Prologue - Three Cards (Part 5)

Why did she have to exist? Why mess up a lifetime of comfort and freedom he had built up after so much suffering? He was proud of who she was and the things he had done. Never in his life had he allowed life's pitfalls to stop him. He had struggled with poverty, fear, uncertainty... Why did that curse have to be stronger than all that? Why did that woman have to be standing right there, making him want to surrender to everything he hated the most? Why did she make him want to let himself be carried away by that imposition of fate? It seemed so easy, so tempting: he had only to hold out his hand and she would enter his life. They would form a family, as Diana had with Paul, and she would forever become the center of his universe, as Megan was Devon's—damn it, in just one second, she'd already become the center of his universe, no matter how much. he hated to admit it. He would come to believe in true love and magic, like his family. He would stop calling a curse a curse and thank the family legacy for bringing Missy Sutton to him.

And he wouldn't even remember that it all happened against his will.

No, it wasn't true. He remembered. He remembered his hatred, his revulsion at losing his ability to choose. And that's what saved him, at least in part. A good part of his mind was occupied by thoughts of that damned girl, but not all of her. Part of him still reasoned. Part of him was still there, not erased by that false love that had taken root in his soul. The curse was strong, but luckily his willpower was too. He could still fight it all.

He would fight it all. Against that cursed legacy. Against this woman, who was now the embodiment of everything he despised most.

His body, soul, heart and mind might be intoxicated forever, but he wouldn't let himself be swayed by what they were begging for right now: her. Because Logan Knight was master of his own destiny. He would always make his own choices. And all those stupid stories that had been in the family for generations could go to hell

Because it didn't matter if that girl was his soul mate, his fated love, or any other shit like that.

He had chosen to stay away from her. And he would.

That excruciating feeling of pain that gripped him at the thought of walking away from her could go to hell too.

- Hi. – Megan's sister greeted everyone around and her sweet and silky voice made him want to purr; an almost uncontrollable instinct, which made him hate her even more – It's a pleasure to finally meet you.

Damn it, he couldn't stay here, seeing her smile like that. Otherwise, he would do something he would surely regret later, like kiss her or ask her to marry him. Suddenly feeling like a caged animal – one that was inexplicably trying to resist the juiciest prey of all – he dropped his gaze to the ground, irritated to find that even that wasn't helping. Not only did her presence feel almost solid around him, drawing him in like a magnet, but he also felt his neck quivering, trying to get him to look at her again.

- I need to go. He forced the words out of his throat and they came out in a dry, possessed growl.

- Are you okay, my son? - Daniel, who for being sitting in the wheelchair could see his furious expression more easily, even if Logan was almost with his chin glued to his chest to disguise his reactions, asked, worried. And even without looking at them, Logan could feel his family turning all their attention to him.

- I have to go. – unable to stand to stay a single second longer in that place, knowing that he was losing control over himself more and more and could give in to the temptation to take that woman in his arms at any moment, Logan gave up trying to pretend any normality and hurried on. out of his parents' house, almost running past the Sutton sisters to reach the inside of the house and finally get away from it all.

However, even though he managed to contain his desire to pull Missy close to him as he passed beside her, he still wasn't strong enough to stop himself from looking at her one last time. And the scared expression in her pretty pale face, her cheeks flushed against her long dark hair... It made him feel like he was swimming against the strongest of currents, having to fight the excruciating urge to go back out there and do it. anything to replace that fear with a smile.

But he didn't. And he never would.

Getting into his car like he was being chased by hellfire, Logan drove away from that place, trying his best to ignore the uneasiness growing inside him, as if there was a current pulling him in the opposite direction, back to his sister. Megan. But he wouldn't budge. He would spend that day away from Melissa Sutton. I mean, the week. Or rather, the month.

Damn, what was he thinking? He had to spend the rest of his entire life away from her.

And he would. Of course yes. There was no doubt. Logan Knight was determined enough to get what he wanted.

All he needed now was to find a way to forget that so much of him wanted Missy Sutton.