26. Adriana

Chapter twenty-six

Adriana

My head is still clouded in a fog of euphoria. The last minutes have been the best of my life, with an insane orgasm etched in my memory. But the feeling doesn't last as long as I want it to, as Alessandro kicks the nightstand by his bed. He was perfectly fine before he slipped out of bed to get his phone.

The sex felt different tonight. Alessandro Malgeri had spooned me and held me close while we both drifted to sleep. His fingers danced over where the bullet had grazed me and I can tell, from his eyes, how much that accident has caused him pain.

Then the phone rang. A part of me wished the call never happened. We'd still be in bed right now, and he'd be holding me like I'm his.

"What's happening, Alessandro?" I ask, frightened by the sudden change.

" Dannazione (Dammit)!" He slams his phone on the nightstand and stands akimbo with his naked bum to me.

"Alessandro?" I grab the sheets and pull them to my chest, adjusting to sit upright on the bed.

"My father's fucking dead. Someone murdered him."

Shit .

I hate seeing him like this. It ruins everything. He stares at me for a moment with rage written all over his face.

My heart sinks knowing I couldn't have this moment longer and now he's too upset. He bends to grab his briefs and hurriedly slides them on.

"I'm so sorry, Ale."

His eyes are burning with anger as he locks his gaze with mine. There's a soft ease that's almost unnoticeable with him staring at me. He pulls on his pants and walks to my side of the bed.

"Stay here, Poppy. I'll be back."

Alessandro leans in to kiss me, but only for a moment. I feel the walls I've built to not get attached to him slowly break with the slightest intimacy. My stupid heart sinks when his lips let go of mine.

He walks to his closet and grabs a black shirt, slipping it on hastily. I watch him as he puts on his shoes with his collar out of place. He grabs his phone on the nightstand and takes a glance at me.

"Don't go anywhere, Adriana."

He walks out the door and shuts it behind him. I fall to the bed with a heavy sigh. My fingers reach underneath the sheets, in between my thighs.

Alessandro came inside me again. I was already dealing with a late period panic before tonight. How did I forget? I panicked when I realized I was late a few days. Ale would be pissed at me if my fears were true and I were actually pregnant. I haven't gotten to take the test yet. Now's the best time since he is gone, and Beatrice is probably asleep.

I sure hope she didn't hear my screams.

I slip out of bed against Alessandro's order and out to my room downstairs, where Beatrice is. I'm not waiting any longer to take the test. I have to be sure. The stairs feel like a thousand steps as I hurry to grab the pregnancy test kit I left in my room.

Just like I suspected, Beatrice is fast asleep and curled up on the bed when I silently walk into the room. My dirty jeans are by the laundry basket. I grab them and walk out of the room as quietly as I entered.

I'm not letting anyone know if my fears come true. Especially not Beatrice after everything she's lost lately. I stroll back to Alessandro's room, holding the jeans tightly to my chest.

My heart's pounding, and I can feel the beats as I walk up the stairs again. My throat suddenly becomes dry and my hands shake. I'm fucking nervous and hoping with everything inside me that I'm not pregnant. I can't be.

Alessandro's bathroom is bigger than that of the room Beatrice is in, with a large-sized mirror fixed in the wall.

I stare at my naked body for a moment. My breasts look different. Heavy and swollen. Alessandro left a hickey on the left side of my neck. My skin is red as I trail my fingers on it.

I take out the kit, sit on the toilet seat and pee on the stick. It almost slips out of my shaky hands as I remain on the seat, anxiously waiting for the result. The kit says to wait for five minutes. I let out deep breaths, watching the stick closely.

A faint pink line appears. Then two. Fuck .

"Adriana," I groan, slapping my palm to my head.

Alessandro and I were only a deal. We were so careless more than a few times. I drag myself off the seat and back to the bed.

My eyes squeeze shut as I fall to my back on the bed. I'm stunned in disbelief, staring at the ceiling. I drag the sheets over my body, taking a full fist to my chest.

I'm with a Malgeri. Inside me.

"I'm with Alessandro's child," I whisper, feeling a knot in my chest.

I can't let anyone know about this.

***

Alessandro isn't back when I open my eyes. He didn't return last night. I had somehow fallen asleep thinking about everything. Me. Him. And the baby.

My palm instinctively rests on my stomach for a minute. I'm torn about what to do. Running away now isn't an option. I don't want to be left alone with this child. And I can't stay here for long because it will someday show that I'm carrying his child.

"Adriana!"

Beatrice is awake already. My face slowly heats in embarrassment, knowing she might have heard Alessandro and I having sex. Rolling out of bed, I grab the shirt I had on with my panties and jeans, slipping them on.

"I'm coming, Beatrice."

Leaving Alessandro's room, I walk down the stairs to meet with her. She's fully dressed and standing by the wall as she stares at a painting.

"Are you going somewhere?" I ask as I take the last step down. She turns to look at me. The cut in her head has a plaster on it.

"Yes. I can't stay here forever."

Her eyes are just the same as they were in the warehouse. No life in them with a gloomy look on her face. I want to kill Father for doing this to her. We've lost so much because of him.

"But you don't have to leave now."

She forces a smile as I walk closer to her.

"Yes, I do, Adriana. Gabriele's gone."

Her voice gets fainter as she mentions his name. My heart sinks even more, staring into her glassy eyes. I can tell she's holding herself back from breaking down in tears. I'm struggling to do the same while watching her.

The thought of having to experience this—losing Ale—makes my heart fucking sink. It's all too soon and I can't imagine myself losing him. I'll be crushed. I want him that much but I hate to admit it. I keep trying to stop myself from letting him get under my skin, but I'm failing miserably.

"I have to get back and fix things now that he's gone. His people are probably looking for me."

