Sinful Secrets (Savannah Sharks Hockey and Mafia #2)

Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

SAVANNAH

Project Runway has always been my guilty pleasure. I watch hours upon hours of the show each week. I even watch the old seasons when I run out of new episodes.

It cheered me up when I was down. It gave me inspiration. And it helped me keep my dream alive.

I click the button on the remote to start the next episode before adding more glass beads to my now empty tray.

Project Runway also helps keep my mind occupied while I have to do monotonous tasks like hand beading a clutch that’s due tomorrow.

I look down at my work.

It looks pretty good, if I do say so myself. At this rate, I will finish around one or two in the morning and head to class at eight.

Getting up and heading into the kitchen, I grab a soda from the refrigerator and a small bag of cookies.

“If I’m going to get this clutch done tonight, then I’m going to need the temporary sugar rush.”

The front door opens and giggles fill the air. There’s only one person who that can be- Justine.

And based on the tiny moans coming from her, I’d say Connor is also here.

Just shoot me now. I cannot deal with them being together like that while trying to finish my homework.

Justine yelps before a crash sounds.

My beads.

I run into the living room and see Justine and Connor laying on the couch, laughing and playfully kissing one another. My clutch is nowhere to be seen and my beads are all over the table and presumably the carpet.

Those are tiny beads. It’s going to take me forever to find all of them.

Anger fills my veins at their disregard for my stuff. “You knocked over my beads. They are everywhere! And I’m assuming you’re laying on my beaded clutch that has a needle in it.”

Their giggles die down and Connor reaches underneath Justine. She giggles as his hand grazes her side. Pulling out my clutch, he hands it to me and I immediately check for the needle.

Great. There’s no needle and several missing beads.

I take a deep breath to calm my racing heart and say, “The needle is missing as well as several beads.”

Justine glares at me. “You can check later. We’re busy.”

I pause the episode of Project Runway and yank Connor off Justine.

“What part of there’s a missing needle, don’t you understand? Do you want to end up in the hospital because you’re too selfish to stop sucking face with my ex and look for the damn thing?”

She purses her lips and sits up, but I don’t let her speak.

“And if you’d take your head out of your ass for ten seconds, you’d see I was working here first.”

“Well, we are here now. Can’t you do your crafts in your room?”

“No! This isn’t a hobby, nor is it crafts. This is for my design class. All of my stuff is laid out perfectly here, and I’m watching my show.”

I search the spot in between the two cushions and find the needle sticking out of the back of the couch.

Justine still doesn’t get up.

“Some of my beads are still under you. Can’t you take this-” I motion between her and Connor “-to your room and not do it in the common area?”

“No. We are more comfortable out here. Besides, it’s a common area.”

“Can you at least get up so I can find my beads?”

“What’s wrong with the ones on the table or the ones on the floor?”

I turn my glare on Connor, hoping he will convince her to move, but he doesn’t. He doesn’t even look at me. I take a deep breath to keep the angry tears from falling.

Picking up my phone and keys, I leave, slamming the door behind me. Needing to get as far away from them as possible, I take the stairs.

The cool night air is refreshing and instantly helps calm my anger. Several students are playing a drinking game while a couple of others throw a football around.

Everyone is laughing and having the best time of their lives.

Why can’t I be happy, too? Why can’t I have a night like them?

I wish I could forget everything and all responsibilities and take a drive out to the beach, but I’ve never missed a design assignment, and I’m not going to start now.

I need to head back upstairs, but a few more minutes couldn’t hurt, right?

Connor’s voice interrupts my thoughts. “Savannah, are you okay?”

I scoff and roll my eyes. “Do I look okay? Don’t answer that. Why did you follow me outside?”

He waits until he is standing a few feet from me to speak again. “I wanted to make sure you were alright. You left in a hurry and were pretty upset.”

The laugh that comes out of my mouth is dry and humorless. “I was upset? No, I’m still upset. You lost the right to check to make sure I’m okay when you broke up with me and started dating Justine.”

“I shouldn’t have broken up with you.” He frowns, his patented puppy dog frown, but it no longer works on me like it used to. Now, it just pisses me off more.

“Well, it’s too late now.” I thought I’d still be dating him by the time we graduated, but that dream is long gone.

He reaches for me before dropping his hand by his side. “I was just trying to make you jealous by being with Justine, so you’d want to get back with me. I only want to be with you, Savannah. It’s always been you.”

“I don’t believe you, Connor. If you wanted to be with me, you wouldn’t be sucking face with my roommate. Besides, it doesn’t matter. I’m dating someone else, and I’m happy with him.”

Not to mention completely satisfied.

“What? Who? The guy that left your room the other night? Isn’t he too old for you?”

“That is none of your business.”

“I think I deserve to know. What’s his story?”

“No, you don’t. You don’t deserve shit.”

He’s pissed. His hands ball into tight fists.

Even if I wanted to gloat and brag about this thing I have going on with Spencer, I don’t know his last name. I don’t know where he works. I barely remember where he lives.

Connor’s expression softens slightly, and his fists loosen. “Did you ever love me?”

