Just wanted to thank everyone for reading/voting/ commenting again. I'm so grateful and I can't believe this book hit over 40k reads and almost 2k votes!? It's amazing. I know this chapter might seem a bit boring and a filler chapter but I wanted to show you how Angela and Adriano are getting on around each other now, hope you enjoy:)

A. Summers xo

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Angela got all of her senses back one by one the next morning. First, she could hear his steady breathing beside her, next she could feel his arms wrapped around her. Angela felt Adriano's chest rising and falling against her back. The smell of him lingered on her skin and she loved it. She opened her eyes and turned around in his arms to see his face.

Angela spent some time examining his face that was void of any emotion but could sense the slight happiness creeping in through his parted mouth. Her eyes fell over his scar on his cheek and the darker shadow of stubble that she knew wouldn't be there for long, he was always clean shaven. Her gaze had dropped to the rest of his body now, how his tattoos glided over his shoulders and torso, over his large and toned upper arms. She wanted to reach out and trace her fingers over them but stopped herself as soon as he stirred again and began to mumble something in his half asleep state.

Adriano then stopped and cracked open his eyes slightly. The sight of her made a wide grin fall upon his face, one he just couldn't shake off.

"Good morning." His eyes didn't leave her and his grin only widened as she blushed slightly, knowing he had caught her looking at him while he was asleep. Angela smiled lightly at him despite her burning cheeks but still couldn't find words to speak as he took one hand from around her and begins to trace it over her shoulder. Her breath hitched in her throat at his touch and all the memories that came flooding back to her from the night before. "Don't get shy on me now, Angie." His laugh rumbles through his chest and she could feel it on hers too. He dipped his head down close to her face now, leaving soft kisses on her shoulder where his hand had just been. They soon travelled to her neck, one of his hands tangling in her hair. He kissed her sensitive spot and she tried to hold in a moan.

"Morning." She smiled weakly now at him, a bit breathless. He laughed again and kissed the corner of her mouth.

"I knew I'd get you to talk sometime." Adriano stated cockily. She thought he looked perfect. He was now hovering over her in bed. He leaned his arms on either side of her body and looked down at her face.

"I'm not shy." She pushed him away playfully and he rolled onto his side again. She found herself staring at him, his eyes locking onto hers easily for a couple of moments. "Are you working today?" she asked, wondering what she would have in store for herself today. Would he be here all day? She hoped so.

"Trying to get rid of me already are you?" he teased.

"I wasn't expecting you to be here actually." She let her thoughts slip out aloud, breaking their eye contact and focusing on his tattooed shoulder now.

"Come here." He spoke gently to her, his expression softening. Once Angela scooted over to him, he took her close. "I'm sorry about last time." He said close to her ear. His closeness sent a shiver up her spine.

"It's okay." She managed to let words escape her lips eventually.

"No. It's not. The things I said yesterday are true. I want to protect you. I don't want you to be sucked into my life and if that means I can't have a normal relationship with you then it's a sacrifice I have to make. But I need you, I want you, I care about you and I hope that's enough right now." He was putting his feelings out in the open which was something that occurred rarely with Adriano, he didn't know where all of this courage and honesty was coming from but he knew he meant every word of it. She deserved to know how he felt so that she wasn't left guessing.

Adriano had made the decision now, he knew he couldn't fight the growing feelings he had for her and if she felt the same, he wanted to have something between them. The only real relationship he had with anyone was with Luisa but they had both been teens back then, he had said before he didn't do the whole relationship thing but that was what he couldn't stop thinking about now that Angela was here.

Angela didn't respond. She needed a little time to take in what he was saying. Because she too was hesitant to get involved in his life to the extent of a relationship now that she knew what he was a part of. She didn't speak, just leaned in and kissed him for a moment. It was slow and sensual, passionate and full of an answer Adriano picked up on.

Once they pulled away for a breath, Angela relaxed in his arms again. She looked at his chest and traced her fingers along the ink of his body. Adriano watched intently as she examined his chest. Her fingers fell upon three words tattooed across his chest, not necessarily hiding within the rest of the imagery, but not clearly visible either.

Vivere Sacrificio Conquistare

Her eyes met his now, his expression soft.

"What's this?" Angela wondered.

"It's Italian. Vivi, Sacrifica, Conquista" His Italian accent made a smile tug on her lips, she loved it.

