However, he didn't share that with Savannah.
"It won't affect your life," he said instead.
He rose on his two feet and regarded Savannah. She seemed so small and vulnerable. The girl looked at him, curious as to what he was doing.
"Sleep, Savannah. I will be in the living room if you need anything," he stated, turning around. Once he faced the doors, he felt a hand grabbing his fingers lightly.
"Can you stay here with me?"
As the question escaped her lips, she immediately turned red and shy. She didn't want to be alone with her thoughts but she was also never so straight-forward. She could only hope that Elio didn't catch her blushing.
For a second it was quiet as Elio seemed to think about her proposition. He knew that it wasn't meant as anything other than accompanying her as she slept. Even with all the morals that faded away, he still would never in a million years take advantage of a woman. That was a line that would never waver. No matter what.
So he was glad that Noah Falcone had a similar outlook on such things. But he was probably one of only few people who knew that and it was only because of Flavio who had looked almost disgusted when Fabro had hinted at such behavior in one of their outings. He had never confirmed that his brother was against hurting women but it was what Elio got out of this gesture.
Savannah waited for him to say something as her eyes travelled up and down his figure. He was wearing black joggers and a white t-shirt. Something casual for a change. After all, he was at home. There was no need to be formal.
Then she realized that she, in fact, was alone with Elio in his apartment. She woke up here after she’d fainted at the sight of a bloody floor and a dead, tortured body. She hadn’t taken that into account before, too invested in the man's action itself. And she felt even more troubled by her words.
Elio sighed. Without answering her, he rounded the bed to the other side, laying down. He rested his palm upon the girl's shoulder, pressing at it lightly. She gave in and pushed herself further on the bed, her head on the pillow.
She breathed in. A smell of jasmine reached her nostrils. It gave her a sense of calmness, just as the warmth of Elio's body next to her had. She rolled over to face him.
She was lost. Whatever she was feeling, she couldn't put her finger on it. She was terrified because of what she had seen. That the man who put her in such a situation was laying next to her and she wasn't running away. That scared her shitless. Savannah didn't feel the need to run. Quite the opposite. She felt peace like never before. Close to nothing seemed important at the moment.
Which also made her excited.
Meeting the devil was just as horrifying as it was thrilling. The first time seeing Elio, she’d already known how true that was. He was as deadly as he was beautiful. And Satan was nothing but a fallen angel. Evil could come in any shape or form. To her, it did as the tall, seductive and alluring dark man. Perfect from the outside, broken on the inside. A combination surely started in heaven, finished in the fieriest pits of hell. Then sent down to earth to turn her world upside down.
"How do you do it?" she started, "How can you live with what you've done? People die when they come in contact with you more often than not. Yet you come out of it unscathed. As if nothing ever gets to you on a personal level."
Elio reflected upon it. He rarely gave a fuck but it most certainly wasn't totally true. There were scraps of humanity in him. His mother was a good example. He loved her in his own, unnatural way. She was a wonderful person who simply couldn't manage to protect her children. Not from the cruel world, but not even from their own father. Other than that he had no room left for people.
But a small piece was taken out today by Savannah. So unknowingly and effortlessly. She didn't even want that. And Elio wouldn't admit it to her, either.
"Every Made Man must have sociopathic tendencies. At least then we are not burdened by things like love or guilt."
Chapter Twenty-One
Upon waking, Savannah burrowed herself into the warm, soft sheets. She didn't even remember falling asleep. From the excess of emotion, she felt so drenched that it was no surprise that her body needed rest. A grimace scrunched up her features at the bright light seeping into the room. She rubbed the remains of sleep from her eyes and gazed out at the horizon; its vivid light extended across a rosy sky. The sun was already out inclining itself from between the buildings.
She no longer felt the soreness of her body. That was probably the only consolation of what had happened.
Not much.
Nothing of any importance.
Hunter was still dead.
Gone.
The floor creaked down the hall skillfully preventing her from reverting to thoughts of the murder. She turned her head to the right, glancing at the bed. The sheets were creased but Elio was no longer there. Her cheeks instantly reddened as she scorned herself for even asking him to stay with her. Feeling scared and lonely was no reason to do such a thing. She'd dealt with those since forever. And she should've done it this time, too.
Yawning, she swung her legs out of bed, tiptoeing to the door. Pacing through the apartment, she took it in. The place wasn't big, however, it was much better compared to where Savannah lived. Well-maintained and clean. The neighborhood was most likely safer, too. She walked into the living room which was adjoined to the kitchen. The floor was an old-fashioned parquet with a blend of deep homely browns and
