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Chapter One
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Savannnah Carson stared at her engagement ring for the millionth time and smiled, joy bubbling through her chest. She felt like she was a teenager all over again... In high school. Except this time she would be dating the most popular, and most handsome guy in school.
But she wasn't a teenager. She was twenty six years old, and her life had taken a whole different turn when she met Matt Bradford five months ago.
Savannnah Carson had never been in love. She had been in a few relationships, but never been in love.
You know, movie kind of love. The kind of love that steals your breath and zaps away your common sense. The kind that makes your toes tingle and your skin prickle and your body actually throb. The kind that includes lot of slow deep kisses and long, lingering touches. The kind that of love that Lionel Richie sang about. The kind makes you want to spend the rest of your life with with someone.
Savannnah had never felt that way about anyone —well, until Matt Bradford.
Five months wasn't a really long time. She knew that. But what the hell did it matter? It doesn't matter how long you have known someone, but how well you know them, right? And Savannnah knew Matt Bradford.
He was a sensitive, caring loving man who would do anything for her. He wanted her happiness as much as he wanted his own and he never failed to tell her how much he loved her. During the five months they had been together, they had often talked of their desire to start a family.... They both wanted the same thing.
And so two days ago, Matt had popped the question, and Savannnah had said yes immediately. She was going to marry the love of her life and they were going to live happily ever after...what more could she want?
They weren't living together, although Savannnah spent so much time in his place and she had some of her stuff there, it was like she was living with him. And that was something that Victoria, her roommate and best friend never stopped teasing her about.
She was at his house now. After she returned from work early, she had decided to make him dinner, which was something Matt really liked. He appreciated every little thing she did for him, and Savannnah loved that too. She couldn’t wait for him to come home. She searched her memory for what he had going on at the office today. He didn’t have any important meetings and he was supposed to be in his office for the entirety of that afternoon. That meant he would be back early today.
She hugged herself in excitement, nearly dancing across the floor of his bedroom. They were both happy... They were engaged. They would be married soon.... Nothing could go wrong now.
A noise from the living room halted her. Then she smiled. Oh, this would be perfect. Matt was home. She hadn't even called him to come home, but here he was. Today his timing was impeccable.
She started to call out to him when Lorenzo, his brother, appeared in the doorway to the bedroom.
She was momentarily speechless. While Enzo popped in frequently, he always did so when Matt was at home. He had to know Matt was working today.
"Enzo," Savannah said. "What are you doing here? Matt is at work. I don't know when he is going to be home...hopefully soon”
“I came to talk to you,” Enzo said.
She cocked her head to the side. She and Enzo didn't really talk much, especially when she knew he and his mom weren't really in support of her relationship with Matt. It had bothered her at first, but Matt had assured her that they would come around, as they were only looking out for him.
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"Okay." she said. "What’s up? Let’s go into the living room."He ignored her and took another step into the bedroom. Unease prickled down her spine. Something was definitely off with him. She could see it in his eyes and in his body language.“How much would it take for you to walk away from Matt?” he asked.Her eyes widened in shock. She couldn’t have heard him correctly. “Excuse me?” she said, unable to believe what she had just heard."Don’t play dumb. You’re a smart girl. How much would it take for you to dump Matt and take off?" Enzo asked."You’re offering me money to leave your brother?" Savannah asked.He nodded. Something that looked like genuine regret flickered across his face. He fidgeted nervously and then pinned her with his stare. “I’d hoped you’d make this easy. It’s not a small amount of money we’re offering.” he said.
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Three
Enzo played his part to the hilt. That he was the victim of Savannah's lies and manipulations. So when Savannah ran to Matt office and related the exact story that Enzo warned Matt she would tell, Matt had been coldly furious.He hadn't believed her, just as Enzo had said. He believed his brother. Enzo was family of course. And for a while Savannah was shocked that he had such little faith and trust in her. Why would he even want to marry her if he could believe this about her. He strongly believed that his brother wouldn't lie about something like that.She had tried to explain , even begged him. But he didn't want to listen. Hadn't even stopped to listen.Worse part, as if the pain wasn't enough, he wrote her a damn check and then he threw her out of his life.--------------------------PRESENT DAY-------------------------“Almost enough to make you believe in the fine ins
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Four
Matt was silent for a long moment. It wasn’t a question he could entirely answer. How could he explain the burning desire to know where she was? What she was doing. If she was all right. It had been a year for crying out loud. He shouldn’t care, damn it. He should forget all about her, but he couldn’t.“I want some answers,” he finally muttered. “She never cashed the check I gave her. I’d just like to know that nothing has happened to her.”The excuse sounded lame even to him.Dash raised an eyebrow and sipped at the expensive wine. “After what she pulled, I’d imagine she’s feeling pretty damn stupid." he said."I wouldn’t want to show my face either.”Matt shrugged. “Maybe.” But he couldn’t shake the feeling that it was something more. Why was he even worried? Why should he care? Why hadn’t she cashed the check? Why couldn’t he get her out of his mind? She haunted him. For a year, he had cursed her, lain
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Five
Their gazes automatically went to David, who was still wrapped around his bride. Yeah, the man had caused them a major setback when he pulled the plug on the Moon Island venture, but it was hard for Matt to get up in arms about it when David looked so damn happy.Matt's pocket vibrated, and he reached down to pull his phone out. He was about to hit the ignore button when he saw who was calling. He frowned.“Excuse me, I need to take this.” he said.Stefan and Dash waved him off and returned to their bantering as Matt hurried out of the building. As soon as he stepped outside, the sea breeze ruffled his hair and the tang of salt filled his nose. The weather was seasonable but by no means hot. It was about as perfect a day as you could ask for, especially for a wedding on the beach. He turned to look at the distant waves and brought the phone to his ear.
