chapter 32

                                    

                                          
Adriano stands just a few feet away from me, dressed as impeccably as ever in his exclusive, logo-less clothes and a posh Z.R.C around his wrist, his tall frame taking up most of the space and instinctively, relief floods me before I tense up again. My entire day being nothing short of a fever dream and I'm simply exhausted.
"What are you doing here?" I ask him. His eyes narrow on my face and his handsome face twists in cold, brutal fury. His shoulders stiffening before his mask of perfect calm slides back in place and I'm wondering if I'd just imagined it.
He nods towards the man who stands behind him, without sparing him a glance, "Mr. Berardi will take care of everything. I'd like to have a word with you meanwhile."
"About what?"
"Cara." He calls out when I refuse to meet his eyes as I haphazardly try to help the nurse clean up. I'm annoyed and embarrassed as the nurse looks between us.
"Please don't call me that," I tell him, noticing how the she's has slowed down while her ears have perked up, "I have nothing to say to you."
He pauses for a few beats before speaking again, his voice softer, "It'll only take a moment."
"Please leave. Just text me whatever it is." 
I click my tongue in annoyance as a glass shard of a broken vial breaks my skin. Adriano steps closer to me, kneel down as one his knees touches the dirty floor while he reaches out for my bleeding fingertip, "Show me your hand."
"I'm fine," I pull my hand out of his reach and stand up, "Just say whatever it is and leave. Please."
He remains silent, looking up at me from where he's still kneeling on the floor in front of me as if he's trying to figure something out.
 
"Giselle?" Maddy pushes the curtains away, panting as if she's run a marathon, "Where's dad?" Then her gaze flicks towards Adriano who is still kneeling in front of me as she says, "What's going on?"
It was the first day of classes for spring term and she was beyond excited just this morning. She wasn't vocal about it but it was clear in the extra bounce in her step and the way her lips were at a constant risk of perking up.
"Maddy, stay here." I tell her, nodding towards Adriano to let him know I was ready to leave, "I'll be back soon. Call me if something happens."
I brush past crowds of people in the hallway and down the corridor, the scent of disinfectant permitting the air with loud noises and busy staff trying to manage patients. Adriano follows me without a word as I cut corners and finally exit the main entrance to the paved parking lot. I was about to step out for a smoke anyway.
"I know I said it'll only be moment but you should've taken your coat."
I stop and turn to face him, my breath condensing, forming puffs of air as I talk, "I'm hoping, seeing me cold will trigger your sympathy and urge you finish quickly."
He blinks before moving to take his own coat off, "Wear this for the time being." 
I am just so done with everyone's bullshit, "I said I'm fine—"
I tense up as he flips his coat over me, adjusting it on my shoulders and it's like being held in his warm embrace. My face hurts where Piero hit me and I'm mentally and physically exhausted. The last thing I need right now is him confusing me.
I feel a snowflake fall onto the tip of my nose before melting and I raise my freezing fingertips to rub it off, "Why won't you just get to the point?"
A few flakes of snow fall onto his dark hair and I marvel at how ethereal he looks. Sharp jawline and high cheekbones, eternally stoic almost like a Michelangelo sculpture. I can't quite put my finger on it but even his expressionless face seems a bit sad and helpless somehow. Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it. I clearly have a knack for it.