Chapter 31
THIRTY-ONE
HARLEY
I crouch down in front of her, my eyes raking over her face.
She’s been crying, that’s clear from the puffiness of her eyes and how red they are, but there are no longer any tears.
Her hair is a mess, as if it’s been pulled on, and she’s wearing a haunted expression as she stares down at the ground.
“Sav, baby,” I murmur and reach for her hand, only for her to flinch away and scoot a few inches to the left. It’s only then that my eyes drop down, and the sight I see has my blood running cold.
Her sweater is torn open, and she has cuts on her that look like they’re still bleeding. It’s dark, but even in this lighting, I can tell there is a bruise forming all over her body.
I glance to the side, looking at the man lying dead on the floor, and then it hits me.
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
Heart tearing in two, I pull out my phone and debate what to do. I could call the police, but I know that this would get out to the public within a matter of hours, and I’m not sure if that’s what she’ll want. She also probably needs to go to the hospital, but I know she’ll hate that too.
Fuck, I don’t know what to do.
Another option I know she probably won’t want, but it’s the best I can come up with on such short notice, is to call the guys and see if they have any ideas. It’s not like we can just hang around here while I debate with myself or wait for her to be coherent enough to talk to me.
I stay close but not close enough for her to think I’m going to touch her again as I create a group chat that includes Cole, Lana, and Logan. I’d add Gracie and Noah, but I’m not sure how they’d react to a situation like this, and I need this to go as smoothly as possible for Savannah’s sake.
SOS
*location pin*
I know there will be a ton of questions and replies, wondering what’s going on, but I pocket my phone knowing they’ll come anyway. I glare toward the dead guy. I felt sick when I first saw him, but after getting a good look at Savannah, I no longer give a fuck.
Hell, if he wasn’t already gone, I’d have killed him myself. I don’t know what he did to her exactly, but it’s clear she’s fucking traumatized.
“Little devil,” I say, and for the first time, I say it without venom or malice. “I need you to let me help you, okay? Look at me, baby. Let me see those pretty eyes of yours.”
She blinks a couple of times and then tilts her head ever so slightly. “Keep going, Sav. You’re safe, I’m not gonna hurt you.” Again.
Finally, her eyes meet mine, but the desolate look in them has my heart cracking. I don’t care what she’s done to me in the past, in this moment, all I want to do is erase all of her pain.
But I can’t do that, and it fucking kills me.
“Can you move, Sav? I really need you to get checked over.” I’m not sure how we’re going to explain everything, but we will.
I hear a car door slam, and my body tenses, ready to pick Savannah up and get the fuck out of here if I need to, but I relax once I hear Cole and Lana bickering.
Savannah hears them too, because her eyes widen and her entire body begins to tremble.
Fuck.
“Hey, hey. It’s okay. They’re here to help.”
Their voices grow louder the closer they get, and I want to pull Savannah into my arms and shield her, but I know that’s not what she wants right now. It’s killing me not being able to touch her, but like fuck am I going to do something that will trigger her.
“Jesus Christ,” I hear Logan grunt, and Savannah’s head snaps toward it.
I turn to look at my three friends, all of them wearing expressions of varying concern and disgust at what they’ve found. My attention is only on them for a split second before I avert my eyes back to Sav, but the look on her face has me pausing.
She’s looking in Logan’s direction with what looks like relief on her face.
Why would she be relieved to see Logan? Just as the thought pops into my mind, she springs to her feet and sprints toward him, crashing into his chest. She whimpers, no doubt in agony, and I have to swallow my own pained snarl at the sound.
His arms go around her, and he gently brushes some loose hair away from her face while cataloging her injuries, being careful not to touch her before he starts murmuring to her.
I don’t hear all he says, but I do hear him say, “It’s okay, Sav. I’ve got you.”
Confusion and anger swirl within me. At the situation and at whatever the fuck I’m witnessing between the two of them.
I didn’t know they knew each other, but it’s clear that they know each other really well, since I’ve never seen Logan act this way towards someone, ever.
I want to demand answers.
I want to pull her away from him.
I want to know what the fuck is going on.
But I do none of that, because Savannah clearly needs him right now, and no matter how much that hurts, she’s the priority here, not me.
Yet I don’t take my eyes off them. I can’t.
Logan’s eyes flick toward Lana and Cole, who are both also staring at them in confusion. “You got this?” he asks, and they both nod.
“Good, I’m taking her home.” Logan sends me a look I can’t decipher before turning and walking away with Savannah under his arm. I watch them go, my heart in my throat and a pit in my stomach.