The Lies He Spoke

THIRTY SEVEN

"Angel?" What the fuck? How could Olivia do that to them, to herself? After Milo? After Elijah? After everything Logan had fought for from the witness protection agency since they'd been followed around by the Sons of Solomon?

Logan's mind was still reeling, unable to get out one more thought when the car door slammed and a boy stepped out.

He had dark hair that looked like he'd hastily tried to smooth it down before stepping out of the car, deep-set hooded eyes, and he was wearing the uniform of Olivia's school. He was the kid who cut classes and smoked and got detention with Olivia pretty often.

He clutched his hands tightly in front of himself and tried to smile, only it came out a grimace. "Hi?" he said. "Um, I'm Angel-"

Logan took one step sideways, putting himself between this boy and Olivia. "Don't you fucking move one inch," he forced out through gritted teeth. He turned to Olivia and gripped her arm.

"What the fuck are you thinking?" he hissed.

Olivia didn't get angry back at him. She didn't even try to pull away. "He is so alone," she said. "I don't even know the last time he saw his brother. I found him crying today because he's so worried."

"It's not my problem his brother is drunk or high off his ass-"

"His brother is missing!"

Logan's heart skipped a beat and for a moment, his cold look towards the kid softened, but then he remembered what Olivia had been through, remembered having to hold her in his lap while her blood drenched his jeans, and his eyes hardened again.

"Well you know what normal people do when their brothers go missing? They call the police." He jerked his chin towards him. "Hey, why haven't you called the police?"

"I can't-"

Logan turned to Olivia. "There's your answer. He's stuck in some shady business where he can't even talk to the police, or this is some huge ploy and his brother doesn't exist. Have you ever seen his brother?"

"No, but-"

"Great. You -" He pointed at Angel. "Get out right now or I'm going to call the police, and they'll place you with your other family, and you can quit whining about your deadbeat brother."

"No! Please, no," Angel begged. "They'll send me to my aunt. She's not - not nice. Please."

Logan pressed his lips together. This kid knew how to push all his buttons. He knew exactly what to say to make him cave. It was like he knew that Logan would do anything for his brothers, or that his father had also been so very not nice to him.

And for that reason, he was very suspicious.

"Logan, please," Olivia said, fingers tugging on his sleeve. "Look, he's scared. Just let him stay for dinner, that's all."

"Olivia, why are we even arguing about this after Milo-"

"What if that was me and you? Wouldn't you want someone to help me?"

Logan groaned at the irrationality of her argument. This was not him and his sister. This was some random stranger and his even more imaginary brother.

What was the point of being the adult in this situation? Was it to make the hard but correct choice, to send Angel away to keep his sister safe even if she hated him for it? Or was it to take a chance that the correct answer was actually to save this kid from the horrors that Logan had to go through?

He certainly did not feel like any fucking adult.

He'd screwed up so much these past three months. He couldn't screw this up too. He couldn't take that chance.