Page 69 of Consuming Logan

Logan pulled Ava into his chest. Glaring at her mom, he said, “No one asked any of you what you think.”

An unnatural hush fell over the sanctuary. Oh no, not in God’s house, Ava thought. This was going to be bad. Her stomach roiled with unease.

“Logan,” she warned.

He spun to look at her, his eyes filled with anger and maybe sadness. “Is this how you want us to start our life together, Ava mine?”

She opened her mouth, but the words wouldn’t come.

“We don’t need this wedding. We could just—”

“No,” Ariss protested. “Our daughter deserves the wedding she’s always dreamed about.”

Ava could hear the petition in Logan’s voice. The plead for her to what? Tell her parents, sorry mom and dad about the thirty-five thousand dollars sticker price for our wedding and reception.

“Logan,” she whispered. “This is what I want.”

He huffed out a resounding sigh and hung his head.

Her grandmother came to her rescue. “Ariss that’s enough. The course is charted.”

“No Mom. Ava is exhausted. She’s running herself ragged trying to work, plan a wedding, and fit into his family.” Tears pooled in Ava’s eyes. Why did her mom spell everything out? Things would get better, right? “She’s pregnant. She should be taken care of.”

Logan kept his arm around her waist. Shivers overtook Ava’s body and she felt sick. Her head swam, her breath came in quick pants, and her knees felt weak. Would she lose consciousness again?

“Ava mine?” She could hear the panic in Logan’s voice.

She gripped his hand tighter. “Fine. Just need to eat something.” It was a lie, but in this instant a half-truth would cause less damage than the truth.

“I realize that our situation may be less than your ideal for Ava. But we are having this damn ceremony because she wants it,” Logan ground out. “We want you in our children’s life, but if you’re not, they will still know love.”

Well said, Logan. Well, indeed. She loved him so much. He was strong, where she was weak. She tightened her grip on his hand. Looking up, she fixed and held his stare. I love you, she mouthed. A hint of a smile spread across his lips, arrogant, and knowing. For a moment, everyone else disappeared and it was just them, in love and happy.

“I think she should move home,” Maribelle huffed. “In fact,” she said giving pointed glares to Marianne, the O’Connor brothers, and Susan Holbrook, “You all should go back where you came from.”

Susan stepped up to Maribelle. “Does that mean you’re crawling back to that South Carolina swamp Robert Lee dragged you out of?”

Maribelle gasped, while Susan smirked.

“No one is going anywhere. Ava and my babies are safer with me.”

“Enough with the theatrics, Logan,” Maribelle rasped. “It’s been months. Ava’s not in any danger.”

“That’s not exactly true,” Logan said.

She turned to face him. “What are you talking about, Logan?” Ava felt the dry toast and Ginger root she managed to keep down an hour ago rebel.

Logan frowned. “A threat was mailed to the house.”

What? Ava froze. Their home. The attacker knew where they lived. Home that should be a safe haven for her unborn children had been breached. Her heart thudded beneath her ribcage. Logan had intentionally kept information from her. An overwhelming sense of vulnerability slammed into Ava. Oh God, she was going to be sick.

“I’m protecting you,”Logan insisted, to a very pissed Ava. A furrow pulled her brows low, and she had her petite fingers, fisted on one hip. Anger lurked in her fixed gaze, but she looked sexy as hell. When she caught him looking at her full lips, she snapped.

“Logan, focus.”

He had planned to tell her about the letter under less contentious circumstances. Not that he wanted an audience, but they family needed to know. Their chances of success increased if everyone understood the threat. But, damn. With the news he and Darwin had learned at the police station, more bodies than in this room would be needed. He would’ve said hands, but the time for feeling sorry for his situation had passed. He hated asking for help.

“Sorry, sweetheart.” He should’ve connected the dots sooner. The attack had been about him all along. Graham had the right of it. Dusty the man who had wanted Brooke to be his? The past didn’t matter. The only thing that did, danger had come too close to Ava and his unborn babies. The reality that someone from his past would target his future—his life with Ava—cut through him like a dull blade.