So I really can't believe the amount of votes,comments and reads from all you guys! It's unbelievable, I've been having a lot of writer's block lately:( But I was able to get this chapter finished on time, hope you like it. Enjoy.

A. Summers xo

*******

"So... you wan'a come out with me today? Adriano's working and he said you might need some company."

"Um, sure?" Angela felt a little uncomfortable talking to Mike, she hadn't spoken to him since she found out about the whole Mafia thing and didn't know whether he knew she knew.

"Cool, I was thinking we could go to a gallery in the city and then something to eat afterwards. You up for it Shortcake?" Mike remained warm and friendly through their conversation, even though he could sense her slight unease.

"Y-yeah, Sounds good to me."

"I'll pick you up in an hour or so. See you then."

"Goodbye." Angela said before hanging up the phone and quickly cheeking the clock on the wall in the kitchen. It was almost half past eleven, she stretched her arms and yawned before going in to take a shower.

Once she was done in the shower she towel dried her hair and made her way into Adriano's bedroom to pick out something to wear. She had hung up what little clothes she had since she got here in a space Adriano cleared out for her when they got home and now she was flicking through the hangers, trying to figure out what would look nice.

Her hands ran along the expensive fabrics of all of his suits as she walked around, taking it all in. Everything in here was laid out perfect: the shoes, the suits, the shirts. Angela was reminded of his words last night and couldn't help but allow a small ghost of a smile past her lips.

Of course it's only you. No one else, I promise.

Angela let out a sigh and remembered she hadn't got time to be swanning around in Adriano's closet; she needed to get ready for spending the day with Mike. She picked out something to wear quickly and got dressed. Angela was ready just in time for Mike when he knocked on the door a few minutes later.

She walked out and let him in before grabbing her coat and keys Adriano left out for her.

"Hey Shortcake." Mike announced spritely to her but she was unable to look him in the eye.

"Hello Mike." She hugged him back but pulled away as soon as she could.

"You ready to go?" He sensed her discomfort but said nothing for a little while, he would wait.

"Mhm." She nodded and they both walked out, waving goodbye to the guards at the door as they did so. Two had followed Mike and Angela. They stepped into the elevator with them and as soon as the doors closed Mike spoke again.

"Adriano told me to bring them. For your safety, there was no saying no to him." Mike shrugged, as if reading her mind. She nodded and smiled politely at him but it wasn't genuine, she had to admit she felt a little weird with him after finding out everything. Angela just couldn't imagine Mike fitting into the Mafia life, he was always so kind to her from the first time they met. Even when Allesandro was mean to her Mike had drawn the line and told him to back off.

"Everything okay Angela?" Mike finally asked with a sigh as he turned the key in the ignition of his car and they began to drive.

"I'm fine really-"

"I know Adriano told you." He cut across her, just wanting to get the words out. She didn't know what to say next and was glad he spoke up again. "I hope it doesn't change our friendship Angela, I don't want you to feel awkward or uncomfortable around me now. That stuff, it's what I do, it's what I work at. It doesn't mean I'd ever do anything on you or hurt you in any way. I don't want to put you in danger either. You're a nice girl, the nicest I've met in a long time. You're good for my brother too."

"Thank you Mike." She gave him a small smile. "I'm sorry for acting weird; I just didn't know what to say since I haven't seen you. I'm always around Adriano so I've gotten past that stage now."

"It's okay. I understand." Mike felt a little more at ease after their talk in the car and they sat in a comfortable silence all the way to the gallery with the radio playing on low in the background.

Once they had parked, they both got out of the car and began walking up the street to the gallery. They were parked a few minutes away and picked up light conversation on their way.

"What type of art gallery is it?" She asked Mike.

"Modern."

"Is it actually going to be art or is it- art?" she made quotation marks with her fingers as she said the word art the second time and made him chuckle warmly.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" he laughed again.

"It means-"

"Angela?" Angela heard a familiar voice say in front of her and turned her head from Mike to find the source of her name. She blinked a couple of times once she realised who it was in front of her, a huge chunk of her past being dropped right in front of her in this big city.

