Logan's Rattler by A. Jarrett (best books for 20 year olds txt) 📕

Being ever the concerned friend that he was, Logan excused himself to go see where Leo had taken off to. As he came around the corner, he saw Leo standing by the front door. His hand wrapped around the door knob so tightly Logan could see the man’s knuckles turning white.

“Leo?” he asked hesitantly.

Leo never looked back at him just turned the knob and walked out the door. It was like Leo didn’t hear him. Hell, his friend didn’t even acknowledge his presence.

What’s going on here?

“Leo.” He followed close behind his friend as he headed toward the wooded area that bordered the house. “Leo, answer me.” Still nothing.

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Logan jogged ahead of his friend and ran backwards to look into Leo’s face. It was lifeless. The crisp, clear blue eyes of his friend looked dead inside. Something wasn’t right, and Logan started to get scared.

“Leo!” Logan screamed at the top of his lungs, but still no reaction from the man. Leo started to run and Logan followed close behind him, not sure what else to do.

They were in the heart of the woods when Leo finally stopped.

Still no signs of life came from his friend, just nothingness.

“Leo, please talk to me.” Logan braced his hands on either side of Leo’s face. “Say something, please.”

A crack rang out, and Leo stumbled forward. Logan caught him as he fell toward him. He gently laid his friend on the ground. At the sight of crimson leaking through Leo’s shirt, Logan began to scream for help.

“No!” He pushed on the bleeding hole in Leo’s chest, trying to stop the flow. But it was no use. The blood bubbled up around his fingers, warm and thick. Vomit started to rise in the back of Logan’s throat. His best friend was dying.

“You know?” Logan looked up at the sound of breaking twigs and crunching grass heading his way. “I’ve never really liked him.” Rhett snarled down at Leo.

Logan wanted to run for help but couldn’t move. It was as if his legs had grown roots and he was planted in that very spot. Tears ran down his face. He sat watching his best friend die on the cold hard ground, and he knew whatever Rhett had planned for him, Logan wasn’t far behind Leo.

“Oh, darling, don’t look so sad.” Rhett knelt in front of him.

Logan cringed when the man rubbed his fingers down Logan’s cheek.

“I’m here now. We can be together again. Isn’t that what you want?”

“No,” Logan croaked out. He tried to crawl backwards at the hardened appearance Rhett’s face took on. “I’m with Finn. I can’t be with you. I don’t love you that way.” Logan was grasping at straws,

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and he knew it. Nothing he said would calm or deflect Rhett’s attention. The man wanted him for some reason, and Logan didn’t even know where to begin to guess the meaning behind the reason. He was fucked.

“In time you will come to love me, and if you don’t”—Rhett let out a bitter laugh, no humor in his tone—“we’ll die together like it should have been the last time.”

“What?” Logan started to shake at the lunacy in what Rhett had just said. Die together like it should have been before? Rhett had lost his mind, and Logan was stuck in his clutches with no way of escape.

“Don’t worry, Lindsay. It’ll all work out like it’s supposed to,”

Rhett said softly as he neared Logan.

He was just about to ask who Lindsay was when Rhett hit him with the butt of his rifle.

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Chapter Fifteen

“What the fuck is going on?” Ben asked as he jumped from the car.

Finn threw open the door and started running toward the crowd in the front yard. Trevor was carrying someone in his arms. His back was to Finn, and he couldn’t make out who it was. His heart raced as he drew closer.

“He’s been shot,” Trevor said as he laid Leo down on the ground.

Finn started to choke on the air rushing into his lungs. He was relieved it wasn’t Logan. He felt like an ass for thinking that since his mate’s friend lay bleeding on the ground.

“What happened?” Ben shouted above the commotion in the yard.

“We were in the kitchen laughing and having a good time. Then Leo got a call on his cell. When he didn’t come back, Logan went to check