Page 94 of False Promises

Breathe in. Breathe out.

I thanked June mentally for encouraging me to take this gig and preventing me from returning to Los Angeles.

Soon I’d get my life back on track. I would walk away from Savannah and regain full control of my existence. No more blackmail or false promises.

I exhaled my angst and sauntered toward the elevators.

With a stretch of my neck and a roll of my shoulders, I entered the suite.

Savannah greeted me with an annoyed scowl, completely dressed for a day out with me, her fists planted on her hips. “Carter, where were you? Who’s the woman you were banging? Don’t play stupid.” Tears streamed down her cheeks. “I can’t believe this is how you treat me. After I warned you last night. After everything I sacrificed for your happiness.”

I blinked.

A glint I had never noticed before shone in her eyes.

The spark of the devil.

A chill moved up and down my back

“You can’t treat me like this.” Her shriek iced my blood.

Anger simmered inside me. I breathed out through my nose.

One more stone wall grew around my heart, suffocating the life out of it.

A dreadful prickling, one resembling shards of glass, lashed my vital organs.

With resolute steps, I padded across the living room toward the bedroom. With her suitcase open on the bed, I thrust everything she brought along on this one-day round trip inside.

Savannah followed me, babbling, still blaming me for things that never occurred, her voice high-pitched and annoying.

She parked herself next to me. “You’re not even listening to me. When did you turn into an insensitive jerk? Why did you invite me here only to disappear on me in the middle of the night?”

I ignored her nonsense the best I could while she kept insulting me.

“What are you doing? You can’t shove my stuff like this. Careful with those shoes.” She shot both arms up at her sides. “What’s going on with you?”

“Nothing. Helping you pack. That’s it.”

“No. I’m spending the day with you. You said we could revisit where we first met.”

“Can’t. Got a phone call earlier. Team meeting. Gotta be there in half an hour. Next time, call beforehand when you decide to pay me a surprise visit.”

“Well, I’ll spend my day at the spa then, and you’ll treat me to an expensive dinner later. It’s the least you can do for canceling on me. Can you give the spa a call to ensure they make room for me?”

“No time. I changed your flight. It’s leaving in an hour. You should hurry.”

“Carter? Are you ditching me? What’s got into you? You can’t send me away like an animal. Is it about last night? Get over it.” Her strident voice irritated my eardrums. “Call the production team of That Talent. You’re not going back. I swear, Carter, you better come with me. Right now. If you don’t, I’ll make your life miserable. My own brand of personal hell. All for you. When I’m a girl on a mission, nothing can stop me. Before doing anything stupid, like breaking us up or sleeping around, I would think twice if I were you.”

She kept mumbling, trying to get a reaction out of me, but to no avail.

Swearing under her breath, she strode, her heels clicking angrily, until she stood in front of me, forcing me to stop packing. Before I could react, her palm connected with my cheek. Hard. The tingling sensation radiated down to my toes.

I blinked. In slow motion.

“Carter,” she hollered. “Say something. Don’t act as if I’m not here. Come on, hit me back. I know you dream of doing it.”

She presented me with her left cheek.