Whispers in New York - Book Two

~Chapter 12~

Chapter Song

Misery - Maroon 5

_______________✏

Elena works here...

Adriana took a moment to process each individual word.

Elena. Works. Here.

Here. In the club, with Salvatore, at night.

"Oh." She reached for the tall glass of iced coffee she had been nursing on her desk since her arrival. Sipping slowly she watched Salvatore watch her.
Waiting.
"What does she do here?" She asked curiously surprising herself by the sound of her calming tone. She took the straw between her fingertips stirring the remaining ice.

A part of her still despised Elena. She didn't know her well, but what she did know, she didn't particularly like.
Yet the other part of her knew she had no right to feel this way.
She had left Salvatore, not the other way around. She alone had chosen to run away and this was just another consequence of her actions.
She had wrapped herself in a bubble all this time staying away from him, literally avoiding any conversation with him which indicated what she had lost when she ran. But things were different now, the conversations had to be had and she needed to accept each and every consequence.

"She manages the girls in the VIP rooms. Makes sure the girls are in line and the customers are happy." He reached for Adriana's iced coffee removing the straw and knocking back the rest of the glass.

"No really. Help yourself."

He picked up the receiver on Adriana's desk phone connecting to the bar. "Make Adriana another iced coffee and bring it in." He placed the receiver down drawing his attention back to her.

"Please and thank yous would go a long way you know?"

"I didn't get to where I am today with please and thank yous bella." He positioned himself to a seating position on the edge of her desk. "Will you be able to keep it civilized with Elena?" He queried sternly.

Adriana thought to herself for a moment. The office door opened as a worker placed another iced coffee on her desk before swiftly exiting shutting the door behind him.
Could she be civilized? Was she ready to turn over a new leaf? Things did seem to be working out so far between them. Was she ready to see Salvatore with other women? Was he even with her? Had he been with her during their time apart?
She picked up the iced coffee taking a long satisfying slurp through her straw before setting the glass back down once more.

"There's no reason I couldn't," she responded boldly. "We had our differences, but things are simpler now. Are you two...? You know?"

"I don't date Elena Adriana. Nothing has changed there."

"But have you..? Well are you..?"

"Adriana..." His voice trailed off instantly answering her question without a response required.

"It's ok." She took a quick breath in smiling a little awkwardly. "I mean I didn't expect you to wait or anything." A notification sound from her computer sounded capturing her attention. Adriana glanced at one of the screens bringing her mouse over to dismiss the reminder. "I should really get back to work."

"Are we ok?"

She gave him a genuine smile nodding politely towards him. "Of course," she stated, "you deserve to find someone who makes you happy Salvo, if that someone happens to be Elena I'm happy for you. Really."