Lie to Me

by Preston, Natasha

  I blow out a breath. That’s some heavy shit she’s just put on the both of us. I’m not sorry for making her the centre of my fucking universe. I love her!

  “What do you want me to say, Savannah?”

  A smile touches her lips. “Lie to me.”

  I pull her in close and wrap my arms around her back, trapping her in, not that she was trying to get away. “I can’t forgive you, I don’t love you, and I don’t want to spend every day for the rest of my life waking up beside you.”

  Tears well in her eyes, and her smile grows. “I don’t love you either.”

  Thank God for that.

  “I’m so sorry I let my ex affect us.”

  She closes her eyes and breathes. “No, it’s okay. I understand. It’s not always easy to let go of the past.”

  “Please tell me I haven’t completely ruined everything. I need to know you don’t want us to go our separate ways.”

  Her hands find their way to my stomach. She brushes her fingers up my chest and stops by my heart. “Definitely not. I’ll never want that.”

  “Good, because I’m still crazy in love with you, Savannah.”

  When she opens her eyes, her face breaks into the most stunning smile that makes my heart ache. “I’m crazy in love with you, too, Kent.”

  I can’t wait. There is a proper way to do this—with candles and flowers and massive romantic gestures that I would have to ask Heidi and Brooke about—but I can’t wait.

  The ring is still in my pocket.

  I sink to the floor, and her arms drop away.

  Frowning, she asks, “What are you doing? We can’t do that now. Heidi will be back in a minute.”

  Barking a laugh, I arch my eyebrow. She hasn’t seen that I’m on one knee. She thinks I’m about to go down on her. Not that I’m not totally up for that, but right now, I have something more important to do.

  Reaching into my coat pocket, I tightly grip the ring box and take it out.

  “Kent, come on, we can’t do—” She stops talking. Her stormy eyes round like saucers when she sees the little black box.

  I flip the lid open, presenting her with the most beautiful diamond I could find that I thought she would love. “Savannah Dean, I fell in love with you when I thought loving was impossible. I can’t imagine spending one more day without you. I promise to love you for eternity.”

  She drops to both knees in front of me, gripping my forearms. “Yes!”

  “You didn’t even let me ask!”

  Pressing her lips together, she zips her mouth and tries miserably to hold back a smile.

  “Savannah, will you marry me?”

  “Nah,” she replies, her lips parting in a grin.

  I narrow my eyes. “You know, the only person who thinks you’re funny is you.”

  Laughing, she wraps her arms around my neck, and my heart soars.

  “Of course I’ll marry you!”

  I prize my arms out from where she wedged them between us and hold on to her tight. “I love you,” I whisper into her ear.

  “I love you, too.” She pulls back, a tear leaking from her eye. “Now, put that on my finger!”

  I salute, grinning like a fucking fool. The ring slips onto her finger.

  “There, now, I officially own you,” I tease, but she doesn’t hear me.

  She’s too busy staring at the ring like she’s not sure if it’s real or not. My fucking bank balance knows how real that rock is.

  “It’s perfect,” she says, finally lifting her tear-filled eyes to mine.

  I bend down and kiss those soft lips. She tastes just how I remember.

  “I don’t want a long engagement, babe.”

  She tilts her head to the side. “Okay. I don’t care when it is.”

  “Do you want to reach out to your family?”

  “No.”

  “Good, because I’m too fucking angry with them.”

  She sinks into my arms again. “Let it go, Kent. That’s all in the past, and I only want to focus on the future.”

  We’re going to have to have a proper conversation about her past at some point—she must know that, too—but it definitely doesn’t have to be on the day we’ve sorted things out and gotten engaged.

  The studio door slams shut behind me.

  “You two all right?” Heidi asks.

  Yeah, we must look fucking weird right now, down on the floor.

  Savannah lets go of me and stands up. She holds her hand up, the rock on her finger facing my sister.

  The most deafening squeal rips from Heidi’s mouth, making me jump out of my skin.

  “What the fuck was that?” I snap, getting to my feet.

  Neither of them acknowledges me at all as they run and hug each other.

  “Oh my God, I can’t believe it!” Heidi shouts.

  I don’t think Savannah can reply because my sister is squeezing the life out of her.

  I stand back from them like a third wheel.

  Heidi lets go and grips Savannah’s upper arms. “You’re going to be my sister-in-law! I can’t believe my brother proposed! This is amazing!”

  “I know!”

  Heidi turns to me. “Mum and Dad are going to freak! In a good way. My baby brother is getting married.” She runs at me—like proper runs.

  I brace myself, so she doesn’t knock me on my arse. “Glad you’re happy about this, too, sis,” I say as she slams into me.

  “Congratulations! Oh my God, I only have coffee.” On her desk are three drinks. She backs away. “I’m going for champagne, and then Savannah is getting the rest of the day off.”

  “You don’t have to do that, Heidi,” Savannah says before I can thank my sister.

  I look over Heidi’s head and frown at Savannah.

  I don’t know why she is saying that when we can have all day to go back to mine and celebrate … naked.

  “As if you’re working on the day you get engaged. I’ll be back in ten.” Heidi runs out the door like a lunatic.

