Remnants: A Survivor's Journey: Remnants, #1

By Lena Pendleton

In the blink of an eye, the world falls into chaos.
What started off as a typical day on a regular college campus,
quickly turns bloody as a deadly virus wreaks havoc in the south.
Raegan Billsby and her friends barely escape the panic with their lives, but quickly
realize that the danger has only just begun as swarms of the
undead massacre in the streets.
She and a rag-tag group of survivors must stand together if they're going
to live through the ever-growing nightmare in a world where
no one can be trusted.
Tempers flare, and comrades fall in a desperate race to a
Rumored haven and no one knows what lurks beyond the next bend.
Raegan's grit will be tested as she clashes with fellow survivors
and her own inner demons.
As the world collapses around them, will they find the strength
they need to fight against the rising tide of blood, or will they wash away,
leaving only…Remnants

• Language: English
• Publisher: Lena Pendleton
• Release date: May 23, 2023
• ISBN: 9798223962502

Book preview

Copyright © 2022 Rachel Longmire

All rights reserved

The characters and events portrayed in this book are fictitious. Any similarity to real persons, living or dead, is coincidental and not intended by the author.

No part of this book may be reproduced, or stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without express written permission of the publisher.

ISBN-13: 9781234567890

ISBN-10: 1477123456

Cover design by: Art Painter

Library of Congress Control Number: 2018675309

Printed in the United States of America

For my Daddy, Rockey.

You never got to read all of it, but you

told me how proud you were

and how much you liked it.

This is for you; I’ll miss you forever.

Remnants:

A Survivor’s Journey

Written by:

Lena Pendleton

Prologue

Seth Gibbons was starting to wonder if he’d made the right decision taking the job at the Center for Disease Control. Sample testing had to be one of life’s most tedious chores. Sure, he got to play around with expensive equipment and study diseases for the government, but he was bored. He was the youngest virologist at the center in Atlanta, Georgia, so they didn’t let him near what they called the Big Boys. They had him studying common diseases that already had cures just to see if he could do better. It was really an insult to his degree as he’d graduated early with top honors at a very prestigious school, yet they didn’t trust him. He wanted to get his goggles on something that a vaccine hadn’t been discovered yet. He didn’t necessarily want to be famous for recognition; he just wanted to see them firsthand and watch how they worked. He was only twenty-four, he’d graduated from Baylor College of Medicine, but that didn’t seem to matter to anyone he worked with. He’d been there for almost a year now, and he was just going through the motions. So, it came as a big surprise when the department head came to see him, white-faced and nervous on a regular Wednesday afternoon. He told him to stop what he was doing immediately and to follow him. The thought that he was about to be fired suddenly frightened him because the boss wouldn't even let him clean up his workstation. His excitement began to flare, however, when they didn’t head to the lower lobby. Instead, his supervisor hit the button for his floor…the Big Boys. It had to be enormous if his supervisor was this nervous, he was almost shaking. He could never remember this guy’s name; it was Frank something or other. He led him to the cleansing area and forced him into one of the hazmat suits, which was making him even more excited. It was nearly impossible to see in them, but he was almost dancing from his elation. When they reached the sealed door, Frank what's his name turned to look at Seth coldly.

Not in a million years would I ever let you in this room, Gibbons, but I have no other choice in the matter. Half of the senior researchers aren’t good enough to be on this floor let alone in this room. The other half are so scared of this that they won’t even come into the building until this one’s over. So basically, it’s just you and me working on this, and I wouldn’t even be doing this myself, except…someone has to. You’ve got to understand what you’re going to be walking into in here; it’s highly dangerous and highly confidential. In fact, it is so deadly that it has a ninety-nine percent spread rate, which is completely unprecedented. So far those who have come across it have all died, and no one's immune system has even tried to fight this bug off. Several other facilities have been asked to perform research to find a cure for us and the White House is concerned that it will spread to the US. Listen, Gibbons, procedure in this room is very tight and must be adhered to because if you catch this…it’s over. It works quickly, and it’s excruciating according to the research notes we’ve received on it, which isn’t much I’m afraid. I don’t want any attitude from you or funny business whatsoever. You will do exactly as I say even if you think I’m being too paranoid, got it? Now Gibbons, do you still want to work on a Big Boy? This is about as big as it’s ever liable to get, I’m afraid. Gibbons looked at him like he was crazy. After hearing how deadly it was, yes it did make him scared, but how could he walk away from something like this? It was everything he’d been waiting for and so much more. He swallowed the sarcastic reply that had risen in his throat and nodded.

