Menacingly✔️

Chapter Forty-Two

There was this fuzziness in Angela's stomach as she stepped out into the New York air again. She was carrying a small bag and one of the guards carried her carry-on. They had organised a car and put all of the luggage inside as soon as they reached it. Their flight was delayed and it was late in the evening when they had flown in and the sky was beginning to darken.

They arrived at Mike's apartment, where he insisted she could stay while she was there, and took the elevator. She knocked on the door and her heart skipped a beat once Adriano's face appeared in front of her instead of Mike's. He said nothing to her, just stepped aside so the guards could put her things inside and then leave.

Angela gulped at the sight of him as she sat down on the sofa. Mike was nowhere to be seen and she could tell Adriano was keeping his distance. She was unsure whether to talk or not but eventually had to say something. Adriano watched her every move like a hawk.

"Where's Mike?" she finally asked, her voice small and weak.

"He had to go out for a while, he was expecting you earlier."

"My flight was delayed."

She noticed how his tone was cold and his exterior like stone, it broke her heart. He could clearly see her discomfort but if he broke his promise he made to himself, he would soon regret it. They couldn't be together anymore, as much as he loved her, it wasn't possible without danger and he couldn't take risks with her.

He had plans, big plans, to leave the mafia but it was a difficult thing to do. Adriano was constantly trying to work out a way to leave, he needed something over his father to use and was still trying to figure out a couple of things. Until then, Angela would have to be kept as far away from him as possible- her visit to New York wasn't helping him at all.

"Why are you being like this?" he heard her gentle voice a lot closer to him than he thought. His head shot around to find her standing in front of him. He took a step back when she reached out to touch him.

"It's better this way Angela, you need to understand."

"But I can't understand. I want to be with you. I love you."

"Don't say that." His voice was just above a whisper and it seemed he had said it more to himself than to Angela.

"Why not?" she asked quickly.

"Because... because you shouldn't say things like that. It will only make it harder for yourself."

"Why are you acting like you don't care? I know you do, please..." she pleaded softly with him but he was still avoiding eye contact. He needed to say something to keep her away, but he didn't want to open his mouth to speak again.

"Your problem is that your heart is too big, it leaves you vulnerable and makes you weak." He spoke in such certainty that it brought tears to her eyes, because it was the truth. She was vulnerable and delicate, she was weak and let her guard down too much. "You put your heart on your sleeve. You are oblivious to evil and peoples capabilities because you cannot imagine a person like that, you are blinded by your good nature."

"What about yours?" Angela asked hesitantly, trying to keep the shake out of her voice. He looked at her with confusion for a second so she continued, "What about your heart?" she questioned. He looked at her with his dark eyes, his stare like stone.

"I haven't got one."

"That's not true, Adriano I know it's not. Why can't things just go back to how they used to be-" They both turned to look at the door because they heard a jingling of keys on the other side.

"That should be Mike." Adriano mumbled. He walked to the couch where he had thrown his coat over the arm and put it on. Angela tried desperately to wipe away the tears she had before they escaped her eyes and put on a happy face for Mike.