Savannah Series Boxed Set: Four Full Novels and One Novella

by Jamie, Danielle

  “And another thing, you need to pull your head out of your ass! If you want Dixon, tell him. Don’t play games Brooklyn. You know better than anyone he’s a player. You need to lay it out there for him. Tell him you can’t do this casual…whatever the hell you guys are doing, because you’re falling for him! You have an amazing guy standing in that living room who wants to be with you. Jax is nothing like that man-whore standing beside him. He’d love you and cherish you every single day of your life. Can you say that about Dixon?”

  Chugging her glass of wine, Brooklyn slams her empty glass down on the edge of the hot tub. Pools of tears begin to swell up in her eyes, seeing her hurting sends a pang of guilt into my stomach. The last thing I wanted to do was hurt her. It’s just killing me to see her waste her life away, bouncing from man to man. She deserves to be loved by a man, the way Kayden loves me.

  “Don’t you think I haven’t said all the same shit to myself, Savannah? I’m not stupid.” For the first time in our entire lives, Brooklyn sounds weak and defeated. I immediately get the urge to hug her and apologize for everything I just said to her.

  Walking around the hot tub, I gaze back through the glass doors and see the three guys are still in deep conversation about their night out. Wrapping my arm around Brooklyn’s shoulder, I take a deep breath and speak. “I’m sorry, bestie. The last thing I meant to do was upset you. I just don’t want to see you throw away a chance at happiness because you’re so busy chasing after a man who’ll only cause you pain and heartache.”

  “Believe me, if I could just walk away from Dixon, I would. Hell, I am not blind! I know Jax is amazing; it’s just with Dixon I feel something I’ve never felt before. As soon as he enters a room, my breath is immediately knocked from my lungs. I feel as if a million angry bees are swarming in the pit of my stomach. I’ve used Xander and Jax as a fun distraction with the hopes that maybe Dixon would get jealous and maybe decide he wants to be exclusive. But that hasn’t happened, and probably never will.”

  “Well I think you need to think long and hard about what you want to do. I think first thing on that list needs to be a long discussion with Mr. Beaumont over there.” I say pointing my thumb behind me at Dixon. Standing and climbing out of the hot tub, Brooklyn wraps a towel around her waist and pulls me in for a quick hug.

  “Thanks for being my best friend Savannah. It kills me to think there was the slightest chance we couldn’t be here right now having this discussion. I don’t know what I’d do if I ever lost you.”

  Now I’m the one fighting back tears. It sucks having to witness so many people completely shattered by the tragic events that happened several weeks ago. It hasn’t just affected me, but everyone I love and care about.

  “I love you B, we’ll be BFF’s even when we’re old and grey. That I promise you! We’ll be toothless and nursing home roommates that’ll spend every day chasing each other around in our wheelchairs. Sixty years from now, we’ll look back at these moments and laugh about all of our wild and crazy days.” I say with laughter in my voice.

  Brooklyn rolls her teary eyes at me as a faint smile appears on her lips, “Toothless? Really? Remind me to floss daily, will ya?”

  We’re both in a fit of laughter when the boys all join us out on the porch looking at us with puzzled looks, as if they missed the ending of a good joke. “The pilot’s here with the helicopter, so we’re going to head over to the tarmac.” Kayden says, as he gathers me into his arms and flutters kisses along my neck working his way to my mouth.