Yes sir, I’ll be on my best behavior, you can count on me. Frank gave him a skeptical look but didn’t reply. Frank hated punk kids who became scientists just because they thought it was cool to work with deadly diseases. Their research sometimes saved people who were an inch from death. These were scientists who wanted to help people, and he wasn’t so sure that’s what this kid wanted to do. Seth wanted to become a famous scientist to tell all his friends that he cured this and that disease. It wasn’t just one person, it took a whole team to make an inch of headway on these things, but he didn’t lecture the boy. He was just glad that he’d agreed to do it because, despite all his glibness and attitude, he was the most proficient virologist they had…even better than him. It had been pure jealousy and spite that made him keep the boy in the kiddie room. Nevertheless, he was pissed that someone so intelligent came in and didn't care. Gibbons didn’t care that one small slip in this room could kill both and potentially the whole building. He didn't even want to open the door, but he knew he had to do it under orders from the White House or it was his job. He stared at the insanely smart kid in front of him and shuddered slightly.

Okay then, let's get inside the lab and I’ll tell you more about what we’re dealing with.

*******

Seth could not believe his incredible luck in landing this assignment. They’d been working closely on Project Z for days, and it was unbelievable the things they’d discovered so far. They had thousands of specimens they were testing, and the reactions to this bazaar strain were beyond fascinating. They’d tested different animals, and so far, they didn’t have a response at all, the disease died inside a minute once it made contact. Human samples, however, had the complete opposite effect it seemed. The strain would completely take over the cells but not wreck it. As he worked, he let his mind wander as to what the effects could have on a live human, but he didn’t want to discuss this with his boss. He was afraid of the reaction Frank would give him at this suggestion. He wondered idly where in the hell something like this even came from, but they had such a tiny scrap of information on it, and they were only told that it came from a remote corner of the world. Frank wasn’t much help in this study at all; he mostly kept tight lipped and let him do his thing. The vials they had were few, and they mostly worked with samples taken from the infected, but they’d just recently, in the last couple of days, brought out a vial of the actual disease. It seemed like whatever this was had been created, but they didn’t know by whom. Once it was introduced into the environment, it became airborne but only for a very short time. Anything standing around it would immediately be infected, but the air killed it after only about 5 minutes. So, the way that it seemed to be getting around was from blood-to-blood contact like HIV; only this was different. They’d done several different tests and if the air was in the height of summer or winter, the virus dissipated more quickly. The rate at which the virus attacked the cells made him wish even more that he had a live subject to test which is why he kept his thoughts about it to himself. Frank himself had been acting a bit strangely the last couple of days. He’d been giving him more responsibilities since he’d made a small discovery. Seth had found a way to delay the effects the disease had on the cells, but only by about two minutes. They were now messing around with a combination of different things to see if they could find the key. Frank seemed at a loss as to what to do, and he was mostly just assisting him and keeping strangely quiet. There had been a moment earlier in the day where he’d bumped into him rather roughly like he was mad, but he’d immediately apologized as if he’d stumbled. He was acting a bit crazy, and he knew he should report it to the higher-ups, but he was afraid they’d both be taken off, and Seth was so close he could feel it in his bones. When he heard, glass breaking to his left, he jerked around to see Frank standing over a small puddle with a shocked expression on his face. He couldn’t believe it; Project Z was lying at Frank’s feet. There was about a 60-second delay before the alarms in the room started to go off. Frank jerked towards the door and his mouth opened in panic as he rushed to the quickly closing cover too late. Seth felt bad for the guy because it was evident that he was claustrophobic. It was standard procedure to seal the room if anything got loose, so now they had to wait for the head of security and director to let them out. They were in a level one classified room so only those two could let them out. When the alarms stopped, he took a step towards Frank but stopped when he felt his head go light. He had to grip the table because the room was spinning in every direction. The feeling passed quickly enough, and he realized that he’d skipped lunch to keep working. He smiled friendly at Frank to try and comfort him.