"Trisha?" Angela asked in bewilderment, a lot less welcoming and friendly like the other had used. Trisha had said it excitedly, like she was pleasantly surprised but Angela felt the complete opposite. She wanted the ground to open and swallow her up, not because Trisha was someone she hated, it was the memories she brought back that Angela hated.

"Oh my god? Oh my god, I can't believe it's you!" she grabbed the other woman into a hug, leaving Mike standing on the sidewalk with hundreds of pedestrians swerving past to avoid their break in the chain of walkers. "I thought I'd never see you again." Trish whispered a little more quiet this time before she released Angela and held her at arm's length.

"How are you?" Angela asked, trying to push everything away from a year ago that she wanted to be left alone, but also trying to warm to Trisha's presence. Nothing that happened to Angela in the past was ever any of Trisha's fault. In fact, she had been Angela's support at the time, the only person she could confide in and seek what little help she could get.

"I'm doing good, great actually. I've been getting more parts since after you left, I quit working at the club for good. Things are looking up from here on out, I've even got an audition next week for this huge part in a musical coming up." Angela couldn't help but notice how Trisha's face lit up when she talked about work, for that was all she wanted to ever do: act. Or so she had told Angela many a time when they worked together.

Trish was an ambitious girl, she had big dreams and she would do whatever it took to reach her goals even if it took her a lifetime to do so. Angela smiled warmly at her now, feeling excited for her old friend too.

"That's amazing Trisha, I'm so proud of you." Angela said lovingly.

"How are you doing huh? I'm guessing everything worked out for you, I can tell by the handsome man you have by your side. You take good care of my Angela do you hear me?" Trisha warned Mike, her words causing Angela to immediately turn red.

"Oh no Trisha, we're friends. This is Mike. Mike- Trisha." Angela introduced Mike who had been watching quietly since the women began talking a moment ago.

"Nice to meet you." Mike grinned widely at Trisha and extended a hand out for her to shake.

"You too Mike." Trisha batted her eyelashes bashfully at Mike.

"You look great Trish." Angela noticed how well-dressed she was now, free from her ratty looking Jazz club uniform, her dark hair pulled back into a sleek bouffant that looked professional yet beautiful. She was wearing a fuzzy fur coat in a taupe colour to match the browns and creams on her hooded- Asian eyes. Her skin, darker than Angela's was perfect just like always. Trisha was short like Angela, she told her coming from Asian decent made it impossible to grow taller than five and a half feet, Angela remembered giggling when she had said that. Although she was small, petit and short, she was still an inch or two taller than Angela and teased her about it at every opportunity, finally having someone shorter than her.

"And so do you Angela." Trish smiled gently at Angela, a million questions running through her mind, thousands of apologies and things to say that she could never do once Angela had left last year. "I-I'm sorry I couldn't help you enough." Angela's heart broke at her old friend's words.

"You done everything you could Trish, always. I can't thank you enough for all of the help you gave me back then with- everything."

"No, no. I should've-"

"You done the best, and look at me now? I'm safe, I'm alive. I'm here talking to you." Angela tried to change Trisha's views on the situation last year, she had been Angela's only help when trying to get away from Derek and New York. She had confided in her, told her everything, her only support in New York from the time she started working in the Jazz club and even after she had quit and was able to get past Derek to get out.

Mike was left completely lost in what they were saying to one another. He had never thought to ask her much about her past but it seemed now, that there could be a lot to tell. What had she meant by safe? By alive? What kind of help did Angela need? Mike questioned in his head.

"Oh Angela." Trisha looked up and wiped around her eyes, trying not to let a tear fall from her eyes. She felt emotional now; all of this didn't seem real. Only minutes ago she was walking the streets of New York City and now she was standing in front of Angela, a friend she thought she would never see again.

"Are you okay?" Angela asked, a little concerned.

"I really have to go, I'm in a major rush but I just couldn't walk by you. Maybe we can switch numbers so we can get in contact? We need a serious catch up."

