Page 9 of Savage

“Just be careful,” Delilah warned. “Women in her situation... they're like wounded animals. One wrong move and they'll bolt. If it is domestic violence. Not to mention, in DV situations, the most dangerous time for the victim is when they get up the courage to leave their abuser. If she did leave a bad relationship…”

Savage's eyes narrowed. “I know how to handle delicate situations, Delilah. I've been doing this a long time.”

“I know you have,” she replied softly. “But this isn't a battlefield. No one is shooting at you. This war is for a woman's heart.”

CHAPTER 3

SAVANNAH

Savannah's heart raced as she hurried out of the diner. She didn’t want to go back to the motel, but she didn’t know where else to go. The lingering scent of Savage's cologne clung to her clothes from the deep hug he’d given her. Unlocking her car, she reached into the backseat and grabbed her laptop bag. There was a bookstore coffee shop a few doors down from the diner. It looked cozy, she'd hang out there for a while.

She glanced over her shoulder as she hurried down the sidewalk, half-expecting to see an imposing figure following her, but the street behind her was empty. Tim had made it clear to her last night that The Rejects had eyes and ears everywhere.

As she approached Day & Night, Savannah's steps slowed. The coffee shop's cheerful facade seemed at odds with the turmoil in her mind. She hesitated at the entrance, her hand hovering over the door handle. What if she ran? Went somewhere The Rejects couldn’t find her or had no reach? Like the East Coast?

She couldn’t. They’d threatened her little sister and her toddler niece. The only choice she had was to gather the intelthey wanted on Spartan Watchmen and pay her debt to the creditor. Only then, could she be truly free.

“I can do this,” she whispered to herself, drawing in a shaky breath. “I have no other choice.”

The bell chimed as she entered, the familiar aroma of coffee momentarily soothing her frayed nerves. Savannah chose a quiet corner table, setting up her laptop with trembling fingers. Opening a new Word document, she typed up the notes she’d already had. So far, the only intel she had was who was dating who, and that they were hosting a charity ride and cook-off the following weekend. None of it seemed important enough to give The Rejects. Not enough to pay her debts.

As she reread her notes, her mind whirled with questions about the Spartan Watchmen. Were they truly as dangerous as she'd been warned? Or was there more to their story? Everyone she’d met had been nothing but nice, even if a few of them looked scary.

“Hey there, sweetie! Can I get you anything?” Savannah startled, looking up to see a woman with short, layered hair in shades of gray and black smiling down at her.

“Not at the moment,” she said. “But I’ll get something before I leave.” She had little money but had enough for a cup of coffee. She knew most places require you to purchase at least something if you were going to sit and use the internet.

“You don’t have to buy a thing. Day & Night is a safe place to come and work. There’s no obligation here to purchase anything. We have complimentary ice water, iced tea, drip coffee and hot tea. Can I get you a cup of one of those in the meantime?”

“Sure! I’d love a glass of iced tea, thank you,” Savannah said to the kind lady. The woman returned a minute later, glass in hand.

“Mind if I sit?”

"Oh, um, sure," Savannah stammered, gesturing to the empty chair across from her.

The other woman set the glass of tea in front of Savannah before pulling out a chair and sitting down. “I’m Trinity. What’s your name?”

“Savannah,” she answered softly.

“I’ve not seen you around before. Are you new?” Trinity settled in, her warm presence seeming to soften the edges of Savannah's anxiety.

“Yes. I’ve only been in town a few days.”

“I couldn't help but notice you looked a little lost in thought. Everything okay?”

Savannah hesitated, her fingers absently tracing the edge of her laptop. “I'm fine,” she lied, forcing a smile. “Just... thinking about work.”

Trinity's eyes sparkled with understanding. “Ah, I get it. Work can be a pain sometimes, can’t it?”

“For sure. Overwhelming,” Savannah said.

Trinity leaned in conspiratorially. “Want to know my secret for dealing with overwhelming thoughts?"

Despite herself, Savannah found her curiosity piqued. “What's that?”

“Coloring books,” Trinity whispered with a grin. “Nothing beats a good Disney princess coloring session to clear the mind.”

A genuine laugh bubbled up from Savannah's chest, surprising her. “Really?”

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