Saving Savannah - A Reverse Harem Romance, page 16
What occurred next happened so fast, it took my mind a moment to register. A man slid into the booth, directly across from me. A man with dark, greasy hair. Almond-shaped eyes, turned up at the edges…
Every last hair stood up on the back of my neck. All the blood in my veins turned to ice.
Casually, the man plucked a straw from the table and dropped it into the nearest glass. His eyes never left mine as he bent low for a sip.
“Hello there… Julia.”
Forty-Five
SAVANNAH
It was like my arms and legs weighed a thousand pounds each. Every ounce of joy and resolve in my body just melted away.
“Imagine running into you here,” the man across from me sneered. “A diner, of all places.”
I tried to swallow, but I couldn’t. There was a knot in my throat the size of a grapefruit.
“I have to say, ‘Savannah’ was a real cute choice of a name.” He snorted. “A stupid choice, because it’s one of the ways I actually found you. But a cute choice, nonetheless.”
Somehow I managed a shaky, shuddering breath. My body was frozen. My voice, a fraction of its normal volume.
“What do you want, Louden?” I squeaked.
“Oh, you know what I want,” he said matter of factly. Louden reached out and plucked the hat from my head, only to settle it casually on his own. “Right now it’s only a matter of giving it up.”
I couldn’t move, couldn’t flinch. I wanted to get away as fast and as far as possible — just let my flight instinct kick in, and totally roll with it.
But his eyes…
Like always, his eyes kept me glued to my chair.
“I… I don’t have—”
“No, no,” Louden interjected. “Of course not. That would be too easy, right? Besides, where would you put them?” His eyes strayed downward, to the low-cut cleavage of my sexy witch’s costume. He chuckled gruffly. “I don’t suppose they’re in there now, are they?”
I shook my head.
“You sure?” Still staring at my tits, he leaned back into the booth, wholly comfortable. “Did you need me to check?”
“I don’t have them,” I said. “Not now. Not here.”
“Then where?” said Louden sternly. “And when?”
I gulped hard, but the knot still wouldn’t go down.
“Better hurry. Your little friends are coming back.”
I glanced over my shoulder and noticed the guys had left the bathroom. They were talking amongst each other, still laughing. Heading this way…
“Julia!”
The snarled edge to Louden’s voice snapped me back to reality. It was his dark voice. The one I always hated.
“I said, where are the—”
“Hey…”
The guys stood around the table now, staring down at us curiously. Or more specifically, wondering why my witch’s hat was now resting on Louden’s head.
“Is this guy bothering you?” asked Roman.
Louden laughed, so long and so loud that half the people in the diner turned to stare. The guys just looked at each other, in total confusion. Their next move was to look at me.
“I— I—”
Louden slid from the seat, moving with his usual snake-like efficiency. Putting on his brightest, fakest smile, he jovially extended one hand.
“I’m sorry, Savannah here has no manners!” He threw me a sideways glance as he smeared my name. “The name’s Louden. I’m one of her… friends.”
The guys hesitated for a moment, sensing something was off. One by one, they shook his hand anyway.
“Actually I’m the ex-boyfriend,” Louden admitted with a sigh. “But that’s my fault.” He shrugged theatrically. “You know how it is. You never truly know the good ones until you let them get away.”
Once again, he shot me a dirty look as he emphasized those last two words. It happened so fast, I wondered if the others even saw it.
“Your ex-boyfriend, huh?” said Erik, weighing the statement. "All the way up here. In Salem.”
“Yeah,” Zane jumped in. “What are you doing all the way up here anyway?”
Louden slipped on a mask of surprise. “What? She didn’t tell you?”
“No,” said Roman, shifting his weight from one leg to the other.
“She invited me.”
Now the guys glanced to me, waiting on an answer. Looking for me to clear this up, or somehow explain it. My heart was hammering so hard, it felt like it would come out of my chest.
“She called me earlier in the week,” Louden went on. “Told me to come up. She said we had some things to talk about…”
“Is that right?” asked Erik.
“Yes,” Louden smiled. “That’s exactly right.”
The guys were poised defensively now, hands on their hips, arms folded across their chests. But Louden stood his ground. He smirked back at them, looking casual and comfortable. Not in the least bit intimidated by them.
“I don’t want to interrupt your celebration, though,” said Louden, “so I’ll take off. Leave you to your little… costume party.”
He flicked the brim of the hat with two fingers, then looked the guys up and down. His mouth twisted into a sneer of derision. I wanted to punch his teeth out.
“I’ll come by tomorrow,” said Louden, addressing me directly. “At the shop, of course. What’d you name it? The All-Seeing Eye?”
My fear was fading, and anger was seeping in to take its place. I said nothing, though. I didn’t dare.
“Yeah, I’m pretty sure that’s it.”
Moving swiftly and suddenly, Louden took the hat from his head and fitted it back upon mine. As he did, he leaned in just close enough to hiss part of a sentence into my ear:
“You’d better bring it…”
My jaw was clenching and unclenching.
