Darkest City

Chapter 15.

Fix you.

Jade was thoroughly done in. She was a sweaty, exhausted mess. Tony had pushed her to her limit; the blots of red seeping through the wraps on her hands were proof of that, but it wasn't enough.

The gnawing anxiety she had been fighting off all day was still spinning in her stomach and made her need to hurt more. “Again,” She said getting to her feet for maybe the hundredth time that night.

“No. No more.” Tony was already retreating towards his office, removing the padding from his arms. Not that it would have done much, just as her fists his arms will bruise after the abuse she's inflicted tonight.

“I'm not done!” Jade insisted.

“Yes you are and so am I! Go home it’s late.”

“Tony!’ She pleaded.

“ No, Jade! Whatever has got you tonight, I can't help you! Now stop hurting yourself and go home!” Tony finally stopped walking away from her to pin her with his angry gaze. There would be no more training tonight.

Without saying anything more Jade grabbed her bags and stormed from the gym. The evening air held a chill as it hit her damp skin. Making her way to the Line she pulled out her phone and checked again for any messages. Already putting the phone back out of habit, it took her a few moments to register the message notification!

A new feeling took over her stomach, one she didn't hate but would never grow used to. A small part of her hated feeling this way about someone. Her mother felt this way about someone once and Jade got hurt because of it. Shaking the dark thoughts away; I'm a normal girl! I am allowed to be normal!

Keep the hoodie it looks better on you. Meet me at 24, kitten. - L

Jade had to read over the text a few more times before it finally sunk in. 24 was only a few blocks from the Line. There's no way he would know where she was!

What? Now?! - J

Not waiting for a reply she already changed direction heading towards 24. She prayed to God Milan hadn't taken a last-minute shift tonight, so she didn't have to explain why she was meeting some random guy she had barely spoken to because she didn't have an answer for that.

By the time 24 came into view, Jade was shaking, either from the cold or nerves, she couldn’t tell. She just couldn’t stop.

She could see Luca standing outside the shop watching, searching until his eyes fell on her. Walking towards her, Jade noticed her wore a plain T-shirt under his leather jacket and some dark jeans with rips in the knees. In his hand, a white plastic bag from the shop.

“Hey,” he said once in front of her. “Want to sit?” he motioned to the closest table.

Not trusting herself to speak she just nodded and followed next to him. He waited for her to sit down before sitting across from her.

“I got a call from a very pissed of uncle earlier,” as he spoke he tipped the bag, emptying the contents onto the table between them. “Wouldn’t happen to know anything about that would you?”

A bottle of water; antiseptic cream; cotton balls; bandages and a pack of cigarettes, Luca picked up the later and put them into his jacket pocket.

So him wanting to meet me was down to Tony. Jade began to stand, not liking that Luca was being forced by his uncle to be here, but his arm shot out to latch onto hers stopping her movements.

“Sit down!” Luca had that same forceful tone Tony used on her when she wasn’t listening, but the look in Luca’s eyes was more desperate and made her pause. Pulling her arm out of his grasp she slowly lowered herself back to the bench.