Hey, don’t worry, the virus will dissipate in a few minutes, so after about half an hour, they’ll come and let us out. We’re going…huh…to…wow, I don’t feel so great. Maybe the claustrophobia is getting to me too. Frank turned around and stared at the younger man. Tears streamed down his face as he studied him with a mixture of regret and sadness.

I’m afraid that I’ve killed us both, Gibbons. I'm sorry, it’s just…it isn’t fair that you’ve made so much progress with this and I don’t understand it at all. Seth wanted to ask what he meant, but there was a fire burning in his veins, and breathing was becoming a bit of a problem for him, it was his turn to be scared. He looked up at Frank with terror in his eyes.

Why do I feel like I’ve been hit by a truck…ugh…what did you do? Seth fell to his knees as the fire reached the height of pain and he couldn’t hold back the bile that rose in his throat. When he saw, what looked like blood hit the inside of his mask, he began to panic tenfold. There was no way that he could have contracted the disease; he was in a hazmat suit that was inspected daily for crying out loud. He didn’t know if it had been long enough, but he had to take the mask off, he couldn’t breathe. He was aware that he’d wanted to study a live subject, but he hadn’t wanted to be the subject. When the mask was lying on the ground next to him, he tried to take a deep breath. However, he was shaken by a bout of coughing. He couldn’t get air in his lungs. He looked over at Frank’s guilty expression and finally understood.

You…you…did…this…. why?  Seth bent his head when he began to seize; his insides felt as if they were trying to rip themselves apart inside of him. He almost didn’t hear Frank when he began to speak.

I’m so sorry, Seth, I was jealous of your talent, and I had a moment of weakness. I’ve been working here and studying diseases for fifteen years. You're twenty years old, fresh out of college, and you were already about to break it…I don’t even understand this. I snapped, and because of me this will never be solved. I’ve probably just doomed not just the two of us but everyone. Seth couldn’t respond, his head was getting dark, and he laid it down on the cold tile to try and alleviate nausea. He was going to pass out from lack of oxygen and pain. He couldn’t believe that it was going to end like this…just because he was smarter than his boss.

An hour later, the security and recovery team opened the lab up to a horrific sight. Frank Macker was lying unmoving in a vast pool of blood. His body was mutilated, and blood was all over the place, splashed on the walls even. The young scientist, Seth Gibbons, was sitting up against the opposite wall, also unmoving. He was slumped over and covered in blood from head to toe. The head of security and recovery specialist, Linda Harte, was devastated at the scene before her. Seth had been best friends with her brother, and she’d helped get him his job at the CDC. She couldn’t bring herself to go up to him, so she walked over to Frank and almost groaned aloud. Whatever it was they’d been working on had apparently gotten loose, and it was a level 1 classified operation, so she’d been forced to wait two hours before letting them out even though the paperwork showed that this thing dissipated after five minutes. She hadn’t wanted this in her building because they wouldn’t debrief her on what it was. Only the director, Seth, and Dr. Macker knew what this was. It was dangerous, and she should have been told, but when it came from the White House, they didn’t argue. She would now have to do a full investigation into the incident, review the security feed, and see what in the hell happened to cause such a mess. She walked out of the room so that the medical team could get the gurneys into the chamber to retrieve the bodies. They were only wearing protective face masks with their protective coveralls since the disease wasn’t airborne, but Linda wasn’t taking chances, she was dressed in a full hazmat. She didn’t think they fully understood why she had, but then she didn’t have to explain herself to these people. She had her gun out and ready just to be safe. They hadn’t told her much, but she’d been told that it makes some subjects very aggressive and even though they appeared to be dead…well, she wasn’t taking any chances in a place like this. A scream brought her out of her thoughts and to the present. She turned to see Seth on top of one of the medical personnel, and she didn’t believe what she saw. He was rabid and ripping into the poor girl’s jugular. Blood was pooling around the girls’ head at an alarming rate, and the girl was jerking feebly as her life drained out of her. One of the other team members let out a gasp, and when she looked over, Frank was twitching and raising an arm towards the boy. She stood rooted to the spot for only an instant because the third worker was reaching for a tray to hit Seth with…the tray was filled with samples, and it could be the live virus, which left her with only one option. She ran over to the door and slammed her hand down on the emergency button right when the man brought the tray down. The door shut, but she didn’t know if it closed before the vials cracked open. The two remaining medical workers looked up in shock at what she’d done, but she couldn’t risk it getting out, whatever it was. She stood at the door and put her hand to the glass, willing them to understand why she did what she did. When the alarm blared, her stomach dropped, the agent had been released into the air. She watched as one by one her friend’s fell victim to Project Z. Before the last one fell, she turned and ran towards the security office. She had to notify the White House and the other facilities that their location had fallen.

