Page 67 of Betraying Him
“Your father pushed you to dance with me that night,” I state, and she nods. Bile crawls up my throat, and a new idea hits me. If he made her dance with me, then did he…
“Was he always controlling you?” I ask, too afraid to voice my real question.
Was it always one-sided?
Savannah shakes her head adamantly, probably knowingwhere my thoughts are wandering. “No. When we got home that night, I thought he’d bring it up, but he never did. I kept waiting, but there was no mention of you or the party whatsoever. I felt like something was wrong, and then you started texting me. I tried to keep my responses vague and my messages short, but the longer you messaged me, the more Iwantedto talk to you. I really did try to resist, knowing that it would no doubt end in tears, but I couldn’t help it. Talking to you made me feel free for the first time in my life, and I… I just couldn’tnotdo it. So, I told you to meet me at the pier, and when the time came, I snuck out of the house.”
My heart breaks for the girl sitting in front of me and the younger version of her who felt trapped, but then her eyes meet mine, and it completely shatters. The tears in her eyes snap something in me, and I stand, coming around the coffee table and sitting on top of it, directly in front of her. I want to pull her into my arms, but that might be taking things too far, so I settle for covering her hands with mine and being a silent support.
“I had so much fun with you. You were like a bright light in an otherwise dark existence, and I felt like I could be myself with you, which was why I kept taking the risk. I kept texting you, I kept sneaking out, and I kept having fun. But then, I don’t think I was everreallysneaking out, because he knew what was happening all along.”
Her eyes pierce mine, and the look of horror and heartbreak in them no doubt reflects my own.
Fuck, how could I have thought she had even a single malicious bone in her body?
She called me a bright light, but she’s like fucking sunshine, everything on earth orbiting around her. She doesn’t realize just how perfect she is, and sure, she might be a little broken, but the broken parts of her fit perfectlywith mine. She’s so brave and so goddamn strong for not breaking completely these last few years, and it makes me hate myself even more for even attempting to put her through hell.
“What happened next?” I ask, knowing I’m going to hate whatever comes out of her mouth, but needing to hear it all the same.
I need to know what happened next and what put us on the road for the next four years, because the sooner I know the details, the sooner I can figure out a way to get her father out of her life for good, so she can really be free.
FORTY-EIGHT
SAVANNAH
SUMMER BEFORE FRESHMAN YEAR
I stare downat my phone, my lip pulled between my teeth as I try to understand the text I’m seeing. He wants me to go to his house? To do what? Is he expecting—no, these last few weeks I’ve spent with Harley have opened my eyes to who he really is, and I know he wouldn’t rush me to do anything I don’t want to do. It’s not that I don’t want to get physical with him, I just… ugh, I don’t even know how to explain my own goddamn feelings.
Harley is different to anyone I’ve ever met. He makes me feel things I’ve never felt.
I’m starting to really like him, and I feel like maybe once we’re together like that, then the illusion will shatter and everything good will drain away.
But that’s not why he wants me to go to his house; he just wants me to go to watch a movie and hang out. I’ve been getting good at sneaking out lately, so I doubt that will be an issue.
I sigh and text him back, agreeing to meet him at his place as anticipation fills me. I’ve loved hanging out with him lately, and I don’t want it to end when the summer does, but I don’t know what will happen when we get to college.
Will he go back to not even noticing I exist? Or will he acknowledge me now? Will we continue whatever it is we’ve been doing?
Questions for another time, I guess.
All I can do right now is live in the moment, enjoying each day as it comes before everything eventually falls apart.
And it will, because that’s just how my life is.
But this is the first time in a long time that I’ve had a little good in my life, and I’m going to enjoy it while I can.
A knock at my door has my heartbeat picking up and me throwing my phone to the side, like if he doesn’t see it near me, then he won’t suspect anything.
Ridiculous, I know.
The door opens, and my father fills my doorway with a sneer on his face. He looks perfectly put together, as always, with his pressed suit and his slicked-back hair. I swallow the lump in my throat, knowing nothing good can come from him being in my room.
Nothing good ever happens after he seeks me out like this, and though usually I’m innocent in whatever it is he’s accusing me of, I’ve been breaking a hell of a lot of rules lately, and it was only a matter of time before he found out.
I guess now is that time, and I’ll have to face the consequences of my actions.
“You’ve been doing well, Savannah,” he praises, and I frown, since I have no goddamn idea what he’s talking about. I’ve been doing well? If anything, I’ve rebelled more in the last few weeks than I have in my entire life.
