Sheltered

Chapter 58

Savanna wakes up to an empty bed. Well- almost empty.
Ammo lies beside her, whimpering happily.

"Hey, dude." She yawns, scratching his ear.
"Where's Luke, buddy?"

Sav throws her blanket aside, making her way around the hotel room. She starts as the door is thrown open.

Luke's wide smile greets her. "Morning!"
He shuts the door.

"Where have you been?" Savanna asks calmly, no longer phased by his periodic disappearances.

"Shopping." He mutters, humming a tune.

Savanna stares at him incredulously, slowly moving her hands up to rest on her hips.

Noticing her harsh glance, Lucas smirks.
"What?"

Savanna slowly walks over, a playful smile brushed across her face.
"Someone seems happy."

He shrugs, looking into her eyes. "I told you, I went shopping. I got you a couple of things."

He rummages through a plastic shopping bag, pulling out two small boxes.
"Open them." He smiles.

Savanna turns over one of the packages.
"Oh wow, a walkie talkie?"

"Disposable phone." Luke corrects her.
"So you can get ahold of me at any time."

"What a gift..." Savanna mutters playfully.

The second box is about the size of a credit card.
"Gift card?"

"You wish. Just open it, Sav."

She lifts the thin lid to reveal a gleaming silver card. Engraved on its surface is a long number and today's date, along with her first name. Savanna.

She carefully turns the card over in her hands, reading the words "The Red Club" engraved onto the back, each letter filled in with red.

"You're kidding." She looks up at Luke happily.

"Nope, I got you in." He explains.

"That's insane, thank you."

Lucas carefully takes the card from her, reading it over absentmindedly.
"This leads you to a decision, Savanna."

She tries to read his face, but he avoids her eyes as he beckons her to sit on the edge of the bed with him.

"What is it?" Savanna asks so quietly she can barely hear herself.

"I'm not exactly sure how to explain." Luke admits.
Savanna as taken aback, as Lucas always seems to have the right words.

"Then just get to the point." She suggests, taking his hand comfortingly.

Lucas subconsciously tightens his grip as he speaks up.
"You can stay with me."

Savanna's mouth slowly opens to form her words.
"What does that mean?"

Luke sighs, relieved that she seems to welcome the idea.
"We get the Asesinos off our backs. All of them."
He thinks for a moment.
"We never speak to them again unless we're in a safe zone."

"Like the ice cream shop?" Sav interrupts.

"Yeah, like that."

He finally looks her in the eyes again. More intensely than he ever has.
"And you can come with me. We can go back to my old place or find somewhere safer.
I have lots of connections in Club Red, I promise I'll keep you safe."

Savanna breaks eye contact, staring blankly at the cracked wooden floor.

"Sav..." Luke raises her chin up to look at him. "Now that you've been in the Acesinos, you can't be on your own.
Without a new family you're just an unarmed target for any gang that wants you."

"So you want me to be in this Red Club." She states.
Lucas nods.
"And stay with you?"

"Yeah." He hesitates. "I could've killed you by now. I could've turned down the idea of taking you to Mexico altogether."

"But you didn't."

"Why do you think I didn't, Savanna?"
He demands under his breath.

"Because you owe Ian a favor. You told me that."

Luke sighs. "Screw Ian. I did this for you."

"What do you mean?" Savanna asks curiously, not bothered by the fact that they both know Luke could've easily killed her.

"Screw Ian." He repeats himself. "I'm not an Asesino, I don't owe him or his family anything.
I was curious because you were an Asesino.
I wanted to learn more about them so I decided to go along with helping you for a while."

A few moments of silence pass, Luke expecting Savanna to speak up but she never does.

"Damnit, Savanna." He chuckles. "I got to know you. That's the best mistake I've made in a while."

Savanna bites her lip nervously.
"Why is that a mistake?"

"Because I know I can't let you go now. I don't know why. I just know that I should always be here to keep you safe."
He sighs. "And I'm happy with that."

Lucas lifts his hand to Sav's face, tracing her jaw. He quickly takes his hand back.

"So what'll it be?"