Chapter 5

As she took the elevator back to her floor, Savannah pondered over Tobias’s visit and held her stomach tightly—as if the contents of it would suddenly fall through her body if she didn’t. It was crazy enough that the man had come to her apartment at all, let alone this late at night.

As tough as she had tried to be, blocking Tobias’s attempts to make it up to her had still been difficult. With the paperwork on her new job not yet signed, she was hardly in a position to turn anything down but she was still hurting, and her pride got in the way.

They had been cruel, the things he’d said and all she could remember in that moment was that they had hurt more than Colt’s punches. But seeing him again just now had shaken her resolve to show nothing but contempt for him. Like a Swiss army knife to his neck, she’d wanted to hold a bitter grudge against him. But the more he spoke and the more his words seeped through to her heart, the harder she found it to retaliate. She had sensed genuine remorse from him, even though she’d pushed back.

It was easier to deal with the man she knew—the one who was as hard as steel and as cold as ice—than the one who had come to see her tonight. She couldn’t stare into his metallic blue eyes a moment longer, not when he continued to tell her that he was sorry and that he wanted to make it up to her. What was that all about? Offering her an advance and paying for Jacob’s medical bills as well as providing her with healthcare benefits? She was a temp and therefore had no access to those benefits or perks.

So what if he’d found out about Jacob being in the hospital and remorse had poured out of every wrinkle and furrow on his face? She would not allow herself to believe any of his words. Having been within firing range of his roller coaster moods, she knew how temperamental the man could be. In the end there wasn’t that much difference between him and Colt; the way they changed suddenly and without warning. She had vowed never to put herself through that kind of mental torment again and she owed it to herself not to give into a man like Tobias—even if he left her heart racing and her body reacting in ways that were so alien to her. She wanted to believe him but she also had a duty to protect herself. Being with such a temperamental man would be bad for her health and she wasn’t about to expose Jacob to that kind of life again.

She stepped out of the elevator and walked towards her apartment. “Not even a peep, Ms. Page.” Arnold announced as she approached the door to her apartment. He had been guarding it loyally and it was as if he had read her mind and known that she would be worried about leaving Jacob alone.

“Thank you, Arnold.”

“Is everything alright?” he asked, looking at her with concern.

“Yes.” She forced a smile.

“You didn’t look so pleased to see him.” He frowned and his face puckered into even smaller lines. “Was that young Jacob’s father?”

“No,” she replied quickly. “He doesn’t even know where I live.” Arnold gave her a knowing look.

“You’re safe here, Ms. Page. I’m always on the door, most nights.”

“I know Arnold, and I feel better for knowing that. Thank you, and goodnight.” He nodded and walked away as she stepped back into her apartment with relief. Though there was no chance she would get any sleep tonight.

Today had to rate up there along with her list of worse days. It wasn’t anywhere as bad as the day her drunken husband had tried to force himself on her as she lay sleeping with Jacob. When she’d fought back, the smack he tried to launch at her face had missed and his hard hand had fallen and hit Jacob instead. It had been the day she’d lost it completely.

She didn’t have days like that anymore. Thankfully she was in a better place now but still, as far as days went, today had been a new low in her new life. First the penthouse and now this. She’d seen two completely different faces of the same man, and she wasn’t even sure if they were the same person.

~~

“You’re back!” Briony exclaimed, when she returned to work the next day. She had barely been at work five minutes when Briony rushed through the door. Savannah looked up in surprise as her computer flickered to life. The notepad and folder she had taken out, in preparation for the day’s work, lay suspended in her hands. Briony stood in front of her desk with her hands on her hips, as if she were awaiting an explanation. “What happened?”

She had been so consumed by yesterday’s events, and especially by Tobias’s appearance last night, that she’d forgotten to figure out what she was going to tell Briony this morning, to explain her sudden disappearance yesterday. The idea of lying to her friend didn’t sit well with her but there was no way she could tell her the truth. “I had some issues to deal with, to do with my ex-husband.” She glanced at Briony quickly before setting her folder on the desk and opening her organizer.