Chapter 1

Raegan Billsby was lounging under a large yellow umbrella on the packed beach at Fort Lauderdale. She was smiling to herself as she watched her boyfriend, Tobey Rosenberg attempt to toss a Frisbee with his brother, Tim. Despite being exceptionally good at most sports, they were terrible at Frisbee throwing. Tim’s girlfriend, for the time being, Tabitha, was standing to the side, watching, and cheering obnoxiously loud for Tim to win as if they were keeping score. She was standing in a perched position, trying to model the skimpy bikini that barely covered her. Raegan had tried to befriend the girl because Tim was one of her best friends, but the other girl’s attitude didn’t leave much to be desired. She was trying to read the book that she’d brought along for the trip, but she couldn’t keep her eyes off her boyfriend and the spectacle of himself he was making. When Tobey went flying backward, landing hard on his backside, Raegan couldn’t help the peal of laughter that escaped. He shot up from the ground and walked over to her with a mock scowl on his face. Raegan put her book aside and didn’t even try to keep the smile off her face. He was very handsome with his natural platinum blond hair, sparkling blue eyes, and a devilish smile that made her weak in the knees. Raegan felt so lucky that she’d met him and that he’d felt the same way about her that she felt about him. She’d never imagined loving someone as much as she loved the boy approaching her and she didn’t ever want to be parted from him. He knelt in front of her and took her hand.

Just what do you find so amusing, may I ask?  She leaned forward and gave him a quick peck, unable to resist, before responding.

Oh, I don’t know, maybe the fact that you couldn’t catch that Frisbee if your life depended on it? It’s okay though sweetie, you can’t be good at everything, it just evens the fields for the other boys. His face immediately broke into a dazzling smile that sent a shiver of excitement down her spine because it meant trouble for her.

Really, and do you think you could catch it better than me?  Raegan bit her lip to fight back the giggle that was threatening to explode from her.

Probably not, but I’m not the one trying to catch it front of everyone, now, am I? Tobey leaned forward and pressed a passionate, yet quick kiss on her lips. In that small moment, she let her guard down, and his arms snaked around her waist. He immediately stood up, bringing her with him, and pitched her over one of his shoulders. When he began to walk towards the water, Raegan let out a shriek of laughter in protest.

Tobey, don’t you dare put me in that water! Put me down, please don’t throw me! She could hear Tim’s amused chuckles as Tobey waded knee-deep into the surf and pulled her into a closer embrace, cradling her to face him.

Do you apologize for laughing at me and hurting my manly pride?  Raegan threw her head back and giggled loudly at the game and knew she was going to regret it.

No, I don’t because you really did suck!  He gave her an insulted look, and she braced herself as he pushed up and threw her into the icy water. The shock of the impact took her breath away, and she began to thrash out to push herself up when strong arms encircled her and did it for her. Raegan laughed as she sputtered for breath, slipping her arms around his neck.

Oh wow, I thought it was supposed to be warm in Florida this time of year!  Tobey chuckled and pulled her closer to him.

That’s what you get for making fun of your future husband; Nature kicks you in the butt.  Raegan hugged him to her as he swam them further out into the surprisingly calm ocean. She loved when he talked about their future; he brought it up more and more frequently these days.  He often mentioned how he couldn’t wait to start a family with her, and he wanted to have a big family.