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Six
"Jeez, girl" Vicky said. "You say Lamar is uptight. But sometimes, you are too. Learn to loosen up a bit, girl. Since you got back, you seem different. I let you have your one year... One year of doing God knows what in God knows where. But you're back now, and I want my friend back""Yeah I'm back" Savannah said. "But it doesn't mean I want to watch you shack up with your boyfriend"Victoria laughed. "Jealous much?" she asked."Nope I'm not jealous" Savannah replied. "I'm happy for you actually. Not easy finding true, undying love" She remembered hers which had ended a year ago and shook her head to get the thought of her head. She had promised herself she was finally going to move on."Just don't rub your happiness in my face" she said jokingly, grinning at Victoria. "And definitely not in here where Lamar can just walk i
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Seven
That might leave her frustrated, but that was a state of being Savannah could take care of on her own.She shivered, and then, pulling herself together, out of her day dream and began to clear the tables on the side of the diner assigned to her.-------------------Matt drove through town in the blinding rain. His destination was Logan's diner where Savannah was waitressing. It shouldn’t surprise him. It was the place she was working before she had left. She’d been waitressing there when they’d met. And during their relationship, he had offered to get her a job in his company but she had refused, insisting that she would be uncomfortable working for him while they were sleeping together.He had insisted but had given up when he realized that he couldn't change her mind about her decision. But he had tried
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Eight
The honey blond hair was longer and pulled into a ponytail, but it was her. He felt, more than visualized her, and his body quickened in response even after all these months.Then she turned and presented her profile, and he felt every ounce of blood drain from his face.What the everloving hell?She was beautiful. Maybe even more beautiful than she was when they were together. Okay, maybe it was because he hadn't seen her for so damn long. But hell, she was stunning.She looked simple, as she always liked to look, but somehow that simplicity made her stand out always. She was wearing her uniform, a short blue skirt and fitted white shirt, with a white apron tied around her waist.He had always hated that skirt. Not because she didn't look good in it. It was actually because she
SILENT DESIRES Chapter Nine
Tears pricked her eyelids and it only made her more furious that she was actually upset over seeing Matt Bradford again. So much for getting over him.No, she didn’t want to face him. She never wanted to see him again. Never did she want anyone to have the kind of power he had to hurt her. Never again.She buried her head in her hands, trying to comfort herself.“I was a fool to love him,” she whispered. “I was a fool to think I could ever fit in and that his family would accept me. I was so wrong and so stupid.”She jumped when the door behind her vibrated with a knock. Her heart leaped into her throat, and she put a shaky hand to her chest. She stared at the door as if she could see through it.“Savvie, open the damn door. I know you’re in there.”
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SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Nine
His hold was almost bruising now. “I know you have stopped loving me. I deserve it, but I love you, baby. You are the air that I breathe. The only music my heart wants to hear. The other half of my soul. I will make you love me again. I can do it. You still want me,” he said as one hand cupped her breast with its already tight peak.She turned her head and cupped his face between her palms so she could see into his eyes. “You love me?” she asked.“For a long time. Since before that party I think, but to admit it would have been to admit the end of my independence. Fool that I was, I thought that mattered. Without you all the freedom in the world would be a tiny cell in a prison of loneliness.”Her jaw dropped open. She couldn’t help it. Not only had he said he loved her, but he’d gotten positively poetic about it. “Those are pretty mushy sentiments.” She said.He shrugged, his nature showing stronger in that m
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Eight
Neal Patchett didn’t even sound sorry.“Because he doesn’t love me,” she fairly shouted into the phone.“No reason to yell, missy. I may be getting old, but I hear just fine. The man wants you and for him, that’s probably as close to love as any woman will ever get.”She curled her knees up to her chest and rested her chin on them. Could her father be right?“You should not have done it.” She said.“Tess, you wouldn’t take anything else from me.”“I didn’t want anything, just your love.” That was all she’d ever wanted from the two most important men in her life and the one thing she was destined not to get. “I’ve got to go.”“No, wait, child.”“What?” she asked with a lackluster voice.“I do love you.” he said.Four words she’d longed to hear since she was a child. They touched her now, healed some thin
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Seven
The rejection she felt was shattering.“I thought you cared about me. I knew it wasn’t love, but this thing between you and my father—it’s so demeaning. The knowledge that our marriage was the result of an arrangement between you and my father so you could get your company back…” Words failed her for several seconds as she struggled to keep the tears at bay.Finally, she swallowed. “I never would have suspected anything like that, but it explains so much.”He stepped toward her, his hand extended, “Tess, please, we can make this marriage of ours work.”She reared back, almost falling off the sofa. “Don’t come near me. I don’t want you touching me.” When she remembered how he had blackmailed her into marriage, using his body as the bait, she shuddered.His expression was that of a jaguar thwarted of its prey.“I want some time to think. Alone.” She said.He shook his head in sharp n