“Oh, hon,” said Briony, pulling up a chair and sitting herself down. Savannah blanched. She didn’t want an in-depth discussion about it.

“Did you get it sorted, whatever it was?” Savannah’s attempts to appear nonchalant seemed pointless in the face of Briony’s apparent concern. She tapped the table with her fingers and put on a somber expression. “I think so.”

“Any time you want to talk about things, hon, you let me know,” Briony said. Savannah heard more than an invitation to open up and share but there was nothing she could share. Everything that had happened between her and Tobias, not only yesterday, but before, had to remain a secret. But she could offer a morsel to her friend whose genuine concern made Savannah feel better. It was comforting to know that Briony cared. “I made the mistake of calling Jacob’s father and asking him to help pay towards the hospital bill but he refused.” Briony shifted forward in her seat, her face the perfect picture of feminine solidarity and disgust. She shook her head slowly. “Men are pigs, aren’t they?”

“The ones I meet seem to be,” replied Savannah, agreeing. “But I’m fine. I’m used to it. I don’t know why I did it. I mean, I guess I do. But I had to try.” She gave Briony a small nod and a smile, hoping this would be the end of it.

“Are you having a hard time making the payment?”

Savannah faked a smile. “Kind of. But I think I might be okay.” She wanted to tell Briony about the new job and that she would be leaving soon. She felt obliged to tell her even before she told her current agency but first she needed to go to Southwood Select and sign the paperwork. Only then would she know it was real. “My cousin might be able to help me out.” She stared at her computer screen knowing that Kay hadn’t promised anything definite and only half at best. “We’ll see what happens.”

“I could have a word with HR,” Briony suggested. “I’m sure the company could help you—”

“No,” Savannah interrupted. “No, please don’t.”

“But, hon, are you in a position to dismiss it so easily? I can see you’re stressed out. I’ve seen you this last week, what with the worry over Jacob, and now having to deal with this. Let me —”

“No, Briony, please don’t do anything on my behalf.” She pleaded. The last thing she needed was for Briony to go rushing off to HR, or, god forbid, to Tobias, on her quest for assistance. She wanted no more involvement from Tobias but then it hit her like a falling boulder. He already knew about her leaving. What if he told Briony before Savannah herself had had a chance to? Dare she email him or call him or go and see him to tell him to keep this news to himself? A new worry settled heavily in her chest.

Briony seemed annoyed. “I don’t understand your logic,” she said, glancing at her watch. “Don’t worry, we can talk later. I have a heap of things to do and then a meeting with Tobias and Matthias before lunch.”

“With both of them?”

“I’ll update you soon enough,” Briony said, giving her a strange grin and with those ominous words hanging in the air she stood up.

“I need to see you about something, later on,” Savannah said as breezily as she could manage, given the nature of the news she needed to impart.

“Why didn’t you tell me now?” Briony asked.

“It can wait. It’s not that important.”

Briony moved towards the door, shrugging. “I think it’s about time you had some me-time, Savannah. You should come out with us for a drink one evening, you, me and Max. You work way too hard and I can see that you need to relax.”

“I have a young son—”

“I know. I know. But that doesn’t mean that you can’t put any time aside for yourself. You have a babysitter, too, don’t you? Once in a while it would do you some good to get out and meet with people socially. You’ve been looking too worked up lately and I’m starting to worry about you.”

“Please don’t,” Savannah rushed to reassure her. Everyone worried about her, it seemed.

“I want to keep you on, and I’m doing my best to make it happen. The last thing I want is for you to get sick on account of the stress and that dumbass ex of yours.” Savannah raised her chin, feeling somewhat uplifted. But she felt even more uncomfortable than ever at the thought of telling Briony that she had another job lined up. There would never be a right time to tell her.

She’d have to do it as soon as she had the requisite paperwork in her hands.