by Anna Widzisz
Suddenly, the ring of her phone yanked her out of this semi-sleeping state. She grabbed it from the small table in front of her. There was one unread message from a number that she didn't recognize.
* * *
Remember, I'll pick you up tomorrow after your shift. ELIO
* * *
She frowned, reading through the words a few times.
* * *
How in the world did you get my number?
* * *
That might possibly be the dumbest question she’d ever asked. Even though she didn't give it to him, Elio was in the goddamned mafia. Finding out a phone number was probably the easiest thing for him. But it didn't sit well with her. It was only one step away from him getting to know much more.
Thinking that she was supposed to meet with him tomorrow was even worse. How could she spend time with a mafioso and come out alive? She'd heard that Elio might be one of those who don't take refusals well. One wrong step and she could end up like so many before her. Not even the fact that she had actually been in his company a couple of times put her mind at ease. And she wasn't even scared about herself but about Aiden. Cancelling on Elio was a bad idea, however, the actual meeting also had the potential to go wrong.
Sleep tight, Savannah.
That was his answer.
Now it was not possible for her to get a good night's sleep. Till early morning, she turned in her bed, going back and forth on what to do with Elio. Normally, she wouldn't hesitate meeting with him if she were on her own. There was no fooling anyone that the man was attractive. Hell, he was cut out to be a freaking Calvin Klein model. And him being bad added up to the attraction like it would for so many girls.
As ashamed as Savannah was to admit, it was the truth.
However, having Aiden made that incredibly wrong.
So she decided to do whatever was in her power to never meet Elio Conte again after the date.
Chapter Twelve
It was already four in the afternoon when Savannah began to change out of her uniform. Refreshed and dressed in an orange t-shirt and black denim skirt, she continued down the corridor leading to Hunter’s office to announce that she was done for the day. After the incident with Elio, he decided against working in the kitchen and hired another cook. Now he spent most of his time behind closed doors.
Hearing a deep male voice, she hesitated. She could distinguish two men talking, however, she wasn't able to catch the topic. Moreover, she couldn't pinpoint the moment someone came into the diner, asking for the owner.
As she was about to back away, she heard the handle being ripped opened and Hunter emerged from the room. Savannah jumped, startled, facing her boss's angry face. Her eyes at once shifted behind him and she saw another man sitting in the chair next to the desk. He was with his back to the door, however, it didn't take long for the girl to realize that it was the same Russian who had come to the diner before. She shivered immediately remembering how he’d carried himself that day.
"What do you want Savannah?" asked Hunter, bringing her out of her trance. Her eyes settled on the old man once again.
She pursed her lips.
"Well?" he repeated.
Then the Russian turned his head, regarding the girl suspiciously. Even though Savannah was not looking at him, she could feel his eyes on her, carefully scrutinizing her.
"I just wanted to let you know that I'm going. I'll be here tomorrow as usual," she whispered.
Hunter waved his hand towards the front of the diner, telling her to walk in that direction with him. She listened and followed the man. When they were out of the Russian's sight, he grabbed her arm, pulling her closer to him. "If you ever listen in on my conversations, you'll be looking for a new job," he seethed and left her, going back to his office at once.
Another waitress, Megan, sent Savannah an intense look, clearly hearing their boss's words. It was a threat without a doubt. No matter the fact that the girl didn't hear a thing, it was no use explaining it to him. He wouldn't believe her. But it showed her that whatever their conversation was about, it was supposed to be a secret and surely out of anyone's reach.
"I guess it is a bad time to tell you that Elio Conte is waiting for you outside?" said Megan, handing Savannah her bag.
Hell. The day was still not over.
"Has he waiting long?"
Megan shook her head. "He just came in and told me to remind you of it," she explained with a curious but also frightened expression.
For a very good reason. Whatever Savannah knew about the Las Vegas Famiglia she found out from Megan. Every single thing. Especially when it came to the Enforcer. Of course, she felt confused as to why the man was here. Savannah didn't felt like sharing, hoping that soon there would be nothing to talk about.
"Are you in trouble, Savannah?" she asked.
"Don't be ridiculous. I'm not. I have to go now. See you tomorrow," she answered waving at her as she moved towards the front door. Hunter, as well as Megan, followed her with their eyes. The owner saw Elio and the blood completely drained from his face.
Savannah tried to ignore them, focusing on getting through this meeting.
Elio stood by the passenger's door, leaning against it. When he noticed the girl a smirk creeped out on his face. It was probably his go-to expression and basically the most annoying thing for Savannah at the same time. However, she decided to hold back on that remark.
He was dressed in a white dress shirt with rolled-up sleeves and slacks per usual. For someone who took care of a dirty job for the mafia, he seriously liked looking elegant while doing it.
She shook her head, not wanting to think about what he might have been doing before coming here. Whatever it was, it most likely was either illegal or dangerous. Or both.
"Took you long enough," he commented, opening the door for her. His intense green eyes scanned her body.
Was he being a gentleman or simply making sure that she would go in? In his defense, that wasn't totally unreasonable since Savannah had actually thought about it.
