AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“Head of the alley.”
“Ah.” He must have scooped it up, but I agree with Quin. He should have just pulled out his gun. “Why isn’t it safe, Savage?” I ask, but almost afraid to hear the answer. If he has to carry a gun all the time, there’s some immediate danger.
His lips thin, but he doesn’t speak. I give him time while I clean his face. On my second trip to the sink, I kick off my shoes. Ah, yes. So much better. I wiggle my toes and rock up on the balls of my feet, trying to work the hurt out of them. Those heels are fire as fuck, but they hurt like a bitch.
I go back with the cloth once more and wipe the small trickle of blood by his eye, holding the cloth there and applying pressure. “I have enemies, which I’m sure you know from all the rumors that go around about my family,” Savage says in a low voice. “Powerful enemies. I don’t think they know about you, but if they see us together, for any reason, like me beating the shit out of those wolves that tried to take you …” he growls that last part, then takes a deep breath trying to calm himself.
"Wolves? Were they werewolves? Wait—are werewolves real?" I look at him with my eyes comically wide. He looks at me like I'm crazy and huffs a grudging laugh, shaking his head at my ridiculousness.
I walk back over to the sink to the first aid kit, taking out some gauze and alcohol pads. Kneeling in front of him, I take his hands and use the alcohol pads to clean the scratches there. I don’t want him to get an infection from that dirty alley.
Savage growls again when I swipe the alcohol pad over his palm. “Fuck, that hurts.” He gives me the evil eye and I feel a little bad, since it’s kind of my fault.
Still, I have to give him shit. “Hold the fuck still and stop crying, Sav. Jeez-zus.” I’m not sure if I’m joking or not, but I smile.
“Sav?” he asks in a weird voice. I look up at him and he looks … almost amazed. I mean, I just shortened his nickname, not that big a deal. I shrug and he turns his head so I can’t see his eyes anymore.
I take a deep breath and drop my head, looking at the palm and arm I’m cleaning. “Thank you. For coming for me.” I glance up at him and smile.
“You’re welcome, Abel,” he responds, reaching up with his free hand to rub my cheek. He drops his hand quickly, making me miss the touch. “They’re Russians.” I look up at him. “My enemies. They want my territory. They’ve been after it since before my father died. They’re the ones that—” he runs his fingers over his face.The ones that gave him the scars.
“Territory?” I know what that word means, but it’s different actually hearing it. Knowing makes it more real. Knowing makes me worry for Savage and wonder how he’s been able to do this for so long. How he’s able to keep himself safe from his powerful enemies.
He sighs, then stills my hand so I can look at him. “The rumors about the Benavelli family are true. The guns, the drugs, all of it. It’s a family business and not one I’m really proud of. But that’s why I have enemies. I can’t change it, but I promise I’ll do my best to keep you safe.”
I must be a fucking idiot because I nod. I believe he will. He came for me tonight, not knowing what he would run into. He’s been keeping me safe in his own way, giving me one of his bodyguards under the guise of him being my driver. So, yeah, I believe him.
“I’m sorry,” I murmur, really meaning it. I have to keep myself safe, too. If I had known what I was up against, I would have stayed in. I should have listened, though. Then again, if I had, we wouldn’t be talking like this now.
“Me too,” he responds, in a slightly surprised voice, like he doesn’t apologize often, if ever.
I finish cleaning him up and think we might have gotten somewhere in this … whatever this is. After all the yelling, that is.
Grabbing some bandages, I wrap up his hands, his arm, and put a butterfly bandage on his eyebrow. On impulse, I lean forward and kiss it. “All better,” I say, making Savage smirk.
I clean up the trash and watch Savage in the mirror. He looks down at the bandage and then at his filthy shirt. Scoffing, he unbuttons it and rips it from his shoulders, then the undershirt he has on comes off too. I’m not paying attention to cleaning up. Fuck this trash. God damn, Savage looks fucking good. I knew he would, from how hard his body felt under my hands the one time he held me, but seeing it is different.
I’m sure I’m drooling from how hard I’m staring and fantasizing. His eyes meet mine in the mirror and I avert my gaze, grabbing the trash from the countertop. I don’t want him to poke fun at me for staring with my mouth open like an idiot.
“Not real pretty,” he mutters, reminding me of what he said in his office. I look back up and he’s looking down at the scars. God, this must be awful for him. I hate how sad he sounds when he talks about them, no matter how much of a tough guy he pretends to be. Well, I’m sure it’s not pretending, but he’s not as unbothered by them as he might have people think.
Shrugging, I walk over to him and grab his shirts. “They give you character, Sav. A mean character, but character all the same.” He laughs at that—actually laughs!—and his smile is fucking beautiful. I’m struck dumb for a second. His eyes look warm for once. I shake myself and throw his shirts in my hamper. “Can I ask for a favor?”
“Sure.”
Taking a deep breath, I turn around to him, shuffling from side to side. “Can I borrow fifteen hundred dollars? My brother needs rent money and I don’t have that much. I’ll pay you back, add some time to how long you can keep me. Or you know …” I look down at his crotch, then down at my feet, feeling my cheeks heat. I’m embarrassed that I listened to my brother and offered to blow Sav for rent money.
Savage makes a noise in the back of his throat. “You think I’d make you suck my dick for fifteen hundred dollars?”
I shrug again, looking up at him. “I’m here for that, ya know?”
He huffs, then stands up. “Your deal, not mine. I’ll have the money sent to him. Don’t worry about paying me back.”
“Sav,” I reached out to grab his arm when he walks past me. “Thank you.”
He sighs and rubs my face again. “You’re welcome.”
Before he makes his way out of my room, I get his attention. “Hey!” He turns around and raises an eyebrow at me. “You want to have dinner with me in a few days? I can ask Janet to cook for us.” Might as well. What happened tonight proved that I need to learn more about Savage. Namely, the “territory” part of his life, but also … him. Not only Savage, but Joseph. I have a feeling no one has tried to get to know Joseph in a long time, if ever.
