Saving Savannah - A Reverse Harem Romance, page 19
Suddenly I saw Jarrett’s eyes go wide, and his head jerk back in surprise. Someone had him by the hair.
Zane.
He was still woozy and groggy, and still covered in blood. But he was strong anyway. He yanked Jarrett all the way backwards, wrapping his legs around him to control his body. His forearms went around Jarrett’s neck and head, then squeezed him hard, into a tight chokehold.
Oh my God...
Jarrett’s eyes went almost instantly bloodshot. He scrambled with his hands, trying to pry Zane’s grip with his fingers. But the choke was too deep. He was locked too tightly to do anything, other than let his eyes roll back into the inevitable state of unconsciousness.
By the time Zane let go, Jarrett was a shade of purple that just about matched the shadows. He sat up with some effort, swaying back and forth as he smiled at me weakly.
“Zane…” I breathed. I was relieved and grateful, but only for a moment. “ZANE LOOK OUT—”
A half-second later, Louden’s baton — or club, or pipe, or whatever it was — came down across the back of Zane’s poor head. He slumped sideways across Jarrett, who was still not moving.
“ASSHOLE!”
Louden was standing over us, legs spread for balance. He was heaving from all the exertion, his chest rising and falling. But he was also grinning.
Erik…
I couldn’t see my other lover, which could only mean one thing. One very, very bad thing.
“Hi Julia,” Louden cackled. His bottom lip was split in half. I could see blood on his teeth. “About time we talked, don’t you think?”
I scrambled backwards on my ass and elbows, but Louden took one step forward. He glanced at Jarrett and shook his head in disgust.
“Useless as always,” he spat, blood-infused saliva dripping from one corner of his mouth. “You know the best part of this whole thing being over? Not having to deal with him anymore.”
“I have the emeralds,” I said, trying to stay calm. “I’ve been trying to give them to you—”
“You have some of the stones,” Louden interrupted. “Or so I’ve been told. I figured you’d sell a few of them while you were on the run. I was hoping you knew what you were doing, though.”
I reached into my pocket to pull out the pouch and immediately felt a weight being lifted. I’d been carrying it around with me everywhere I went, every single day.
“This whole thing could’ve been avoided,” said Louden, “if only—”
“You pulled a gun on me,” I snarled. “Let’s not forget about that part.”
My ex-boyfriend opened his mouth to say something, then stopped. Whatever it was, it was no big loss. It was sure to be a lie anyway.
“Take this,” I said, holding out the pouch. “And leave me alone.”
My words were pleading. But his eyes were hard.
“This should’ve been simple, Julia,” he said. “You made it so, so complicated.”
“I saved your life,” I told him. “Dragged you from the car.”
“You almost got me caught,” he added bitterly. “I barely escaped. Dragged myself off with four broken ribs, just as the police and ambulances showed up.”
“But…”
He raised his arm, and with it, the weapon. It was long and sinister. My sentence died in my throat.
“If you hadn’t crashed the car,” he said sadly, shaking his head. His expression was utterly terrifying. Devoid of remorse.
He raised the weapon even higher. The muscles in his arm went tight.
“If only you’d—”
My hand went up defensively. But then he stopped, and the strangest look came over his eyes. It was a look I’d never seen before, in all the years I’d known him. A look of confusion… mixed in with something completely unexpected.
Then Louden dropped to the ground like a marionette whose strings had been cut.
Slowly I lowered my arm, and saw the man standing behind him. It was someone I knew but didn’t know.
A man with dark hair and wild eyebrows… and the weirdest, turned-up nose.
Fifty-Five
SAVANNAH
“Simon?”
My expression was total and complete confusion. The man standing over me — and apparently my savior — was the same guy who’d broken my shop window.
And holy shit… he just might be holding a brick.
“A—Are you okay?”
Simon reached down for me, and I took his hand. Moving slowly, he helped me to my feet.
“Yeah… I’m good. I… I think—”
Zane rose, and I flung myself into his arms. He was still bleeding, but he felt sturdy now. Solid.
“Erik…”
We turned, and Erik was already limping over. He was favoring one side. Dragging his left foot, while rubbing his head. He looked worried until he saw Louden’s crumpled form, slumped over Jarrett. Both men were unconscious.
“What the hell happened?”
“He did,” I said, “jerking a thumb toward Simon. I still don’t know how, though.”
All eyes went to the man from Madam Zingara’s place. Our former enemy… and somehow, new ally.
“I saw you leaving your shop,” Simon shrugged. “You headed this way, but then I heard you scream. And I— I figured you might need—”
I stepped in close and hugged him tight. So tight that he dropped the cobble he was still holding, which clattered to the street.
“You’re pretty handy with a brick, aren’t you?”
He let out an awkward laugh. “Well, I guess—”
“Thank you,” I interrupted him, with all my heart. “So much… thank you.”
The hand that landed on his shoulder was Zane’s. The other, Erik’s. Both men shook his hand vigorously, as we all stepped back to survey the damage.
“Did you… uh… know these guys?” asked Simon.
“Something like that,” I said.
“Oh.”
