Hi there! Could not help myself really wanted to update for you guys :)
Keep on reading & leave me some comments at your favourite parts - I'm here to please and would love some indication on who you would like to learn more about xXx
The next morning Adriana received a call from Ben O'Conner. They had finally completed the appropriate checks at the police station and released her hand gun.
She walked into the building instantly ready for a fight. When she arrived at the desk however, Officer O'Conner was very pleasant. "Miss Di Dio" he announced with a smile making her very suspicious. "Lovely to see you again" Adriana rolled her eyes, "you can't be serious right?" He laughed while grabbing the gun and release papers and placing everything on the desk in front of him. "Oh come on Adriana. No hard feelings right?"
"Err, you unlawfully arrested me, took my gun and let your colleague feel me up. I'd say we're not on good terms Officer O'Conner" she focused her attention on the paper work signing in the appropriate places before looking back up at him. "I'm curious, what did the witnesses at the bar have to say?"
"Clearly you know they backed you up" he replied back stating the obvious. He knew she was asking out of complete spite. "I assume you didn't actually catch the gunman either?"
"Not yet, but we have some leads miss"
"Sure you do" she rolled her eyes and picked up her gun. "Oh and thanks for getting me fired by the way. Really nice touch" Ben shrugged not feeling guilty at all. "Nothing to do with us sweet heart. Your boss had a right to hear the facts and unfortunately he did not condone guns in this workplace so that was your mistake I'm afraid"
"Just goes to show. Don't bother being a good Samaritan in this city. Gets you absolutely nowhere!"
"Speaking of good Samaritans Miss. Di Dio - did Salvatore Abandonato give you that?" He asked pointing to the hickey she had tried to cover up miserably with liquid foundation. She gave him the finger without responding and walked out of the station.
Angela Abandonato shook her husband once again trying to wake him. He wriggled around annoyed and let out a groan of disapproval. "Matt please get up!" She shook him again before hearing him swear and sit up. "What the fũck Angela?" She jumped back a little frightened of his mood. "I-I've called you a few times, my brothers called earlier saying they were on their way and now they're here. You have to get up".
In the last few months it was rare that Matteo ever woke up in a good mood. He was drinking a lot more lately much to his wife's disappointment. He was frustrated that she had yet to give them a child. At first things were fine and the couple were happy just trying. However it was now a different story. fũcking his wife was becoming a chore in his eyes, she had become obsessed with scheduling in intimate moments to conceive at the correct time. So far her plans just seemed pointless.
When Matteo finally made his way downstairs the brothers were enjoying breakfast with their sister. She was smiling and feeding them contently acting like she did not have a care in the world. She had become a pro at faking it.
Matteo greeted the brothers before sitting at the breakfast counter with them as his wife filled his plate with food and handed him a coffee. "We've got business to discuss" he discretely instructed after she was done. Angela nodded and headed back upstairs to attend to a few things.
"So it's tonight then?" Matteo asked as soon as they were alone. Francesco nodded, "I'm sending Stefano with some of two of the street crew". Stefano was another soldier who worked closely with Francesco specifically. They had decided it was best to send someone with experience to lead the unexperienced members to victory. "We're sure this guy was involved?"
"Positive" Marco stated. "We just have to make sure this guy talks which is why we decided on Stefano for that part. If he can tell us anything more it'll make our lives easier finding the rest of them".
"Besides this card game I have something else we need to look into" Salvatore stated continuing with the business matters while taking a sip of his cappuccino. "It stays between us and we are only to use Luca for assistance ok?" They nodded curiously waiting for more information. "The woman I've been seeing Adriana, she was attacked 2 years ago" he reached into his pocket for a piece of paper and set it on the counter pushing it towards Marco. "I have written down the date, the hospital she was admitted to and the college name she used to attend. Someone she shared a business class with sexually assaulted her and I want to know who he is" Marco stared at his brother with concern, "does she know you're doing this?"
"Absolutely not. We are not to alert her in any way understand? Just get the information and bring me a name. I'll take care of it from there"
"Salvo I don't think-"
"Marco don't bother lecturing me about this. I've given you all a task now just do it. I want to deal with this fũcker myself. She didn't go to the police so there is no report besides the medical examination. Obviously the card game is priority. In the meantime though I expect answers on this subject and I expect complete discretion".
Finding a job in New York City was not an easy task. Even though Adriana was fully qualified in Business Administration & Management as well as Interior Design, she was unable to land a proper job. For a short time she was able to work at an Interior Design firm who then unfortunately had no choice but to close their doors.
Adriana now found herself without even her bar job. She decided after her visit to the station to walk around the city approaching business and dropping off her CV. As usual offices were not hiring so she expanded her searches to local cafés and bars to try her luck. She was most definitely over qualified to pour drinks and wait on tables but anything would do at this point. There was no way she was going to let Claudia pay all the apartment expenses.
Adriana had finally given up for the day frustrated at the constant rejection. She had given away all her CV's and finally stopped at a café for a snack and coffee.
The waitress behind the counter was frazzled and run off her feet unsure of what to do first. She looked like she was having an extremely bad day so Adriana made sure to be patient when she was not served for a good fifteen minutes.
