Savannah gasps, turning toward me, makeup flying through the air. The black stuff that flew off the wand in her hand lands on the wall next to me. She doesn’t even flick her eyes to the spot, just stares at me. “He didn’t.”

“He did,” I say. Her hand covers her open mouth. I grab a towel off the rack, walking to the sink and wetting it. I go back to wipe off the makeup from her wall. When I finish, Savannah is still staring at the same spot with her hand on her throat.

“Did they hurt you?” she whispers.

I sigh. “A bit.”

She crosses over to me, wrapping her arms around my waist, squeezing me. The tenseness in my body melts away. I wrap my arms around her, holding her head to my chest, silently promising her that I will never enter into anything like that again.

“Finish getting ready, we really do need to leave soon.”

She squeezes me even tighter, pressing a kiss to my chest.

“Some guys showed up at my place in the middle of the night, demanding the money. I was confused and told them they had the wrong guy. That’s when the first blow landed. It didn’t take long before I knew my friend had sold me out.”

“What’s his name?” Savannah demands. Her eyes are fierce, hands on her hips. I smile, despite the story and anger rolling off of her. I like that she’s protective of me, just like I am of her.

“I don’t know their names. Didn’t exactly ask in between punches.”

“Not them. Your ‘friend.’” She uses air quotes.

I smirk. This sassy girl. “Rich. Richard, but he went by Rich.”

“Should’ve gone by Dick. Sounds more accurate. In debt up to his eyeballs, calling himself Rich. Dick is a fucking dick.”

A laugh breaks free from my chest, filling the small space of Savannah’s bathroom. I can’t help myself as I gather her up and kiss the top of her head. “I’m wild about you,” I murmur into her hair.

Her cheeks turn crimson while her lips break into a brilliant smile.

I keep watching her for long moments, not able to drink enough of her in. I could watch her get ready every damn day.

“Keep going,” she says shyly.

“They gave me twenty-four hours to pay. I had a set of cracked ribs and a broken arm. I’m lucky they left without taking my fingers or one of my limbs. I called Rich ... Dick,” I smirk when she smiles. “I called Dick over and over again. He didn’t answer, eventually it went to voicemail when he turned off his phone. Instead of heading to the hospital, I went to his house. His wife answered the door with their baby on her hip. A sweet little girl, barely old enough to talk.”

Savannah’s face casts into a frown.

“I met his wife a few times at company functions. She was shocked by the state of me, to say the least. She had no clue what her husband had been up to. She thought his injuries were from a car crash. I hated myself in that moment. I should’ve stopped him before he got so bad. I hated him, too. He had this beautiful wife and gorgeous daughter at home waiting for him and there he was most nights playing poker, doing blow, and having sex with call girls.”

I look down, not wanting to see the same shame I’m feeling reflected in Savannah’s eyes. I can’t keep my eyes away from her for long, knowing that it’s the coward’s way, to avoid the inevitable. I look up, shocked to see admiration in her eyes, not shame. She should feel shame. She should walk out that door. No, I’m not the man I was, but that doesn’t hide the truth. I was able to turn into that man, even if it was for a short while.

“She told me he was on a business trip. Our company never went on business trips. My gut told me the fucker fled the country. That was confirmed when I told his wife everything right there on their doorstep, and she told me to come in when I finished. She handed me her baby. I’m not sure she was even in her right mind after everything I told her, but she did. She handed me her baby. I held that little girl close with my one good arm while his wife searched their room. She found a note on his nightstand, telling her that they would be better off without him and he was in danger, so he had to leave.”

I suck in a harsh breath, reliving the anger. “Dick knew these fucking guys. If he hadn’t pawned his debt off on me and just left, they would have killed her and the baby. It wouldn’t have mattered to them. He left them in even more danger than if he stayed. He left them clueless about the danger they were in.”

Savannah’s tears were streaming down her cheeks. “Oh, my gosh. What did they do?”

