Chapter 183

Ella

“Get in.”

Logan’s words hung in the air of the now-silent racetrack, heavy and daunting. I stared at him incredulously for a few moments, half expecting him to laugh and say he was just kidding, but his expression was nothing but serious.

“You want me to… Get in there?” I asked, nodding my head toward the machine that was, in my eyes, a giant metal death trap.

“I won’t drive fast,” he reassured me, his voice calm and steady. “I just want to show you how it works. I figure then it might relieve some of your fears.”

I hesitated, my fingers nervously playing with the hem of my jacket. The idea of being in that car, with Logan at the wheel, sent a shiver down my spine. But he had that persuasive charm about him, and I found myself reluctantly agreeing.

After all, he had been insistent that no one else was around, and my curiosity got the better of me.

“Okay,” I said, finally giving in. “But you promise not to go too fast, right?”

Logan nodded affirmatively. “Of course, Ella. I’ll take it slow, I promise.”

He emphasized the word ‘slow,’ as if to ease my fears. I couldn’t help but chuckle nervously.

“Oh, and leave your phone on the bleachers,” he added, his tone more serious. “It could mess with the instruments.”

Reluctantly, I pulled my phone out of my pocket and left it behind on one of the bleachers. It felt like leaving a lifeline behind, but I trusted Logan.

With my heart pounding in my chest, I climbed into the car and settled into the passenger seat. The smell of leather and gasoline filled the air, and I tried to steady my nerves.

Logan started the engine, and the car roared to life. I couldn’t help but grip the edge of my seat, my knuckles turning white. I had never been in a race car before, and the power emanating from the vehicle was almost overwhelming. The engine’s rumble was far more monstrous than any other car, and all of the instruments made it feel like more of a spaceship than a regular car.

As we pulled onto the track, Logan began explaining the basics of how the car worked.

“I’m shifting gears now,” he said as he handled the stick shift. “You can feel it when you need to shift. Feel how the engine kind of revs for a few moments, then eases off?”

I nodded. I had seen my father drive manual before, but he never explained how to do it. Like I had told Logan before, I never needed to drive in my home city.

That was a part of city life; it was often just more convenient to walk or take public transportation, and if we needed to drive, my father had drivers. He always emphasized that a lady shouldn’t need to drive if she didn’t want to, and, well, I never wanted to.

But even so, as Logan spoke, I listened intently, trying to absorb all the information he was sharing. Logan was passionate about racing, and it showed in the way he spoke. He was in his element, and I couldn’t help but admire his dedication.

But then, as we completed a lap around the track, Logan didn’t slow down. Instead, he continued driving, heading out of the racetrack and into the dark desert beyond. Panic began to well up inside of me.

“Logan, where are we going?” I asked, my voice trembling.

He didn’t answer, his eyes fixed on the road ahead. Fear gnawed at my insides. Had he somehow found out about my plot with Marina? Was he taking me somewhere to hurt me?

“He won’t hurt you,” Ema said in an attempt to ease my fears. “Trust me, Ella. He’s still the Logan we know.”

“Yes, but that could change,” I replied. “If he found out about my plans with Marina, then he might not be so forgiving.”

“Ella—” my wolf began, but it was too late. Panic had already set in, and there was no going back. Logan just kept driving further out into the dark desert; no road, no lights, nothing but the expanse of dirt, rocks, and sand.

“Logan,” I said cautiously with a slight chuckle, “you’re freaking me out. Please tell me where we’re going.”

Logan still said nothing, just continued to drive. My mind raced, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that something was terribly wrong.

I tried to open the car door, but it was locked. Panic surged through me as I realized I was trapped. I frantically pressed the button, but the door remained stubbornly shut.

“Logan!” I repeated, whipping my head around to face him again. “Where are you taking me?!”

Finally, he responded. “Just wait and see,” he said.

“No,” I insisted, still tugging on the door handle to no avail. “Let me out or take me home, now!”

With a scoff, he glanced over at me as he drove. “If you’re as innocent as you say, then why are you so worried right now?” he asked.

My blood ran cold at his words.

“He knows,” I said to Ema, who was now bristling inside of me. “God, he knows, and he’s going to hurt me! Give me your strength.”

On cue, my wolf’s strength began to surge through me. In a desperate attempt to regain control, I quickly leaned over and yanked up the emergency brake, then tried to grab the steering wheel.

But Logan was too quick; he caught my wrist, not too hard but hard enough to make me stop, and his eyes glowed a slight tinge of yellow in the darkness of the car as he whipped his head around to face me.

“You’re not going anywhere, Ella,” he hissed. “And besides, what are you gonna do if you get out? Wander the desert in the dark?”

Tears welled up in my eyes, and I felt a sob catch in my throat. This wasn’t what I had signed up for. I had been so focused on my sister’s safety that I had let my guard down, allowed myself to be vulnerable. I had been too trusting of Logan and had forgotten that he, like Marina and Harry, was a mobster through and through. And that could never change.

“Now don’t mess with my car again,” he said, releasing his grip on my wrist. “Unless you wanna get us both killed.”

With that, Logan let out a huff and released the emergency brake again. I scooched over as far as I could go in my seat, wrapping my arms around myself as if that would pass as some form of protection.

But in reality, I knew I was helpless; Logan was not only an Alpha and he was much bigger than me, but I was vulnerable, locked in his car, and in the middle of nowhere without my phone.

God, how could I be so stupid?

As Logan continued to drive, I thought of Daisy, my sweet sister who was counting on me to protect her. I had promised myself that I would keep her safe, that I would do whatever it took to ensure her well-being. I was supposed to be her protector.

And now, I was stuck in a car with a man I should never have trusted, heading to an unknown destination in the middle of the dark desert.

“I’m sorry, Daisy,” I whispered, my voice choked with tears. “I couldn’t save you.”

The car continued to race through the darkness, and the world outside was nothing but shadows and uncertainty. I had no idea where we were going, I had no idea what Logan’s intentions were, and fear gripped every fiber of my being.

Finally, Logan came to a stop in the middle of nowhere. The engine fell silent, and the darkness enveloped us completely.

My heart hammered in my chest as I sat there, trembling and terrified, waiting for whatever came next.