"Then I'm even more out of place here than I thought," she commented, downing the drink. The bitter taste spread in her mouth, calming her.
Elio regarded her and chuckled. "You are but only because you have much more to offer."
Judging by the eye-roll the girl gifted him with, she didn't take his words seriously.
"You turned eighteen and were put in a situation where you had to take care of a small child on your own, along with earning money to have somewhere to live and food to eat. When they turn eighteen, they exchange golden cages and most don't even understand the value of money. They have more than they need. At least those who are married high. It happens that they become mothers rather quickly after that but it's not as much of a responsibility as you took upon yourself. Their husbands might die or go to jail, yes. But the Famiglia always takes care of their own. Noah always acknowledges the sacrifice in his name and never leaves anyone without proper help. An enormous reverence comes into play. If you give, you will always be rewarded one way or another. It's not just death and danger. It's so much more than that."
Savannah could see that Elio really meant all that. It wasn't said out of duty. He was a Made Man because he wanted to. He was proud to be a part of the Famiglia. And even if she didn't understand it still, she nodded, knowing that there would be no way he’d change his mind.
"Are arranged marriages common?"
"Sì. Sicilians are known for meddling into their children’s lives. However, it's not like we all are bound to it. Most have a choice. Even women. Surprisingly, girls want it. They want their fathers to set them up for an even better life. It’s always about having more."
"I always thought of it more as selling your kids on a parents' whim."
The man shrugged. "In our Famiglia, it's not the case. But it goes without saying that many others are doing it exactly for their own advantages. The Seattle Famiglia has done it before. New York one, too. Noah was involved in it two years ago. He was supposed to marry the daughter of the Seattle Famiglia's Capo."
"What happened?" she asked, curious. She hated the overall concept of Famiglia and how wavering their morals were, but there were certain parts that fascinated her. All the people here surely had many stories to tell, they’d lived through a lot.
Without a doubt.
"I cannot tell you. It's not my place and I don't know all the details. This is really an elephant in the room if I'm being honest."
She wasn't going to push for an answer. It wasn't in her nature and it wasn't her business. If there was one thing she'd learned, that was it.
She looked around for the first time actually taking in the place they were in. It was a huge villa just outside of Las Vegas. All white and marble. High ceiling, double stairs going from both sides of the main hall and meeting at the top. Black detailing of banisters, paintings and vases that cost probably more than anything Savannah had ever owned put together. There was a separate ballroom, two bars brimming with alcohol, high tables where people could drink and talk. And it was all in the rhythm of the orchestra playing on the stage. There were people dancing, however, most were too focused on the conversation. Cleverly clandestine business meetings most likely.
Some people Savannah recognized. There was no overlooking the Falcone brothers, just as she couldn't not see Elio's brother Fabro who kept on glancing at them from time to time. Annoyance visible on his face. His father tried to ignore him completely and she only recognized the mother due to her being glued to Gastone's side. They all made her nervous, however, it was the strangers that kept her on her toes. Not knowing people was worse. She didn't know what to expect.
"Come on. The auction is about to start," Elio said, leading her towards the main hall once again.
Savannah turned her head to him, frowning. "An auction? I thought it was just a simple banquet for people to show off," she whispered for Elio's ears only.
That's what it had seemed to her.
"It is just as much of a banquet as an auction. What better way to show off than bidding millions of dollars for things they don't really need?"
The man took the bidding number plate from a woman whose job was to give out as many of those as possible.
"Are you going to play?"
"Hell no. But it's good to keep up appearances."
Within ten minutes a man dressed in a tuxedo walked up to a small platform with a mic in his hand and a huge smile of his face, revealing all those too white teeth that were almost glowing.
Savannah swallowed a laugh. She stood next to Elio, observing as the first painting was introduced to people. All the information sounded almost absurd. The historical value of some guy from Europe who had hidden it in his underground safe when the Second World War had begun.
Who the hell cared? People should like the painting, not take into account its value and history. At least that was her idea of bidding. And as it turned out - when it was sold to a young woman in her early thirties, for over ten million dollars
