Page 52 of Savage Saint
A quick glance at my watch confirms we've stayed too long. The familiar weight of my gun against my ribs does little to ease the tension.
Alessa sits alone in the living room, scrolling through her phone. She looks up as I enter, and I raise an eyebrow in silent question.
"Bathroom," she says with a shrug, but there's something in her expression, a slight quirk to her lips. Not good.
I move through the hallways with practised stealth, listening for any sound out of place. Then I hear it, the soft click of a door closing.
Kasia emerges from the bathroom, and for a moment, she freezes when she sees me. Her composure is perfect, practised even, but the slight flush on her cheeks betrays her.
Our eyes lock, and in that moment, I know. She heard everything. The knowledge sits heavy between us, unspoken but undeniable. Her chin lifts slightly, a challenge, a question, an acknowledgement all at once.
I let my expression harden just enough to serve as a warning. Whatever she thinks she heard, whatever conclusions she's drawn, now isn't the time or place to discuss it.
"Let's go." I take her hand and drag her through the house. She doesn't stop me until we're by the front door.
"You're leaving?" Alessa's voice makes me stop right as we reach the front door.
"It's late. We need to get back," I grit through my teeth, annoyed at the pause in our escape.
Butterfly's fingers land on top of my hand. The one that's gripping her wrist. Hard. Too hard. I force my grip to relax as she strokes my hand in a placating motion. My eyes are trained on her skin against mine. Pale and creamy compared to my hardened and tanned. A stark contrast. I let her go, pulling my hand away.
Her eyes examine me for a brief moment before she steps away.
"Come back soon, yeah?" Alessa gives her a hug, and this time Kasia smiles and hugs her back instantly. "Or I can come visit you."Definitelydon't need that.
Alessa slips a small rectangular object into Kasia's pocket, a phone most likely. I catch the subtle movement, the careful way she tries to hide it from view. I could intervene, step in and stop this small act of defiance, but I choose not to. Sometimes, calculated risks are necessary, even if they make my jaw clench. My eyes narrow as Alessa leans in close, whispering something that makes Kasia's gaze dart to my face, searching, questioning.
I watch the exchange between them, a flicker of irritation sparking in my chest. Alessa's interference, while well-meaning, grates on my nerves. Kasia should only need me. I should be enough. The thought crashes through me with startling intensity, and I have to force myself to remain still, to not snatch the phone away and crush it beneath my heel.
But something in Kasia's expression, a softness I rarely see, makes me pause. She needs this. A friend. Someone who isn't tangled up in the darkness that surrounds me. The rational partof my mind acknowledges this, even as possessiveness claws at my insides.
I let it happen. Let Alessa slip her that lifeline, that connection to something approaching normal. Plus, I can track her better now that she has a device. The possibilities are endless. I make a mental note to call Arrow. They'll be able to hack that phone in no time.
And after that?
My Butterfly won't be able to escape my net.
18
KASIA
He's different around you.
The words Alessa whispered in my ear play on repeat as we leave Dante's mansion. The phone she slipped me, burning a hole in the pocket of my jacket. Angelo's hand is at the small of my back, equally protective and possessive, as he guides me back to his car. The gesture makes me want to lean into him, but I stop myself just as we reach the Maserati. I reach for the door handle, but before my fingers connect with the cool metal, Angelo's hands land on the car, caging me in. He's close, the heat of his body warming my back as I try to keep my knees from buckling.
"I know your secret." His lips are against my earlobe, my whole body tensing at his words. Does he know about Jerzy? About the twisted relationship I've only just remembered? "You can't hide things from me, Butterfly."
I bite my lip, trying to stop the torrent of excuses building up in my lungs.
"You can keep the phone. For now."
Different around me,my ass. He's still a controlling dick. I twist in his arms, my back pressing against the car, my face mereinches away from his. His chocolate eyes are dark, burning with something unspoken. Anger? Desire?
"I know your secret too, Savage."
He inhales sharply, at my statement or at my use of his nickname, I'll never know. Because in the next second, his warmth is gone, leaving me shaking against the cool metal as he opens his car door and slips inside.
Exhaling, I slide into the passenger seat, my fingers interlacing as soon as I buckle my seatbelt. I watch him, trying to figure out which part of what I said has him so on edge.
