Page 23 of Care: Part 1

Avelina's whole demeanor lightened up as a smile beamed on her face once more. She didn't think she would ever hear a compliment from Adrik.

"Thank you.”

Silence made up for the nothings that left his lips. He didn't even bother to look up from the papers he was signing. However, Avelina didn't seem to mind at all. She found it satisfying to listen to the friction his pen made with the paper as he signed his name.

Her eyes moved with his hands. The thought of how many lives were taken by his hands only managed to make her frown. What was bizarre was the fact that she couldn't picture him hurting a single soul. Something about him was too pure, but maybe it was because she could only see what she wanted to believe.

"Can I ask you a personal question?" She asked.

He set his pen down and looked at her in wait. There was so much patience that took over his features, which helped allow her mind to relax.

"Yes.”

She wanted to smile at the innocent tilt of his head that he did, but she resisted. Things like that made it hard for her to believe he could ever do any wrong. "Why?I know you said you needed money to start, but you're here now with all the money in the world. You don't need to be in the mafia anymore. So, why do you do it?"

"The answer is quite simple, really—because I want to."

Avelina sighed and stood up from the chair.

"I do not want you to leave. Please stay," Adrik said.

She looked at him before her eyes switched over to the door. If she left, it wasn't like she would know exactly where to go. With that thought, she sat back down.

"I feel like there's more to the story, but I won't push the subject any longer," she muttered.

"You said, and I quote 'Adrik, I don't really like gangsters. I'm your nurse and your caregiver—nothing more and nothing less. It's about time we start acting like that, don't you think?'" he repeated her words before continuing, "Talking about my past choices in life has nothing to do with you doing your job, now does it?"

“If I am possibly putting my life in jeopardy, I think it's only fair that I get to know why.”

Working with someone who led an entire mafia would put her in a vulnerable situation. She would know viable information about Adrik that people would be willing to do anything to hear.

"You're protected.”

"Maybe, but maybe not. You're the smartest guy I know. Tell me, what are the chances of nothing dangerous happening to me?" She asked, her eyes narrowing in concentration.

He looked off in the distance for a while before his attention returned to Avelina. "Your chances of not being placed in a dangerous situation only because of your association with me is about eighty-seven-percent.”.

A sigh left her lips as she found herself leaning back against the seat. "I've never been the kind of girl who has the best of luck.”

"Okay.”

Avelina looked up at him with her eyebrows pulled together. He was back to signing papers and not having a single care in the world about anything else.

"You know what's crazy?" She asked him randomly.

"Crazy—intellectually disturbed, particularly shown in a wild or forceful manner.”

"I find it crazy how I have everything I have ever wanted, and I have accomplished every goal I have ever set for myself, yet I have no clue what I want to do with my life," she scoffed lightly while shaking her head.

"Sorry to hear that," he said emptily.

Avelina looked at him with a face full of disbelief. He didn't look sorry in the slightest bit.

"I thought you weren't a liar, Adrik.”

"It wasn't a lie. When you speak, I do sometimes feel deeply sorry for myself for having listened to you.”

She thought about his words for a second. When Avelina fully processed his words, she let out a loud gasp. Before she could fire up anything else to say, Adrik grabbed a telephone and put it to his ear.