As he began to swim her around the ocean, Raegan thought back to her first week as a freshman at Powell High School. She had been going to school in a different area, and she’d been planning to go to school with her friends at Central, but that hadn’t happened. Her mom had left her dad, her brother, and her, so her father had sold the house and moved them to a condo in Powell. To say the neighborhood was different was an understatement, not that it was bad…just different. She’d been really skinny, her red hair had been super bushy, and she’d been slightly awkward as not all her body had decided to grow in yet. She’d seen Tobey of course; he was a hard person to miss. He was already tall for his age, athletic, and incredibly outgoing. Raegan had been slightly nerdy with her glasses and love of history and comic books. She couldn’t seem to fit in anywhere at the new school because all the kids had grown up together in the small community and she was the odd ball out. Powell was little compared to Central, so the freshman class was only about half the size that her incoming class would have been. Of course, it wasn’t just that they kept her at arm’s length, Raegan didn’t try very hard either. She was acting out because she’d been upset at the move and didn’t want to be at the new school. She’d been sitting at one of the tables to the side by herself during lunch when suddenly Tobey had walked up to where she sat and joined her. He threw her a cheeky grin and began to eat his lunch before speaking to her.

Hope you don’t mind me sitting here, you just looked so lonely here all by yourself.  Raegan blushed profusely, and her defensive nature began to prickle.

How do you know that I’m lonely and not just sitting away from people by choice?  He’d flashed a mischievous look as he sat back to survey her.

You’re Raegan, and you so did not go to Powell Middle School…I’d have remembered a beautiful girl like you.  Raegan opened her mouth to say something, but no words would form to come out. He smirked once more and resumed eating his lunch, leaving her to think about what he’d said. She couldn’t tell if he was making fun of her or not, he didn’t seem like a bad guy from what she’d seen. Regardless, she was embarrassed, so she quickly finished her lunch and left the table without speaking again. She was even more mortified when he showed up in her chemistry class because he zoned right in on her and smirked. After the teacher made the introductions and told them to break off into pairs, he made a beeline in her direction, stopping right in front of her.

I’m Tobey Rosenberg by the way; do you want to partner up?  Raegan didn’t really know what to say at this point, so she just nodded her head in the affirmative. A girl, who she didn’t know, ran up to him as he was sitting down and asked if he’d rather be partnered up with her. She’d gotten very miffed when he turned her down, and she threw Raegan daggers with her eyes. Once the teacher gave them the go ahead, he’d given her a sly look and began their project.

So, did I offend you in the lunchroom earlier?  You practically fled from the cafeteria, and I was just paying you a compliment.  Raegan looked over at him, saw his worried expression, and shrugged self-consciously.

You didn’t offend me at all; I just didn’t know what to say to you.  He put the vials into place and wrote down the instructions for the chemical they were supposed to be making and motioned for her to continue with a small smile.

Fair enough, Ms. Raegan no last name.

Coming back to the present, Raegan hugged Tobey to her even closer. They swam around for a few more minutes, her hanging onto him the whole time because she feared open water. When she started to shiver because of the cold, he took pity on her and began to head back to shore. They dried off by the umbrella, smiling a secret smile only they shared. At Tim’s insistence, the two boys began their Frisbee game once more, and Raegan continued to giggle at how bad they were at it. Tabitha came over to where she sat and took a seat on the blanket next to her with a nasty little grin. The girl’s faintly orange glow meant that she’d been a little too liberal with the faux tan and that mixed with her yellow-colored blondish hair made her stand out in the large crowd. The pretty amusing thing was that she thought she was quite the looker, but Raegan didn’t understand why someone like Tim was dating someone like her. Raegan knew that nothing good was going to come from her when she leaned over to speak. When she finally did address her, she was shocked at how vicious the other girl was.

I just cannot believe that you are with someone as fine as Tobey. Tim is fine too, but he’s small potatoes, and I’ve got my eye on Tobey, I just hope you’re up for some competition.  Raegan looked over at her in surprise. She was used to girls chasing Tobey, but she’d learned the hard way that he would never stray. This knowledge gave her confidence as she replied to the catty comment.

There is no competition, Tabitha, because Tobey wouldn’t come near you if you paid him. Just so we’re clear, though, if you so much as bat an eyelash in his direction, I’ll redecorate your face for you…got it? I should anyway because Tim really likes you for some reason that I can’t fathom, and you haven’t pitched in for anything on this trip. Raegan stood up after making herself very clear and walked over to where the boys were playing. She went to stand next to Tobey just as Tim let the Frisbee fly away from him. She jumped up and easily caught it, enjoying the astonished looks on both of their faces. She wore a very smug expression as she threw the Frisbee toward where Tabitha sat and grabbed Tobey’s steady hand.

