"Yes, I do. But I'm not asking of you anything other than to acknowledge her. I'm not planning a wedding. Possibly ever. Besides, you need as much backup as possible now."
"Careful," Noah said coldly. "If I didn't know better, I'd say that sounded like a threat."
Savannah swallowed. One wrong word and it’d screw everything up.
"What I need is a loyal person. Are you loyal, Elio? Because from where I'm standing, I'm not so sure."
The Capo leaned against the table. He wasn't someone who trusted easily. Everyone knew that, even his brother. It was Flavio who'd warned them about how he could react and putting their fate in his hands was a terrible idea. Yet, it was the only choice they had. One of those days Gastone would find out the entire truth from Fabro. All it would take was him getting bored or being in the mood to fuck with them and everything would come out. Elio couldn’t even imagine any other scenario than the Capodecina going straight to Noah to save his own ass.
That's why Elio had to risk it before he'd surely lose it all.
"I am."
"Savannah, leave us," demanded the Capo.
She hesitated. She didn't want to leave them alone but as a barely five-foot-three girl, she couldn't do much either. Her heart stopped just by thinking that this might be it for them. But she left, nevertheless.
Taking a few steps back, she crashed into someone.
"I'm truly surprised you came out of that room alive. Elio wasn't lucky enough?" The voice was familiar.
Flavio.
Savannah turned around at once, meeting his eyes. He was smirking at her.
"Aren't you two friends?" she asked. From what she knew, Elio trusted him more than others. They spent a lot of time together partying, training and working. However, right now he was acting as if that meant nothing to him.
"It's mafia, Savannah. A dark, cruel world brimming with people whom you should never trust. I don't trust Elio just as much as you shouldn't trust him. But here you are, stupidly giving him everything. For someone who has little Aiden to worry about, you sure as hell don't think about the danger Elio's brought to your life. Which can increase at any moment."
He was right.
Yet she couldn't make herself believe those words.
Because she didn't fucking want to.
It was her life. Her decision.
Good. Bad.
She was still to roll the dice and hope for the best.
§ § §
For a moment they just stared at each other. What was done was done. The only consolation was that Noah didn't seem to give a shit about Savannah. No matter questionable the Capo’s morals were, as soon as he’d heard about her brother he’d immediately lost interest in the whole situation. Undoubtedly, it had to do with his younger sister and the unthinkable fate she’d had. When kids came into play, Noah's main focus shifted to anything other than that. It was his only acknowledgement of respect towards those who took responsibility.
That was the reason why Elio took a chance on the Capo in the first place.
However, right now because of the subtle hint the situation with the Russians escalating and the need for backing, Elio had put himself in a rather complicated position. He didn't have anything bad on his mind but realized that for someone who couldn’t afford further betrayal in the Famiglia, Noah had to be careful who he trusted.
They both came from a place of harsh upbringing, always having to prove themselves, stay relevant and cruel. No one was safe. Ever.
Noah put his gun back into his holster, showing that he was not threatened by his soldier. That he could take him down without so much as a weapon. Come on top. Because he was holding Elio and Savannah's future in his hands.
"I told you to choose your battles wisely."
He had. After the meeting in the club.
This battle was with Father rather than the Capo. No rules had been broken yet. Even when counting Savannah witnessing a murder. Mafia sometimes did that to shut people up. Rarely, but still. People feared what they could see. Rumors made them uneasy but actions terrified them. That was the truth.
Noah smiled darkly, enjoying this situation. He thrived on things like this. It showed him the power he had. Boosting his ego. "I'm not changing any rules. Not for you."
"I know."
"Then why would you even go further into all of this, if you know that nothing will ever change?"
Elio knew the answer all too well. "Because I tried a different way and it didn't work."
"Punishing my soldiers for getting involved with outsiders is not my style. I'd be left with a handful. And you wouldn't come to me if not for your father. He no longer has anything on you. Flavio will make sure that’s the case," he said. "But make no mistake, it's your one and only chance. Threatening me or the Famiglia will bring you destruction. It's the very last time I am hearing you say something like this."
Elio nodded. It went surprisingly smoothly.
"I saw your artwork in the diner," he alluded to the torture and kill. "It was impressive. But I can do much better if you go behind my back. I swear I can make you fucking suffer in ways not even your cruel mind can comprehend."
And there was the Capo dei Capi they all knew. One who said many questionable things that were always true. No one doubted that he would follow through with his threats. Ever.
He was the one to kill half of their Famiglia when he took over. Spread their corpses around the warehouse so they could look. Recognize their family members who were unfaithful to him. Each one was dismembered and covered in blood.
It was dreadful sight. And the thought that just this one person could do such damage made soldiers fall