“Simon,” said Erik. “We’re about to call the police. Do you wanna be here for that, or…”
The man’s eyes lingered on the blood-stained cobble, down near his feet. “Not particularly,” he said.
“That’s fine. You should probably head out then.”
He backed away, giving us one last nod before heading back up the alley. It left us alone, with the two men who’d assaulted us. I felt an anger rising.
“Are we really calling the police?” I asked.
“Do you want this to finally be over?” replied Erik.
“Yes,” I breathed. “God yes.”
“Then give me the stones.”
I looked down, and realized the pouch was still in my hand. It seemed small and insignificant, but I knew otherwise. It had helped me, sustained me through hard times. But it had also started everything.
“Here,” I said, handing it over.
God, I’d had it for so, so long. It felt good being finally rid of it.
Erik turned away for a moment, leaving me still wondering what he might do. Then he bent down, slid the pouch into Louden’s front pocket, and stood back up. He looked at Zane, who nodded.
“Call them.”
Zane pulled out his phone and dialed 911. Almost immediately he started talking.
“Hi, my friends and I were just assaulted at this address…”
He began pacing back and forth, giving out the details. I felt a hand slip into mine as Erik pulled me closer.
“I’m going to give you the story now,” he said, “so be sure to stick to it. Be firm on the facts, vague on the details.”
I still didn’t get what he was driving at, but I nodded anyway.
“We got hit in the head, remember? Stuff is foggy. The police are on our side. They’ll understand.”
“But what if—”
“Hey…” said Erik, putting his forehead to mine. He kissed my bruised cheek, tenderly. “It’ll all be okay. Just follow my lead.”
My eyes fluttered a few times, tracking his blue orbs. I smiled and nodded. “O—Okay.”
“Do you trust me?”
I swallowed. “More than anyone in my whole life, actually.”
“Good,” he smiled back. Off in the distance, I could hear the sound of sirens. “Then we’re gonna be just fine.”
Fifty-Six
SAVANNAH
The hours and days that followed were crazy, but also necessary. And they were smooth, too. Much smoother than I could’ve possibly anticipated.
Then again, trust went a long way.
The police showed up, and our stories lined up nicely. We’d been assaulted… by my crazy ex-boyfriend. Louden had been harassing me for a year now, chasing me from Georgia, following me all the way to Massachusetts. He’d dragged his crazy friend with him. It was really that simple.
The story made sense, because of where we were. I was a local now, with a local business. Louden was the outsider. The wounds on Zane and Erik had come from his bloodstained weapon, and Jarrett had roughed me up pretty good. Zane had fought Jarrett off. Erik had defended himself with a chunk of cobblestone. We’d knocked our assailants out in self-defense, then called the police ourselves. Case closed.
But things went a step further.
The police found a small fortune in uncut emeralds in Louden’s pocket. From the address on his driver’s license, it didn’t take more than a day to link both him and Jarrett to an unsolved armed robbery… of exactly the same kinds of emeralds, in exactly the same leather pouch.
My biggest worry was that they’d drag me into it. Rat me out as their getaway driver, who’d crashed the stolen car. Only as Erik pointed out, there was no evidence. The car had burned. I’d gotten off without being seen, without leaving a trace of evidence I’d ever been there.
It was their word against mine. The word of two brutal assailants — with a pocketful of stolen emeralds — against a poor, frightened ex-girlfriend covered in bruises. I didn’t have to play up how afraid of Louden I was, because that part was true. And the very fact I’d been stalked all the way up the eastern seaboard, seven states away, didn’t look too good for him either.
Then Louden’s rap sheet came back, that pretty much sealed the deal. Jarrett’s was even worse. They were both career criminals, with unanswered charges as far south as the Florida Keys. I learned things I never even knew about the man I’d dated for two years, but somehow, I wasn’t all that surprised.
We were questioned at length, both together and alone. This was after our ambulance rides, of course. Each of us spent a night in the hospital, with Zane staying two. Roman showed up to take care of us. In the wee hours of the morning, huddled around our hospital beds, we brought him up to speed on everything.
We made statements down at the police station. Signed eyewitness reports that were, as per Erik, factual yet vague. And then suddenly, hours and hours later… that was it. We were wandering outside again. Set loose, on the streets of Salem…
With the weight of an aircraft carrier lifted from my shoulders.
It was inconceivable to me, that I was finally and completely done. There would be no more hiding. No more omissions of truth. No more Louden, or fear of Louden, or worry about being caught with a pouch of stolen jewels linked to a serious armed robbery.
There was only me. My shop…
And the three men who loved me.
For the first time in years, I was totally free. I could enjoy everything life had to offer, and revel in my success. And I could love. I could return the affections of these amazing, incredible men, who’d so selflessly given so much of themselves.
And now they could have all of me.
As far as I was concerned, that was the best of all. The giving. Trusting them enough to open myself again, and letting them have those last missing pieces they’d always sought, when it came to our relationship.
We slept for almost a full day, the four of us together. Then, we celebrated. During the days we went out. At night we stayed in. And nothing beat those times, lying in bed between them. Holding them as I kissed them, one by one by one. Telling them I loved them, and that I’d fallen in love with them. And being able to really, truly mean it.