It’s almost one, hon, why don’t we pack up and go get some lunch?  He gave her another quick kiss before he waved at his brother.

That sounds like an excellent idea; I’m starved.

Raegan and Tobey took their time getting ready for lunch as she began to talk about the snide conversation she’d had with Tabitha. Tobey stopped putting his tennis shoes on and scowled. Raegan hadn’t seen him make that face since their midterms back at Vanderbilt. She regretted bringing it up, but they didn’t keep secrets from each other. He nodded his head when she finished telling him everything and finished putting on his shoes. Raegan stood to the side and glanced over at their ocean front balcony. The room wasn’t that luxurious, but the view was worth it. Tobey kissed her lightly and took her hand as they exited their room and began to start towards the lobby. Raegan had decided on a pale blue summer dress that stopped just above her knees. The weather itself was beautiful, so she was glad to be away from the chilly weather in Tennessee. Tobey dressed in Bermuda shorts and a solid blue short sleeved polo shirt that made him look like he belonged on the cover a magazine. She gave him a little chuckle when she noticed that they’d matched their outfits, though unintentionally. Raegan couldn’t have been prouder to be on his arm; she’d never met another person like him. It wasn’t just that he was beautiful, but the fact that he didn’t think he was. He was incredibly kind and stood up for those who couldn’t stand up for themselves. It was one of the reasons she’d finally agreed to go out with him. She’d been standing with one of her friends, Thomas, a slightly nerdy boy, when a group of jocks started picking on him. When things had turned physical, Raegan had left to find a teacher, but the fight had been interrupted by Tobey before she’d gotten halfway down the hall. In the lobby, Tim was already there and told them that Tabitha was taking a shower. Raegan walked over to the huddle of people standing around the television while Tobey took his brother aside. The images being displayed on the screen were disturbing to say the very least. It was being shot from Atlanta, and people were filling up the area hospitals. A guy in front turned the volume up, and she could catch some of it.

Officials are saying that the breakouts of violence around the city are gang related. They say that people who were attacking appear to have been drugged as some initiation. The victims are said to be in critical condition due to the amount of blood lost from the bites. In other unrelated news, a funeral home in downtown Atlanta had a fright today as the thought to be recently deceased Perry Richards opened his coffin and sat up, causing quite the panic. The funeral director spoke with us briefly and insisted this was an impossibility because Mr. Richards had already been embalmed. Today, people are flocking to stores as the new…  Tobey came up behind her just then, causing her to jump. She turned around and shook her head as he pulled her gently away from the growing crowd. He steered her towards the door with a frown as he glanced back at the television.

Makes you glad that we live in Tennessee for once, right? So, I told Tim about what you said to me, and he knows you wouldn’t lie about something like that. He told me to go ahead and get a table and that he’d join us at the restaurant. Raegan sighed heavily, she felt bad about ruining Tim’s Spring Break, but he had the right to know what his girlfriend was up to. She followed Tobey out of the lobby doors, and they began the three-block walk to a seafood place they’d wanted to try. They walked hand slowly in hand and Raegan couldn’t help but think that her life was perfect right then and that she’d never been happier in her life.

