Adriano

Chapter 23:

ADRIANO'S POV:
When Mimi and Alessandro told me to come with them to their new house, I didn't expect Dilara to be knocking on my door halfway through the night.

I catch Dilara as she falls onto me. Her hair is stuck to her face and she's extremely cold.

I pick her up and go put her onto the couch.

'Adriano who was it?' Mimi asks, walking into the living room.

She stops in her tracks and drops the glass in her hands.

'Mimi are you alright!' Alessandro asks.

He walks in and freezes.

'Is that who I think it is?' He asks.

I nod slowly.

'She's bleeding out and unconscious.' I explain.

They walk closer.

'Get the first aid kit,' Alessandro says.

Mimi nods and goes to find it.

'They're not going to like this,' he shakes his head. 'We could be labelled as traitors.'

'They're not here right now.' I snap. 'Imagine it were you and Mimi in our positions?'

Alessandro bites back what he wants to say and just stays quiet.

I need to save her. I can't let her die.

***********
After a while, Dilara wakes up and grab my arms before I touch her face.

I place my hand on her arm and lower it slowly.

'Relax,' I say softly, 'I'm not going to hurt you.'

She wearily lets go and lets me clean up her face..

I grab the wet cloth and start removing the blood from her hands. I turn over her hand and her palm is scratched up and bleeding.

She winces as I softly start cleaning it. I look down at the inside of her left arm and see a bandage wrapped around it.

She turns her head away from me and I see that her snake tattoo is no longer on her neck.

I narrow my eyes.

'Dilara look at me,' I say, trying to control my anger. 'Who did this to you?'

She tries to sit up and winces in pain.

'Careful, I haven't taken out your bullets yet.' I explain, helping her sit up.

'Don't touch me.' She winces. She looks at me with so much hatred in her eyes.

'You came to Mimi's doorstep bleeding, let the man help you.' Alessandro says from the doorway.

'Can I see her?' Dilara asks.

'No.' He replies before leaving.

'You've got to calm down before I can help you alright?' I say

'Fine,' she wheezes.

I help her lower her trousers to expose her abdomen. There's blood gushing out everywhere.

I pick up the tweezers and start to take out the bullet.

She clenchs her teeth and leans her head back. She grabs onto my arm and her grip tightens.

'I know pazza, I know,' I mutter.

I puts the bullet on a plate and start cleaning the wound with alcohol.

My eye catches on the top of the red dragon tattoo she has, peeking over her trousers.