"What do you want me to say, Savannah? That I'll tell my Capo to go fuck himself and run away with you into the sunset? How fucking foolish are you to think that it would work? I would be dead by the end of the day. You and Aiden, too," he spat out.
Savannah's heart skipped a beat. She felt drained. Fighting Elio was the last thing she wanted. It was the second time they fought and she, again, had enough. He looked more terrifying than ever before. Because he was terrified himself.
"Don't you dare put it all on me! You knew the rules. I did not. You left the moment you heard about Aiden, and it's you who decided to come back. I went to that goddamned club because I wanted to be honest by telling you about Hunter. Because I cared about others." Pause. "So don't flatter yourself thinking that I was specifically looking forward to seeing you. I was terrified of you even back then. I still am. Now more than ever."
She was, and she wasn't. It was his life. Not necessarily him. But he didn't need to know that.
"Yet here you are talking to me as if I had a fucking heart, to begin with. As if I'd care."
Savannah smiled sadly. "You have a heart. You just don't use it properly. And I wish you would. Because what's inside is pure perfection. Under all that cruelty, you hide more gold than black."
"Savannah, fucking stop," he grunted. "You're saying one thing but doing the complete opposite."
She just didn't want to leave him without making him see what she did. At one point he'd have to use what was within. And he needed to realize that there was more to hold on to than just darkness. Mafia was a brutal organization. He didn't have to bury his goodness in order to be a good Made Man.
He rubbed his chin, pacing through the parking lot. It was how he processed things. Then he stopped and his eyes bore into her. "I won't turn my back on the Famiglia, Savannah."
"I don't want you to." Another tear rolled down her cheek. "I just want you to let me leave. Because I have Aiden to think about. He was and will always be my priority. I've been blinded by my feelings. By what you showed and gave me. Now I realize how selfish I was. And I almost paid with my life for it. But no more. I cannot pretend like it can work. Because it can't."
Elio looked at her. Pain. Misery. Sadness. He grabbed her wrist and pulled her roughly, crashing his lips into hers. He put his all into the kiss. Every little emotion, whatever he’d been keeping locked away was finally unleashed. What else could he do?
"You're giving up," he said. "You're just like my mother. It was so foolish of me to think that you're not. For the first time since we’ve met, I think that you're weak. Unable to fight when it's all you should do. You're giving into fear and condemning yourself to a life full of misery. You're fucking giving up, Savannah!"
His eyes were glossy with tears. Never before had he been so raw when it came to showing what he felt. Back in the bedroom when they were talking about their parents, about them together, she’d seen him vulnerable. Now it was worse. He was devastated.
"Being strong comes in many different forms, Elio. It's just the case of how you look at it. For me, I'm being strong for my brother. To do what's best for him in the long run."
"No," he whispered, shaking his head. "Please tell me what to do to change your mind. Anything. Savannah, I cannot lose you."
He begged, and her heart sank down to her stomach. He begged.
Elio Conte begged.
She climbed on her tiptoes, her fingers bringing his chin down slightly. She kissed him softly. It was passionate and tender, yet so gentle.
"Do me one last favor and tell them that I died. I don't need them to look for me. I'm no threat to you or anyone else in the Famiglia. I swear."
The Enforcer laughed bitterly before calming down and looking at Savannah again. "To be clear, it's you who's running away this time."
"Yes.” She swallowed. “Yes, I am, Elio."
She backed out, taking her bag from the ground. She didn't even realize earlier that she let go of it. Taking one last glance at the man, seeing the pain in his eyes that was eclipsing the anger his words were filled with. She wanted to stay but she couldn't. She was no longer a stupid girl who wanted to live her life to the fullest.
"You belong with me, Savannah."
Then they would have to find their way back to each other. Because time wasn't on their side. Nothing was on their side. And no one.
She gripped her bag harder as she breathed out, feeling as if she were dying. Because with each second a part of her was. Then with one last sad smile, she came up to Megan's car and opened the door. She looked back one that last time wishing this would all be a dream. A fucking absurd nightmare.
But it wasn't. It was reality and reality hurt more than dreams.
The chains had been broken. But she was not truly free.
PART II and III in Kryptonite (Rarissime duet book 2)
Acknowledgments
Massive thanks go to my readers first and foremost. I couldn’t keep my spirits up while writing books if it wasn’t for you all. It’s what keeps me going and I feel more excited than scared while publishing. I always appreciate your messages, reviews and
