Sold to the Capo-Chapter 64: THE KISS THAT CHANGED EVERYTHING

ADRIANA’S POV

Valentina easily dodged my punch as we sparred in the gym.

"Always keep your elbows close to your body to protect your ribs before you attack," She said as she swung her fist at me, her eyes watching me in the same predatory way that Vincenzo watched me when we sparred.

"I kinda expected you to say something about what I said" I replied, my voice accentuated with a groan as I threw a jab at her.

Valentina ducked under my punch with ease, spinning around me in a fluid motion. I could feel the smirk on her face even without seeing it, knowing full well she was enjoying this far too much.

As I squared up again, she jumped in with another jab, and I barely managed to block it, the force of her punch vibrating through my arms.

"So, you’re telling me you kissed him?" Valentina’s voice broke through the tension, her tone casual, as though we were chatting about the weather rather than what I had to work up the courage for hours to say to confide in her.

I didn’t know why I told her about it, I needed someone to talk to about it, she was the closest female friend I had here if I could tag our relationship as friendship.

I was momentarily thrown off balance by the question. For a second, my mind went blank. She hadn’t missed the shift in my body language, though.

"Yeah, I kissed him, that is what I said" I huffed, side-stepping another swing from her.

Valentina shot me a quick glance, her expression unreadable. "So what happened? I mean, you’re telling me you hate him, but you kissed him?" she said, her voice still light but with a curious edge.

I barely avoided another punch, my mind spinning as I focused on dodging, then lunged back with a quick counter. "It’s not like that, Val. He was just... trying to help me. With my fear of physical touch. Did you even listen to what I even said?" I gritted my teeth, trying to ignore the heat rising in my cheeks at the confession.

Valentina paused for a fraction of a second, studying me with those piercing eyes of hers. "Help you? By kissing you?"

My heart skipped a beat, and I could feel the awkward tension wrapping itself around my throat. "It’s complicated," I muttered, dodging another swing. "He’s been trying to help me overcome the trauma... He wants me to be comfortable around people, with... touch. It was never supposed to be about that, about us... But it happened."

Valentina was silent for a moment, the look on her face unreadable. She swiftly blocked my next attack and moved behind me, her body quick and precise. "You think letting him kiss you is going to help with that? You’ve got your guard up, Adriana. And now you’re letting him in when you don’t even trust yourself."

I gasped for air as I spun around, barely missing her foot as it came swinging toward my face. "I know, okay? I know it’s risky. But I couldn’t stop it from happening. And I’m not sure how I feel about it yet. But, I can’t pretend like it didn’t make me feel something... good. And it scares the hell out of me."

Valentina narrowed her eyes, her stance unyielding as she prepared for the next round. "You’re setting yourself up for trouble," she said softly, but with a tone that suggested she wasn’t just talking about this fight. "And I’m not talking about Vincenzo. He wouldn’t do anything to you, but it’s just that you’re not sure, and you’ll end up just hurting yourself with your half-assed thoughts and opinions."

I couldn’t deny the truth in her words. It was clear as day that I was walking a dangerous line, and I wasn’t sure if I was strong enough to walk it without falling. Vincenzo had given me space and had been patient, but even so, there was a fine line between helping and taking advantage. And I feared that the closer I got to him, the harder it would be to walk away when the time came.

"I know," I murmured, feeling the weight of her words. "But I don’t know how to push him away when he’s actually helping. I haven’t had a nightmare in days. Do you know why? I keep thinking about the kiss and I keep wondering how it felt and..."

Valentina dodged another punch, her movements quick and graceful. "It’s not about pushing him away, Adriana"

Her words hit me harder than I expected. I swallowed the lump in my throat, trying to focus on keeping up with her. But every time I tried to push back, she seemed to be two steps ahead of me.

"Why do you think Henry’s bothered by it? You said he seemed mad after the goddamn storm that day" she asked, her voice a little lighter now, though still tinged with concern.

