Burning Your Lies (King and Queen Duet #2)

4

Huxley

“Are you sure?”

Mia and Jordan share a look. Unluckily for me, we are sat in my living room, scrutinising the picture of the supposed Elliot. Despite declaring their homes bug-free, we agreed my home was the safest place from Xavier. He’s the CEO, but my security is impenetrable.

Mia’s index finger stabs the image.

“You’ve asked us a million times and the more I look at it, the more certain I am that it’s not Elliot. He looks too…”

She hesitates.

“Put together. I can’t explain it, but I just know that isn’t him.”

Jordan nods his head.

“The tattoo is slightly off. Elliot had his exactly here.”

He points to a spot on his neck.

“From the angle this guy’s head is turned at, we shouldn’t be able to see the tattoo. That isn’t him.”

I nod my head.

“Okay. You know what that means, right?”

Their gazes fall to the floor. “Yeah,”

they whisper.

“He’s dead.”

“Me and Sav when to his crematorium. If he got rid of Elliot’s ashes, how do we prove that he's dead?”

Jordan asks.

I point at the picture.

“We find him and ask why he agreed to play a dead man.”

Mia stands and paces the room.

“This can’t be real. I mean, are we really talking about murder, imposters, and a stalker? I served him for years. He was always so normal.”

Jordan scoffs.

“I’ve seen that man up close and personal. There is something cold in his eyes. Elliot knew it. Savannah learned it. Look at where they are now.”

Mia stops her pacing and looks at me.

“Speaking of which, why is Savannah not allowed any visitors?”

“What are you talking about?”

She shrugs.

“I wanted to visit her and they said she’s not allowed any visitors for the foreseeable future. Did they let you in?”

Admittedly, I haven’t tried to visit her yet. I don’t know how I’m supposed to face her after I failed to protect her. I promised to slay the dragons for her. Instead, I let her walk straight into his flames. I can’t see Savannah until I have an ironclad plan in place. When I next see her, I won’t be showing up with another empty promise.

“I haven’t had the time to go.”

I rub my temples, feeling a headache coming.

“This has Xavier written all over it. He’s keeping her isolated.”

“What do we do? Refuse to leave until they let us see her?” Mia asks.

“No.”

“Then, what? How do we even know she’s in there? Have any of us spoken to her in the past two months? Have any of us seen paperwork for her admission? Or spoken to any medical professional?”

Jordan stares at us.

“Do we have any proof that she’s even still alive?”

The room falls silent for a few moments before Mia breaks it, her voice on the verge of tears.

“We have to get in and see her with our own eyes.”

I sigh, knowing she’s right.

“Consider it handled.”

Xavier’s house is eerily silent, except the soft whingeing coming from Elise. He paces the room, trying to rock her to sleep.

“Is she alright?”

He lets out an exasperated sigh.

“She just won’t settle.”

“I think she’s missing Savannah.”

“We both are,”

he whispers.

I keep my voice light.

“Have you been to see her?”

Xavier glances over at me.

“Once or twice.”

“I was told she’s not allowed visitors at the moment. How did you get in?”

“As Savannah has no next of kin, and she was living with me, I’ve been made her medical appointee.”

The blood drains from my face.

“What kind of power does that yield?”

He gives up trying to put Elise to sleep and settles on the sofa.

“I have the final say in all medical decisions. She’s having a hard time settling in and refusing all care. I thought it would be best to help her settle into a new routine if she didn’t have constant reminders of her life outside.”

“Perhaps seeing her friends or me would help.”

His jaw slightly clenches.

“What’s that supposed to mean?”

I shrug.

“She’s angry at you right now, Zav. She’s not well and blames you for getting her locked away. Maybe it would be best if you didn’t see her for a while.”

“I can’t just leave her alone.”

“She won’t be alone. I’ll visit her. Why don’t you ask that friend of hers in the coffee shop to visit her too?”

He shakes his head.

“I don’t think that’s a good idea.”

My eyes glaze over as I stare out the window.

“I just need to see her. Only once. I still can’t believe she did all this. I mean, the Savannah I knew was incapable of kidnapping a baby.”

He leans forward and his gaze burns through me.

“The Savannah we knew was only an illusion. She was a front for the darker being that lived in her delusions.”

Tears brim in my eyes.

“I need to see it for myself. And then, I can move on with my life. I can forget all about her and the lies she spun.”

Xavier contemplates my offer, before reluctantly nodding.

“Okay. I’ll tell them to let you in. But be warned, the Savannah you loved does not exist.”

I hide my smile. I guess Xavier isn’t the only person who can fake emotions. I knew the promise of having her all to himself was too tempting for him to pass on.

“Don’t worry, my friend. I cannot be fooled by the lies anymore.”

“Very well. I’ll call Victor tomorrow morning.”

“Who’s that?”

“Victor Roberts. The owner of the home.”

The name rings a bell. I’ve seen that name somewhere.

“Thank you.”

I stand.

“I need to get going. I’m heading to the office.”

His eyebrows shoot up. “So late?”

I smile at him.

“I need to pick up some paperwork. I have a contract to review. A client is complaining they didn’t receive all the equipment they ordered.”

Xavier walks me to the door.

“I tried to save her. I so badly wanted…”

I believe him. Xavier wanted a future with Savannah. But the deeper I dig into him, the more I understand that the future of any woman who catches his attention is cut short. Because Xavier is never satisfied. I met that side of him when I stood by his side as he grew his company into an empire. Despite his achievements, he desired more.

Between us, we have shared fifteen years of friendship. There is a part of me that doesn’t want to believe the truth I’m piecing together. Xavier has always been a good friend to me. He’s been a brother to me. I welcomed him into my childhood home. He’s sat at dinner with my family. We’ve shared drinks and laughter together.

I don’t want to go down this path of taking him down. I almost want to tell him to hand himself in and get some help. I want to believe that there is some good in there. But Savannah’s current state is proof that there is no helping him.

I stroke Elise’s cheek.

“Some people just can’t be saved.”

I head straight to the back as lights in the storage room turn on. I search for something that may not exist. Even if it exists, Xavier may have filed it away somewhere else. I’m hoping his obsessiveness forced him to place it with the other order sheets. I scour through three boxes before my eyes land on the name.

Mr Victor Roberts.

I look at the location it was delivered to.

Brighter Futures Care Home.

I close my eyes and sigh. The security cameras were delivered and installed only three weeks before Savannah was admitted there.

Any chances of freely speaking to Savannah have just gone out of the window because this homicidal bastard thought of everything. He is probably sitting at home right now, holding his daughter in his arms as he continues to watch her through cameras.

Just as I feel defeated, my heart sends a single beat of joy.

This means she’s still alive.