  “God, enough with the PDA, Knox, get your ass’s outta here. Savannah and I have a wild and crazy night of horror movies and popcorn waiting for us.” With sarcasm dripping from Brooklyn’s voice, I can’t ignore the evil eye she’s giving Dixon as she talks to Kayden. I just hope she takes my advice and talks to him, because I hate seeing her like this.

  ~~~

  I don’t know if it’s from watching a Nightmare on Elm Street marathon tonight with Brooklyn, or the fact that I’ve had Zak on my mind with everything that’s been going on, but my nightmares returned with a vengeance tonight. I can’t escape them no matter how hard I try. Every time I awaken from one terrifying dream, I fall back asleep to just be startled awake again by another.

  Each time, the dreams are the same but slightly different. I keep reliving the moment I shoot Jacob, and then see Zak staring at me in shock with blood all over his face. He keeps yelling at me, calling me a murderous cold-hearted bitch, screaming at me because I’m alive and I have Kayden, and Jacob’s dead, leaving him with absolutely nothing.

  I can’t get the vision of that horrendous night out of my head. Rolling over, I glance at the clock and see it’s a little after two a.m. I’ve been tossing and turning for two hours now, and to top it off, Kayden is not back yet.

  I’m now regretting making him go out because I need so badly to curl into his strong arms. I desperately need for him to stroke my hair and tell me everything’s going to be all right; because right now, I feel like a piece of glass shattered and broken across the room. No matter how hard we try to piece me back together, I’ll never be the same as I was before.

  With tears streaming in a heavy flow down my face, I head into the bathroom and start filling the bathtub. My entire body aches from the fight I’ve been having in my dreams, and I’m in need of a long hot soak. Retrieving a bottle of wine from the bar in our suite, I pour myself a glass straight to the brim. Before I return to bed tonight, I plan on polishing off this entire bottle.

  Slowly sinking into the hot steaming water, I welcome the sting from the scalding temperature. Gulping down half of my glass, I set it on the side of the tub and pop my iPod headphones into my ears. With Sick Puppies blasting through my ears, I do nothing but focus on the music flowing into my brain. My only goal for the next hour is to numb my mind, body, and soul; I don’t want to feel a damn thing.

  Feeling relaxed and a tad bit drunk, I climb out of the tub, quickly dry off and return to bed. I slip on nothing but one of Kayden’s Texas Longhorn graphic tee’s. Just as I’m sinking into the heaven-like mattress, I am startled by the loud booming sound of the voices in the hallway.

  Sitting up, I strain my ears to hear whose talking. I recognize Kayden immediately, and what sounds like Dixon. Then I can hear Brooklyn screaming clear as day at them to shut the fuck up, people are trying to sleep. I can’t help but laugh at her bluntness. Crawling off the bed, I stumble to the door.

  Opening it, I peer out into the hall, and immediately notice two bimbos whose clothes are leaving little to the imagination. Rolling my eyes, I drag them to Kayden whose eyes are glazed over, and he’s leaning against the hallway wall talking to Dixon. My breath hitches momentarily as I take in the view before me. Just then Brooklyn snaps me back to reality, with her loud screams, as she comes barreling down the hallway.

  “I see you found some skanks while you were out?” Turning and eyeing them up and down, her lips curled up in a mischievous grin. “Little tip for you two, this one,” She says motioning her thumb towards Dixon. “He’s tiny…like this little.” She laughs, holding her thumb and pointer finger up with about an inch space between them. “You’re better off leaving and pleasuring yourselves than spending the night with this asshole. Plus, he only lasts five minutes...if he’s lucky.”

  I slap my hand over my mouth to try and muffle my laughs. Dixon has a look of pure and utter shock, his mouth hanging open while he stands there a few moments staring at Brooklyn. He’s in as much shock as the rest of us at what she just said. From what she’s told me, everything she just said is a bald-face lie, with all intentions to ruin Dixon’s little threesome party he has planned. One thing he needs to learn: don’t ever piss off Brooklyn Bennett.

  “Don’t listen to her ladies, she’s just jealous ya’ll are going to be spending the evening in my bed and she ain’t.”

  I jump from the sound of Brooklyn slamming the door to her suite as it echoes all the way down the hallway, making everyone flinch. “W
ell this just got awkward.” Kayden says with his Southern drawl so thick from all the drinks he’s consumed; you can barely understand what the hell he’s saying.

