Whispers in New York - Book Two

~Chapter 54~

Chapter Song

Sail – Awolnation

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The remainder of the day had gone by like a flash for Adriana. Her first destination had been a quaint little coffee shop where she sat in the far corner near an odd arrangement of random pot plants which quite frankly didn't match anything. Normally she would have avoided that particular seat knowing that particular arrangement would do nothing but flare up her OCD. But instead she was able to almost completely ignore the mess and focus on much more important thoughts while sipping on her less than calming large triple shot cappuccino.

Her second destination was much more unusual. She found herself wandering the halls of a hospital with wild thoughts of DNA paternity testing. The thoughts becoming a reality when she exited the hospital with a somewhat show bag including a DNA swab test which a nurse had happily provided.

Now as she moved around her apartment cleaning up the evidence of her eleven PM emotional binge eating of ice cream, M&M's and some spicy potato chips she hadn't much cared for yet finished the bag, she heard the familiar sound of her front door unlocking and opening.
As she finished rinsing her ice cream bowl before turning off the water and drying her hands she looked up to face Salvatore who began cautiously walking towards her, placing her cell phone on the kitchen counter.

"It rang a few times today, your parents, I didn't answer."

"Hope you didn't scream too much at Stefano about the failed tracker attempt." She responded quite casually not showing any interest in her cell phone. "And don't deny it, its best you not say anything at all if you insist on lying."

"Everything I do is for your safety. It's a dangerous time, there are people out there attacking my family Adriana, you're part of that family."

Reaching for the white plastic hospital bag she responded with still some bitterness in her tone. "I guess you now have many more families to take care of Salvo..." Referencing Elena, and her unborn child unable to keep her emotions at bay.

"I have to tell you something, and you're not going to like it." Salvatore revealed sincerely. "I spent all day going through the footage of the night Elena claims we were together. I was able to find some brief footage of us conversing, but the rest of the footage is gone. It cut out and didn't resume playing until hours later." Taking a deep breath but keeping his nerves well hidden he took a few more steps towards his girlfriend knowing the next part was most likely going to infuriate her.
"I checked who signed into the security system at the time. Baby it was Luca. Now I know you're thinking he tried to cover for me..." Quickly moving on before she tore up yet another apartment he was determined to get through everything, lay it all out on the table once and for all!
"I don't know why Luca did what he did, but baby I can guarantee he had it wrong and I'll do anything to prove it. I already have my men tracking down the best and most discrete IT experts to try and recover all the lost footage and-"

"I need you to take a swab test." Interrupting him while simultaneously emptying the contents of the bag she was previously holding onto tightly, she revealed two medium sized test tubes with a cotton bud attachments inside.

"You've got to be kidding..." Salvatore's response coming out a little too quickly. "Adriana, I can't have my DNA registered, if the wrong people found out-"

"I thought you'd do anything?" She challenged back firmly.

"Anything within reason is what I should have said! Look baby, you need to understand, I cannot under any circumstance give up my DNA willingly and have it stored somewhere." Pausing to take a moment he silently hoped he was getting his point across. "Do you understand what I'm trying to say here?"