Page 75 of Betraying Him
“Shhhh,” he whispers, his finger resting on my parted lips before he pinches my chin with his thumb and forefinger, gently tilting my head up to look at him.
“Don’t shoot me down. Don’t say anything. Just know that I’m not giving up. I’m not giving up on you, Sav, and I’m not giving up onus.I did that once, and it just about destroyed me… I can’t do that again. Now that I know what you went through, I’m not letting you get away a second time. I don’t give a fuck if it takes me weeks, months, or even years to get through to you, I won’t stop until you realize what you have right in front of you. I won’t stop until you stop fighting this and give in to what you really want, because Iknowthis is what you want.I’mwhat you want.”
He cups the side of my face, and I swallow thickly, nerves flittering through me.
“I can see it in your eyes when you look at me. I can see the way your body instinctively reacts to mine, wanting to be closer. I can hear it in your words when you tell me to leave you alone, but your voice breaks, and I know that all you really want to do is drag me closer. You still feel the same way about me as you did back then, just like I do. Just like Ialwayshave. I may have fought myself on it for years, but not anymore. All you have to do is give in, Sav. Give in and let yourself be happy for once. Just think about it, yeah?”
He gives me a sad smile and leans down, placing a chaste kiss on my cheek, making tears gather in my eyes.
Stupid fucking tears, I’m so goddamn sick of crying.
My lips part, wanting to say something,anything, but before I can even get a word out, he’s backing away, thenturning completely, leaving me alone to deal with the absolute shitshow that are my emotions.
FIFTY-FOUR
HARLEY
“This is taking too long,”I mutter to myself as I head toward the library.
I told her I’d be happy to wait, and I am… but I fuckinghatewaiting.
I know, patience is a virtue and blah blah blah, and sure, I’ll wait as long as she needs to come to terms with everything, but that doesn’t mean I have to fucking like it.
“Maybe Noah had a point when he told me to kidnap her,” I say under my breath, fully committed to talking to myself at this point. At least this way, I have someone to talk to who knows what I’m going through.
Jesus, I sound insane.
I shake my head as I reach the entrance of the library and head inside, swallowing the lump in my throat as memories of being here hit me in full force. It’s like this every time I come here now, this building serving as a physical reminder of all the shit I put Savannah through, but the past that’s haunting me isn’t enough to keep me away.
Nothing could keep me away from Savannah.
I’m aware I’ve done a full one-eighty in the way I feel about her, but I honestly couldn’t give a fuck. It doesn’t need to make sense to anyone else, only me and Sav.
Though I’m still working on getting her to see things from my point of view.
I head toward her usual table, my footsteps slowing as I get closer because I see her sitting there, talking to a guy a year younger than us.
My eyes narrow when I see Savannah pointing to something in one of the books lying on the table.
She must be his tutor.
That’s fine, great and everything. I don’t care that she tutors people, but what Idofucking care about is the look he’s sending her when her focus isn’t on him. There’s heat in his eyes, a clear intent. He wants her.
Well, too fucking bad, she’smine.
I curse under my breath and close the distance between us, taking a seat at the table with them. Loudly.
Both of their attentions snap toward me. The guy’s eyes widen in fear, while Savannah’s roll almost to the back of her head, completely used to dealing with my shit.
Savannah sighs. “What do you want, Harley?”
The guy—whose name I don’t know and don’t fucking care about—shoots her a look that saysshut the fuck up, making me hate him even more.
Sure, I’ve looked at her in a hell of a lot worse ways, but that was different.
You’re a fucking hypocrite.
I shush that little voice in the back of my mind and glare at the fucker. His face pales, and for some goddamn fucked up, stupid reason, he turns his attention tomygirl. “Why are you talking to him like that? It’s rude,” he mutters, then turns togrin at me, like I’ll reward him for being a dick and taking my side.