"Are you going to let Father get away with this?" My voice is louder and harsher. "We know he did this. We can't let him keep doing this to us, Beatrice."

"What do you want me to do, Adriana?"

Her voice matches mine now. We're both mad at different things.

"Call Father out and make him pay for what he did to Gabriele!"

She coughs out a laugh and shakes her head, pointing at me. "I got myself into all this because of you. And now I've lost the one man that I loved. Even if I called him out, we don't stand a chance against his army."

Her words replay in my head. "You're right, Beatrice. This is all my fault, and I'm going to fix it."

"What do you mean?"

"I'll go confront Father. He doesn't deserve to be there while we suffer from his actions."

"You're crazy, Adriana."

I turn to walk back to my or rather Ale's room to take a shower and change my clothes. Father isn't getting away with this one. "You have no idea."

I step out of the room after a few minutes in a clean pair of black jeans and an oversized grey shirt. One of Alessandro's.

Beatrice is by the bar with a drink in her hand. I haven't seen her drink this early before. Gabriele's death broke something in her. I hold her wrists just before she takes another swig of the whiskey.

"Beatrice," I whisper. Her eyes are red and swollen. She bursts out in tears again.

"I'm sorry, Adriana. I'm sorry," she whimpers, tears rolling down her cheeks. I take the bottle from her hand and place it on the counter, pulling her into a hug.

"I don't know what else to do, Adriana. I've lost him."

I run my palm down her back, squeezing her a little tighter. "I'm sorry, Beatrice."

"I want Gabriele back. I just want him back."

My heart breaks seeing her this broken. I can't find the words to comfort her anymore.

We both lost our mother and I knew how bad it hurt losing her. I can only imagine how she feels now, losing the man she loves.

Beatrice and I stay in that position for quite a while. She breaks the hug, sniffing and drying her eyes with the sleeve of her dress.

"I just want to go home. My home."

I nod, taking her hand in mine. Alessandro's men wouldn't let us out that easily.

"You'll help us get out of here. Just follow my lead."

We walk to the front door as I hold Beatrice in my hand. There are only a few guards around now. I only spot three. Two are standing by the door, staring at us.

"Boss says you shouldn't be outside," one says. His bald head is struck by the morning sun's rays.

"She needs help." I point to Beatrice's arm with a bleeding wound. We had peeled off a dried wound to get it bleeding again.

"Please, she needs help quick."

"James!" he calls out to the third standing by a Toyota truck. Beatrice holds out her bleeding palm, wincing in pain.

"Get the truck. She needs help!"

James retrieves the keys from the pocket of his jacket and hops into it. He starts the truck and drives to us. I help Beatrice into the truck, and we settle in the back seat.

"Where are you going, miss?" He drives out of the gate to the street.

"Any pharmacy store around to get the cut cleaned."

He nods and stares at us through the rearview mirror. It's a seven-minute drive to the closest store around. He stops the car and lets us into the store, waiting outside the door for us. Beatrice and I slip into the toilet to help her wash off her bloody arm.

"I'm sorry I had to hurt you. It was the only way." I help her wrap a bandage around it.

"Are you sure it's going to work?"

"We'll take the back door."

We leave the toilet and walk to the payment counter. A middle-aged lady in a black and white dress stares at us through her glasses.

"How may I help you?"

"Please, we need your help. A man's following us. He's outside," I say.

She peers at the door. James' back is to us. "Oh my. Have you called the police?"

"We just need to get out now. Is there another exit?"

She walks out of the counter and points to the left extreme end of the building. "Over there. Be safe."

Beatrice and I hurriedly walk to the door before James turns to face the store. It leads to an alley, and James isn't in sight. Beatrice let out a heavy sigh and pulls me in a hug. I help her stop a cab.

"I'll see you when I can. Be careful, Adriana."

"You too, Beatrice. Hurry now before we get caught." I break the hug and gently push her to enter the cab. She stares at me through the window as it drives away. Another cab passes by as I walk slowly down the street.

"Soho," I call, stopping it. The driver stops the cab and I climb into the backseat.

"Please, hurry."

He puts the car in drive the moment I turn to spot James bashing out of the store through the other exit door we took. I sink into my seat, letting out a breath I had no idea I held back.

My father's house comes into view. I pay off the driver, getting out of the cab. The guards peer at me when I leave a knock on the gates. A loud murmur comes from inside as the gates open. Two guards hold my arms walking me through the gate.

"Fuck you," I grunt as they take me to my father. The front door opens with my father watching me as I walk in. He has a scowl on with a cigar in his hand.

"Adriana."

The guards push me inside and lock the door behind them.

"Father."

He takes a drag of his cigar, keeping his eyes on me.

He still looks the same as before. Only with huge eye bags and a crinkled face. "Welcome back home. You must know Alessandro has called the deal off."

I take a few steps closer to him. "I couldn't care less for your stupid deal with him."

He lets out a crooked laugh and reaches for the glass on the arm of the sofa. "You should, Adriana." He takes a sip of the content in it.

"You killed Gabriele."

He drums his fingers over the rim of the glass and carefully stares into it. "You seem to forget quickly."

"Altieri?"

Altieri appears from the corner of the bar.

"Lock her up. She's not escaping this time, or I'll kill you."

Altieri walks to me and reaches for my wrists.

"Leave me the fuck alone." I fight off his grip, turning back to the door, but it's locked.

"You're not going anywhere, Adriana. At least not until you help me kill that bastard Malgeri's son."

Altieri slaps me hard in the face as I punch him. He takes my wrist violently and squeezes tight. I grunt, panting hard.

"You'll have to kill me first."

Father stares at me, saying a curse in Italian, as Altieri pushes me away.