In the end we let totally loose, and even left Salem for a few days. We got a suite at the Godfrey, in Boston. Spent an incredible weekend exploring the city… and then exploring other things afterward, as well.
I was beyond excited. Thrilled, to the point where I felt everything was going too well. We went back to work, and Roman to school. Every day I woke up deliriously happy, waiting for the other shoe to drop. For that exact reason I was more nervous than ever, when Erik called us together for a ‘family meeting’.
“We’re still looking for a house,” he’d told me, all of us seated around the kitchen table. “That hasn’t changed. Only now, we were wondering one thing.”
I noticed right then the guys were looking at me — all of them.
“What?”
They stared at me a moment longer, before finally glancing at each other. Volumes of information passed wordlessly between them.
“We want you too,” said Roman, folding his arms.
I squinted back at them, still unsure. “Wait, what?”
“Oh holy Moses,” chuckled Zane. “Really?” He shook his head with a smile. “We’re asking you to move in with us.”
Fifty-Seven
SAVANNAH
I was incredibly humbled by the offer. Utterly floored.
“Me?”
“No,” laughed Erik. “The other hot psychic girlfriend we’re all dating.”
His words — and their invitation — took me aback. My head spun dizzily.
“I am not psychic.”
“Notice how she only had a problem with that part,” laughed Zane. “She’d didn’t disavow being hot, though.”
Roman slid closer, interlacing his fingers with mine. He looked happy. So did Erik. So did Zane.
“C’mon baby, what do you say?”
Baby. It’s what they’d started calling me since the whole name change thing. Also ‘honey’, ‘darling’, and other stuff. But hardly ever, Julia.
“I know you guys were looking to buy a place,” I said. “And I can’t help with that. Not now, anyway. Maybe after I’ve saved, or—”
“Ah, but that’s not true.”
Everyone turned to look at Erik, and now the other guys were confused too.
“You’ve already helped us save,” he said nonchalantly. “More than you know. His smile shifted left and right, to Zane and Roman. “More than the two of you know, also.”
Zane looked at Roman, who shrugged and shook his head. He turned his attention back to Erik and scoffed.
“What the hell are you talking about?”
Erik shifted, secretly pulling something from his pocket. When he opened his hand again, the three of us gasped.
“I’m talking about these,” he said, sprinkling a handful of emeralds across the table.
Silence exploded over the kitchen like a thunderclap. For several long moments, the whole world stopped.
“Y—You… You took…”
“Yeah,” Erik said, looking rather pleased with himself. “I sure as hell did.”
Roman was still frozen in place. Zane was too, but his eyes danced with a sparkling green light.
“How much are these—”
“A lot,” said Erik. “An awful lot, actually.” His eyes flitted upward, settling on mine. “Well more than the cost of a down payment, I can say that much. Right Julia?”
For a second or two I said nothing, I only stared back at him. I couldn’t believe it. But at the same time, I actually could.
“Yes,” I said softly. My mouth couldn’t help but curl into a smirk of admiration. “And yes to your other question too. I’ll move in with you.”
“Look for a house with us,” Erik corrected. “One that belongs to all of us.”
The others looked at me hopefully. Once again I nodded.
“A house for all of us,” I agreed. “But I have one condition.”
The guys were staring at me again. The kitchen reverted back to pin-drop silence.
“You call me Savannah,” I said firmly. “That’s my name now. A new name, for new beginnings. A new start. A new life.”
They stood and surrounded me, sweeping me into their arms. Showering me with kisses and affection, as I let go of the last jagged pieces of my broken past.
Goodbye Julia.
The name meant nothing to me anymore. Not in the face of what I had.
My old life.
I smiled inwardly, realizing I was okay with it. No, even better than okay. I was pumped and excited.
“Savannah…”
I looked up, straight into the glowing faces of my three lovers. Beaming at what I had with them right now, and even better, the future we’d have together.
“Yeah?” I smiled.
“Let’s go.”
They pulled me along with them, ushering me back through the door. Down into the street, to whatever next adventure awaited us.
I had no clue where we were going. Only that I was going with them.
“We celebrating?” I asked.
“Uh huh,” said Roman.
“Big time,” laughed Zane.
“Aren’t we always?” added Erik.
“Well yeah,” I chuckled, slipping playfully from their grasp. “Of course there’s a lot to celebrate, especially for you guys.”
Pulling away, I skipped ahead a few steps before turning around with a wink.
“After all, the three of you get to be with me.”
Epilogue
SAVANNAH
“You sure you’re ready?” asked the voice on the other side of the door. “Blindfold and everything?”
“Yes,” I breathed, my heart already beating rapidly. “Blindfold’s on.”
“Tight?”
“Yes, tight!”
“Alright then.”
The door opened with a whoosh of air, and I was led inside by the hand. Immediately it was warm. Comfortable. I could smell scented candles, the kind you always burned during the fall. Music played softly somewhere near the back of the room, or maybe the next room, I couldn’t tell.
