Page 49 of Betraying Him
Relief, shock, fear, anticipation, anger, and debilitating sadness.
“Savannah,” he rasps, and my heart kickstarts in my chest, beating so fast I feel like I may collapse.
His gaze runs over me, a spark of anger in his eyes, and I don’t know if it’s because I’m here in his home, because I’m wearing Logan’s clothes, or because of what happened.
And honestly? I don’t care which it is. Harley has been the center of everything for so long, but right now? Right now, I really don’t care about his thoughts and feelings. I need to put myself first for once.
“I wanted to check on you. Are you okay?” His eyes search mine, and I try to come up with a response, but I only end up stammering, my gaze flicking to Logan for help.
I don’t know what to do or say, I don’t know what to tell him, and I can’t manage to get a single word to slip past my lips. I’m completely and utterly silent as I stare at him.
“Harley,” Logan warns, and they have a silent conversationbetween themselves before Harley brings his attention back to me.
His expression is soft, his eyes not holding the burning hatred that I’m so used to seeing in them, and he puts his hands in the pockets of his hoodie. It may seem casual, but the stiffness in his arms tells another story. He’s forcing himself not to reach out and touch me, which I’m grateful for.
“I’m sorry, Sav,” he whispers before spinning on his heel and walking away.
I’m not sure what he’s sorry for, and I’m not sure I care. I feel numb to everything right now, and that’s the way I like it. I don’t want to feel.
Because the moment I start feeling, will be the moment I shatter.
THIRTY-FIVE
HARLEY
The soundof my racing heartbeat is the only thing I can hear as I shift in my seat and prepare myself to press play.
Logan’s words were repeating in my mind the entire night, so I ended up staying outside his room despite his warning to stay away. I just couldn’t be that far away from her, not when everything was so fresh.
What if she needed me?
Though it turns out he was right—she doesn’t need me. She doesn’t want me anywhere near her, and I only have myself to blame.
It’s like a switch has been flipped, and now I’m determined to get to the bottom of whatever the fuck Logan was talking about, about how she’s been protecting me. I can’t ask Savannah, and I know he won’t betray her confidence more than he already has, so that left me with one option—to come home and look at the video of her in my father’s office all those years ago.
Reallylook at it this time, not just a fleeting glance before rage consumes me, and I assume the worst.
It was a no-brainer, really, to make the two-hour drive so I could do some digging. At least it makes me feel useful, rather than sitting in my room at home, torturing myself.
I’m currently at the main house, searching through his files and wondering where the fuck I’ll find it.
Just when I’m ready to give up and call him to ask, I spot a folder titled SUMMER ’22, and I know in my gut that’s the one.
I sift through photos—pictures of me and mom chatting, pictures from parties of the two of them, and pictures of the three of us. I look so young, so naive. And I guess I was.
I finally find the video, and my heart stalls as I see Savannah on the screen. I may have seen this video before, but this time, I’m looking at it with fresh eyes and a clear head.
Just as I did, she also looks so young. She’s always been beautiful, but she’s grown into a breathtaking woman.
I hit play and watch the scene unfold before me. Unlike the first, anger and betrayal doesn’t hit me square in the chest as soon as she starts digging through my father’s desk before turning her attention to his laptop. No, this time I’m hit with steel determination to figure out what the fuck is going on and what Logan was referring to.
I watch with keen eyes and a hawk-like gaze, looking for something—anything—that will point me in the right direction.
And that’s when I see it.
My heart stalls, and I stop the video, rewinding it a couple of seconds and zooming in before pressing play again, and there it is—a slight tremor in her hand as she reaches for the mousepad. It’s almost unnoticeable, so much so that only someone who knows her and was looking for it would see it.
I watch the rest of the clip, this time zoomed in enough that only she sits in the frame, my eyes zoned in on every oneof her breaths, noting her labored breathing, the way her body trembles, and the tears escaping her eyes.
