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Lying, cheating, deceit—those are one thing, but physical abuse? No. Never to someone who didn’t deserve it. Like what I had thought of Savini. I was going to kill him because he murdered my brother. But what kind of person would that make me if what he was saying was true? That my brother was just as guilty as the man who took my mother from me.
Tears roll down my cheeks again. “I don’t know why I’m crying so much.”
Savini sighs and steps forward. He looks to the clerk. “I’ll take it from here, Donno.” Savini places his large hand on my shoulder and guides me away from the front desk and over to an elevator that’s only accessible by keycard.
A few moments later, we step into his room, the aroma of cedar and honeysuckle tickling my nose. He continues to nudge me along until I’m sitting on a plush couch in the lavish sitting area in the middle of the place. Savini latches onto the box of tissues on the side table and extends them out to me. “I shouldn’t have pushed you into talking about something you clearly didn’t want to. I understand what it’s like to bury things in the past.”
I blow my nose, not caring about how incredibly unattractive it must be. “You know what sucks?”
"Hmm?" Savini puts his hands on his lap.
“It’s not that I don’twantto talk about her. Of course, I do. She was my favorite person. But it’s like, all these good memories are overpowered by the bad ones. What he did to her. What he did to us.” I sigh and close my eyes. “I’ll never forget that, and no matter how hard I try to think of the good, I’m always overcome by the bad.” I open up to find him still in the same position, like he’s afraid I’m a bomb ready to explode, and he doesn’t want to make any sudden moves. How funny, considering he’s the killer I wish I could be.
“Can I tell you a secret?” Savini picks at his thumb with his index finger.
I chuckle and look at the time on my phone. “I’d say you were still within your two hours, but it’s been almost four.”
Savini reaches into his pocket to pull out a money clip. He slides the stack of cash out from under the fancy silver and puts it in my hand. “This should buy me a little more time, right?”
I push the money back toward him. “This one’s on the house.” I hold out my pinkie. “Pinkie promise.”
Savini side-eyes me. “You’re serious?”
“Yep. The ultimate promise. Unbreakable. More iron-clad than any contract I’ve ever written up.” I nudge him with my elbow. “And I’m kind of a big deal.”
He wraps his pinkie around mine and our hands stay together as they rest at our sides.
“I, uh…”
I sniffle and wait for him to find the words.
“I lost my mom when I was young, too. Similar story, really. So, while I’m not saying I understand what you’ve been through, because no one other than you shares that pain, I do have an idea.”
“Are we trauma bonding right now?” I squeeze his hand and offer him a soft smile despite my snot nose and flushed face.
“I guess so.” Savini leans onto the couch and puts his arm over the back. “And before we even had dessert.”
I frown dramatically. “Not dessert.”
He moves the hair out of my tear-streaked face. “Why don’t you change out of those stuffy clothes, and I’ll have it brought up?”
I tilt my head at him. “I thought you were being a gentleman, and here you are, trying to get me naked.”
“Don’t mistake my occasional kindness for being a gentleman, I’m nothing of the sort. I literally kill people for a living, and I thoroughly enjoy it.” He rises to his feet. “And that warning I’m sure Axel gave you, you should have probably listened to him.” Savini points to a closed double door leading to another room. “Bathroom is through there. You can borrow something of mine to wear to bed.”
I follow his directions, going into the room and closing the door behind me. I rummage in a few of the drawers until I find a white tee shirt that will no doubt fall to my knees. I take it into the bathroom with me, and slide out of the overpriced heels and dress, throwing the thing over my head and breathing in the cinnamon smell of him that remains even after being cleaned. I finger through the little bottles on the counter and settle on one that says face wash. I make myself at home, despite being in the enemy’s quarters, an idea that seems so foolish at this point.
Can he still be the enemy even after what I know now?
Savini made a few accusations but that doesn’t mean they’re true. And what if he wasn’t even talking about Jared at all? I have to do some investigating before I fully believe that my abused half-brother turned into an abuser himself.
Feeling better than when I stepped into this penthouse, I walk barefoot out of the bathroom, and bedroom, to find Savini closing the front door. A cart with a few metal trays sits near the entrance, and he pushes it over to the couch.
“I wasn’t sure what you liked so I got…” He looks up at me and stops in the middle of his sentence. “Everything.”
I sit on the couch, pulling a throw pillow on my lap to hide the fact that I'm not wearing anything under his tee. I could have probably found some oversized sweatpants, but my mind wasn't operating at peak performance five minutes ago. Not that it is now, either, as I study this seductive older man move from one end of the room to the other.
Is it the lingering alcohol in my veins? The sight of his rugged yet gorgeous exterior? Knowing that he punishes bad guys for a living? Or maybe the rich maple scent of him wafting by? Whatever it is, I’d rather him serve me up for dessert instead.
