Chapter 65
SIXTY-FIVE
SAVANNAH
My eyes snap open, and it takes me a moment to get over the dream I was having. I dreamt of the night of Harley’s parents’ party. Of how my father pushed me to dance with Harley, of how I gave in and gave him my number.
I haven’t thought of that night in so long—the night that changed everything. Sometimes I wonder if I had known what would have happened, would I have still kept my distance?
I hope not, because Harley… I don’t think I want to know what life would really be like without him in it. Just as that thought enters my brain, so does my current situation, and it hits me that I might not ever see him again.
Fuck, I really hope that’s not the case.
I sit up gingerly, the events that led to my deep sleep coming back to me in flashes. As soon as I’m upright, a wave of nausea washes over me, and I swallow the bile crawling up my throat. God, I really hope I don’t have a concussion, that’s the last thing I need right now.
I take stock of my body, making sure that my clothes are still in place and that putting me on the bed is all Morris did before he left me here. Luckily, everything looks the same as before, and I breathe a sigh of relief he didn’t touch me while I was out of it.
“Good, you’re awake,” a deep, familiar voice says, and I snap my attention to the corner of the room, where I find my father sitting in the armchair that faces the bed.
How the hell did I not notice him before now?
You’d think with my current situation, I’d pay a lot more attention to my surroundings, but my head fucking hurts and I feel like I could be sick at any moment, so could anyone really blame me?
This has been an absolute shitshow from beginning to end, and no doubt, my father is about to make it even worse.
He looks like he always does, perfectly groomed and scarily cruel.
I think back and try to remember a time when he wasn’t like this. When I wasn’t terrified of him and when he wasn’t such a massive dick, but I come up blank.
“Father,” I whisper, my body beginning to tremble as I fight to stay where I am and not bolt to the other side of the room just so I can put a little more distance between us.
“I thought you were smart, Savannah, but clearly, I was mistaken. A smart girl would never do what you’ve done. A smart girl would do as she’s told. She’d stay away from people she knows she shouldn’t be near, and she certainly wouldn’t do something stupid like have a man paid off to disappear.”
Have a man paid off to disappear…?
What in the… does he really think I had someone pay the guy that he sent after me to hide away?
Jesus, this is bad enough already, what would happen if he learned the truth?
And who does he think paid him? Clearly, he knows it wasn’t me because he has full access to my account, so he must think I had a friend do it for me.
I just hope that he doesn’t turn his wrath around on Harley, since the very last thing I want is for my father to set his sights on him again.
I should have stayed away from Harley. I should have kept him safe.
“I’m sorry,” I say, my voice barely above a whisper as I try to give him what he wants.
There’s no use rebelling, no matter how much I want to.
The only way to survive the man in front of me is to go along with it until I find the right moment to get away from him. What happens after that, I don’t know.
“You will be.” He stands slowly from the chair, his presence as harrowing as always, and I force myself not to flinch back.
I hold eye contact—the only rebellion I allow myself.
“I thought you would have learned your lesson over the years, but it turns out you’re harder to…
train than I thought you would be. But don’t worry, I have friends who know how to… make someone submit.”
Oh god. Oh fuck, I think I’m going to be sick. He doesn’t mean… he doesn’t mean what I think he does, does he?
What am I thinking? Of course he does. The conversation with Logan replays, and the file Harley’s mom gave me flitters in my mind as I think about what my father is really involved in, and I know this time, it’s going to happen.
His threats are going to become a reality.
And I don’t think I’ll live through it.
“What’s going to happen?” I rasp, knowing I shouldn’t be asking questions and should just keep quiet, but the words tumbled out before I could think it through.
A slow, sly smile tilts his lips, and I swallow thickly, knowing with everything in me that whatever he’s about to say, it’s going to destroy me. “You have a few final hours to make peace with the fact your life is over, then you’ll be taken to somewhere where I can hand you over to my friend.”
I don’t say anything. I don’t move, and I barely breathe. I can’t. I can’t do a single fucking thing but let the panic take over, and he knows it, because he lets out a cruel, bellowing laugh before heading toward the door.
He goes to leave, but not before turning to look at me over his shoulder. “You should have been a good girl, Savannah. Now you’re going to learn what it’s like to really be punished.”
And then he’s gone, leaving me with my thoughts.
Well, one thought, really.
I’m not going to survive this.