I hesitated, the truth itching at the back of my mind. I didn’t want to admit it, but I knew I had to. "Henry has feelings for me," I finally confessed, unable to meet her gaze.

Valentina raised an eyebrow, her focus shifting slightly. "Wait, you mean Henry?" she asked, clearly surprised. "The one who has shunned girls for years is now magically in love with his boss’s wife?"

I couldn’t help the dry chuckle that escaped me, even though the situation wasn’t exactly funny. "Not in love but yeah. He’s... he’s been quiet about it after I rejected his advances. He doesn’t like it when I’m around Vincenzo. It’s obvious."

Valentina laughed, the sound rich with amusement. "Oh, this is good. Henry has a thing for you and now Vincenzo’s making his move? And here I am trying to get just one guy"

The playful tone in Valentina’s voice made me laugh too, and for a split second, it felt like everything wasn’t so complicated. But my moment of happiness was short-lived.

As soon as I laughed, I let my guard down—just for a moment—and that was all Valentina needed. With a swift movement, she swept my feet out from under me, and the next thing I knew, I was crashing to the floor with a painful thud.

I gasped, the wind knocked out of me as my back slammed against the hard mat. The pain shot through my spine, and I could feel the muscles in my back tighten in protest. I lay there for a moment, winded and struggling to breathe, trying to clear my dizzy head.

Valentina stood over me, her expression still focused, though her eyes softened with concern. "You okay?" she asked, though I could tell she wasn’t the type to apologize for taking me down.

I winced as I slowly pushed myself up, my back sore from the impact. "Yeah, I’m fine," I groaned, though it wasn’t exactly the truth. "Just... tired."

"Tap out," Valentina said, raising an eyebrow. "If you need to rest, I’ll let you."

I took a deep breath, my body aching in places I hadn’t realized. "Fine," I muttered, tapping the floor with my hand. "I’m done for now."

She stepped back, giving me some space as I slowly rolled onto my side, trying to massage the pain from my back.

"You’re gonna regret it if you don’t pick a side. You could either choose one or choose yourself" Valentina said, her voice surprisingly soft. "You know Vincenzo’s giving you more trust than you deserve. After your little escape attempt, you almost cost him his life. Do you think that’s fair to him? Vincenzo’s clearly not just doing it because he’s trying to help, he’s not that type of guy"

I knew she was right. I had risked everything—his life, my life—and now here I was, complicating things even more. But I couldn’t help the pull I felt toward Vincenzo. He was offering me something that felt real, something I hadn’t had in a long time. Control. Power. I could breathe again, but it came at a cost.

"I know," I said quietly, staring up at the ceiling, my chest tight. "But, you can’t blame me for wanting a little bit of... normal, Val. I haven’t had that in years. Not since... since everything happened."

She didn’t respond right away. Instead, she moved toward the door of the gym. "Whatever you’re doing, make sure you’re doing it for you, Adriana. Not for anyone else. Or you’re gonna end up losing yourself."

With that, Valentina left the room, and I was left alone with my thoughts and the persistent ache in my back.

Fuck.

Vincenzo hadn’t been home for two days after his meeting with the Don, who had asked for him, and he had actually allowed Val to take over my training for the while he wasn’t going to be home.

Progress.

I spent the rest of the afternoon trying to rest, but my mind refused to settle.

I needed to clear my head.

After informing Justin, the head of the guards, that I was going for a drive outside the mansion, I made my way to the car. I stepped outside, the cold air hitting my face, and was met by a figure standing next to the sleek black vehicle.

Henry.

He gave me an awkward wave, clearly uncomfortable with whatever tension hung between us after everything that had happened.

"Hey," he said, shifting his weight from one foot to the other. "I’m driving you today. Got to pick up a shipment, figured I might as well be the one to keep an eye on you"

Oh boy... This was going to be the worst ride of my life but I couldn’t show that I was guilty and run back in.

Instead, I squared my shoulders and forced a smile. "Let’s go"