Whispers in New York - Book Two

~Chapter 25~

Chapter Song

Mercy on Me – Christina Aguilera

_______________✏

"Drink this." Luca held out a blue Gatorade bottle towards Adriana as she slumped down on the oversized couch in her apartment. Reaching out weakly retrieving the bottle she brought the opening to her parched lips drinking down the cool liquid as instructed.
Suddenly grateful for the sweet and salty minerals, she found herself gulping down more in an attempt to hydrate herself and rid her of the horrible acidic taste which had remained in the back of her throat.

"Good girl." He continued to encourage her almost like a child. "Drink up, you're dehydrated." He watched her intently gulping back the blue liquid before slowly crouching down to the ground, his legs spread apart and bent at the knees.
Keeping his eyes on her he gently reached out to touch the strap of her right shoe, her leg flinching at the contact from his touch as expected.

"You need to take these off Ade. Can I help you with that?"

Taking the half empty Gatorade bottle and placing it on the ground before her she stared back at Luca her expressions remaining emotionless.
"They're my shoes. You can't just take my shoes."

"Can we just take them off for now Ade?"

She hooked her right leg over her left raising her foot up from the ground, leaning forward her torso connected with her upper thigh, her fingers reaching for the buckle of her right shoe unclasping it slowly.

"Let me." Luca insisted noticing the tips of her fingers making contact with some of the blood which had yet to dry tainting her fingertips.

"Please don't touch me." She stated on an exhale still remaining emotionless not reacting to the foreign feel of blood on her hands.
Placing the heel beside her on the ground she repeated the process with her left leg, hooking it over her right, unclasping the buckle and sliding her shoe off placing it near the other.

"Where is Salvo?"

He sighed digging his elbows into his thighs grasping his jaw with one hand. "Ade. You're in shock. We've already had this discussion remember? Salvo told you he needed to take care of Jason and he'd be back later. Remember? You promised him you'd take a shower and give me your things."

"You can't have my things." She stated back flatly. "We can't keep doing this! Killing people a-a-and dumping my clothes! No!" As she neared the end of her sentence her breaths became quicker, shorter, almost in a hyperventilating state.
She sprung to her feet, Luca followed pushing himself up curiously, it was clear she had something to say, to get off her chest.

"I heard what Jason said." She looked to him wanting to see his reaction. "Salvo had him ràped?" Her eyes wide open not wanting to blink, she didn't want to give Luca any opportunity to bend the truth and lie to her. "What did that even mean? How would he even do that?"

"Ade, listen to me, Jason was crazy, he would've said anything to get you on his side." The lie came out so naturally, not even having to think about it, as if he knew this was coming, like he was prepared for her interrogation.

"Don't be ridiculous!" She spat showing her disgust through the tone in her voice. "No man would ever admit to being ràped, that's humiliating Luca! Don't lie to me, don't you dare lie to me." She stormed forward bumping into him hard with her shoulder when he tried to stop her with his body. Walking to the kitchen barefoot she began to pace back and forth, around the table, all the while rubbing her temples with her fingertips trying to make sense of everything.