Chapter 20
RORY
This is my new happy place. Sal’s pizza in bed while I watch Savannah through CCTV footage.
My stalking has reached new heights. Not only am I tracking her when I’m home in bed, but I’ve also hooked up the feed to my phone. So now, no matter where I am, I can get my dose of Savannah whenever I want.
If I’m an addict, then Savannah is my drug of choice, and I don’t plan on being sober ever again.
My bedroom door bangs open, and I startle so hard that I almost fall out of bed.
“What the hell?” I catch myself wrapped up in the sheets before my ass meets the floor.
“What’re you doing?”
Glancing up, I find Luke in my doorway with his head leaning to the side, and he’s shirtless. Shirtless.
When Luke’s brows furrow, I realize that my mouth hangs open, displaying my undigested pizza.
I swallow the pizza whole and clear my throat. “Can I help you?”
Luke takes a fortifying breath, straightens his shoulders, and steps into my room. “I think it’s time we talk.”
“We talk every day.” My cheeks feel warm.
“That’s not what I mean,” Luke returns.
“Then why don’t you clarify for me?” I don’t actually need an explanation. I know what topic he’s trying to address.
Luke moves to stand at the foot of my bed. “We’ve been dancing around this, and it’s not working. Things have been weird.”
“Yeah,” I admit.
“I saw you kiss Savannah, then you saw me kiss Savannah. Then at Onyx—”
“I know,” I interrupt him.
“We kissed,” he states.
“We kissed,” I confirm.
Luke slips his hands into the pockets of his joggers, casting his gaze to the side. “I want it to happen again.”
His confession rocks my foundation, opening a door I wasn’t sure existed.
“Me too,” I confess.
“We’ve been friends for a long time,” Luke asserts.
I dip my head, validating his words. “We have.”
“I don’t want to mess that up, but I won’t pretend I haven’t thought about this happening over the years.”
“Really? I want to see where it goes.”
Luke lets out a big exhale. “Thank fuck.”
I’m not sure who moves first, but the next thing I know, we’re both kneeling on my bed, reaching for each other, and our mouths collide.
Luke’s hands dive into my hair, angling my head and plunging his tongue deeper into my mouth. I greedily take everything he gives me.
Breaking his hold, I trail my lips down the column of his neck, nipping and sucking as I go. Luke groans, moving his hips forward, and I feel the length of his hard cock against my own.
Luke pauses, craning his neck to get a look at something off to the side. “Is that Mocha Lisa?”
Following his gaze, I realize that my laptop fell out of my lap when I was surprised earlier. Now it’s positioned so that both of us have the perfect view of the screen.
Jumping forward, I reach for my laptop. “Nope!”
At the same time, Luke gets a hold of it as well. “You’re watching Savannah while she’s at work?”
Yanking the laptop out of his grip, I wince. “Maybe.”
Luke takes a seat. “Did you have trouble getting passed the firewall?”
His question throws me off. It’s not at all what I was expecting. “Only for a minute, but it was easy enough.”
“Good. I’d be afraid that you’re getting old and rusty if you struggled with it too much,” Luke teases me.
I shake my head at him. “Well, it was when—” the static on my screen makes me cut myself off. “The fuck?”
“What’s going on?” Luke leans to get a look at my screen.
I pound on the keys, trying to reestablish the link. “I lost my connection.”
Luke studies what I’m doing. “How?”
“I’m not sure.” I attempt a few different options, but none of them work. “Shit. I think someone kicked me out.”
“Do you think it was Savannah?”
Luke’s conjecture has merit, but Savannah would have to know I’m watching her. “It’s possible, but…”
“Let me try something.” Luke grabs my laptop from my hands. It only takes a few moments for him to get rid of the static, but his eyes go wide. “Fuck! Get dressed, we have to go! Hunter!”
He’s out of my room and running to his own before I can ask what’s going on. So, I take my laptop back and watch as Savannah is followed by a hooded figure from the front of the café to the kitchen.
Deep red seeps into the corners of my vision.
If we get there and my Dream Girl is anything but okay, there is nothing in the world that will keep me from finding this man. No amount of money, distance, or time will stop me from draining every ounce of blood from his body.
