Chapter 279 Disrespect
Ella
The office hummed with the usual activity, but as I sat at my desk, the files for the new case spread out in front of me, my mind kept drifting to Sarah’s words. They clung to me like a shadow, her insinuations and her accusations haunting me.
I tried to focus on the documents in front of me, the complicated legal jargon and the details of the new case with Logan. But my hands trembled slightly no matter how hard I tried to steady them, and I couldn’t shake the fear that had settled itself in the pit of my stomach.
What if Sarah was right? What if I was trapped? A pawn in a game that I didn’t fully understand? A game that I could never understand?
“Ella,” a voice said, snapping me out of my thoughts, and I looked up to find Mr. Henderson standing over my desk. “Are you okay? You look distracted.”
I forced a smile, willing myself to push Sarah’s words aside. “I’m fine,” I lied. “Just a lot on my mind.”
He frowned, his eyes searching my face from behind his wire-rimmed glasses. He still wore the fancy Rolex on his wrist. “Well, I hope that what’s on your mind is your case, and not trivial matters,” he said. “This new case with Mr. Barrett is of the utmost importance. I need you to be focused. Understand?”
“I understand, Mr. Henderson,” I assured him, hoping that my face didn’t betray the churning in my belly. “I promise.”
He nodded, seemingly satisfied, and moved on, leaving me alone with my thoughts once more.
And yet, even as I delved into the case and tried to focus my entire energy on it, I found my mind still straying to Logan’s words, his actions, the way he conducted himself. Everything that he ever said or did felt like a trick now. I was reading into everything, even down to the minor muscle movements in his hands and wrists when he spoke to me.
Was he really just trying to help me with my career, or was there something more to it? Did he really plan on ‘letting me go’ once this year was up?
I shook my head, frustrated with myself. I was letting Sarah’s words get to me, letting them plant seeds of doubt in my mind.
Logan was not like that. He was different. He had been kind to me, respectful, even. But there was a nagging voice in the back of my head that kept whispering, “What if?”
The day wore on, the minutes ticking by slowly, each one filled with doubt and uncertainty. I found myself glancing at the clock, counting down the hours until I could leave, until I could escape the office and the weight of my own thoughts.
I hardly got any work done. As I packed up my things at the end of the day, I had a new resolve within me: I needed to figure out a way to make sure that this… this ‘arrangement’ with Logan wouldn’t end in dire circumstances.
I had to protect myself somehow. When I finally stepped out into the cool evening air, my heart skipped a beat. There, waiting outside, were the same sleek black cars that I had become all too familiar with, and standing beside them was Logan with a smirk on his face.
“Good evening, Miss Morgan,” he said as I approached. “Your chariot awaits you.”
“Logan!” I hissed, my voice sharper than I intended. “What are you doing here? I live within walking distance. You don’t need to be picking me up every single day.”
He just chuckled, his eyes twinkling with amusement. “It’s a dangerous city, Ella. I’m just trying to help.”
I frowned, anger bubbling up inside me. “By disrespecting my wishes? Is this how it’s going to be all throughout this year? I don’t want this to be another case where the woman is trapped and can’t leave.”
His smile vanished, his eyes widening in confusion. “What are you talking about, Ella? Trapped? Abused? What’s all this about?”
I blanched, realizing that I had spoken without thinking, my fear and anxiety spilling out in a rush of words. But it was too late to take them back now, and a part of me didn’t want to.
“Is it true?” I asked, my voice trembling. “What they say about the Mafia and the women who get involved with them? That they’re trapped, abused, unable to leave?”
Logan’s face paled, and he looked away, his jaw clenching. When he finally spoke, his voice was soft and filled with regret. “It is true, to an extent. But not all men are like that, Ella. Just some of them.” “But how do I know that you’re not like that?” I asked, my voice breaking. “How can I trust you?”
“You have to trust me, Ella,” he said, his voice filled with pain. “I would never do anything like that to you. I’m not like those men.”
I wanted to believe him. I wanted to trust him. But the fear and doubt were like a dark cloud, hanging over me, obscuring everything else. It was only made worse by what I overheard at the dinner party and Sarah’s words.
“But your men kidnapped me, Logan!” I cried, tears threatening to spill out of my eyes. “How can I ever trust you after that?”
He reached out, his hand gently touching my arm, his eyes filled with compassion. “That was a misunderstanding, Ella. You know that. You have to know that.”
I shook my head, tears blinding me. “I don’t know anything anymore, Logan. I don’t know who I can trust, or what’s real.”
He sighed, his shoulders slumping. “I’ll prove it to you then, Ella. I’ll prove that you can trust me, that I’m not like those other men.”
“How?” I demanded, my voice filled with desperation. “How can you prove it to me?” He looked at me, his eyes filled with determination. “You’re a lawyer, Ella. Write up a legally binding contract for us. Make it so that I’ll let you take me to court when this is all over if I don’t let you leave. I’ll sign it, Ella. I’ll do whatever it takes to make you believe in me.”
I looked at him, my mind a whirl of confusion and doubt. Could I really trust him? Was this just another trick, another game?
But something in his eyes told me that he was sincere, that he was telling the truth. “I’ll do it,” I said, my voice barely above a whisper. “I’ll write up the contract.”
He smiled, his eyes filled with relief. “Thank you, Ella. Thank you for trusting me.”
“I don’t trust you,” I said, my voice firm. “Not yet. But I’m willing to give you a chance to prove yourself.”
He nodded, his eyes filled with understanding. “I know, Ella. And I’ll prove it to you. I’ll prove that you can trust me.”
We shook hands, sealing the deal, and I looked into his eyes, searching for any hint of deception. But all I saw was sincerity, determination, and a promise.
For the first time in days, I felt my wolf Ema’s presence relax. She said nothing, but I knew that she was happy. And in a strange way, it made me feel better about my decision, too.
“Okay, Logan,” I said, my voice filled with resolve. “Let’s do this. Let’s make this contract, and let’s make it ironclad. I’ll hold you to it, Logan. I’ll hold you to every word.”