"What does that mean?"

"It means live, sacrifice and conquer." He said without even blinking.

"Did it hurt?" was all she could ask now. As soon as the question tumbled from her mouth, he burst into hearty laughter.

"I've been through worse Angie." He pointed to his stomach that was dressed to cover the wounds Adamo had caused and then to the scar on his face. "Worse than these too."

"I don't know how you handle it." She shook her head.

"Have you never gotten any tattoos before then?" he furrowed his brows lightly at her, wondering now. She didn't seem the type to get a tattoo but her instant blush had shown otherwise. The pink colour rose furiously to her cheeks and she looked away for a moment, her whole body language made him chuckle again.

"Maybe..." she said quietly and his face lit up.

"Really?" he asked in disbelief.

"Just one, it's stupid really."

"You have to show me. Where is it?" he was close to yanking the sheets from above them but she gripped them tightly, feeling shy now about her own naked body in front of him.

"No!" she yelped, making him laugh.

"Just tell me where it is then, and I'll leave you alone."

"Fine, fine." She rolled her eyes and relaxed a little. Angela noticed how he was listening intently, looking like a child ready to be told a story. "It's a music note. The smallest tiniest one you could ever get. I got it before I moved away."

"Where is it?" he raised an eyebrow, not remembering ever seeing a tattoo on her body.

"On my hip. It was supposed to be a part of a bigger tattoo except I chickened out after the needle touched my skin and he had to leave me with something. So, he stopped once he done the music note." The story made Adriano laugh wildly at her.

"I've never saw it before. Let me look." He yanked the sheets from on top of her before she could stop him.

"Adriano!" she squealed as he ran his eyes over her body, scanning her right hip, then her left.

"Ah ha. Found it." He sounded genuinely delighted to have spotted the note on her hip. She was right, he thought, it was almost microscopic. No more than two centimetres big.

She felt his breath fanning her stomach as his fingers traced over the tattoo, gulping loudly at the close proximity.

"Okay, you've seen it." She pushed him away and jerked the sheets back up to her chin, feeling self-concious.

"Don't worry Angie, nothing I haven't saw before." He gave her a wolfish grin before winking at her.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes at him and finally calmed her blushing down. He only let out a chuckle again, not being able to stop himself.

"Chicken." He teased before sitting up in bed and retrieving his underwear from the floor beside the bed. Once he put them on he stood up and made his way out of the bedroom.

"Where are you going?" Angela called after him.

"I'm making breakfast, you stay there." Adriano replied, making his way to the kitchen.

"I'll help." She got up and threw on underwear and Adriano's t-shirt from the other night.

Once breakfast was made, they sat together and talked.

"So do you want to go visit Maria and Franco today?" he asked before taking a bite of his bacon sandwich. He noticed how her eyes had lit up when he spoke, she nodded and smiled at him.

"So you aren't in work today?"

"No, I'm taking a couple days off. Tomorrow we can go back to the apartment if you want too?"

"That would be good, yeah."

"We should get dressed once we're finished here and then head out." Angela looked at the clock when he had finished speaking. It was past noon and she hadn't even noticed. "I'll give Franco a call, make sure it's okay with him." Adriano said before getting up from the table and took both their empty plates and putting them in the kitchen sink.

As he walked away, Angela couldn't help but stare at his body, his toned back and arms, the tattoos that curled around his skin and especially the fact that he was in nothing but boxer shorts. Once he turned around and caught her looking at him, he grinned boyishly at her.

"You finished lookin' yet Angie?" he called, noticing how she blushed again. She'd been doing a lot of that since she woke up this morning.

"I wasn't looking at anything." She lied, rolling her eyes before standing up and following him into their bedroom.

"Sure you weren't." he said sarcastically, not even nearly convinced.

With that, she picked out clothes and went for a quick shower. When she was finished, Adriano got ready too and it wasn't long before they were making their way to Adriano's car downstairs. Once they stopped outside a store, Angela looked at him with a confused expression. He just got out of the car, silently urging her to copy him.

"What are we doing?" she asked once he had taken her delicate hand in his and led her inside.

"We're getting you a new coat." Angela tried her best to not look disappointed; she liked wearing his one he gave her. She loved the smell of him from it and inhaled slyly, taking in his scent once more without him noticing.