"Sorry," she said, taking a seat. Her heart was beating almost as fast as that day when he was supposed to drive her home. However, this time they weren't going home.
Elio pushed the door closed, circled the car and got into the driver's seat. It was hard not to fidget as they drove in silence for a while. The man looked perfectly at ease, probably not realizing that Savannah was anything but calm. Her insides once again screamed how stupid she was to even get inside the mafioso's car. Her nerves amplified with each minute to the point where she couldn't take it anymore.
"Where are we going?"
The man shot her a quick glance before focusing on the road. There were many cars on the streets so she appreciated that he had no intention of getting them in an accident. He tapped on the steering wheel as she observed his sharp jaw, chin, and cheekbones tense slightly.
Was he nervous? Or perhaps annoyed with the question? Savannah really couldn't tell the difference, however, she couldn't imagine Elio Conte ever being nervous.
"I guess that after work you're pretty hungry, aren't you?" he asked, finally giving her a hint of their destination.
She nodded. "Yes."
In fact, she couldn't feel the hunger because of the knots in her stomach but she didn't tell him that. If he planned for them to go to some kind of restaurant to eat that might just be her blessing. There were going to be people around. She would be safe.
Elio glanced at her again and chuckled. "You really should learn how to relax. Your legs are working as if you were about to ride a rollercoaster, Savannah," he grinned.
Looking down, Savannah understood what he was talking about. She had an uncontrolled tic of shaking her legs, which she stopped altogether by putting her palms on her knees. "Sorry."
"And you apologize too much," he added.
She swallowed. "Sorry," she repeated, her hand flying to her mouth. It only made Elio laugh loudly.
"You said it more times in a matter of
minutes than I have in my whole twenty-one years of life," he admitted.
"Somehow I really doubt it."
His eyebrow rose. "Do you?"
Did she? Would a man who didn’t take 'no' for an answer actually be someone who apologized to people? Someone who killed and tortured on a daily basis?
Perhaps she actually became ignorant by being in his presence. And that was dangerous to think.
Chapter Thirteen
Elio took her to one of those fancy rooftop restaurants that were way too expensive for her taste. That's why she had never been to any of them. She was glad for at least wearing a skirt today as coming to this place in jeans would be the mishap of the year. However, she still felt out of place looking at all those women wearing shiny or silky dresses that cost more than everything she owned put together. Especially in the company of a man who wore elegant clothes as well. She saw the looks some of the people gave her. As if she shouldn't have even thought about coming here.
And what the hell was she doing with someone like Elio? A guy who stole the show once he stepped inside; funnily enough from both men and women. He obviously noticed the lust-filled expressions and flirty smiles he was getting. As if his ego wasn't big enough. But Savannah doubted he realized that those same people who were so clearly longing for some kind of attention from him were glaring at her. And if he did, he didn't say a word.
She was used to it. Her clothes were never designer because of the limited amount of money she had. It was even worse when she was walking down the street with Aiden. Everyone assumed that he was her child and she was a teenage mother. Which wasn't true, and even if it was, no one should judge her or any other woman because of such a thing. Life happened and people dealt with it the best they could. Nothing to be ashamed of. But rarely anyone understood it.
She felt a hand on the small of her back and startled. "What would it take for you to loosen up?" Elio asked as he guided her to one of the tables which was situated in such a way that Savannah could see the Strip in its full grandeur. It was breathtaking. All she could do was stare, admiring. Walking up to the barrier she got lost in the view.
Being born in Las Vegas was a wonderful thing. It was a city full of opportunities and, for her, it symbolized strength. Because as hard as her life got, she pushed through. It wasn't a place that killed dreams but one that could help find one's footing. She couldn't move out anywhere else.
The wind blew, a slight breeze shrouding them as Elio came up behind the girl looking at her while she gazed at the city of sin. And goddamnit, he wanted her to become his sin. Savannah's tantalizing scent deprived him of his senses. All he could think of was how much he wanted to bend her over the table and bury himself to the hilt inside of her. Fuck people. That almost started to feel like today’s mission.
Savannah couldn't be further from his usual girls. He was used to dealing with dancers and whores. But they were all eager to satisfy him, to give him anything and everything just so that they could tell their friends that he'd fucked them. They didn't shy away and even their fear was close to nonexistent the moment he showed interest in them. If it wasn't business-wise, no one gave a damn that he was an Enforcer. So typically, most women cared about how wide they could open their legs for him. And he loved it.
Yet, he went out of his way to spend some time with the girl in front of him. Because she didn't seem to take a hint and start flirting with him or offer her body. A big, fat cry from that. And as a guy, he needed a challenge sometimes.
Savannah Quinn was exactly that.
He took a step closer, his chest touching her back and Savannah shivered, realizing that she’d completely ignored Elio's question. However, she forgot what he had asked.
"What?" Her eyebrows knit together.
Elio chuckled, shaking his head. Turns out it didn't take much to distract her. Then he heard her stomach grumbling. "Shall we order?"
The girl bit her lip and nodded. She tried very hard to forget about Elio being a mafioso at least for a while. Being in her head too much right now was making it difficult for her to simply go through the meeting. She wasn't sure if calling it a date was too much.
