Then he chuckled, that maddening laugh that always set me on edge. “Although, it might be awkward for you to show up alone. No need to bother if it would upset you.”
The comment stung more than I cared to admit. I retorted with a brief, “Goodnight, Harry,” and hung up, my grip on the phone a bit tighter than necessary.
Harry and I had never gotten along. He was my older brother, only older by a year, but you would have thought that he had decades on me by the way that he looked down on me. He was always our dad’s favorite, if only because he always did what our dad wanted.
If you needed someone to run the family business while dad was away on vacation, Harry was the type to do it perfectly. In fact, he would make more money during those days. when he was in charge. If you needed someone to take care of… dirty business? Drown a traitor? Intimidate an ingrate? Harry was your guy.
My dad loved that about him. My entire life was nothing but one giant pissing contest with Harry. At least I had one hold over him: I was more handsome. Taller. Better with the ladies. He only ever had wives because he wasn’t afraid to shell out cash to keep gold diggers around.
I was almost entirely certain that this newest wife would disappear once she got a few luxury cars and a mansion out of him.
Sometimes, though, I wondered if I would have been better off if I had done what he did with women. With my looks and money, I knew I could have any woman I wanted. But I never used those things, and thus I was alone.
Alone in the shadowed expanse of my room, the weight of loneliness bore down on me. My wolf stirred within, urging me to claim Ella, to bring her into my world. But that wasn’t fair to her. If she accepted my offer, I would try my best, but there were no guarantees in this life.
The moonlight filtering through my window cast a silvery glow on everything it touched. I had always dismissed tales of the Moon Goddess, but tonight, in my vulnerable state, I found myself wishing. Hoping that Ella would see beyond the shadows of my past and stand with me in my quest for a better future.
I fell into a light sleep that night, made restless by my tossing and turning. Ella plagued my mind. Her fiery attitude, her round lips, her long honey-golden hair, her piercing gray eyes… God, how could I be sent the perfect mate, only for her to hate me right off the bat because of my past?
I awoke the next morning and laid there for a few minutes, running my hand repeatedly through my hair. But before I could sink deeper into my introspection, the familiar ringtone sounded again. Ella.
Her voice, though hesitant, held an edge of determination. “I’ll be your lawyer,” she declared. The weight on my chest lifted.
“That’s my girl!” I laughed, genuine happiness resonating in my voice. She was silent for a moment. I pictured her on the other end of the phone, her face beet red. She didn’t seem to want to notice, but I noticed how quickly she blushed around me. It was cute.
“Prepare for work on Monday,” she added, all business. Before I could respond, she hung up. Classic Ella, I thought to myself, shaking my head.
I called her old boss after that. One benefit of my position in life was my ability to make people bend to my whim… And her boss, Mr. Henderson, was the perfect person for that. “Remember how I bought you that nice Rolex?” I asked, after the necessary pleasantries were exchanged.
“Erm… Yes, of course,” he replied. “I’m wearing it right now.”
“Good.” I smirked, imagining him beginning to sweat behind his silly little desk. He was probably tugging on his overly tight shirt collar right now. “If you want to keep it and the wrist that it’s attached to, you’ll want to allow my girlfriend back to your firm.”
“Sorry?” Mr. Henderson asked, his voice wavering. “Your… Girlfriend?”
I couldn’t help but grin. “Yes,” I replied. “My girlfriend. Ella Morgan.” After ensuring Ella’s comfortable return to the law firm, I decided to indulge in a little mischief.
Dialing Harry’s number, I feigned innocence. “Sorry about last night,” I said, grinning. “I was tired last night. Long day.” Harry was silent for a moment. “Do you need something, Logan?” he asked, feigning indifference.
My grin widened. “Yes, actually, I do,” I replied. “See, you were mistaken last night. I won’t be coming to your party alone. In fact, I’d like to announce my plus-one. I can’t wait to introduce her to the family.”
Silence. The satisfaction was sweet. “Who?” he finally managed.
“You’ll find out,” I replied, smirking, before hanging up.
