Unknown (Hooked Book 3)
Unknown
Hooked #3
Charity Parkerson
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--Warning: This book is intended for readers over the age of 18.
Copyright © 2016 Charity Parkerson
Cover Design by Cover Couture
Photographer: Jeff Horner Photography
Model: Tim McComsey
Photo: albund / Shutterstock
All rights reserved.
Malik loves hating Logan… or hates loving Logan. Hell, even he doesn’t know.
Three years ago, Malik met the man of his dreams. Everything stopped for him, so his world could revolve around Logan. Eight months ago, Logan walked away, leaving Malik with one burning question—why?
No man on the planet has ever stolen Logan’s heart the way Malik has. As much as Malik claims he loves Logan, Logan knows the truth. He’ll always come second to Malik’s boxing career, but that’s not why Logan left. He has his reasons, and he can’t share them with Malik. But a love this real and strong, it won’t be denied.
When Malik finally learns the truth, he’ll stop at nothing to win back the man he’s barely surviving without. But even Malik doesn’t know if there are enough words of love to overcome the hatred he’s spewed these past months. When his friend, Ryan, steps in, determined to help, Malik reluctantly accepts. But will Ryan become the glue holding them together, or will he tear them apart?
An up-and-coming fighter, with a marriage on the mend, and a friend who wants in the middle in the most delicious ways… it’s a future
Unknown
.
Chapter 1
March…
“Have you ever been or are you currently in an abusive relationship?”
Malik snorted at the asinine question. “No.”
The male nurse who couldn’t have been more than twenty-two, scratched something out on the notepad in his hands before focusing on Malik once more. “Are you being held against your will?”
Malik looked around, searching for hidden cameras. “Is this a joke? Are you fucking kidding me right now?”
The nurse’s gaze moved over Malik’s bruised and battered body. “I assure you, these are standard questions, Mr. Harris.”
“Are they?” Malik asked, hearing the aggravation in his tone. “Because I have to say, no one’s ever asked me this bullshit before, and I spend a lot of time at the ER. A lot.”
The guy’s bland expression never faltered. “I could get you the number to a place where they help people like you get out of bad situations.”
Shifting positions, Malik opened his mouth ready to blast his unwanted champion when the door to his room flew open. Logan strolled through, stealing the oxygen Malik needed to argue. It had been three months since he’d last set eyes on Logan’s gorgeous blue eyes. His perfect body and blond hair always turned heads everywhere he went. At one time, Logan’s presence alone was enough to fix every fucking thing in Malik’s world. Now, Malik knew the truth. Logan’s beauty masked an ugly heart.
“Jesus, just what I need. What are you doing here?”
Logan’s gaze moved over Malik. His expression gave nothing away. “I’m still listed as your emergency contact.”
“I’ll be sure to fix that. You’re free to go.”
Snagging a chair with his foot, Logan dragged it closer to Malik’s bed and sat. “Shut up, babe,” Logan said before focusing on the nurse. “What’s your name?”
The guy visibly swallowed. “James.”
Logan’s smile turned sexy in a way that never failed to get the man his way. “What’s the prognosis, James?”
James glanced between Logan and Malik. His nervousness fled and his shoulders squared as he focused on Malik. “I’ll go get that number for you.”
Malik bit back a groan as the man scurried from the room, leaving Malik alone with Logan. His eyes skirted Logan’s way without his permission. Logan’s hair was shaved on the sides and thick on top. It stood on end, making Malik want to run his fingers through it. That thought pissed him off.
“For real, why are you here?”
Instead of cowering, as any sane man would have, Logan’s face softened. “I told you—I’m still listed as your emergency contact. Are you okay? Sam said you were out cold for much longer than usual. You scared the shit out of me, baby. Don’t do that shit. You know my heart can’t take it.”
Crueler words had never been spoken than the ones leaving Logan’s lips—lips he’d loved to kiss, lingered over. Crossing his arms over his chest, Malik looked away. He needed to protect his heart. “It’s just a concussion. I’m sure it won’t be the last. See? No big deal. Feel free to leave.”
Before Logan had time to respond, the door opened, and the doctor made his appearance. He took one look at Logan and reached past Malik with his hand outstretched.
“I’m Dr. Lynch. Are you here to take Malik home?”
“Logan,” Logan said, introducing himself. “And yes, I’ll make sure he’s taken care of for the night.”
“Good,” Dr. Lynch said, before pulling out his pen light and shining it in Malik’s eyes, and making Malik’s stomach churn. “He needs to take it easy for the next few days. No gym, no sports, minimal TV and video games. I’ve also called in a prescription for anti-nausea medication, just in case. He needs someone closely monitoring him. If his headache becomes unbearable, or he seems confused, you’ll need to bring him back immediately.”