"You texted me yesterday. So you could've told me to wear something more elegant," she said, once again focusing on how much she stood out.
The Made Man frowned, searching her face. The embarrassment shined through as she averted her eyes from the girl sitting a few tables behind him. Elio glanced back, making the girl quickly go back to talking to her partner.
"The less fuck you give about what others think, the better you will feel, Savannah. If they think you care, they'll walk all over you," he commented, unfazed.
"It's not always as easy as it may sound. Not every person is unworthy of being taken care of."
That's where the two of them parted ways as to what they believed in and lived by. For Elio, there was no one he actually cared about. Not completely at least. His mother held a few pieces of affection, however, he didn't respect her enough because of how she handled Father. Being weak was a disposition he couldn't get behind. No matter who the person was. Death was better than settling for something useless that got them nowhere.
"It must be an exhausting life to put others first," he said.
"Not as exhausting as always having to be the one to pick you back up in your worst moments."
§ § §
* * *
His desire to own her didn't disappear. Their alien opinions apparently weren't enough for his dick to calm the fuck down. It was getting to a ridiculous point of sexualizing each bite she took of her food. Elio could only blame it on deciding to stay home yesterday evening rather than finding a woman to fuck.
After dinner during which they tried to stay away from the topic of caring, they decided to walk towards the Venetian. It was only a few minutes before seven and as much as Elio wanted to make a move, even he realized how absurd that would be since he obviously had already gone out of his way to meet with her. Normally it wouldn't matter, now it did.
The buildings of the Strip hovered over them as they walked along the sidewalk. This part of the city was probably the most overwhelming with its majestic hotels, casinos, high-end shops and many other places. For Elio, there was the additional pride that many of them either belonged to the Famiglia or were under their protection. Realizing this alone could give a good sense on what it actually meant that they were ruling over the city when a few years ago Las Vegas was still a common business ground for many organizations. However, as Noah Falcone didn't like sharing, he made sure that it wouldn't be the case for long.
Elio watched Savannah as she took in her surroundings. She was in awe which made him think that either she rarely came to this part of the city or she wasn't from here. "Have you been in Las Vegas for long?" he asked, turning her attention to him.
They arrived at the Venetian and stopped by the water.
"I was born here so twenty years and counting. Why?"
The man regarded her carefully. "Hasn't the city already lost its power over you? You look at it as if you’re seeing it for the very first time."
She shook her head. "I'm not sure that will ever happen, to be honest. I haven't seen much outside of Las Vegas but I wouldn't want to say goodbye to this," she answered as she reached the bridge. Thankfully, there weren't hordes of people around. Some, yes. Quite frankly, the streets were never empty here. Not even late at night.
She leaned on a stone barrier. However, she was facing the man. At last, she didn't look scared, merely curious. He took a step closer so they were standing with barely any space between them. Savannah's cheeks went red but she didn't move away. His eyes leveled on hers. She was so small compared to him. It felt almost impure to be touching her. If only Elio gave a damn about such trivial things. Unless he heard a direct "no". That's where he would draw the line. Even though it had never been said to him before. As much as he wanted to do all the dirty things to her that were in his head, he couldn't shake the feeling that
Savannah would refuse any further advances.
But here she was standing, the warmth of her body mixing with his. He bent down and kissed her ear. She released a shuddering breath; one she was probably surprised to hear herself. The fear had been evident before, just as the attraction could be seen right now in her expression. Her thoughts battling over what was right and wrong.
"You are thinking way too fucking much, baby girl. Not everything has to be planned from the base up. Dare to live a little."
She closed her eyes as he kissed the skin above her ear. A fresh flowery scent hit his nostrils with such intensity that it made his cock twitch. Most girls preferred bold perfumes. Hell, Elio liked them too. Yet there was something compelling in Savannah's choice that made it hard for the man to think of anything else.
"Let it go," he whispered the moment she opened her eyes, tilting her head up toward him. The crystal clear blue color soft and probing.
Savannah sighed. "It's not that easy," she said.
"Yes, it is." He smirked and gripped her hips. Her lips parted in surprise, but he didn’t give her the chance to voice her protest. Not that there would be one at this point. He kissed her and after a moment of hesitation her mind gave in as she kissed him back.
The lack of experience and confidence was palpable and somehow it turned Elio on more that he thought possible. He cupped her head, deepening the kiss. Whatever Savannah didn't know, she was making up by completely surrendering to him. Her body relaxed in his hold, clinging to him for dear life. He savored the taste of her for a while before they needed to catch a breath.
Savannah's eyelashes fluttered, embarrassment flashing on her face. She was already scolding herself for giving in. That wasn't her intention. Rather, far from that. She had never even kissed a guy before, let alone a dangerous one. A Made Man who was supposed to leave her alone after today. She acted like a brainless teenager who skipped on a real high-school experience. Which she had because she wasn't the type to go party, sleep around and do all those reckless things. She was the one to stand on the sidelines, quietly observing and not engaging. Perhaps that was the reason why she didn't have friends. Whoever she had talked to at school, she wasn't keeping in touch with anymore.