"Oh no." she protested, slowing both of them down a little. Adriano had already made a bee line for the women's department. "It's fine really. I don't need anything in here." Angela didn't like the idea of Adriano buying her anything, the image of the piano sitting in Adriano's sitting room flashed in her mind and she hated feeling like she owed him something for it.

She would much rather not wear a coat at all than have him buy her a new one but Adriano was more persistent that she had imagined. An hour later they were standing at the checkout, Adriano handing over a coat and three new outfits for her, as well as another cocktail dress. The shop assistant had helped him find the things for Angela, because she kept declining his offer.

After her talk with him yesterday about how trapped she was with him, stuck with no job, no money and no life, Adriano couldn't make the sinking feeling for her in his chest go away. He thought she might like shopping, women liked shopping didn't they? But she was different, she hadn't wanted his money. Adriano had her best intentions in his actions, he wanted her to have nice things.

"Adriano we need to talk about this." She crossed her arms, trying to be firm with him as he loaded the car up with her new clothes.

"Go on, I like it when you're mad Angie." He spoke, quite entertained now by her actions. He made his way inside the car but noticed she was still standing outside in that same position: straight with her arms over one another. Adriano leaned over to her side and opened the door, peeking his head out at her. She wouldn't take his jacket off, although it was hitting her knees and was practically swimming on her. He just couldn't take her seriously. "Aren't you going to get in?" he grinned at her but her expression had yet to change.

"No, not until you bring back all of those things you bought, I don't need them."

"It's not like I'm short of money Angela, it's fine okay? Let's just get in the car and go to Franco's."

"It's not fine. I can't accept them; you have gotten me enough since I got here." The dresses, the shoes, the piano, it was all too much.

"Please," he sucked in a breath before continuing. "Just get in the car, I promise we can talk about it then." Angela took a moment to decide it was best she got into the car. She didn't want to sound like a spoiled brat or like she was ungrateful but she didn't want him wasting his money on her.

"Don't you like what I've bought you?"

"Of course I do, I-I just- I'm sorry if I sound like I don't appreciate what you're doing but it doesn't feel right for you to waste money on me."

"It's not a waste. It's just that you were talking yesterday about money-"

"I didn't mean that I needed you to buy me things, I hope you don't think that. I just feel... bad, you know?" there was a silence that hit the car then. Placing his hand on Angela's thigh, Adriano spoke again.

"I want you have them, that's why I got them for you. Please just take them." Angela felt like his hand was burning through her jeans, he could sense this and squeezed her gently now. He guessed her silence was the answer he wanted from her: A yes. So he leaned over, his face so daringly close to hers, his breath fanning her cheek. She could feel his hand move slowly up her thigh and held her breath. "I'm glad you agree with what I'm saying now." He whispered in her ear, knowing exactly the affect he had on her. Just as his hands reached the top of her thigh, he pulled away and started up the car, leaving Angela waiting for him to continue the path he was leading. He chuckled now.

"Let's just get to Franco's." she tried to grumble out, completely disappointed that their conversation in the car hadn't turned to something else.

The ride to Franco and Maria's house was short and quiet with Adriano glancing at her every while to make sure she was okay. She still hadn't talked to him once they got into the elevator. The doors closed and Adriano knew he had to do something to get her talking. Angela was more frustrated than annoyed now, she had gotten her hopes up in the car and was beginning to forget about the things Adriano had bought her.

Adriano pushed her gently to the wall of the elevator and dipped his head down to her eye level. His gaze was electrifying and too much for her, his dark musky eyes boring right into hers. He moved his face so that his lips were only a centimetre from hers.

"Am I forgiven yet?" when he spoke, their lips brushed off of each other. He knew exactly what he was doing and she wanted him to just lean in and kiss her sense less already. His hands were placed on the wall on either side of her head. He went to kiss her but she had suddenly gotten idea herself. Just as their lips were about to meet, she turned her head to the side, not allowed him access.

"I'll take the coat and the other things, thank you." He leaned in again at her words to kiss her but she avoided it again, wanting to get him back for earlier. He decided to kiss her neck instead but she put her hand on his chest and the other to his chin, moving him away slightly. She angled his chin so he was looking at her again. The doors pinged open now. "But you're not forgiven." She whispered menacingly in his ear before standing up straight and exiting the elevator, him tagging along quietly behind her. She heard him grumble something behind her as she knocked on the door. He had discovered she could play that game too.