“Nice to meet y’all,” said Louden, over-playing his accent. “And have fun tonight!”
His grin was a thousand teeth. He kept it plastered across his face, all the way to the door. And for his entire walk to the exit, the guys watched him.
“Savannah…”
I looked up, and they’d slid back into their seats. Their faces were curious, but not angry. More concerned than anything else.
“Savannah, what’s wrong?”
I couldn’t face them. Couldn’t bare to look into their eyes. It felt like everything was coming crashing down. All at once.
“I— I have to go.”
All of a sudden I couldn’t be there. I jumped up, sliding over Erik who was seated beside me. The guys moved to get up as well, but I pushed them back into the booth with both arms.
“Please, just… I need to… to get out of here…”
“Okay then,” said Roman. “Let us come with yo—”
“NO.”
I spun away, as the tears began to fall. They streamed down my cheeks. Fell to the diner’s dirty checkered floor, as I pushed my way through the glass door and into the street.
I walked as fast as I could, in the most random direction. Listening for the sound of footfalls on pavement. Hoping not one of them followed me, or tried to get me to stop.
Thankfully, none of them did.
Forty-Six
SAVANNAH
I stayed up all night. Wide awake, until the crack of dawn.
Sleep was impossible, with everything running through my mind. I’d gotten home and double-locked the door. Then I’d checked it and re-checked it, while pacing my apartment.
Stupid!
I couldn’t sit down, I couldn’t stand up. No matter what I tried, I was totally unable to sit still for even a full minute, all while trying to think of my next move…
So, so stupid.
It was unbelievable, that Louden had found me. But was it really? I’d been careful, but not meticulous. I’d opened the same shop, with almost the same name. And I’d done it in one of the places you’d probably look first, if you were searching for such a thing.
And then there was the topic of my name. Choosing ‘Savannah’ was haughty and overconfident. The worst of blunders. I’d chosen the very city I’d fled from, to pay homage to it. Not even stopping to think that for someone looking to find me, it would be one of the biggest red flags.
Of course, it was equally foolish to think Louden had stopped looking. Not after what I’d taken. And what I’d done…
Dawn came, and drove away most of the more nightmarish scenarios and intrusive thoughts. I forced myself to sit down in the kitchen and go over my options. During the process I had three cups of coffee, one after the other.
You should go now. Right now.
It was my gut reaction — my first thought. But wasn’t it always? I’d used it as a solution again and again, to keep ahead of the game. Running had brought me nothing but uncertainty and loneliness. And besides, it wasn’t really a solution. Only a band-aid.
Maybe. But this… this is different.
Bitterly I had to acknowledge that one little fact. Different in that I’d thrown down roots. Different in that this time, I really had something to lose.
Three somethings.
FUCK.
Four, if you count the business.
There were more voices in my head than ever, and they were all arguing against each other. All of them gave good advice or bad advice, depending on how you looked at it.
Other people are at stake, Julia. It’s not just about you this time.
I sunk my head into my hands. This was the kicker, really. That no matter how I handled Louden, he’d never be satisfied. Even if I gave him what he wanted, it wouldn’t be enough. Especially not now…
And what would come next? He’d go after the people closest to me, as he always did. Friends, co-workers… the people I cared about. And this time…
… even the people I loved.
No, I wouldn’t allow that. I couldn’t live with myself if I even tried taking a chance on it.
Suddenly I had my answer. It wasn’t the answer I wanted — it never was. But it was definitely the plan I needed to hear myself say.
Jumping out of my chair, I dumped the rest of my coffee into the sink and bolted into my bedroom. I knew where I was going, and what I had to do.
Now if only I had enough time to do it.
Forty-Seven
SAVANNAH
I snuck into my own goddamn shop. Crept inside like a thief, checking both sides of the street before inserting the key silently into the lock.
The first real light of dawn had cracked the sky, showering everything in this strange, amber light. I wouldn’t be open for hours. Louden would come early though, I knew that much.
And I sure as shit didn’t plan on being here.
The back room was darker than the front of the store, and I wasn’t about to turn on the light. I could see well enough though. Everything from the belongings I still kept here to the still-ruffled bedroll, sprawled across the floor.
My mind wanted to float back to last night. To mull over all the delicious things my three boyfriends had done to me on that bedroll, lifting my witch’s skirts and taking me all at once.
But I couldn’t think about that now. If I did, I’d only start crying again.
I made my way to the far corner, and slid the lowest shelving unit aside. It took a moment to wedge myself into the space I’d created. Another half minute for my fingernails to catch the edge of the spackle tape, and peel it slowly back away from the patch in the wall.
What are you going to do, asshole?
The piece of sheetrock attached to the tape popped free. I slid it aside.
Think you can run forever?
The hole was dark and dusty. I slid my hand into it. Felt my fingers close over the soft, worn leather…
This is stupid.
Grunting, I pulled out the satchel. It was a bit bigger than I remembered it.
Almost as stupid as calling yourself Savannah.
I unzipped it. Its contents sparkled even in the half-light.
Almost even as stupid as falling in love.
