They stayed like this for a few minutes before Savannah calmed down. She gasped, choking on air.
"What happened?" Frank asked, concerned. He stroked her hair before releasing her to look into her eyes. They were full of tears, her cheek wet and chin quivering. The sadness almost palpable. "It's him, isn't it?"
Savannah frowned, waiting for him to continue.
Him, who?
"That boy who came here recently every night."
There was no reason to lie so she simply nodded. The vision of Elio stepping through her threshold time and time again with that recognizable smirk on his lips and confidence as he walked. Of course Frank must have seen him. Not just that first time when he’d driven her home after they’d just met.
"I just wanted to do something for myself for once."
The man squeezed her arms in assurance. "I know you did. The thing is, Savannah, you never know before you try. Not everything is meant to be and we can only take chances on people. Whether they decide to take them seriously, it's only up to them."
He didn't know anything about Elio Conte but his words suited the situation perfectly, even if Savannah wasn't sure if she believed them completely. Taking a chance meant being vulnerable, and being vulnerable almost always meant getting hurt. She’d known that and still made that mistake.
"He was trouble."
"You could have shaken the sense in me back then. I'd have saved myself time and heartbreak."
Frank smiled. "Never in all my life have I listened to someone just because I believed to know better. I'm glad because people learn from mistakes. Besides, in the end, we can be prouder of the things we tried to achieve and failed than those moments we simply turned around and waved the opportunity goodbye. Don't regret it. After all, you will come out of it much stronger with a better sense of what you want from a man."
Right now she didn't want anyone. She couldn't even comprehend being in a relationship in the first place, yet Elio had changed her mind with a snap of his fingers. As if there was nothing simpler. Replacing him couldn't happen. Not anytime soon, anyway. Not when she still wanted him.
"Do you believe in love?" she asked.
"I do, very much."
She swallowed. "Why? Shouldn't you be one of those who have learnt from experience not to love?"
His wife had left him because of his injury. And the man still kept hanging on to this fatal feeling?
"I'll let you in on a secret, Savannah," he said. "The power of love brings hope, yet sometimes also causes pain. You found comfort in the loneliness and took it as a familiarity too good to let go of. But we are born to love and we do no matter what. It just takes a person to show you why it's such a human thing. There's bravery in walking towards it in spite of the roughness and hardship."
"I didn't love Elio. I liked him but it wasn't love."
He looked at her with softness and warmth. There were creases on his temples as he smiled. "If you hadn’t loved him, you wouldn't be hurting."
Was he right?
She knew she was falling for Elio but was she in love with him already? Had she missed the subtle transition under the impact of so many new emotions and experiences that he had served her within a short period of time?
"How did you forget? Moved on?"
"I haven't, Savannah. Time gives you the opportunity to heal but it doesn't make you forget. Nothing does. You just learn to appreciate what you learnt, what it gave you in the long run and go through life using it the best you can."
Chapter Thirty-Five
The Bratva started acting on their anger day after day. There were raids on the Las Vegas Famiglia's establishments for the next week. One worse that the other. Many casualties and not only among soldiers. Civilians too. Money stolen, places turned upside down, people shot; hurt or dead.
Violence.
Blood.
Rage.
That was what Elio's life had been filled with lately. He’d barely slept since his phone kept ringing non-stop. Whether to inform him about another Russian attack, or about taking a shift protecting one of the businesses that strictly answered to Father. One that had reported suspicious activities and people who were coming around a lot. Each soldier was on stand-by almost twenty-four seven.
Elio couldn't remember the last time he had more than three hours of sleep and it usually wasn't at night, either. Most of Father's establishments were bars and pubs that worked till early morning which meant constant security. One that only Made Men could provide. Even trained professional guards wouldn't be able to catch so many details as mafiosos. Especially since they didn't know how the Bratva worked.
All captains in Las Vegas had been struggling with this problem, however, not Noah Falcone himself. For most people, it was a reason to start doubting the Capo which was exactly what the Russians had wanted to achieve. Successfully.
With many more meetings that Noah had with his soldiers, he became increasingly frustrated by the number of doubtful faces when he ordered them around. Everyone was taught to protect their own interest. And only additionally respect their Capo dei Capi because of all the good things he had given them. Yet it wasn't the case anymore. Noah was losing support which caused Flavio's initiation to be brought forward.
Noah needed an Underboss. A person who would have a strong position just in case something was to happen.
No one had said it out loud, not even Elio, but they all knew that he was preparing for the worst. And this time, death