  “She’s excited,” Savannah says, stepping closer to me.

  “She’s very excited.” I wrap her in my arms. “I can’t wait to get you alone. We have lost time to make up for as well as this.”

  “Hmm, I’m looking forward to that.”

  “We might have to see if Heidi will give you the rest of the week off.”

  “You want to keep me in bed for five days?”

  “Longer than that, but I know my mum is going to make us go over there this weekend. There will be a party—and, no, there’s nothing I can do to stop her.”

  Savannah laughs, and the sound hits me right in the chest. “I don’t mind a party. A small one.”

  I smile at her because there’s also nothing I can do regarding the size of this party. At least we’ll have control over the wedding, but a party my mum is throwing is going to be exactly as she plans it.

  But I don’t care what my mum plans on doing. I don’t care if it’s just family or the whole town. All I care about is having Savannah back and feeling like I can breathe again.

  35

  Kent

  Last night, Savannah and I ignored the rest of the world and focused on making up for lost time. Now, she has to go to work because she refuses to ask for more time off, but I’m not ready to let her go just yet. I know how that sounds, like I’m some pussy, but I’ve missed her more than I thought it was possible to miss a person.

  We’re both dressed and standing in her kitchen. Her head is resting on my chest as she awkwardly sips her coffee. She’s almost burned my chest at least a dozen times, but I’ll take a little burn when it’s because she doesn’t want to let me go.

  Bending my head, I kiss her hair. “We should go soon.”

  “Yeah, I know,” she murmurs. “We’re getting together tonight, yeah?”

  “Savannah, we’re engaged. You’re moving in.”

  Her stunning grey eyes peek up at me. “As much as I love my little apartment, I really like the sound of moving in with
you.”

  “Good. We’ll get you packed up tonight. For now though, we should get to the studio before you’re late again.”

  That gets her moving. She backs away and puts the mug on the counter. “Come on, I’m not being late.” Savannah is obsessed with being on time, which I do get.

  I grab my phone, wallet, and keys and then slip on my shoes. Then, we head out the door.

  She locks up and takes my hand as we walk down the communal stairs. “I can’t wait for the lift in your building.”

  “You have a lift here, babe.”

  “I know, but it feels too lazy to take a lift up one floor.”

  Yeah, but I would probably still do it.

  We head onto the street where it’s just starting to get busy, crowds of people dashing to work. We join them, falling in line behind two businessmen in tailored suits. I should make more of an effort at work really. I usually rock up whenever I want in my jeans and shirt. Probably won’t though.

  Savannah’s phone beeps in her pocket. One of her hands is in mine, so she uses the other to grab it.

  When her steps falter, I know something is up.

  “What is it?”

  “My mum,” she whispers.

  Her hand is visibly shaking as she lifts the phone to her ear. I tug her to the side, in the doorway of a building, so we’re out of the way.

  “Hello?” Savannah says, her voice cracking. I can’t hear what her mum is saying with the background noise, but Savannah is frowning. “We don’t need to meet. There’s no point. You took her side. I don’t care.”

  She tightly squeezes my hand, the longer she’s on the phone.

  “There’s nothing to talk about. It’s done. No, you put Isla first. I needed you!” Her voice rises as anger begins to eclipse the shock of her mum’s call. “No, don’t bother coming here. Just take care of Isla. Whatever.” She lowers the phone and taps the End Call button.

  I hate her parents. They have two daughters, so I get that it was a tough situation, but they backed the one in the wrong, and that’s unforgivable in my eyes.

  Savannah must have felt so lonely, going through a miscarriage and double betrayal at the same time. Her parents should have been behind her all the way.

  “Babe, are you okay?” I ask.

  “Let’s just get to the studio,” she mutters, pulling me as she power-walks.

  We’re not far off, and I can understand that she doesn’t want to discuss this in the street, but I’m worried about her.

  I reach out to open the door as we approach the studio, but she shoves it open first and lets go of my hand.

  “Savannah, wait,” I say, shutting the door.

  Heidi rises to her feet from her sewing table. “What’s wrong?”

  “My mum called me,” she says, slamming her handbag down on her desk.

  My sister looks at me at the same time my eyes slide to her for help. I’m not sure what to do to make this better for Savannah. I wish there were something, but I can’t take back the past, and I can’t force her parents to make her a priority.

  She’s shaking. Her body is trembling like she’s freezing.

  “I’ll put the kettle on,” Heidi says, rubbing Savannah’s arm as she passes. “You want tea or coffee?”

  “Tea, please,” Savannah replies softly. She turns to me. “I didn’t think I’d hear from her again. I mean, it’s been three years, and besides messaging me, she’s not tried to find me.”

  “They’ve only emailed?”

  “Actually, not they, just my mum, and she messaged on my old Facebook page. She told me to come home and sort it out, but she couldn’t have been that bothered by my absence since she didn’t try finding me. So, I figured she only sent those messages to ease her own guilt—you know, so she could tell herself she tried.”

  “Fuckers,” I growl. How can anyone do that? I don’t have kids yet, thank God, but I don’t know how someone could turn their back on them. I couldn’t even leave a pet. “I didn’t know you had Facebook?” I ask.