"Um, I haven't got a cell phone-"

"We'll get one sorted for you Shortcake, if Trisha here gives you her number you can call her as soon as you can." Mike suggested, not quite knowing what their friendship had meant to each other but guessed it meant a lot more than he had thought at the beginning of their run in.

"That'd be great." Trisha smiled now at Mike showing her white teeth through her plump pink lips. Trisha typed her number into Mike's phone and handed it back to him before looking at Angela again. "Make sure you call me okay?" She needed reassurance, because she wasn't sure whether her friend would disappear again.

"I will. I promise." Angela nodded and smiled at her. They hugged and just like that, Trisha was gone walking up the street again, going about her day.

Mike and Angela didn't say a word to each other for a couple of minutes. Mike was too confused and unsure of how to begin asking her what that meeting in the street was outside. So instead, he decided to keep the conversation light until they had left the gallery and were sitting down to dinner a few hours later, their legs both hurting them from walking around and lack of seating in the gallery.

Angela noticed that it was the same restaurant she visited last week with Adriano. The waiters and staff also knew who Mike was but were less intimidated by him. They seemed less afraid of him too but still quickly jumped to get the pair a table. They were soon seated and now Angela was flicking through the menu again.

"Have you decided yet what to get?" Mike asked from across the table.

"I think I might have the beef again."

"Again?" Mike wondered.

"Yeah, Adriano brought me here before a few days ago." Angela replied

"May I take your order?" a waiter appeared at their table before Mike could continue their conversation. Angela nodded and they both ordered their food.

"So Adriano brought you here? To this restaurant?" Mike poked at her words with a hint of something she could not detect just yet.

"Yes?" she replied, not understanding. "What's the problem?" Angela laughed a little, not sure what the big deal was.

"It's just that, he didn't even want Luisa here." Angela felt a small stab of jealousy at the mention of the other woman's name but it was gone as soon as it had come.

"What's that mean?" Angela still didn't get it.

"He owns the restaurant Shortcake. He doesn't usually like people he knows coming here, not even my mom."

"So why are you here then?"

"He lets me away with it sometimes. He can't stay mad at me for long, nobody can." Mike winked at Angela causing her to laugh and roll her eyes. "Adriano is a very critical person when it comes to his own achievements and things he does. He never thinks it's good enough so that's why he doesn't want us here. Didn't he ever tell you he's in this business?"

"So it's a business now? I thought he just owned this restaurant." Mike shook his head at her reply.

"No." he said, "He owns a lot of restaurants, all around the city. It's something on the side, or so he says."

"That's amazing." Angela said more to herself than Mike.

"I guess he doesn't mind you being here, considering he brought you."

"But he never told me he owned the place, I wondered why everyone looked afraid of him once he walked in the door."

"Adriano tends to have that effect on people either way, even if he isn't their boss." Angela giggled again.

"So does he leave everything up to his staff or does he have a say in things going on here and in the other restaurants?" Angela wanted to know more.

"Oh no." Mike said, "He has a say in everything. Every. Single. Detail. Down to how the food is cooked."

"Well he sure knows a lot about that anyway." Angela replied, causing Mike's brows to knit together in confusion again.

"That?" he questioned.

"You know, food, cooking."

"How would you know about that?"

"Didn't you know? Your brother's an amazing cook, I really wasn't expecting it."

"I can't believe he cooked for you." Mike said, trying to hide his astonishment because Angela had no clue what the big deal was. "He hadn't cooked for anyone in years." Mike added quiet enough that Angela couldn't hear from across the table.

"He made ravioli and honestly, it was the best I've ever tasted." Angela remembered.

"Hmm." Mike sounded and looked like he was thinking really deeply but Angela decided to say nothing and ask Adriano later what was going on with Mike.

"So your friend Trisha huh?" Mike changed the topic once they were served their food, a smirk rising on his lips.

"What about her?" Angela said between bites of her food.

"She's hot." He said without shame, causing Angela to chuckle loudly.

"I'm pretty sure you got her number for you instead of me now." She joked at him and his smile only grew wider.