Hunter slams on the brakes, throwing all of us forward in our seats, my seatbelt is almost cutting off my air, but not a single complaint is uttered.
I’m out of the car, running down the sidewalk before Hunter puts the car in park. Luke is right behind me, and I’m not sure Hunter even turns off the engine as he hurries after us. We duck under the yellow tape and fan out.
Red and blue flashing lights blind me as I scan the area for my Dream Girl.
A uniformed police officer holds his hand up, stopping me from moving forward. “Excuse me, you need to get behind the police tape.”
I ignore his instruction. “Where is Savannah Foster?”
He shakes his head at me. “I’m not at liberty to discuss an ongoing investigation, and I still need you behind the tape.”
“I don’t have time for this shit.” Attempting to step around him, he holds his arms out to the side and moves into my path.
“I will arrest you if needed.” He rests his hands on his utility belt.
I’ve never responded well to threats. Intimidation tactics don’t work on me.
Planting my feet, my brows draw down. “Then arrest me, rent-a-cop! I’m not going anywhere until—” My attention goes to the side where I spot Savannah sitting in the back of an ambulance. “Hunter! Luke!” I shout to get their attention then nod my head in Savannah’s direction.
My yelling has distracted the police officer in front of me, so I take the opportunity to get passed him.
“Wait! You can’t go over there!”
Savannah sees us merging on her all at once. Her shoulders drop, and relief softens her features.
But then I finally take notice of the man standing before her. His lean frame leans toward her, and his shoulders take on a predatory bow.
“Hey! Look at me!” He snaps at Savannah. “So you’re saying that this was all just some kind of a coincidence?”
Savannah’s features turn hard. “I don’t know! It’s not like I had an in-depth conversation with my attacker about our feelings.”
I continue to push past all the first responders scattered about, evading the police officer with an inflated sense of self. As I get closer, I recognize the angry man as Agent Travis Huntley, the asshole who dragged Savannah out of the RHL lobby.
Huntley crosses his arms, glowering at Savannah. “See, I think you set this up because then we wouldn’t suspect you anymore.”
The other FBI agent, Roman Cassidy, steps in, grasping Huntley’s shoulder and pulling him back. “Huntley, that’s enough. This is not how you question a victim or a witness.”
Huntley whips around, pointing his finger in Cassidy’s face. “Witness? What? Did she suck your cock or something?”
“Watch your mouth.” Cassidy snarls back.
Huntley’s mouth curves, forming an infuriating smile. “So she did.”
Cassidy tightens his jaw. “You’re so blinded by your own hate that you can’t see that this is all because your fragile ego is bruised.”
Hunter, Luke, and I reach Savannah at the same time, but Hunter is the one to step in the middle while Luke and I pull Savannah away, wrapping her in our arms.
“Hey!” Hunter barks.
Huntley whirls back around with furrowed brows. “Who the hell are you?”
“You’re done here, Agent.” Hunter crosses his arms, taking up an immovable stance.
Huntley goes toe to toe with Hunter. “I don’t think so. I have more questions to ask Miss Foster.”
“You can direct those questions to her lawyer, who you’ll be hearing from anyway.” Hunter keeps his face calm, but his tone can’t be taken for anything else other than threatening.
Luke whispers to me over Savannah’s head, “Do we have a connection in the FBI office?”
“I’ll get one,” I answer.
Savannah looks at the two of us with a crease in her forehead.
“Huntley!” A burly man with a blond bun dressed in a suit storms in our direction. Hunter stands taller, squaring his shoulders, while Luke and I shield Savannah in our arms.
“What the fuck are you doing here, Dawson? This isn’t your case.” Huntley’s lips curl back, showing his teeth slightly. He stands a whole head shorter than the other man.
Dawson places his hands on his hips. “It is now. You’ve been reassigned.”
“On what grounds?” Huntley challenges.
“Talk to Marreli. I’m sure he’ll be more than happy to explain.” Dawson is extremely calm. Almost too calm.
