Carlo : Ti salveró amore mio

Chapter 24

I blame myself. And even though they may tell me not to, I won't listen. Why should I listen to their little whispers when the voices are screaming at me to not listen? It's my fault.

I blame my eyes for shedding tears and for seeing the world in a dull black and white. I blame my mouth for not saying three simple words to some people and continuing not to eat, even though I may be hungry. I blame my body for not being strong enough to fight back and sometimes struggling to stand for more than two minutes.

I just can't seem to do anything right.

Hence why I seem to be playing a game of impossible hide and seek. I can't be around people. If all I am going to do is hurt them.

"AMORE!"

Carlo shouts from somewhere and I quickly throw the cigarette out of the window and grab the last bottle left and the last pack of cigarettes.

I climb off of the window sill and start walking down another corridor. I find my way to the kitchen and sit down on a small chair in the corner of the room near a door.

I open the door whilst lighting another cigarette and I sit down on the chair bringing one of my knees up so I can rest my head on it.

--------
CARLO'S POV:

30 minutes.

That's how long I haven't been able to find Adelaide.

"Axel, have you seen Adelaide?" I ask as I walk into the guest room, him and his wife moved into.

"No. Is she okay?" He asks worriedly.

"I think so." I mumble, rubbing my forehead.

I'm thankful he's worried and I'm glad she has someone to be close with. But I can't help being jealous. She speaks to him.

More than a few words. And I don't know how to feel about it.

"Okay. Thanks." I go to leave the room since I noticed Rosalyn is asleep in the bed.

"Carlo." Axel whispers.

"Yeah." I look back at him.

"I don't know how she was before everything, but you need to know she's quite bad. Mentally. I mean, seeing her mom bad. Del told me she passed away, so..." He looks at me again. "You know she's safe with me right?"

"Mhm."

"She's like a little sister to me."

Those words bring relief to me knowing he's not dying to get with her.

"I need to go find her." I mumble and he nods whilst I close the door.

I walk around the mansion some more until I get to the kitchen, I open the fridge and take out a water bottle.

I pause for a second when I hear a light laugh and voices. I look past the fridge door and see Adelaide curled up on a chair with a cigarette in her mouth and a bottle of whiskey in-front of her.

She uses her thumbs and index fingers to spread her eyes open.

"Baby?" I question to get her attention and sit in front of her at the two person table.

She looks up at me for a split second and removes her fingers from her eyes taking the cigarette out of her mouth. She takes a sip from the bottle whilst staring at me.

"How are you?" She smiles at me.

I smile back sadly and shrug. "I'm doing okay. You?"

She huffs and looks at her phone where I can see her watching a TV show. "I think I'm okay." She looks back at me and sticks her tongue out. "My tongue is numb though." She pokes it with one finger and with her other hand she taps the ash off her cigarette into a tray.

"Do you want to go to sleep?" I question looking into her bloodshot eyes.

"I'm not tired." She says but a second after it looks like she's trying to stop herself from yawning.

"Cmon." I stand up and hold my hand out. "Bedtime."

She puts her cigarette out and stands up wobbling a little before putting her hand in mine. I smile at the fact she's letting me touch her, but quickly remember it's probably because she's drunk.

She goes to grab the bottle but I quickly slide it away. "No."

She rolls her eyes and shakes my hand as a sign to start walking. I walk back to the room we stayed in last night and pull her into the bathroom.

"One second." I grab one of my hoodies and a pair of her own sweatpants.

I get back and she's swaying slightly.

I lift her up onto the counter and grab the first aid box for the cuts on her face. I put my thumb on her chin and tilt her head up, she criss crosses legs and lets me do what I need to do.

When I press down lightly her face furrows and she leans forward at the same time as closing her eyes.

****
Start of flashback: From book one.

"Five." I look at her pale face. "Are you tired?"

Adelaide shakes her head no and I rinse the blood off her knuckles under the tap. I expect her to flinch at the sting she should be feeling but she doesn't.

I pat them dry with a towel and grab a bandage.

I wrap one tightly and as I start to go to the other one, Adelaide rocks forward, her eyes shutting slightly but she snaps them open and sits up straight.

Before doing it again.

End of flashback.
****

Adelaide opens her eyes quickly and looks at me smiling. "See!? Not tired." She slurs.

"Yes. You're very awake." I smile and finish cleaning her eye and lip.

"Put these on. Okay?" I pass her the clothes and go to leave.

"Okay." She slides off of the counter and I leave the bathroom.

I wait for her to tell me she's finished and walk back into the bathroom. "Sleep?" I question.

"Yeah." She shuffles past me and belly flops onto the bed.

Chuckling to myself I walk up to her and lean ever so slightly over her and rest my hands beside her hips on the bed. "I'm going to lift you up okay?"

She doesn't say anything but I wait for an answer.

"Okay." She whispers.

I lift her up gently and place her under the covers and make sure her hair is out of the way. I get in beside her and watch as she falls asleep straight away.

"We're going to have to have a long talk tomorrow, baby."