  Max and Toby couldn’t find her.

  “I don’t now. I deleted it the day after we broke up. Sav Dean is no more.”

  Sav. No wonder we didn’t find her then.

  She deleted her old life when I walked out on her.

  I stroke her hair out of her face, my fingers lingering on the soft skin over her cheek and down her jaw. “What do you want me to do?”

  A frown slips on her face. “What do you mean?”

  “Do you want me to try talking to them? I want to do something. Tell me how I can fix this.” I pull her into my arms.

  “I love that you want to help, Kent, but there’s nothing you can do.”

  “But that’s unacceptable. You’re hurting. There must be something I can do.”

  Laughing, she presses her chest against mine. “You’re sweet. They’ll stop contacting me soon.”

  “You don’t want to try talking to them again?”

  She pulls back and stares into my eyes. “No, I have all I need right here.”

  “Tea,” Heidi announces, popping her head around the partition wall.

  “Thanks, Heidi,” Savannah replies, dropping me to head for her caffeine.

  Charming.

  I follow her and sit at the small table in the kitchen area.

  “Okay, I’m going to say it,” Heidi announces, wincing as she locks eyes with Savannah. “I think you should speak to your parents and get everything out in the open before you tell them to stay away.”

  I think so, too, but I don’t want to agree with Heidi now and make it seem like an ambush.

  Savannah sighs and looks down at the table. She runs her finger along the handle of her mug. “I’ve thought about that many times over the last three years. In fact, I’ve almost driven back there to do it, but I don’t think it will change anything. I still won’t want a relationship with them.”

  “You don’t have to have anything happen from it. All you need is to say what you want, and then you can properly put this in the past.”

  “It’s already in the past.”

  Heidi tilts her head. “Savannah, you kept all of this to yourself for years because you couldn’t talk about it.”

  “I’ve told you all about it now.”

  “And we’re glad you have because we want to be there for you, but can you honestly say you’ve dealt with all of the betrayals?”

  Savannah taps her finger on the table. “I’ve not really thought about it.”

  “Because you’ve been ignoring it, babe,” I say.

  She presses her lips together, refusing to look at Heidi or me. I exchange a glance with my sister, and she now seems as lost as I am. What Savannah wants to do and what she needs are two different things, and she’s battling herself.

  No one can make her face her family again even if we all think she should. I don’t want to push because she might not be ready, and I’m not risking losing her again for anything.

  “Would you be there?” she asks after a long second, twisting her head to me.

  “You even have to ask?”

  I’m not letting her go alone. Not when they still think they did the right thing three years ago. Savannah is my universe, and she won’t ever have to face anything alone again. I wouldn’t risk them getting inside her head or making her feel worse about this. They blamed her for the rift in the family, and as long as I’m breathing, I won’t allow her to believe that.

  Smiling, she dips her head. “I’ll see if they’ll meet us this weekend then.”

  “You don’t want to do it now?” Heidi asks.

  “I’m working now.”

  “No, you’re not. Make the call, hon. I’ve got things here if they can meet you now.”

  She shakes her head in protest. “No, you’ve already given me plenty of time off. I wasn’t here yesterday, and I know how busy things are getting.”

  “Savannah, you’re my best friend and future sister-in-law. I want these people out of your head and out
of your life ASAP. Make the call, and then you and Kent can move forward … to making me nieces and nephews!”

  Why are people so obsessed with me and Savannah reproducing?

  I narrow my eyes at her. “Not happening anytime soon.”

  Savannah nods in my direction. “What he said.”

  “Fine, whatever. Call them now and get this sorted.”

  She doesn’t want to. When she takes her phone out of her pocket, she hesitates.

  “I can call if you want?” I offer. I’m not fucking afraid of a conversation with them. In fact, I damn well crave it.

  “That’s okay. I’ll do it.” She unlocks her phone.

  Heidi and I watch as she calls her mum and presses the phone to her ear.

  With a deep breath, she addresses her mum and asks her to meet.

  Where? she mouths to me.

  “My place,” I reply.

  She gives them my address and agrees she can meet them there in thirty minutes, giving us plenty of time to get there first.

  They’re already in the city?

  When she hangs up, I put my coffee mug down. “They’re here?” I ask.

  “Yeah. Arrived this morning apparently.” Savannah turns to Heidi and smiles. “I’ll be back as soon as I can. Thank you.”

  “Anytime. Give them hell.”

  Laughing, Savannah nods in agreement. “I plan to.”

  We walk to her place to get my car, and then I drive us back to my apartment and park underground in my spot.

  “Thanks for this, Kent. I know we’re having to go back and forth a lot at the minute.”

  “There’s no one else I’d rather drive around the city for.” I’m sure as hell not walking, even if it would be faster. Leaning over, I kiss her. “Ready to get this over with?”

  She gets out of the car. “I think so. You need to stay calm. I know what you can get like when you’re pissed off.”

  I fake gasp. “How dare you.”

  “Please, Kent, you’re fiery when you get worked up.” She rolls her eyes. “You can tell them to fuck off when they’re on their way out the door. All I ask is that you let me do some talking before that happens.”