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Before I can say where he can put his drink a man enters the room with champagne and hands each of us a glass.
“To Family.”
My stomach churns.
Adriana takes a small sip and I chug it back and put it on Manny’s desk.
“It’s a pleasure doing business with you. I’ll be expecting the supply tonight. Adriana?” I do what she doesn’t expect and hold her hand in mine. She puts her own glass down on the desk.
To my surprise, Manny doesn’t say anything else and seems to be in agreement with the few words we had just exchanged.
We walk out of her father’s house and she mutters ‘thank you’ a couple of times.
Adriana stares at me keenly on the drive back to my apartment in Brooklyn. She’s quiet throughout the drive, staring out the window.
“Are you alright?”
“You’ve gotten what you want. It doesn’t matter now.”
She has no idea that I wouldn’t leave her in the hands of the man who locks her up for days. I nod instead and continue the drive.
“You should get some rest,” I say to her as we arrive at my house.
“Ale? Why are you being like this to me?”
“It’s Alessandro to you around here. Know your place and act it,” are the words that leave my mouth instead. It’s as if the devil takes over me as soon as I feel Adriana is getting too close to me.
My phone rings in my pocket, it’s my mother on the phone. “Excuse me.” I step out of the car and head inside first. I walk into the other room and lock the doors.
“Madre.”
“Mio figlio (My child), is it done?”
I stand at the center of the room with my hands in my pocket. “Yes, Mama,” I respond.
She lets out a shaky breath. “Thank you, Ale. I’ll let your father know about it. How’s the expansion downtown going?”
I pace the room, having doubts about Adriana’s father and the supply.
“Daniel and I have gotten the perfect location on Eighth Avenue. Are you sure we can trust Manny with our supply?”
“If he doesn't keep the end of the deal, there will be consequences. We have his daughter, remember.”
“Leave her out of this. She isn't a threat.”
“And why do you suddenly care about her? You didn’t want her in the first place.”
“Goodbye, Mother; I’ll talk to you soon.”
“Bye, Ale,” she sighs.
I’m not telling her or any-fucking-one-else, I think I like Adriana.
I end the call and step out of the room. Adriana is by the kitchen sink when I join her there.
“Is everything fine, Poppy? You’re never this quiet.”
She gulps down the glass of water in her hand, holding a finger out to me. “Want me to be a hundred percent honest with you?”
