Page 48 of Liar

“Damion told me so much about you from the moment you enrolled at Winthorpe. Before that, actually. He asked me if it was a good time to reveal you to Malcolm Weatherby. Obviously, I said yes.”

My focus narrows, my horizon tunneling into a scope of only Savannah, her bright, amber eyes locking mine in place. “What … what the fuck, Savannah? You’re telling me that while your family and friends were killing themselves looking for you, you were with Damion practicing in puppetry? Malcolm and I aren’t toys. We’re people, and you’ve completely screwed up my life.”

“I wouldn’t say you lost much. You’ve gained Thorne, haven’t you?”

The image of Thorne on top of me, bare-chested and gleaming, returns, sending my heart racing. I blink it back. “Where did Damion keep you? At a hotel in Greece? Did you get a new identity? How come no one could find you? How did you evade the police and private investigators for so long? Your dad is a senator, for crying out loud.”

Savannah clutches her temples again, moaning quietly. Good. That’ll teach her to stop being so cocky when she continues her revelation that she was with Damion all along.

Ugh. Ew.

I keep going. “Did you lose your soul along with your pledge to Damion? You keep saying Mr. Nakamura was responsible for your mother’s depression and isolation, but you know what—”

“Stop.”

“—you’re the problem here, Savannah. Your mom left because you left her. Aiko’s family fell apart because you chose your secret older boyfriend over the new family your mom, Aiko, Mr. Nakamura created—”

“Stop. Please.”

“—and prevented them from experiencing any happiness. They fell apart when you disappeared. Did your little messenger pigeon Damion tell you that? How badly your family was broken, how lost and desolate your mother was, and how eventually everyone stopped looking, probably just as Damion wanted, except for Aiko, the girl you call stifling—”

“I got pregnant, okay? I was pregnant!”

I fly back on my heels. My jaw snaps closed.

“Are you happy?” Savannah shrieks, her face a mottled red as she glares at me. “Damion got me pregnant, and because I was a minor, he didn’t want anyone to know. And I didn’t want an abortion. We were at a stalemate because he really does care about me, despite all the hatred you’re spewing. He doesn’t deserve that. We decided that I’d stay in one of Briar Manor’s underground rooms, unknown to the Societies and behind walls no policeman would think to break down. He decorated a room just for me, promising that when the baby was born, we could forge a birth certificate to change the birthdate so I’d be of age when I had her. It was all legitimate and planned, okay? I didn’t want to leave Mom or Kai’s house. I liked it on the coast, and I loved having Aiko as a sister. She understood me in a way Aurora never could. Aiko didn’t care about social status or the latest trends or who I was dating. She just…” Savannah releases a garbled cry, rubbing her hands across her face too hard.

I reach up in an effort to stop her but fast realize my position here. I’m hearing about a crime Damion’s committed. One of many, yes, but this … I could get proof of this. Savannah’s confession. A paternity test, a lot like the one Malcolm forced me to take to prove I was his. I could bring it to Malcolm to give to the FBI, maybe providing enough probable cause for them to get a warrant for Briar Manor…

My heart starts racing again, but not for Thorne. It’s against him, now.

Shit. Thorne…

I’d betray him if I did this.

Swallowing, I drop my hand to my side, allowing Savannah to keep going, scrubbing her face until it’s as red and plump as a tomato.

“He paid off a midwife to visit me,” she continues, tremulous. “A Virtue, of course. For six months, everything was going fine, and then…” Savannah lowers her hands from her face, gently laying them on her belly.

My stomach drops. “Oh, no. Savannah.”

“It—I’m told there’s nothing I could’ve done. But I had to give birth to her, you see. To the stillborn. But I don’t like to call her that. I named her Aria. Ari. She was—she’s…” Savannah’s shoulders hitch on a sob. Snot and saliva run down her face as she falls to her knees, and I can’t be stoic anymore.

Landing on my knees beside her, I rub her back, letting her sob and cry out until she’s hoarse.

“She’s here,” I think I hear Savannah say.

I lower my head so I can better listen.

“My baby’s here,” Savannah repeats, her chest heaving with sobs. Eventually, she straightens, taking a deep breath. I keep rubbing her back in soothing circles.

“Damion wanted her cremated, turned to ash. I couldn’t argue against it. I got to hold her for a few hours, and then … he took her away. I was able to convince the midwife to bring me the box when Damion thought she’d destroyed it. She felt sorry for me.”

Savannah stumbles to a stand.

“Maybe you should take it easy…” I say but rise with her.

Savannah ignores me. “Here. Right here.”