Chapter 32 The Best Thing You Ever Lost
Savannah
Low, moody lighting spilled across velvet seating and polished marble floors of the nightclub, Momentos.
There were gold accents catching on just about everything, with aqua lighting that felt intentional instead of excessive.
The bar stretched long and sleek, backlit with rows of top-shelf liquor that looked more like display pieces than something meant to be poured.
Music pulsed through the space—not overpowering, but constant. Controlled. Like everything else there. Jaxon mentioned the owner was Russian, and yeah, it showed in the sharp edges and clean-cut interior.
Tonight was the bachelor and bachelorette party, and I'd be lying if I didn't say I would much have been rather in bed. Instead, there I was at the bar, drink in hand, fingers loosely wrapped around the glass as I looked out at the crowd.
Parties like that tended to blur into one chaotic, indulgent mess, and this one proved to be no different.
There was loud laughter and music with bodies stacked too close together.
That's what happened when you mixed regular weekend patrons with Lori's insistence on having her bachelorette party there.
A crazier idea to have both parties in the same place, just on opposite ends of the club.
My expression gave nothing away as I took a slow sip, letting the burn settle just enough to keep me grounded.
Everything would go down tonight.
The plan saw to that, and Jaxon and I took the extra step of arriving separately tonight. Every step from here on out was carefully calculated—deemed necessary to finally put that part of my life behind me.
But until Lori graced us with her presence, I was keeping to myself and just people-watching. The booths, outside of the bachelor party madness, were all filled tonight and I'd seen business being dealt in cash, drugs, and alcohol. It was incredible what—
Giggles.
The familiar sound had my ears perked, but
I didn't dare turn around. No, I wanted her to come to me. I just took another slow sip before setting my glass down gently against the bar and turned to get the attention of the bartender.
And there she was.
Flanked by her usual circle, laughter spilling out of them like they owned the room. She came into my space, back toward me as she leaned against the bar, laughing her head off. It didn't surprise me when she shoved against me.
“Oops, sorry, I—” Her eyes landed on me.
“Oh, it's you.”
Her smile changed, wide and satisfied as if she'd already won this round.
“Aww, hi, Savvy,” she greeted smoothly.
“Lori.”
Her gaze flicked over me in an assessing way before she tilted her head slightly.
“No boyfriend tonight?” she asked, her tone light, teasing. “I thought you two were… inseparable.”
I didn’t answer right away, keeping my gaze locked on hers. The plan had to go perfectly, so I let her see the cool frustration in my eyes. If I'd been forced to break up with my boyfriend for her, then yeah, frustration would be what I'd feel.
She needed to believe the lie.
“Can we talk?” I asked evenly. “Somewhere private.”
Her brows lifted just slightly, and it was clear I piqued her interest. She was glad to have me at her mercy once again, and the humble look I was giving her sealed the deal. Predictably, she gave me a slow, pleased smile.
Like this was exactly what she’d been waiting for.
“Of course,” she said with a casual shrug, already turning slightly. “Lead the way.”
The crowd swallowed us whole as I moved through it, heels steady against the polished floor, my focus locked ahead. I didn’t check if she was following.
I didn’t need to.
I could hear her heels, laughter fading as the energy shifted, curiosity replacing whatever smug satisfaction she walked in with.
Good.
Let her wonder.
The private rooms sat tucked away from the main floor, guarded more by discretion than security. Knowing what was behind the door, I reached for the handle without hesitation and stepped inside. Soft lighting flickered on as the door shut behind us with a quiet click.
And he was waiting for me.
Jaxon sat at the leather booth, legs wide apart and elbows resting on his knees. He watched me approach, his gaze burning into mine—a look that made me feel secure, grounded, and unstoppable. I knew that no matter what was done or said in this room, I'd have him standing by my side.
Behind me, Lori gave a light, dismissive laugh.
“Oh, Savannah,” she drawled. “If you think you can back out of our deal just because he’s here, you’ve got another thing coming.”
I turned slowly.
“We just want to be clear on the terms,” I said evenly.
Her eyes flicked between us, unimpressed, and folded her arms.
“The terms are simple,” she said, rolling her eyes like this bored her.
“This little fake relationship ends tonight.
And that means publicly, Savvy. Not some cheap breakdown in this room.
If you do it, then what I know stays between us.
If you don't…” Her lips curved slightly. “Then I release everything.”