Chapter 2

Logan Phelps was sitting in his living room watching the news in amazement. It was showing the mess in Atlanta, and he just couldn't believe the images being played were real. Some viruses had gotten loose from the CDC headquarters, and it had spread throughout all of Atlanta in less than a week. There were reports that other cities in Georgia had similar situations, but the CDC was saying it was entirely contained in Atlanta. Logan didn't care where it was held as long as it didn't spread to his neck of the woods. The first people to go in crazy situations like this were law enforcement officials like him. So many people were getting sick with a fever and the chills, but it quickly changed per person, so the flu was quickly ruled out. He had to stifle a curse of annoyance when his girlfriend, Autumn, stepped in front of the television screen with her hands on her hips. Logan knew why she was upset, but he was tired of trying to explain himself to her. His friends and co-workers were coming over to his house for a guy’s night of poker and pool. He had a pool table where a dining room table should be, but he lived alone and didn't believe he needed one. He wanted to be able to spend some time with his friends without her hanging all over him and whining incessantly about the nonsense he ignored anyway. Autumn, however, didn't want them over at his house; she was always saying that he didn't spend enough time with her, and it was getting old and wearing on his nerves. He'd never met another woman quite like her, but clingy was a massive understatement. There was no denying that she was gorgeous with her olive skin and an hourglass figure that showed off the Hispanic side of her family. However, he wasn't sure it was worth it anymore. He sat up from his slouched position on the couch and stretched out his long legs, propped them up on his coffee table just to annoy her. He was a tall man, very lean, so his feet reached almost to the other side of the small table. He put his hands behind his head as he regarded her, giving the impression that he didn't care about anything in the world. Obviously frustrated, she picked up the remote that was sitting on the table next to his feet and turned the TV off with a scowl.

I love how you're just ignoring me like I'm not even standing here, that's so sweet of you, Logan. He closed his eyes briefly and tried to focus on just keeping himself calm and collected. He brought his hands down and rubbed them over his tired face before looking at her again.

Sweetheart, I don't know why you're so upset with me. I've put guys' nights off for two weeks now, and we had a very romantic evening just last night, you and me. But Honey, I'm not canceling on them again, and I expect you not to be here when they start showing up. I'll come over to your place tomorrow after my shift is over. Autumn's very lovely face turned angry in an instant as her scowl deepened even more and for a moment, he thought she might throw the remote at him. Instead, she just dropped it loudly onto his table and glared nastily at him.

You expect me to be absent, is that it? You don't want me around your friends; you're ashamed to be seen with me now? Logan could sense one of their legendary blowouts coming on, so he put his feet down, sat up, and put his hands in his short, dirty blond hair.

Baby, that's not it at all, I'm not ashamed of you. It's just that I've spent a lot of time with you lately and I've been blowing off my friends to do it. Tully isn't fairing so well with the guys, and I'm throwing this casual get together to try and help smooth things out. Autumn didn't like this explanation any better than the first one, and it was then he realized that she was trying to pick a fight with him. She threw her hands up in the air with a very dramatic flair.

Oh, I see, everything is about Tully, he's so pathetic, and you keep letting him drag you down! Sometimes I think you care more about your friendship with him than you do our relationship! Autumn's screeching had reached a heightened level of high-pitched, and he snapped. Logan reached a breaking point and decided to end the conversation. He stood up from his perch on the couch and stuffed his hands in his pockets.

Autumn, I can't do this with you anymore. You don't trust me, you're clingy, and I sometimes think you do this shit on purpose. I care about you a lot, babe, but you're always riding me because I want to spend time with my friends. So, with that being said, I think we ought to just call this a day and let it end. Her eyes widened at his harsh statement, and for just a moment, he thought about taking them back. He hated breaking up with girls because he always felt like a jerk afterwards. Her big brown eyes got even more intense as they filled with tears, making them shine like a China doll. She took a step forward which let him know what was coming because she’d done this before.

Please don’t say that Logan, I know you don’t mean it. We’re meant for each other, and you know it! You’re just mad at me right now, and I completely understand why. However, we shouldn’t just end it like this. She started squeaking, but the tears had nearly evaporated…something she was so good at. He pursed his lips, bracing his nerves for the outburst that was sure to follow his statement.

Look, I like you, but I don’t think you’re the one for me, and I’m sure as hell not the right guy for you. I’m sorry to sound so blunt, but we’ve been headed down this road for a while now. I think you know this. Her head jerked back at this; her face twisted in her rage. She bent down and snatched his water glass off his table and hurled it at his skull. He swore as he ducked his head just in time, but he couldn’t avoid the remote control that pegged him squarely in the jaw. Out of things to throw at him, she walked over to his mantelpiece and plucked his police academy graduation photo from the shelf. Logan was beyond pissed at this point, so he stalked over to where she stood and gave her his most intense police officer glare.

Dammit Autumn, put that right the hell down this instant, or I’ll arrest you myself for assault and destruction of property. She just smirked at him and slammed the picture down onto the ground, shattering the glass frame