Page 49 of A Reputation Dark & Deadly

Chapter 13

After her classesand her TA slot with Logan, Peyton told Logan she was going to go grocery shopping and would meet up with him later that evening. He didn’t even question her, which made her feel guilty. She wished she could tell him the truth, she wished he would understand, but she knew that wasn't possible and she didn't want to get into it with him again. He wouldn't understand the importance of having a sibling. She was close to her brother - currently still living at home and going to a junior college because he had no idea what he wanted to study and was currently "finding himself" - and made sure to hang out with him every time she went home - which was at least three or four times a month. In fact, she was planning on showing up for Thanksgiving in a couple of weeks. A Thanksgiving she was still contemplating about whether or not to invite Logan to. She wanted him there, of course. And she knew he would be by himself if she didn't, which was perfectly fine with him, but still...

Peyton thought it might be a little too soon to invite him over to meet her family. She didn't want to scare him off.

Logan doesn't scare easily, she pointed out to herself and she slid into the driver's seat of her car. As evidenced by my fake marriage proposal he didn't deny.

Her face turned red just thinking about that. She couldn't believe she hadn't paused for a moment to really think about what she was going to say before she said it and then it came out like she wanted to marry him. Peyton could barely wrap her head around Logan coming over for Thanksgiving, marriage wasn't even something sure she wanted. She barely lost her virginity for crying out loud.

But...

But.

At least she knew he was open to it. Maybe?

"Just stop thinking about it and focus on what you're going to do," Peyton said, starting the car.

She was going to see Brandon. She had Karla's number in her phone from that initial meeting at the cafe and didn't have a reason to use it until then.

Calling Karla was awkward and she had a feeling Karla was going to rat her out to Logan the minute they hung up. At first, Karla didn't know who Peyton was up until the point that Peyton mentioned she was Logan's TA.

"Logan told me about you stopping by and Brandon wanting to apologize," Peyton said. Her voice wanted to shake, she knew she shouldn't be doing this, but she wanted to at least try to make things right between Logan and his brother. They didn't have to be best friends or anything but she didn't want to be the reason they weren't on speaking terms anymore.

"Logan told you about that?" Karla asked slowly, not quite sounding as though she believed her.

Peyton restrained herself from rolling her eyes. "We do communicate, Karla," she pointed out, hoping her voice didn't come out with too much attitude. However, Peyton made sure to point out that Logan did talk to her about stuff, which she knew was more than he did for anyone else. It was somewhat petty, but Peyton wanted to remind Karla that she was different and that she actually meant something to Logan and that Karla better stay in her goddamn lane.

"Of course." Karla's voice sounded strained, like she didn't want to quite admit that Logan and Peyton actually had a different relationship when compared to anyone else. "He said you could meet him, then?"

Peyton pressed her lips together. Admitting that he didn't know that was her plan would just go against her statement about communication. But lying and saying that of course he knew might compel Karla to tell Logan what was happening, and that might piss him off more than anything, hearing what she was planning to do from someone else. Especially something Peyton knew he didn't want her to do at all.

"So maybe you don't communicate about everything, eh?" Karla asked, and Peyton could hear the smirk in her tone, a smirk that Peyton wanted nothing more than to slap off her face.

Which surprised her, considering Peyton wasn't violent at all.

Until Logan came into her life and completely changed everything.

"Where does he want to meet me?" Peyton asked, ignoring Karla's jab. She still could not believe that Karla wanted Logan to sleep with Peyton so he could realize she was a virgin and want nothing to do with her. Karla seemed genuinely nice, like she was warning her about Logan when they first met, but Peyton realized she was as manipulative as Logan said she was. She needed to be careful because she didn't want to get herself caught up in some kind of trap. She didn't know exactly what kind of trap that might be but she was ready for anything when it came to Karla.

"Old Newport," Karla said. "After hours. I'll call and tell him you'd be available around nine. Would that work?"

No, a voice inside of her all but screamed. Hell, no. This is wrong. It's sketchy. Don't do it. Logan doesn't even like Brandon. Stay out of this.

"That's fine," Peyton forced herself to say.

"Good," Karla replied. "He'll see you tonight."

Peyton hung up and glanced around. Logan wasn't in her dorm room. He had no idea what she was planning to do and he couldn't stop her even if he did. She closed her eyes and laid back on her bed. She was getting way too deep and she needed to take a breath and stop the world for just a minute.

This is not a good idea, the voice pointed out. I know you think you're helping Logan but Logan has barely talked about Brandon to you for a reason. He does not want help. He does not want to deal with Brandon in any capacity.

"I know," Peyton murmured to herself, her eyes still closed. "I know. But I don't want Brandon to use me as an excuse for why his relationship with Logan is shit. It's shit because of them, not because of me."

They know that! the voice pointed out. You have nothing to prove!

But Peyton's mind was already made up and there was no changing it.

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