Logan nodded as if he fully intended to follow Dr. Lynch’s orders to the letter. No way in hell would Malik allow Logan to care for him. He’d rather die.
“When can I take him home?”
Malik couldn’t breathe. Logan was serious. He planned to take Malik home.
The doctor smiled, oblivious to Malik’s inner turmoil. “As soon as I get you to sign some papers, saying you’ll stay with him for at least the next twenty-four hours, he’ll be yours.”
He’ll be yours.
The knife in Malik’s heart twisted. Usually, it was no more than a dull ache. Tonight, injured and with Logan sitting at his side, every tumultuous emotion he’d experienced since losing Logan came rushing back to the surface. The betrayal. The heartache. The loneliness. As the doctor and Logan spoke, Malik stared at Logan, incapable of looking away. Even the way his jaw moved with each word leaving his lips, fascinated Malik. He’d kissed every inch of Logan at some point. They’d been together for three years, as if they were meant to stay that way forever. That is, until the day Logan texted him, saying they were over. Indeed, he’d come home from an out-of-state match to find their house void of any sign of the man who’d meant everything to him. If only Logan had stayed gone. Maybe Malik wouldn’t hate him, but no. Logan still loved using Malik’s body whenever he chose to reappear. Malik’s heart had been shredded so many times by the sexy man at his side, he didn’t even recognize himself any longer.
Malik switched his attention to the doctor, hoping to hang onto an ounce of pride. Dr. Lynch watched Logan with the same hunger Malik felt every time he set eyes on Logan. Malik’s heart sank. It was always the same. Logan’s ice-blue eyes, blond hair, and small frame made him the target of every horny dude for miles.
“If you step out into the hall with me, I’ll find you a brochure on head injuries and how best to care for them.”
Logan moved as if he meant to stand. Jesus. He was such an idiot. Logan never knew when people were flirting with him. Flipping his pride the bird, Malik threw his hand out and snagged Logan’s arm, stopping him. His gaze never wavered from the doctor’s. Malik wanted him to see the many ways he’d die if he continued down this path.
“Logan has enough of those pamphlets to paper our living room.” Logan didn’t correct him. It hadn’t been their living room in eight months.
“Huh. That many pamphlets yet you’re still here.” He stopped short of calling Malik an idiot, but Malik gathered it was understood.
“If you don’t mind, we’d really like to go home,” Logan said, sounding sweet as he cut in.
Dr. Lynch’s gaze moved between them. His expression made it more than clear he didn’t understand what Logan saw in Malik, but his features softened as he finally focused on Logan.
“Of course, I imagine all this must be exhausting.”
He couldn’t land a charge tonight. That was the only thought keeping Malik from doing just that. Logan held his smile until Dr. Lynch left them alone. The moment the door closed behind him, shutting them away from the world, Logan turned a concerned look his way. His gaze moved over Malik’s face in a way that had Malik’s throat tightening.
“Are you okay? Seriously?”
In spite of his feelings for Logan, Malik couldn’t ignore the genuine distress in Logan’s tone. “Yeah. You know I’m invincible.”
Logan looked away and visibly swallowed. “Yeah.”
It was almost funny how Logan couldn’t look someone in the eye and lie, considering how thoroughly he’d eviscerated Malik’s life. The question popped out before Malik could call it back. “What are you doing here, really?”
A small smile touched Logan’s lips. “Would you rather I call your mom?”
“Fuck, no.” His reaction came too swiftly to temper it, and Logan knew him too well. If anyone worried more about his health than Logan, it was Malik’s mom. The nagging phone calls would never end if she caught wind of this.
The nosy nurse reappeared with discharge papers in hand. He passed Malik a pamphlet on domestic abuse along with his paperwork. Malik bit back a sigh. While shorter than most of his other visits, this trip to the ER had been jam-packed with fun. Malik was three times the size of Logan. Only a dumbass would think the man capable of physically hurting Malik. Mentally, that was another story. Maybe he’d keep the leaflet after all.
Tossing his legs over the edge of the bed, Malik moved to stand. A wave of dizziness overcame him. Logan rushed to his side and eased him back down. The concern written on Logan’s face had the muscles in Malik’s stomach twisting into knots. Weakness was an odd emotion. When it hit, it rained down every single instance at once, making Malik a basket case. The desire to beg Logan to tell him why he’d left—why he’d thrown away every wonderful thing they had together, rose up in Malik’s chest. He ground his teeth to keep it from happening.