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Six
She glared at him, anger and resentment boiling in a cauldron inside her that was ready to explode all over him. She jumped up and faced him, fury making her body rigid. “I don’t have to convince you of anything.” He was the one who’d been caught taking a shower while his former girlfriend lounged around answering his phone. “If you won’t tell me, I’ll call my father and ask him.”She turned to do just that, but his words stopped her.“Do not go. I will tell you.” Dash's complexion had gone gray. “You thought your father tried to get us together, but you did not realize the methods he used?”The methods had been pretty obvious, or at least she had thought so at the time. “He sent you to check on me in Athens.”“He sent me, yes, but not to check on you. I was under duress to convince you of marriage.” Dash said.That explained so much. Dash looked sick and she could imagine why. A proud m
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Five
She leaned forward and kissed him, still holding his face in her hands. She stroked her hands through his hair and then over his cheeks again, smiling a tender smile all the while.“We make quite a pair, don’t we? We’ve made mistakes. But I like to think that we haven’t given up. And that maybe we’re stronger for it all. It makes me hurt that you’ve given up so much for me. Your family. The place you grew up in. And you gave it up, bought a beautiful house you knew I’d love all because you loved me. If I don’t forgive you then I’m denying myself that love and I don’t want to live without you, Matt. Or your love. Not anymore. The last months have been the worst of my life. I don’t ever want to relive that kind of agony again.”He pulled her into his arms, leaning forward so they didn’t tumble into the sand. He held her so tightly she couldn’t breathe, but she didn’t care. They were together. Finally. Without all the hurt and pain of the past. Without
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Four
The flight and subsequent transportation to the villa on the beach was seamless. Matt had changed his mind about going back to the paradise villa as he didn't want his mom or Enzo showing up again and upsetting Savannah so they had gone to moon island instead,the place where David and Emily had gotten married.Matt had ensured that Savannah was given every consideration. She was endlessly pampered and waited on and when they arrived on the island, they were greeted not only by the physician who would be monitoring her care, but a personal nurse who would reside at the villa with her and Matt.When Savannah got her first look at the sprawling villa, it took her breath away. They drove through a gate and down a winding driveway that was lined with lush, gorgeous flowers. Just for a moment the driveway paralleled the beach before it ended in front of the main house.The house couldn’t be more than a few steps fr
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Three
The tacit agreement to her fears made Tess's knees give way and she sank onto the side of the bed. “Are you saying you spent the night with my husband?” she asked. Her voice trembled, but she couldn’t help it. She wanted to die.“Are you sure you want me to answer that question?” Olivia asked.“No,” Tess whispered, her vocal cords too constricted for normal conversation, “but I need you to.”Olivia hesitated. When she spoke, her voice had changed, become more tentative. “Perhaps you had better discuss this with Dash.”Tess didn’t answer. She just held the phone to her ear and stared at the far wall of the room she shared with Dash. Was this what death felt like? Your whole body going numb and your emotions imploding until there was nothing left?Another voice intruded on her blanked out mental state. “Tess? Is that you, honey?”And she realized she wasn’t numb. “Don’t call me
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and Two
Dash called again at dinner that evening from Rome. She picked the call, feeling subdued and just plain not up to arguing with his mother or sister about taking the call. Then she stood up and left the table.“Hello, Dash. Was there something you wanted?” she asked in a voice that sounded dead to her own ears.“Yes, Tess, I want many things, but I called to apologize for my behavior when you told me about the baby.” He sounded tired. “I want our baby, honey. I am sorry I was less than enthusiastic when you told me.”She dismissed the apology as too little, too late. Perhaps if he hadn’t been treating her so hurtfully for days beforehand, it would have been enough. “Don’t call me honey. You don’t love me and I don't see any reason why you should. I don’t ever want you to use that word with me again.”“Tess, I…” He hesitated.Strange to hear her super-confident husband hesitant.
SILENT DESIRES Chapter One Hundred and One
Stepping out into the sunshine from the air-conditioned building, Tess asked herself where she could go. Looking up and down the busy street, she knew she wanted only to get away from the crush of people. An image of the grounds surrounding the Black villa rose in her mind like Valhalla to her ravaged state. She would take a taxi to the grounds and then when she was ready, she could walk home.Having a plan of action helped calm her churning emotions enough to wipe her tears away and wave down a cab.She had the driver drop her on the outskirts of the Black estate. Luckily, she remembered the code for the small gate in the far wall. She and Elena had used it once before on an afternoon walk.Once inside the estate’s walls, she walked only far enough to hide herself in the trees, then sank to the ground. Her back resting against the trunk of one of them, she let the tears fall freely. It hurt so much.