Dramatic as she was, she paused for a beat.
“The contract. The messages. All of it. Straight to my socials and every outlet covering my wedding. I'm tired of stressing that point—the fact that this is my wedding. Mine. This wedding, this lifestyle, this man. It's all mine. You’ve already done enough to ruin it, but I will not have you screw it up anymore,” she added, voice sharpening. “It’s time you both get put in your place.”
Silence stretched for half a second.
“Is it worth it?” I asked calmly.
Her brows lifted slightly.
“Blackmailing us?” I continued with a deep sigh.
“You already won, Lori. You have Chase. You’re getting married tomorrow. Why do you need us to break it off?”
Her expression hardened.
“If this is what it takes for you to finally understand your place, then it's worth everything,” she said coolly.
A pause.
“Growing up, you had it all—the fancy scholarship, the adoration. But this… Chase is mine,” she added, her tone laced with finality. “And you don’t get to humiliate me in front of my peers anymore.”
Her lips curved again.
“Now it’s your turn.”
We held each other's gaze, and looking into her eyes, I saw the truth. Envy waged war in her eyes and I knew that no matter what I said or did, she would never back down.
Sighing, I reached into my clutch and pulled out my phone, taking two steps toward her. My gaze was focused on the screen as I moved, unlocking it and sifting through my photos.
“It’s funny,” I started, stopping in front of her, my tone light, “that you’re so comfortable threatening to expose my secrets…” I lifted my gaze. “…when you’ve been hiding a much bigger one.”
I turned the phone toward her, and she scoffed immediately, snatching it from my hand. And it was a movie moment watching the confluence and humor fade from her expression, replaced by shock.
Silence stretched—a tight, fragile cord that could’ve snapped at any second. I didn't dare break it, letting her stew in the realization that I now had the upper hand. She swiped and another photo appeared, more damaging than the previous.
“It’s funny,” I said, nodding toward the screen still in her hand, “the damning evidence hotel cameras can pick up these days, don't you think?”
I stepped a little closer, pointing lightly at the image.
“That’s you… right?”
My finger shifted.
“And, well, my eyes might be deceiving me, but isn't that Chase’s father?”
Her grip tightened around the phone.
“Why would you be meeting Chase's father in a hotel room?”
“You could've Photoshopped this for all I know,” she snapped, her voice sharp but not nearly as steady as before.
A quiet, humorless chuckle left me.
“Sure,” I said easily. “I could have, but we both know I didn't.”
“It's fake! Just like you and him.”
I shrugged slightly. “You can say whatever you want, but that doesn’t really explain the deposits in your account, does it?”
Her eyes widened, but I didn't stop.
“Or the trips. The clothes. A total lifestyle upgrade. I mean, you could’ve sold it that Chase was giving you all the stuff. Hell, maybe half of it was from Chase… which is probably how you got away with it for so long.”
Her jaw tightened, and I took another step closer.
“Does he know? Chase, I mean. Does he know that you’re sleeping with his father? That seems to be an important detail before you say your vows tomorrow.”
“Shut up,” she snapped, louder this time. “You don't know anything.”
“Because from what I can see, this has been going on for months,” I went on, my voice sharpening just slightly, ignoring the way her breathing picked up. “And can you just imagine what Chase will think when he finds out? His father, Lori? Really?”
“I said shut up!” she yelled.
“You dare to look down at me, torment me all these months with Chase this and Chase that, when all you were after was a good payout. Anything to get to the big dollar sign, huh? No matter who you hurt in the process?” I shook my head slowly. “How could you be that reckless?”
Her hand shot out, shoving the phone back into mine like it burned.
“What do you know?! You're nothing but a background filler, one that Chase forgot about the second he saw me. I'm the one who deserves this, not you! You had it all and you were throwing it away, and for what? A fucking degree? Rich people don't need degrees.”
“Again, reckless. And bragging about stealing someone's man is not the flex you think it is.”
“I could take Jaxon if I wanted to.”
I laughed. “Not likely, but let's check. Are you interested in my cousin, Jax?”
“You know I'm obsessed with you, trouble. She doesn't even scratch the surface.”
I didn’t even have to look at him, and the embarrassment on Lori's face competed with her anger.
“No one is going to believe you,” she spat.
“Yeah… about that.” Jaxon’s voice cut in, casual and amused. I glanced back briefly as he stood, stepping forward just enough to be fully in the conversation.