18
Savannah
The sound of the orchestra has me choking on the butterflies that have vacated my stomach. I eye my reflection in the mirror and practice smiling.
The corset makes it hard to breathe. The sweetheart neckline pushes my breasts up in a way I know Huxley will appreciate. My arms stiffly hold my bouquet of summer flowers. I smile at the brooch holding the picture of my mum. It was a sweet touch by Hadley. The skirt gains elegance as lace ascends from the bottom. To make Isabella happy, my train drags for two and a half meters behind me. The finishing touch to the outfit is the veil that’s almost as long as my train. It feels ridiculous wearing an extravagant dress when we are already married, but his mum’s excitement was too hard to ignore. My black hair is pulled back into an elegant bun that my veil sits perfectly on top of. I kept my makeup light and fresh, knowing I’m going to sweat it off from the heat outside.
When the bridal march plays, I take a deep breath and link arms with Mia.
“Let’s do this.”
Mia stares at me with so much love.
“Do you remember the night you broke up with Elliot? We were sitting in your dingy little flat, and you were worried about the future. Look at you now. I am so happy for you.”
I squeeze her hand.
“Thank you.”
The doors open, and I walk down the aisle. Ahead of me is a beautiful arrangement of florals. Under it, Huxley stands with a look of pride in his eyes. He winks at me and I can’t help but laugh. All the nerves I felt fade into nothing as I realise I’m walking home. Mia hands me to Huxley with a threat to cut his balls if he ever hurts me.
I glance at the few guests, predominantly made up of Huxley’s extended family, and smile at Isabella and Hadley. Malcolm gives his son a thumbs up. On the other side, Mia watches us with tears in her eyes and Jordan wears a sad smile. Behind them, Elise giggles when I blow a kiss in her direction. Brynn studies Xavier who watches me with a look that can only be described as haunted. I pull my attention away from them and funnel it all into the man opposite me.
In the light, Huxley’s amber eyes look golden and glowing. He can’t stop smiling at me and it makes me burst into little laughs. His three-piece suit is moulded to his tall, broad build.
“You look beautiful, sweetheart.”
“Not so bad yourself,” I wink.
He looks at the priest.
“She’s already my wife, so reserve your judgement.”
Before he can protest, Huxley steps forward and cups my face. His lips are on mine and the crowd is a mixture of laughter and cheers.
“My flowers,”
I barely get out.
He pulls back with a devilish grin on his handsome face. “Sorry.”
The priest gives him a look of are you finished, before he addresses our guests.
“Welcome, loved ones. We gather today to join Huxley Ray and Savannah Hayes in holy matrimony. I understand the couple have opted out of publicly sharing their vows so—”
Huxley steps forward.
“Actually, I have something I would like to say.”
He squeezes my hand.
“Savannah. You came into my life unexpectedly. It was another ordinary day in my mundane life. And then one introduction turned my life upside down. There are no words to explain what you have done to me, especially for a man who says so little to begin with. I don’t know how to do this because no woman has ever made me want to. I’m not good at this, but I want to be. I want to be the family you deserve. Your mother did an exceptional job raising you.”
At the mention of my mother, my heart wavers.
“You are fierce, strong-willed, determined, resilient, and selfless. And I am just a man who had to wrack his brain to find those words to describe you. I promise to never disrespect you. I promise to never use you for my satisfaction. I promise to treat you as my equal. I promise to protect you. I promise to never cause your tears. I promise to hold you tight when you need to fall apart. I promise to build a safe home for our children. I promise to love you, even when you can’t love yourself. I promise to always be your home. And as we stand in front of these witnesses, I ask you to hold me accountable when I fail in any of these. Because I will fail. Marriage is difficult. It’s one hell of a ride, but there is nobody else I want to experience it with. Thank you for turning my mundane life into something worth living for.”
I can barely breathe from the look of love in his eyes. His emotions wrap around me until I’m protected by it.
“Huxley Ray, what have you done to me?”
I laugh.
“Life has always been loud and chaos. I’ve spent so much of my life screaming, but you can read my silence. And for that, I thank you. Thank you for loving me when I make it impossible. Thank you for welcoming me into your loving family. Thank you for slaying my dragons. I know you yearn for the wild ride, but I’ve found peace in the mundane. I don’t need a crazy life. I have had enough crazy to last a lifetime. I am content with a mundane life and there is nobody else I want it with.”
“May I cut in?”
Xavier shoots Hadley one of his charming smile.
She flusters under his intense stare.
“Of course.”
She scurries away with a giggle on her lips.
He offers me his hand.
“May I have the honour of a dance?”
I place my hand in his.
“Is Elise down for the night?”
Xavier ignores my question.
“Do you remember the last time we danced to a live orchestra?”
A green dress. Huxley’s rejection. Dancing with Xavier. Chest hammering. Eviscerating the moral line. Dress hitched up. Bent over. Moans of pleasure.
“That won’t be happening tonight. I’ll be going home with my husband.”
His fingers trail my exposed back.
“Are you sure?”
“This is not that game, Xavier. We are not playing chess. I may still be the queen, but you are not the king. Not anymore.”
He spins me around the floor as the tempo picks up. My legs can barely keep up as Xavier moves us in fluidity with music.
“What game are we playing?”
he asks, when we’re back to swaying.
“If you have to ask, then you don’t deserve a seat at the table,”
I whisper.
Huxley forces his body between us.
“I’d like to dance with my wife.”
Like a gentleman, Xavier nods his head and lets go of me. He saunters off, leaving me with a tense Huxley.