  Stumbling towards me with a cocky grin on his face Kayden looks at me slowly licking his lips before turning back to Dixon. “Goodnight Dixon, and thing 1 and thing 2. Please keep the noises down. Me and my lady would like to fall asleep to the sounds of the ocean tonight, and not the sound of you three fuckin’ like rabbits.”

  “Can’t make any promises bro, but we’ll try.” Dixon gives Kayden a wink and disappears into his suite with his two playmates. I hope Brooklyn’s okay; I know she’s really torn right now. Dixon bringing these girls home tonight when he knows Brooklyn’s here is just low. She’s been nothing but platonic with Jax since we’ve been here. She’s definitely stuck between a rock and a hard place. I don’t see her getting out of it anytime soon.

  Chapter Eleven

  Shutting the door, Kayden stumbles in with a big goofy grin plastered across his face. Walking over to the bed, he plops down and holds his arms out for me. “I love it when you wear my t-shirts.” His eyes are raking over me, causing me to blush fiercely. The look in his eyes mixed with his husky drawl; I immediately get shivers of excitement up my spine. There’s nothing sexier than my charming boyfriend.

  Sashaying towards Kayden, I stop a few inches in front of him and tug on the corner of the Texas Longhorns t-shirt I’m wearing. “I love wearing them, and I absolutely love smelling your delicious scent while I’m sleeping.”

  Motioning for me to join him on the bed, Kayden slowly drags his teeth over his bottom lip, making my heart race and my legs weak. “Come here baby. I need to taste those lips of yours as much as I need air to breathe.”

  I eagerly accept his embrace and can’t control my laughter as he falls onto his back and rolls onto his side, holding me with his perfectly sculpted arms. I swear they were made for the sole purpose of holding me in them. I fit perfectly and feel as if nothing in the world can touch me when I’m lying with him like this.

  “God, I missed you.” He murmurs into my ear as he gently runs his fingers over my skin, making goose bumps pop up all over my body.

  “I missed you, too.” I whisper, gazing up into his majestic pools of green. Even with them glazed over from a night of many jack and cokes and Coronas, they have a hypnotizing effect on me. One look and I forget about the entire world around me.

  Letting out a long yawn, Kayden looks as spent as I feel. Tonight has been a tough one. I think my brain is making up for giving me a break last night. My head is still spinning from all the wine I consumed while taking my bath and my entire body feels numb from the alcohol coursing throughout my veins.

  “Let me help you get outta these clothes, baby.” I quickly get to work peeling his t-shirt from his body and tossing it beside the bed. Within seconds, I have his jeans unbuttoned and unzipped. Climbing off the bed, I grip his jeans down by his feet, and with one fast tug they slide off of him easily.

  “Man, I feel trashed.” Kayden mumbled, barely audible, as he climbs under the blankets in our king-size bed. Even with this gigantic bed, we squeeze our bodies together, sleeping entangled in each other’s arms every night.

  “I can tell you smell like you bathed in a bottle of Jack Daniels. How much did you drink tonight?” I ask with sarcasm laced in my question. Rolling onto his back, Kayden rubs his chin pondering my question, “I’m not sure, I lost track after my sixth Jack and Coke. I had a few Coronas while we played pool. It felt nice having a guy’s night out, but I couldn’t get you outta my mind, no matter how many drinks I had. You consumed my every thought; I counted down the hours, minutes and seconds until I got to have you in my arms again.”

  Rolling my eyes, I let out a small laugh as I rubbed circles across Kayden’s chest. Locking eyes with him I immediately smile again. “Geesh, sorry to break this to ya, but you got it bad for me, Knox. You may need this shrink more than ya think.”

  A deep husky laugh escapes Kayden’s mouth and vibrates the bed as his body shakes with laughter. “Well baby, I will shout it from the top of Beaumont Industries if you want me to.”

  “Shout what? That you’re crazy about me?”

  Gripping my butt in his hands, Kayden slides me against his body and trails kisses along my jaw, nibbling a path to my eager lips. My intoxicating kiss, laced with whiskey is short lived. As quickly as his lips touched mine, he was pulling them away and flashing me an impish grin. “No baby, I’m not just crazy about you…I’m certifiably crazy in love with you, Savannah Elizabeth Livingston. I would gladly tell the world a million times over.”

  Snuggling against Kayden I drift off to sleep, thankfully nightmare free for the rest of the night. I just hope that sooner, rather than later, I can finally get back to my old self. I don’t know how much longer I can take living as a fraction of who I used to be. At least I have Kayden’s love and support; he’s slowly, piece-by-piece, helping me glue myself back together. Every day that he is by my side, I feel a small sliver of myself slipping back into place.