“I did what I had to do to keep them safe. My original plan before showing up on Dick’s doorstep was to beat the shit out of Dick and then convince the Boss it wasn’t my debt. That the fucker lied. I couldn’t do that now, though. I had the money, baby. I left their house, paid the debt in full, including extra money, in hope of guaranteeing their safety. I stayed in Chicago for the next few months until I found a job here and found Kristen a safe place to go. I moved after she did. I also told myself I would never play poker again.”

Savannah turns to face me, leaning against the sink. “Not even with your dad?”

“I don’t want to risk it.”

“But your dad isn’t some underground mafia king.”

I laugh. “No, he’s definitely not that, but I can’t remember the last time I played poker for fun. Every time, it started to be about the money, even if it was very low stakes at a guys’ night. Don’t want to be that guy again.”

Savannah nods, biting her bottom lip. She sighs and steps forward, putting her hands on my hips, looking up at my face. “You have to tell your dad. The game meant too much to the both of you to just continue to brush it away.”

I close my eyes, sighing, knowing she’s right, but dreading that conversation.

She hugs me close to her body. “I’m glad Kristen and the baby are safe.”

“Me, too, sweetheart.” I kiss the top of her head. “Do you think differently of me?” I feel like a pussy for even asking the question, but I need to know.

“Yes,” she says.

I tense, pushing her away and breaking our hug. I look down at her, ready for anything that she’s going to throw at me. My arms cross over my chest, muscles coiled tight.

“I think even better of you than I did an hour ago. You were a hero to Kristen. Did you do things you shouldn’t have? Yeah, probably, but we’re human. We all do that. In the end, you did the right thing. You did better than the right thing without thinking a selfish thought. I’m guessing it was a lot of money you parted with. You didn’t question handing it over with a bonus to keep them safe. You stayed in Chicago until she found a better place to go. You’re a wonderful man, Liam, which I already knew, but I do think of you differently. My opinion of you has only grown.”

My arms drop to my sides, stunned that this gorgeous girl can see anything in me other than the prick that I was. I don’t deserve her, that’s for sure, and a better man would let her go to find someone who does. I wrap her in my arms, determined to keep her. Every day I will wake up working my ass off to be the man she deserves.

“I’m leaving,” Harper yells through the door.

“Hang on,” Savannah calls. She walks to her bedroom door, opening it and allowing Harper inside.

“I made a three-layer salted caramel chocolate fudge cake.”

“Holy shit,” I mutter, my mouth watering, wondering if I can convince Savannah to leave it here and just the two of us can eat it.

“You’re a godsend,” Savannah tells her, hugging her close. Harper smiles at me over Savannah’s shoulder, shooting me a thumbs up. I grin back her and nod, letting her know that I’ll take good care of Savannah.

“I have to get back to the store. Later, kids.” Harper waves over her shoulder as she walks out of the room. Savannah closes the door behind her, going over to her closet. I follow her, watching as she changes her bra. She went commando this morning because she didn’t have any other underwear. My cock hardens watching her, and my chest heats with the knowledge she is comfortable enough to let me see her as she changes.

I groan when she puts on a matching lace bra and panty set. I stalk toward her, set on being even later than we are. She puts her hand on my chest. “Oh, no you don’t, barbarian. Get out of here.” She pushes my chest, trying to back me up, but I don’t move. Finally, she takes her hand away, letting me move toward her. I wrap her in my arms, my hand going to her bare ass cheek, kneading it. Savannah kisses her way up my neck, sucking on my earlobe. I growl, using the hand on her ass to grind her into my cock.

She whispers in my ear, “If you walk out of here right now, I promise I will reward you in a delicious way, but if you stay…” She grabs my hand, sliding it into the front of her panties, guiding a finger into her wet heat. She moans. “If you stay, I’ll be closed for business.” She pulls my hand out of her and pushes me away.

I watch her for a moment, seeing the challenge and promise in her eyes. I turn on my heel, stomping out of her closet. “Devil woman,” I throw over my shoulder.

She laughs and shuts her closet door.