“Nothing was—”
“He’s here,”
he grits out.
“Don’t look.”
My arms wrap around his neck, and I smile despite the nerves. “Rowan?”
He hums under his breath.
“Did you invite him?”
I can’t help but roll my eyes.
“Are you stupid? Why would I invite him? Has Xavier seen him?”
Huxley spins me around, allowing me to have a look.
“They’re talking. What are we going to do?”
“We need to get them away from each other. Who do you want to take?”
My eyes lock with Xavier, who stops talking to Rowan to meet my gaze.
“Xavier. You get Rowan out of here.”
I wave at Rowan, who is now smiling at me.
“They’re walking over to us.”
Rowan jokingly pouts.
“I’m hurt I didn’t get an invitation, my darling. You make a beautiful bride.”
“I didn’t think our wedding would be good enough for the great Basileus,”
I lie.
“But I’m glad you could make it.”
He looks around the venue before smiling at me.
“You’re sweet talking me. I’d be careful, Huxley. Your bride may be tempted to run away with the king.”
Stepping closer to Huxley, I force a laugh.
“Haven’t you heard?”
I look at Xavier.
“Huxley and I are the new king and queen. We have claimed our crowns.”
Rowan always looks like he is part of a joke none of us are privy to.
“Like a deck of cards,” he muses.
My eyes do not move from Xavier’s.
“Exactly like a deck of cards.”
“Do I get to play?”
Rowan asks.
“Depends what you’re willing to bet,”
Huxley answers.
“Would you bet your life at the risk of winning nothing?”
Rowan steps closer.
“I think the bigger question is if you’re willing to bet your queen at the risk of losing everything?”
Xavier’s cold glare doesn’t waver from my face.
“How much are you willing to bet the future all to find the past?”
“I guess you have to earn a seat at the table to find out. Are you brave enough to risk it all? How many lies will you bet on to bury the truth?”
My stare with Xavier only breaks when I step away from Huxley and excuse myself. I leave the main hall with a look of determination and aura of power. I feel the pull of my train, but not more than the echo of Xavier’s steps behind me.
The door to the bridal suite barely shuts before he joins me inside. He says nothing at first. He takes a seat at the table and watches as I fix my lipstick.
“I know the game,”
he taunts.
I let out a sigh of relief. I turn around and smile at him.
“Took you long enough, Mr Rivers. It’s been getting boring playing on my own.”
I lift my heavy skirt up as I make my way over to him and take the seat opposite him.
“What took you so long?”
“I thought you were smart enough to know not to play with me again. It seems you have forgotten who reigning victor is.”
“We’re not playing chess anymore. We’re playing poker.”
I lean in closer.
“And you’re not the king,”
I whisper.
Amusement dances in his eyes.
“Enlighten me, Savannah. Who are you in this game?”
“The queen of hearts.”
“And Ray?”
“The king of spades.”
He chuckles.
“I guess that makes me the ace of diamonds.”
The sickening grin on his face makes my skin crawl.
“After all, I always have a trick move up my sleeve and this all started with a diamond.”
I stare at him and laugh.
“I cannot wait until I’m standing over you, claiming my victory. You won’t even see it coming. I am going to destroy everything in your life. It’s all going to come crumbling down so hard you won’t even know where to begin. And then, when you’re covered in the ashes of all the people you murdered — your mother, Sara, Caitlyn, Elliot, and Emery — I am going to light a match and watch you burn.”
He grabs my hands and squeezes tight.
“I am God. I am untouchable. I choose who lives and dies.”
I lean closer.
“New game. New players. New rules. You won the last game, but only because you set the board. Look around, Xavier. What have I spent the last eighteen months doing? I changed the game. I’ve shuffled the deck. I made the knight into a king. I’ve set the table. And only when I wanted, I let you see the game I’ve been plotting since the day you whispered zugzwang in my ear.”
I pull my hands out of his hold and stand up. I stare at him with the hatred I have barely concealed the past year and a half.
“I believed your lies. I carried your lies. Now stand back and watch the flames rise. You won’t ever see it coming through the thick fog of smoke. It’s going to suffocate you until it’s so deep in your lungs you will beg me for mercy.”
Xavier stands too. His hands curl into fists.
“You don’t scare me. All it takes is one phone call, and Savannah Hayes never existed.”
My eyes set to stone.
“You already killed Savannah Hayes. I do not deny you won game one. But I am no longer Savannah Hayes. I am Savannah Ray-Hayes and she exists. She exists as an employee in XR Securities. She exists on her marriage certificate. She exists on the court papers I filed for joint custody. Savannah Ray-Hayes cannot vanish so easily. She has a husband. She has a family. She has a daughter. She lives a mundane life.”
I stand taller.
“Do you finally understand, Xavier? This is not your game. I am the dealer and the cards are dealt. We are playing my game, at my table, with my rules.”
He doesn’t flinch.
“My name is Xavier Rivers. You don’t scare me.”
“I should,”
I threaten as I get into his face.
“I should terrify you because I am the ghost of all the people you wronged. And we will not stop until we are done burning your lies.”
I can barely contain my breathing as we stare each other down. I open my arms and smile at him.
“At last, the mighty Xavier Rivers takes a seat at the table. I look forward to taking everything from you.”
Xavier laughs. His arrogance and hubris seep from him and fill the room.
“You are as stupid and na?ve as you were back then. I have an ironclad fortress. I have an empire to protect me.”
“That just means you have so much more to lose.”
I turn on my heels to leave the room before pausing. I look over my shoulder and shoot a smile I know will torment him.
“Welcome to game two.”