“What?”

“Did you ever love me?”

“Of course I did! How can you even ask me that? When I tell someone I love them, I mean it. I hated the break up because I was so in love with you, but things are different now. You have Justine and I have Spencer.”

Connor steps closer to me and leans in, as if he wants to kiss me. I have to back up to prevent our bodies from touching.

He tries again. This time, I step to the side to miss his lips.

“Connor, no. You’re with Justine, and I’m with Spencer. The two of us are over. We’re done. There’s no going back.”

“Savannah, don’t be like this. I know we are meant to be together.”

He’s just going to keep trying. I need to lock myself in my room and just focus on my clutch.

I try to step to the side, but he wraps his hands around my arms, keeping me in front of him. His fingers dig into my skin, causing me to wince from the pain.

“Ow!” I yell. “Connor, let me go.”

“Hey, asshole! I believe she told you no.” Spencer yanks Connor off of me and punches him right in the center of his face.

The crunching sound from Spencer’s fist making contact with Connor’s nose causes my stomach to violently flip.

It has to be broken. There’s no way a nose can take a punch like that and not break.

Blood squirts from his nose before falling down his face to his pristine white shirt.

Connor takes a punch in his stomach from Spencer and takes a swing of his own. Spencer, anticipating the swing, dodges the shot and throws Connor against the brick wall.

“Spencer, stop. Please. You’ll kill him.” I plead as Spencer’s gaze locks with mine.

Connor catches Spencer off guard and punches him in his side. Spencer doesn’t break my gaze when he punches Connor again.

I don’t know what Spencer sees in my eyes, but he turns to Connor and growls out, “Don’t ever come around her again.”

Connor starts to protest, but Spencer quickly shuts him up.

“Let me make this clear to you. Touch her again and you won’t be walking away.”

“Are you threatening me?” Connor puffs out his chest like he’s trying to intimidate Spencer.

“Leave and don’t come back.” Spencer says with a dark hint of a warning.

He means business, and I know if he sees Connor anywhere near me, Connor will be lucky to not have to breathe through a tube.

Connor scurries off like the rat he is, not bothering to head back upstairs to see Justine or risk a glance at me.

I lean against the brick wall and close my eyes as I take several deep breaths to steady my nerves.

“Why are you here? How are you here so early?” I whisper.

His flight wasn’t supposed to land until after midnight.

I feel him lean against the brick wall next to me. “I needed to see you tonight. I had a really shitty night, and the pilot was able to hit a hell of a tailwind.”

Without opening my eyes, I scoot closer to him and lean my head on his shoulder.

“Thank you for saving me.”

He leans his head on top of mine. “Not that I don’t think you can handle yourself, but I’ll always be here for you. I’ll save you a million times if I have to. I like you, Savannah. More than I’ve ever liked someone, and I know I’m already falling for you.”

Oh. My. God.

He practically confessed his love for me.

After beating the shit out of my ex.

Say something, Savannah, or he’s going to think we don’t feel the same way.

Do I feel the same way?

Is it too soon?

He breaks the silence. “So, what’s the plan for tonight?”

His tone is borderline cheerful, like he’s not disappointed I didn’t confess my feelings for him.

I turn to look at him. “You can come inside and help me pick up beads from the couch and floor if you want. It might keep me from saying something to my roommate that I might regret later.”

“Do I need to say something to her?”

I glance down at the blood on his knuckles. “I think you’ve said enough for tonight.”

He holds out his non-bloody hand. “Then let’s go pick up beads. Do I even want to know how or why your beads are on the couch and on the floor?”

“No, because I don’t have the spare time or money to bail you out of jail tonight. Besides, you saw the ending of it.”

“Now I need to know.”

I squeeze his hand and pull him to the front door of the building. “No, you don’t. I think it will be better for everyone to forget tonight and just move on with their lives.”

He spins me around, pulling me to his chest until there’s not even a breath between us. “You will tell me what happened and what was said.”

His eyes are nearly black and demanding, but I see the concern and worry in his gaze.

Standing on my tiptoes, I press my lips to his for a second before whispering, “I’ll tell you one day, but not tonight. I won’t let you hit a woman, and Connor needs to heal a bit before going another couple rounds with you.”

“Let’s find your beads so I can go a couple of rounds with you tonight.” His hips press into mine. His erection is hard and ready to be between my legs.

I chuckle and use my key fob to unlock the front door. “I have to finish beading my clutch first, but as soon as I’m done with that, I’m all yours.”

“You have to do what?” His expression mimics the confusion in his voice.

“Bead my clutch.”

“Beat your clutch? Do I even want to know what that means?”

“Bead. B-E-A-D. Like hand sewing beads onto a small purse called a clutch.”

“Oh, that makes more sense. For a second there, I thought that was code for masturbation or something.” His smirk turns into a grin.

I laugh out loud until I’m clenching my stomach and tears are rolling down my face. “God, I love this. Every day I’m with you is an adventure.”

He wraps his arm around my waist and leads me to the elevator. “And I love you, Savannah.”