The Price of Gold | Fortune's Fool #1

27.5 | burnt into ashes

• [ b u r n t   i n t o   a s h e s ] •

♥ louisa ♥

MY BREATH INSTINCTIVELY slowed down in an attempt to hide the trembling and uneven rhythm to it as Logan gripped my chin and forced me to look up at him. I ripped my head away from his hand as he continued.

"When I forced you to make the choice of whether to tell him or not, I did not mean use this as an opportunity to roam around with him. And you know that so don't play the victim card." He spat the words with such an intensity that I leaned back in shock. Within moments, he had managed to close the distance between us. "We both know how much of a culprit you are."

A lump formed in my throat as I thought about the numerous mistakes I'd made in the past, some bigger than others.

"Let me tell you a little story." Logan sharply turned on his heel and began wandering around the empty classroom. "Yesterday, I was walking towards my Ferrari when Olivia Emmerdale wraps her hands around my neck and tried to force herself on me. I ask her what she's doing and do you know what she says?"

I froze in the seat as Logan's head whipped in my direction. Emmerdale was the daughter of a famous journalist. "She said, seeing as Louisa's moved on from you, I assumed you'd moved on from her too."

The cool air from the window that had been left open ajar surrounded me and pulled me deeper into a tremendous lack of warmth.

Well wouldn't that be the dream? A life without Logan.

I smiled wryly. They were called dreams for a reason. Dreams never came true.

"If some C lister like Emmerdale thinks she has what it takes to get with me, what the fuck do you think the rest of the Academy is thinking? That I'm some piece of junk that you've finished with and put in the trash."

He hissed, slamming his hand down on the table with such force. The flames roaring in his eyes told me that if we weren't at Forteaux, that would have probably been my skull.

Gripping at the diminishing composure I had, I calmly tried to talk it out. "I've already told people that there's nothing going on between me and Gabriel and I've told you that as well so many times. I don't know what else I can do."

Logan's upper lip curled in distaste as he stalked towards me and crouched down in front of the chair I was seated on. Looking me straight in the eyes, he gripped my arms tightly and forced me to observe the flecks of mocha in his iris.

"You can do a tonne more. Starting with putting on a better show of how much you fucking love me." I bit the inside of my cheek tasting blood as his nails dug into me.

"So people know for sure whose the damn boss around here. I'm not letting you put to risk my chances of a successful future. If my father heard any of the rumours going around about his future daughter in law and a poor scumbag from Brighton he's not going to be happy."

Logan had always known that Darling Enterprices was a bigger and wealthier company than his grandfather's business.

The familiar sensation of him painfully holding my arm brought back memories of all the times before he had done the same. I thought back to the numerous times I'd lied to my friends and family about the bruises on my body, feeling like a pathetic wreck for not telling them the truth. I was so tired of pretending to be stronger than I actually was.

Come on, Lou. Final push. Don't let him know he's breaking you down.

Plucking up the courage, I accepted his challenge and clenched my fists before leaning forward towards him so that our noses were almost touching. He dug his nails in further. I gritted my teeth together to bite back the pain.