Usually I took what I needed from it. This time, I took it all.
Taking. That’s really what you’re best at, isn’t it?
The voice in my head was making me angry now. I was good at looking out for myself, that was for sure. Good at running. Good at moving, and laying low, and staying hidden. Shit, I was even good at starting over.
But—
Wincing, I pushed any self-chastising thoughts away. Then I unzipped the satchel all the way, and began stuffing it with everything I’d brought.
It was sad though, because I’d only brought the bare minimum.
“Fuck,” I muttered into the shadowy silence. “Fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck fuck FUCK!”
The bare essentials. Traveling light. Moving quickly, using mass transit. Paying cash. Keeping my head down…
For a brief moment I wondered what the guys would think. It almost choked me to tears. Would they ever understand that something was very, very wrong? Or would they assume the worst — that my ex-boyfriend just happened to show up in Salem, a thousand miles north of his home. That, plus the not-so-conspicuous fact that I disappeared with him the very next day…
But no, I wasn’t doing this for myself. I was doing it for them. Whether they realized it or not didn’t matter — all that mattered is they’d be safe.
They could think what they wanted of me. In fact, hating me for leaving might even help them move on.
My hands moved quickly and angrily, shoving the rest of my meager belongings into the old satchel. I don’t even know why I’d kept it. I fucking hated the satchel. It was the last thing tying me to—
DING DING!
I froze, instantly, at the sound of the front door bells. My heart leapt into my throat.
“Hello?”
I struggled to recognize the voice, as control over my limbs were returned to me. It wasn’t Erik, or Zane, or Roman’s voice. It wasn’t Louden either.
But…
“C’mon now, don’t play games. I saw you come in.”
I finished stuffing the bag, then zipped it up. Moving slowly, silently, I made my way to the edge of the doorway.
“There’s no back door anymore,” the man said, maybe even a little proudly. “It’s bolted tight from the outside. So you may as well just—”
Suddenly a hand reached out, moving so quickly it made me cry out. The man grabbed me roughly by the hair. His fingers rolled into a tight fist as he pulled me through the doorway and into the light.
“Ah, there, you are!” he laughed evilly. The man pulled again, twisting his wrist at the same time. It jerked my neck painfully sideways, even as I felt dozens of hairs being ripped violently free of my scalp.
I fell to my knees, screaming into my empty storefront.
“It’s way past time you and I had a talk…”
Forty-Eight
SAVANNAH
The hand stayed locked on my hair for another few seconds. It wasn’t until I stopped moving, stopped struggling, that he finally let go.
“You’re not too smart, Julia,” the man sneered. “Did you think we wouldn’t watch this place? And did you really think he’d come alone?”
I looked up slowly into the scowling face of Jarrett. He pulled a swath of greasy hair back from one side of his face, and my eyes went wide.
“Besides, someone’s got to pay for this.”
Jarrett’s entire right cheek and part of his forehead were mottled with ugly pink scars. They extended down to his lip, and even criss-crossed his neck.
“That windshield did a number on me,” he snarled. “Buckling your seatbelt. Steering us straight into that telephone pole…” His right eye twitched in remembrance. “It was a ballsy fucking move, I’ll give you that.”
I tried to look away, but I couldn’t. Jarrett. Here. After all this time.
“Now get up.”
I rose, and saw the lock pick gun resting on my counter. I should’ve realized that’s how he got in. It was always his favorite tool.
“Where’s Louden?” I asked.
“Not here.”
“But—”
“He’ll be here soon enough,” Jarrett snarled, already out of patience. “But for now…” his dark irises flared. “It’s just me and you.”
I found myself backing up uncomfortably. For every step I took, he took one as well.
“So where are they?”
I shook my head. “Not here.”
His eyes scanned me, top to bottom, in all the most terrible ways. Eventually they fell on the satchel, still resting in the doorway.
“Holy shit.”
Seeing the satchel was like seeing a ghost. I could see it in his eyes.
“You gotta be kidding me.”
Shoving me aside, Jarrett took three steps and hefted the overstuffed bag. Then he upended it, spilling its contents everywhere.
Clothes, underwear, two stacks of twenties — all of it got dumped unceremoniously across my counter. Jarrett pocketed the money reflexively, then kept looking. It took him a full minute of sifting through my things to realize what he was searching for wasn’t there.
“Fuck me, Julia,” he snarled angrily. “Where are they?”
“I told you… they’re not—”
“You’ve already said they’re not here!” Jarrett cried in frustration. “I can see that for myself! Now tell me where they actually are, and—”
He stopped mid-sentence, and I noticed he was staring down. Scattered across my things were several small pieces of broken glass. Tempered glass. Tiny, spider-webbed chunks of it.
My heart sank.
“Still got pieces of the windshield in here,” Louden laughed bitterly. He flung the satchel to the floor while absently touching his face. “Well ain’t that a kick in the ass.”
He stomped toward me, and I shied immediately away from him. Uncharacteristically, he stopped himself. I watched as he took a long, deep breath and struggled to maintain control.
