No Strings Attached

Chapter Forty-Four

The door slams shut behind him, beeping and I'm left watching him leave in a hurry– again.

My chest swells with panic.

No, screw this. Screw this.

Before I know it, I'm out the door, chasing after him with a vengeance.

"Giovanni! Giovanni!"

I sprint down the steps, still barefoot, hard metal beneath the soles of my feet.

I come upon him fast. He knows I'm there but he continues walking down the steps.

"You cannot do that to me. You cannot say something like that and just leave."

"Scarlett, I fucked up saying even that."

"Then why did you say it? To scare the shit out of me?"

He turns to me, exhaling, utterly frustrated. "Because I didn't want to leave with you thinking that I actually wanted to go."

He turns again, continuing down.

"I can't tell you anything. Don't ask me to."

"Who is deceiving us?"

"Scarlett," he replies exasperatedly.

"Is it Norman? Connor? Tony? Who is it?" My voice echoes all around us in the silence. "Who?"

I reach out, taking ahold of his arm and his steps begin to slow.

"Please... tell me."

He stands in silence for what feels like an eternity. I try to remain calm, remain patient, watching his wide-framed back move as he breathes in and out.

"There's... so much you don't know," he finally says, turning. "So much I want to tell you."

My pulse is fast, knowing whatever Giovanni is hiding is not good.

I step closer reactively, grabbing his jaw between my gentle hands, searching his wary expression desperately. "I-Is this what made you go?"

He stares down at me and after a moment, reaches up to grasp my wrist weakly. When he nods slowly, my wounded heart sinks with realization.

All this time...

I shake my head, quickly panicking. "We can figure all of this out. I promise, we can. I just need you to tell me."

"You don't understand."

"Then help me understand."

His voice lowers to a whisper. "He had to make sure I'd stay quiet, Scarlett."

"He?" I close my eyes, tightly. Goddammit. "Norman?"

His hand tightens on my wrist. "Scar, he could destroy my life. My family's life."

Destroy?

"I won't say what you tell me–"

He shakes his head. "No, no... I cannot tell you because I cannot ask you to keep this secret. You deserve to find out on your own, you deserve to address this. I won't take that from you. If he knows I told you anything, if he knew we did what we just did–"

My eyes try to take in every waning emotion crossing his features in his own reluctance, in his own fear. I caress his face, frowning in confusion, trying to understand his odd riddling.

"Okay... okay. I will be careful. I won't say anything."

"I need to leave."

I nod, knowing Norman's definitely searching for me right now. My hands leave his face hesitantly, dropping down beside my body, not wanting to let him go.