Page 51 of Savage Saint
Her eyes shift toward me, briefly meeting mine before she realises I've been watching her. She bites down on her lip, pausing for just a second before dropping her gaze back down to her hands, as if she's not ready to face me again or keep watching Dante and Alessa.
It makes me wonder what kind of life she had before waking up in that hospital bed. If she's ever had someone touch hersoftly without expecting something in return. If she's ever had anyone to lean on. And if she'd even know affection if it were offered freely.
The cake, despite its appearance, is indeed delicious, a reminder that appearances can be deceiving.
For a brief moment, the tension in the room lifts, and we're just another family enjoying dessert. But we're far from normal. Everyone at this table knows it, even though I allow myself to imagine Kasia as part of this scene, not as an outsider but as someone who belongs. Maybe even beside me.
Dante raises a toast to "family," and almost without thinking, my hand settles on the small of Kasia's back. It’s instinctive, possessive even, claiming her presence at my side, declaring to the room something I haven’t even admitted to myself yet. Only when I catch Alessa’s raised eyebrow, a silent, knowing challenge, do I reluctantly pull away, the sudden absence leaving me colder than before.
After dinner, I follow Dante to his study, while my mind screams at me for leaving Kasia with Alessa and Luca. What if something happens to her while I'm gone? What if she decides to leave?
I'd find her.
I'd fucking hunt her down and bring her back.
My lips stretch into a thin, satisfied smile. My Butterfly can fly all she wants. I'll be there to catch her in my net every time.
The door opens with a creak as we walk in. Instantly, I position myself where I can see the exit. Years of watching my back have ingrained this instinct deep into my bones.
Dante moves to the bar cart without a word, pouring two fingers of scotch into crystal tumblers. He hands me one, his expression loaded with judgment.
"What the fuck is going on, Savage?" He must be really pissed off. He rarely uses my nickname.
I shrug my shoulders, pretending I have no clue what he's talking about, while my thoughts circle around the woman in the next room.
Dante sighs. "She's too dangerous to keep in your house alone," he says without preamble.
My jaw tightens at his presumption, though I'd been expecting this conversation since we walked in for dinner. "I've got it under control," I respond coldly, letting my family mask slide firmly into place.
Images flash through my mind. Kasia's nightmares that leave her drenched in sweat, the way she lifted my gun without me noticing, her combat reflexes that speak of years of training. All the reasons I keep her close.
"She should stay here with me. I have men patrolling the grounds," Dante presses.
Something dark and possessive coils in my chest. "She's safer with me than with twenty of your men."
"This isn't just about her safety," Dante's voice drops lower. "Everyonewill be safer if she's here."
"I won't have her under the same roof as Massimo." The words come out sharp, final.
"Father is senile. He doesn't even remember his name most days anymore."
"All the more reason to keep her away from him." My tone hardens to steel. "I don't want him anywhere near her."
"Angelo—" Dante starts, using that authoritative tone that's never worked on me.
"She stays with me. End of discussion." I drain my scotch, setting the glass down with controlled force.
"Funny." Dante's displeasure radiates off him in waves. "I'm pretty sure Arrow said you were adamant about getting rid of her just a few days ago."
"Things change."
"I see."
A shadow moves in my peripheral vision. A silhouette I know well. One I thought of way too many times this past couple of weeks, retreating from the partially open door.Kasia. How much did she hear?
I give Dante a hard look, ending our conversation.
Exiting Dante's study, I scan the dimly lit hallway. Empty. My footsteps are silent on the polished hardwood as I move through the house, every sense heightened and alert. Where the fuck has she gone? I need to find her before she stumbles on one of Dante's many secrets, or worse still, Massimo.