  ~~~

  Lying on the warm sand, soaking up the rays cascading over my body, I feel absolutely amazing. Kayden surprised Brooklyn and me with deep tissue massages down on the beach this morning. The masseuse did wonders; I didn’t realize how tense and knotted up my body was from all the stress I’ve endured over the last several weeks. Rolling onto my stomach, I admire the fine specimen walking towards me. Kayden has on orange O’Neil swimming trunks and nothing else. His chiseled and tanned body is glistening in the afternoon sun with water droplets racing over his chest. Biting my lip, I try to hold back the urge to run across the beach and tackle him to the ground.

  Finally feeling better with only a tad bit of discomfort left in my ribs, I’m able to move around without immediately being stopped dead in my tracks by pain. Sitting down beside me, Kayden runs his fingers over my exposed breasts. One of the perks of him owning a private island in the Bahamas is enjoying the complete and total privacy we have. There’s no one around for miles, besides us.

  “You’ve got a mighty fine tan going on, baby.” Kayden’s eyes linger on my lips momentarily, before sliding them down my body.

  Wrapping my arms around his neck, I smile into his gorgeous green eyes, and melt when he flashes his devious smile at me showing off his bright pearly whites. “Yeah, I got pretty pale over the winter; it feels so good to get a tan, now I don’t look like the walking dead.”

  “Pale or tan, you are irresistible Savannah.” Kayden murmurs as his lips connect with mine.

  Lying back on the sand, Kayden slides his arms under his head and looks at the ocean. Dixon and Jax are a few miles out fishing on Kayden’s boat. From where we’re laying, they look like tiny specs in the horizon.

  Dragging my fingers over Kayden’s angel tattoo, an idea pops into my head and then jumps out of my mouth before I can take it back. “I think I want to get a tattoo.”

  Cocking an eyebrow towards the blue skies above us, Kayden asks, “Really? And what do you want to get? I’ve actually been thinking about getting a new tattoo myself.”

  Hearing this peaks my interest, I wonder what tattoo Kayden wants because I know he only tattoos things of sentimental value onto his skin.

  “You go first! I’m dying to know what you want to permanently etch onto this smokin’ hot body of yours.

  “Nope, sorry, no can do. It’s a surprise sweet cheeks. My lips are sealed.” Kayden says matter-of-factly as he scoops me up and plops me onto his lap. Lacing our fingers together, I press our hands on each side of his head and gaze down at him.

  “That’s not fair! I gotta tell you what I’m getting, but you are going to make me wait to see what you get? You are an impossible man, Knox!”

  Deciding two can play this game, I tell Kayden he can wait along with me to see what tattoo I get. If misery loves company, as they say, then he can wait impatiently along with me.

  Kayden’s trying everything under t
he sun to get me to spill the beans on my tattoo, but my lips are sealed just as tightly as his. But I’m definitely enjoying the teasing and caresses I’m getting from him at the moment as he tries to seduce the answer outta me. Ha, it’s not going to happen!

  ~~~

  It’s our last night here, so we decide to all hang out and spend the evening playing beer pong and chill by the ocean with a bonfire, while enjoying drinks and loud music.

  Brooklyn has officially begun her ‘pretend as if Dixon Beaumont doesn’t exist’ act, blowing off any attempt he makes to speak to her. She’s spent the last few hours hanging around Jax and has upped her flirting game.

  With my Hurricane in hand, I lounge on Kayden’s lap and watch Brooklyn and Jax play beer pong. Jax has had one too many shots of tequila and is way off his game. Brooklyn’s mopping the floor with him right now.

  Tossing her ball into a red Solo cup across the table, Brooklyn hops up and down, bursting with excitement as she officially whoops Jax’s ass. “I give up; I’m too drunk for this shit.” Jax says with his sexy Australian accent as he downs his last beer. Setting the cup back down on the table, he focuses his attention on Kayden. “Wanna head down and get the wood set up for the fire before it gets dark?”

  Kissing my neck, Kayden grips my hips and stands up, setting my feet onto the wooden deck. “Sure thing; I should get it all set up anyways before our surprise arrives.”

  “Aw yes, the surprise, I almost forgot. Well then, let’s head down mate, before I get too smashed to be any sort of help to ya.” Jax plants a steamy kiss on Brooklyn’s lips, leaving her breathless and flustered. With her cheeks glowing crimson red, she just stares all dreamy at Jax as he and Kayden make their way down towards the beach.

  While I set up the cups to play a round of beer pong with Brooklyn, I decide it’s a better time, now than later, to discuss the big fat elephant in the room. Looking around to be sure we’re alone, I build up the courage to bring up the painful topic before us.