“What happened?” He pulled away slightly, hands framing my face.
“Apparently my family decided to keep me out of the loop, but they’re waking up Lincoln right now.” My lip wobbled as I said the words, and wobbled more as Logan’s thumbs caressed my face. “They said they didn’t want me to worry more than I already have.”
“Oh, Mae.” He pulled me back onto his chest and held me there. “I don’t have a fancy jet, but do you want me to drive you there?”
“It’s four hours away.”
“I don’t care. We could look up flights if you want, but there’s a wind warning in effect. Flights are delayed.”
“How do you know?” I looked up at him.
“I check the news first thing in the morning.”
“Oh.”
“We have the pep rally and then camping tonight.”
I pulled back completely this time. He dropped his hands. Ella had told me that I needed to show up to their pep rally to take pictures. Even Max and I had discussed it numerous times, but I didn’t realize that was today.
“That’s today?”
“Yep.” His brows furrowed. “If you don’t feel up for it—”
“No. I do. I’ll just keep my phone on me at all times. If there’s anything worth reporting someone will call.” Even as I said it, I knew I sounded doubtful.
I couldn’t believe they hadn’t even thought to text me a heads up that they were all going to be there. What if Lincoln woke up and I was the only one who wasn’t there? I considered telling Logan that I changed my mind about the ride and wanted one after all, but he had a pep rally. He had things he needed to be here for. I wasn’t going to be responsible for him missing out. I thought of my father’s words and how he claimed that was the reason they hadn’t called in the first place. Maybe he hadn’t been lying about that. Maybe he was right and I should stay put. Logan was moving about around me. He’d gone to his room at some point and had brought his toothbrush with him and was doing that.
I moved out of his way and walked back into the room, my eyes on the messy bed. Not that I needed an outward reminder to remind me what we’d done last night. My sore limbs were telling enough on that end. I walked toward the window and put my hand on it, feeling the cold from outside against my fingertips. My mind was still on my father. I wondered if there was ever a time in the not so distant future in which it wouldn’t be on my father’s sins.
The fog seemed heavier than usual. I couldn’t make out the white shed or the plot next door. The sound of Logan’s footsteps alerted me that he was back in the room, but I didn’t move, I kept my eyes outside. He walked up behind me and wrapped an arm around my waist, his chin dropping on the top of my head.
“What are we looking at, beautiful?”
“Life,” I whispered, placing my hands over his arms. “It’s crazy. You grow up thinking your parents are the ultimate gods, and as you grow up you realize they’re just mere mortals, just like the rest of us, but this thing with my dad? It’s bad, Logan.” I turned around in his arms and looked up at him, blinking tears onto my cheeks. “It’s really bad. I don’t even want my last name. Like, I don’t want it if my dad is really involved with these girls and using his mentorship as something to dangle over their heads.”
“I know.” He leaned down, pressing his lips lightly against mine. “You are who you want to be. Isn’t that what you told me about my shitty family?”
“Yeah.” I felt myself smile a little despite my sour mood.
“You want me to keep showing you around the house? Then we’ll have breakfast and go home. I can’t drive you to the pep rally because I have to be there way too early, but I’ll be waiting for you after.”
“We spend one night together and you’re already planning out my entire day?”
He grinned. “Careful. I’ll plan out your entire life if you let me.”
“You’re bluffing.”
“You think so?”
I nodded.
“I don’t bluff, baby.” He kissed the tip of my nose, slapped my ass and walked toward the door. “You have fifteen minutes to get ready. If I come back and you’re still wearing my shirt, I’ll take it as a sign that you don’t want a tour and you just want me to fuck you again.”
He left before I could respond, but I mean, with threats like that . . .
Chapter 36
Logan walked me around the castle, showing me the rooms that others had left unlocked before we took a stairwell. The walls were made of the same stone as the exterior of the castle. The same stone that lay the path to walk up. I touched it as we walked up, admiring the roughness of the rock beneath my hand. I looked up and focused on the arched window, the only thing providing us with enough light to see the steps we took in the winding stairwell. Standing in this spot, I could almost envision myself acting out a part in Beauty & The Beast. I let my hand fall from the wall and continued on.
“When was this built?”
“Late eighteen-hundreds.”
Late eighteen-hundreds. I wondered how many things these halls had seen. Logan said the first owner had killed her husbands here. They must have seen a whole lot of damage. Logan took a large step and started walking beside me, rather than behind, as we reached the top of the stairwell. I gasped as I took it in. I may not have known much art history, but I knew Gothic architecture when I saw it, and this was goth to the max, with a long wide hall made up of ivory arches and walls covered in the same material, that mimicked the arch windows on the other side. The windows were too high up for me to look out of, but the light they provided was enough to stare at the walls and ceilings all day. The floors weren’t anything spectacular, mismatched slabs of black and gold, and even still it was beautiful.
“This is crazy,” I whispered, looking around. I focused on the arched wooden doors up ahead. “Is that a room?”
“Nope.” He was walking faster now, more animated. I followed with the same enthusiasm. When he opened it, it gave way to a library. My jaw dropped.
“How is this place real?” I stepped inside and looked around.
It wasn’t very big, but it had two walls filled with books and a stepladder that glided across each. It was like a real-life Beauty and The Beast library. I walked around and looked at the books. All looked like they’d been here for over one hundred years, and they probably had been. I didn’t recognize the titles, but some of the authors were familiar.
“Does anyone come up here?”
“To study sometimes. Or for meetings,” Logan said. “All of the public areas like this one are fair game, so if there’s a party to plan with the current board members and alumni, they pick a few rooms and host in those.”
“Interesting,” I said. “What else is a public area?”
“Let’s go through here.” Logan grinned.
Instead of walking out the doors we just came in through, he walked forward and pulled a lever beside one of the bookcases. It revealed a doorknob. Taking a small part of the bookcase with him as he pulled, he signaled for me to walk through. I did, completely entranced.