One morning Trevor even joined us. It said a lot about Killian as, despite his overprotectiveness and how he reacted to me dancing at the club, he was okay with Trevor being around.
We also went and visited Lucifer again where I broached the subject of his dad. All he told me was he and Emily were attempting to get the horses away from him, but the law wasn’t on their side. Killian was pissed about it, too. I had the feeling he’d drive over there and steal the horses if he could.
I liked him. I mean, I had before, but I really did now.
I knew he wanted more, but there was so much of Killian he kept hidden, and that scared me. I’d trusted David and maybe that was partially my fault, but I wasn’t making the same mistake. I didn’t even know where Killian lived.
It was nine on Sunday morning and I was getting dressed when there was a knock on the door. I caught myself smiling because I knew it was Killian with coffee. He’d told me last night that he’d pick me up at ten to go for brunch. It was early, but I’d discovered Killian was usually early and never late.
But when I opened the door, it wasn’t him.
It was David.
I believed in the good in people. I gave them the benefit of the doubt. I forgave them. But David hurt me. No, it was more than that. He destroyed my willingness to trust.
He stuck out his foot when I tried to slam the door. “Savannah, baby, please. Give me five minutes.” He hated my nickname Savvy, said it sounded childish, so he always called me Savannah. I’d never minded until now. I loved how Killian pronounced Savvy with the “a” elongated to “ah.”
“No,” I retorted and tried to shut the door again, but he pushed inside, and I was forced to back up.
He clicked it closed behind him.
“Get out, David.”
David wasn’t bulky big, but he was tall, agile, and strong. After all, he did lift dancers above his head. He was good-looking, kind of a pretty boy look with short dark blond hair, a square jaw, and baby blue eyes. He also had a panty-melting grin and was armed with a wink that had all the girls in dance class swooning. And probably why one of them ended up in his bed.
“I want you to come back,” he said as he walked toward me. I backed up until my calves hit the coffee table. “I made a huge mistake. It was stupid. You’re the best thing that ever happened to me.”
“You should’ve thought of that before you shoved your dick into another girl’s pussy.” I rarely used language like that, but I was mad that he was here, bringing up all the hurt and emotions that came with him. God, I can’t believe I fell for him. “You purposely ruined my reputation, David. You sent out an e-mail!”
He bowed his head and ran his hands back and forth over the top. “I know. I know. I was desperate and mad and wanted you back.”
“So, you spread rumors that I was difficult to work with and slept with one of my students when it was you who had. I couldn’t get a job. No one would hire me. You hurt me, David. What makes you think I’d ever come back to you?”
He was inches away from me now, and my stomach curdled. Slimy. That was what he was. I’d been blinded by him and knew now it was because he’d fit into my dream. What I’d been working for since I was a kid. I loved working at the dance studio. He’d told me he wanted a family. A family, damn it. I’d never had a family. God, he’d said he wanted kids.
“I fucked up.” He reached for my hand and linked our fingers together. I jerked back and tried to brush past him, but he hooked my waist from behind and pulled me into him. “I love you, Savannah. Please, give me a second chance. You believe everyone deserves one, so why not me?”
I shoved at his arm. “Because you’re undeserving. A real man is one who protects those he cares about, not destroys them.” I realized after I said it that I’d been referring to Killian.
He stiffened. “You’re going to throw us away for a piece-of-shit rock star.”
I froze, then violently shoved his arm off me and stepped back swinging around. “Is that why you’re here? You saw I was dating him and decided you better get me back?” I pointed at the door. “I won’t ask again. Get. Out.”
He hesitated a second and then headed for the door. “If you ever want to work in the industry again, I’d think about what you’re doing, Savannah. It’s not me ruining your rep anymore. Being a club-whore dancer for a rock star is.”
I gasped. God, what happened to him? David wasn’t at all like this when I’d met him. Or maybe he was, but there’d been no reason for this side of him to come out.
He jerked the door open, and a bulky guy I didn’t recognize stood there wearing a black T-shirt and cargo pants, and he had his phone to his ear.
“She’s here…. No. She looks fine. Got it.” He nodded to me. “I’m Roman, work for Luke. Kite’s calling you.” His eyes shifted to David. “I’ll escort you from the premises.”
“I don’t need a fuckin’ escort, asshole.” David shoved past him, but I didn’t see what happened because my cell rang on the kitchen counter and I went to answer it.
I glanced at the screen. Killian. “Hey.”
“Savvy. You good?” Worry edged his words.
I hadn’t realized I was shaking until I heard his voice and suddenly everything hit me. I hadn’t seen David in six months, and the confrontation was overdue, but his words had shaken me. I knew he said them to hurt me, and it worked. They had.
“Yeah.”
“Is he gone?”
“Yeah.” I sat at the kitchen table, head resting in my hands.
“Deep breaths, orchid.”
Tears welled. He cared. Killian may be closed off, overprotective, and have underlying issues with anger, but he cared. About me.
“It wasn’t a coincidence that Roman was here, was it?”
“No.”
At least he was honest about having Roman here. But there was more to this. More to why Killian was so protective of me. “I want to see where you live.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”