"Hard day?" She asked as soon as it was her turn to wait for a coffee. "Oh like you wouldn't believe. We just had a walk out and my boss is busy with some personal matters and can't seem to find the time to come here and look after his business". She replied with extreme frustration while grinding some fresh beans for the coffee. "Oh really?" She nodded before tying her hair back, she was now sweating from her frantic behaviour. "I know this is pretty forward, but I'm actually looking for a job, even if it's just casual. I've also done a barista course and can make a pretty awesome coffee"
"Can you start right now?" Adriana was taken back at the request, especially because this girl was just a worker, she didn't exactly have the power to hire people. "I can't make guarantees but if you helped me out right now I'd give a really good to my boss when he finally shows up and I'm sure he'll hire you. None of us are actually trained to make these coffees properly and sometimes we get complaints about them. If you could impress people today it could work in your favour?" Adriana smiled, she really had nowhere else to be so why not work for free for a few hours and see if this opened a door to another opportunity. "Absolutely!" Immediately she made her way behind the counter and took over the industrial coffee machine while the girl got back to taking orders.
Scott sat limp on with his head sloping down to his left shoulder while his hands were tied together right back behind the chair. He groaned when his eyes fluttered open unsure of his surroundings.
It was dark and unusually cold for this time of year, like he was in some sort of cooler room. When he noticed the black plastic beneath his feet he immediately flicked his head up to come face to face with two other people. Stefano and one of the guys who usually worked the streets on collections. The third person was outside keeping watch.
"Welcome back" Stefano stated with a smile. "Who are you? Where am I?" Scott shot the questions out one after the other leaving no time for answers. Not that Stefano intended to answer any. "Ah Scott, looks like you've pissed off the wrong people"
"This is a mistake" Stefano shook his head, "unfortunately for you it isn't. Who was with you at the card game?"
"Card game? What card game? You've got the wrong person"
"Wrong answer!" Stefano motioned to his partner who slammed a bat into Scott's knee cap making him scream out in pain. The blow was unexpected and fierce almost sending the chair toppling over. "Who was with you at the card game?"
"Mistake..." Scott groaned out whimpering in pain. Another blow came his way shattering the other knee cap this time toppling the chair over onto the plastic. Stefano casually walked over hauling Scott back up into the chair resuming a seated position. He was crying. "We're not after you Scott, we know you weren't the master mind in all this. I'm only asking for one full name. That's all, just one name. Tell me and we'll let you walk, or hop even while you still can. The next blow won't be so gentle to think before you answer this time". Scott's cut in the card game job was not worth this torture. He was knocked out while trying to enter his apartment and brought to this unknown location. They knew where he lived and would be back for him. "Daniel Agostino" the name almost came out in a whisper. He was in pain, tired and terrified. "Please" he whimpered "I won't say anything". Stefano nodded sympathetically, "I know you won't Scott" he then motioned to his partner who shot him point blank in the head. "Good job. I'll get your buddy outside and we'll start the clean up".
When Adriana arrived back at her apartment to find Claudia entertaining her older brother she was ecstatic. "Santo!" She shrieked wrapping her arms around him excitedly. He lived in New Jersey which was not far but the pair rarely had the chance to meet up. "Hey baby sister" he greeted her with a smile and kissed her cheek. "It's been a while. Have you been out job searching? Claudia was telling me what happened". Adriana nodded, "actually yes. I just picked up a job too. It's only casual and just a café but better than nothing. Plus they were so impressed with my coffee making skills that I was immediately offered a higher pay rate. So pretty successful day really"
"That's fantastic!" Claudia screamed animatedly. "Why don't we all go out after dinner and celebrate? Have some casual drinks at a bar together and catch up?" Santo nodded agreeing, "sounds like a plan to me!"
After the ladies had treated Santo to some of their homemade cooking, they all headed out for drinks and ended up at a place called Boilermaker on 13th First Avenue. While the three of them enjoyed each other's company and drinks Adriana began receiving text messages.
~Salvo~
Where are you?
Adriana quickly read the text, she would be lying if she said her heart didn't skip a beat when she read Salvatore's name on her cell. She quickly typed a reply while still listening to her brothers story about an after work basketball team he had joined with his colleagues.
~Ade~
Having a few drinks
~Salvo~
Doesn't answer my question
~Ade~
Bossy much? Boilermaker
"So what's with your boss hiring you without even checking up on you?" Claudia asked breaking Adriana from her conspicuous texting. "Funny actually" she quickly replied placing her phone back in her purse. "The girl who was working, Sandra, was totally stressing out. She had a walk out this morning and when she called her boss he told her he was dealing with some personal matters. Sandra said she could hear his wife in the background screaming something about cutting his cheating dick off!" Santo almost spat his drink back into his glass as he cringed at the sudden escalation in the story. "What the fũck?" Claudia was equally as shocked. "Yeah apparently he has quite a reputation for screwing around. So when he finally did make it into work and we had everything under control he pretty much didn't care and gave me the job. I'd say he was still distracted from the threat of getting his dick cut off by his wife".
Salvatore walked into Boilermaker with his brother Francesco and Luca. Immediately Luca spotted Adriana motioning over to her talking and laughing. Luca was becoming quite an expert at spotting her from a mile away and Salvatore was encouraging it. He knew he could trust Luca to be on the lookout for her.
They walked over to their table and Claudia was the first to acknowledge them. "Salvatore! What are you doing here?" She exclaimed rising to her feet and greeting him with a kiss on the cheek. Francesco smiled and introduced himself to her as did Luca. Adriana turned around to face them and instantly noticed Salvatore's gaze on her brother. He was suspiciously sizing him up. She stood and kissed both his cheeks, "I ah, didn't know you were actually coming"
"I can see that" he whispered motioning with his eyes towards her brother once again. She smiled before backing away from him. "Salvo, meet my brother Santo" she cleared up with a smirk.
Santo was not impressed with what he saw. Who was this guy and what was he doing with his baby sister? There was an extreme arrogance about him like he had all the confidence in the world. He immediately decided this crowd was not acceptable company for Adriana and Claudia, however he was civilized enough to continue the night with pleasantries for the time being.