Huntley’s nostrils flare. Staring at Dawson, he addresses his partner, “Let’s go, Cassidy.”
“No, not Cassidy,” Dawson corrects. “Just you.”
“Where the fuck do you get off?”
“Again, they’re not my orders, Travis. They’re from Marreli. Apparently, you’ve had one too many complaints lately.” Dawson is smug as hell. He walked in holding all the cards, and he knows it.
“Fuck you,” Huntley bites.
“Whatever.” Dawson brushes Agent Huntley aside, stepping around him toward us, but Hunter keeps his place, standing sentry. Dawson quirks a brow. Keeping eye contact with Hunter, he communicates with Savannah, “I’m sorry about that, Miss Foster. Are you okay?”
Savannah tries to pull away from Luke and me, but we refuse to let go of our connection. She rises on her toes, poking her head over Hunter’s shoulder. “Yeah, I’m good. I’m no novice when it comes to the moods of Agent Huntley.”
“I’ll make sure you never have to deal with him again,” Dawson reassures her.
“Good,” Hunter responds for Savannah.
Dawson turns a smug smile on Hunter. “And you are?”
Savannah stutters, unsure how to answer. “They’re—umm—my employ—”
“We’re her boyfriends,” I reply for her.
Savannah’s eyes widen, then she turns to Dawson to deny my answer. “No. No, they’re not.”
“Yes, we are,” Luke contradicts, and Agent Cassidy chuckles off to the side, but Dawson doesn’t look the least bit phased.
“Can we hurry this up? We need to get our girlfriend home.” Hunter pushes.
Savannah lets out a frustrated grumble. “But they’re not—”
“Relax, Trouble,” Luke interrupts. “We’re here.”
“And who are you?” Hunter asks.
Displaying his credentials, he responds, “Agent Asher Dawson.”
Hunter scrutinizes it closely, then deems Agent Dawson safe, stepping aside.
Dawson pulls out a small notepad and pen, then questions, “What can you tell me about what happened here tonight?”
Savannah sighs, then tells her story for what I’m sure isn’t the first time tonight.
“I was closing the shop, then the lights were flickering, and I heard noises. I went to the kitchen, and someone chased me in there. We struggled, but I eventually got away. I threw a chair through the window to set off the security alarm, and it worked. He ran off when the alarm sounded.”
Everything inside me runs hot, hearing her give a brief recount. I know it’s not the full story.
I finally get a good look at her face and what I find has me twitching. A patch of purple skin colors her cheekbone and another spot at her hairline as well.
I need to get my hands around the throat of the man who thought he could touch what isn’t his.
“Did he say anything to you?” Agent Dawson questions.
“Nothing I could understand.” Savannah’s eyes quickly glance down and to the left.
Lies.
Dawson closes his notepad, tucking it back into his pocket. “Have you been checked out by the EMT?”
Savannah shakes her head. “Not yet.”
“We’ll take care of that,” Hunter interjects.
“Here’s my card. Call me if you can think of anything.” Dawson hands over a small piece of cardstock.
“I can do that.” Savannah agrees. She blinks as she looks at Dawson’s information. “Oh! You’re Zane and Rio’s friend.”
Dawson nods his head. “Your lawyer will get in touch with you tomorrow.” Grabbing Cassidy’s shoulder, he directs them toward the café.
Savannah sways on her feet, her eyes fluttering, so Luke and I guide Savannah toward the car.
“Let’s get you home,” I whisper in her ear, and she nods, resting her head on my shoulder and trusting me to be her guide.
Savannah doesn’t protest as we place her in the back seat with Luke. With Hunter in the driver’s seat, I slide into the passenger seat.
A glance over my shoulder shows Savannah comfortably nestled into Luke’s side. Facing forward, I observe every passing car and pedestrian, examining them as a potential threat, as Hunter directs the car toward home.
A few minutes later, Savannah speaks up. “This isn’t the way to Brooklyn.”
“We know,” Hunter confirms.
“You’re not going to your home.” I chime in.
Savannah’s lips form a perfect O, realizing our destination.
If it were up to me, she would always remain under our roof. We gave her space to process and look what happened.
Never again.