"Of course Shortcake, you know me by now don't you?" he scoffed.

******

"I don't care what you do with that girl in your spare time but I don't want her affecting this business, my business, your work." Lucio, Adriano's father said with great force but Adriano didn't seem as affected as his father thought he should. Why couldn't his song just get it into his head already? He needed to get rid of Angela. She was bad for him, she was changing him.

"Her name is Angela padre. And we aren't together, we aren't doing anything wrong. She has nothing to do with how I'm working and I hope you can keep her out of anything to do with work." Adriano raised his voice; it frayed with anger at the end. He was trying to keep his cool but this conversation with his father was becoming too much. Lucio just would not listen. "All she is doing is staying with me for a while." Adriano lied.

He wasn't going to tell his father that he was beginning to care about her a lot more than he thought. Or how he thought she was amazing, how she had a beautiful mind and manner and way of going about things. He was more than attracted to her, he needed her around.

"How long is a while? You've said that since October Adriano!" Lucio slammed his hand on the desk in front of him, losing his control now.

"What is it to you? Why do you care?" Adriano narrowed his eyes at his father.

"Because I need you back to the way you were before she turned up. Your head just isn't in the right place and with everything happening around us I need-"

"That's enough! It has nothing to do with Angela." Adriano said and stormed out of the room. He wasn't able to handle his father's nagging right now. All he wanted to do was go home. He hadn't seen Angela all day.

*******

The drive back to Adriano's apartment was full of conversation; Mike hadn't stopped since after dinning when they went for a walk. He didn't say anything else about Adriano and his cooking or owning of restaurants. Angela felt he was holding back something and her thoughts had went back to before Christmas when she asked Mike what Adriano had meant by his comment that he knew what it felt like to give up something he loved. Mike had told her it wasn't his business to tell. Angela decided she was comfortable with Adriano enough now to ask him herself.

Mike had walked her up to the door of the apartment and told her he needed to be somewhere so he left her there and got the elevator back downstairs. Angela put her key in the door and opened it up. She was surprised to find Adriano sitting down on the couch in sweatpants and a t-shirt. He turned his head at the sound of the door closing and immediately got up.

Adriano walked over to her and wrapped his arms around her in a tight hug. One of his hands was on her back, the other in her hair as he took her in.

"Hey." She said, pulling away after a minute or so. "Everything alright?" Angela asked with a quirked eyebrow to which Adriano just grabbed her again and pulled her into another hug.

"Yeah, I just missed you." He spoke into her hair, causing her to chuckle lightly.

"Missed me?"

"I haven't seen you all day." Adriano sighed and pulled away to look at her face. "Haven't you missed me too?" he gave her a toothy grin.

"No." she joked, causing him to roll his eyes at her and take her hand, leading her to the sofa were they both sat down now.

Adriano put his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into him. The two watch TV for a while before Adriano finally spoke.

"So what did you do today?" he asked, looking down at her.

"We went to a gallery and got dinner afterwards."

"Where did you eat?"

"Um..." Adriano eyed her with curiosity now. "You know that restaurant you brought me to before?" She instantly felt him stiffen beside her.

"Yes."

"W-Why didn't you tell me you owned it before?" she blurted out finally. The room fell silent for what felt like hours until Adriano spoke again.

"So Mike told you then? God I could kill him." Adriano said but Angela could tell he wasn't really angry.

"Yeah, but don't be mad."

"I'm not mad." He sighed in defeat, almost wanting to share with her what had happened in the past but it was a scary thought. "I didn't think I needed to tell you."

"You don't, I'm sorry for bringing it up." Angela said, her fingers playing with the buttons on his shirt.

"You've nothing to be sorry about Angie. It's just something that makes me money." He lied, leaving his secrets to be unfolded another time. A time when he could open up completely to her, about what happened before Tommas' death, when he was full of life and dreams. When his life wouldn't include anything to do with the business his father and grandfather had built from the ground up. When his life wouldn't be anything associated with the mafia, that had been his dream so many years ago and now it was the opposite of his reality.