As Costanzo left the room, Francesco walked to Adele and spoke" Sweetheart, before we go the party, I need us to get back to our room."

Adele asked " Again? But why? I thought we were now attending the party."

Francesco took Adele's hand and spoke " Follow me sweetheart."

Adele reluctantly followed Francesco out of the room through the corridors towards their room. Adele was afraid that Francesco was going to go back to his room and then propose to her. That ring was in the pocket of his rain coat which he wasn't now wearing.

As Francesco unlocked the door he gestured to Adele " Come in."

Adele looked visibly nervous as she entered and walked to the sofa. She sat down and watched Francesco closing the door and looking at her with amusement " Don't look so worried sweetheart. I just want to get changed."

Adele spoke " But you already got changed into this expensive suit."

Francesco sighed and took off his coat making Adele scream as she didn't expect to see blood on his shirt.

Francesco chuckled " Relax sweetheart. This is not my blood. I am not hurt." He then casually walked to the wardrobe and pulled out a different set of clothes to get changed into and laid them down on a side table.

Adele spoke with worry " Who's blood is it? You said you weren't going to kill anyone. You said you wanted to chat to them."

Francesco frowned " I didn't lie to you sweetheart. I did go to chat to someone. Maybe i didn't touch them. Maybe I did. Maybe they were breathing when I left them or maybe one of my men killed them or maybe they are still alive. Come on Adele. You know how this works. I am not going to tell you about my business so forget it. But why does the thought of people dying bother you so much. You are a doctor. You have seen blood before."

Adele whispered " Why do you have to kill people?"

Francesco spoke " I have answered this question so many times already. I am a criminal. It's what I do for a living. You have to get used to my line of work or look the other way since you are my woman and will be with me all my life. The choice is yours. Either, embrace my life style or pretend that these activities that are bothering you are not happening. I think it's best you try to get used to it. Just like how you have to get used to other things."

He then gave Adele a mischievous grin. As he unbuttoned his shirt, he then complained " Sometimes blood splashes around. It's blood. What can I do. I am sorry for delaying the party. I won't take long washing this up." He then took off his trousers and then looked at Adele with a smirk. " Stop blushing sweetheart, you will be fully mine sooner than you think. Get used to me like this. Can I take more clothes off? "

Adele covered her eyes with her hands and murmured " No. That's enough."

Francesco laughed " You are so innocent. Don't worry sweetheart. I am going to bathroom to take the rest off. I need to take a shower to wipe off the blood ..... I won't be long. Watch TV or something while I am in there."

Adele sighed and walked to the television and turned it on. Just her luck, there was a murder mystery movie on television at that moment. Someone was getting killed. She quickly switched off the television and sat down on a sofa holding her head in her hands. She was finding it hard to accept Francesco's brutal ways. Those pair of hands that touched her had blood on them. How could she truly love Francesco?

But then Adele thought back to Costanzo's words pleading to her every chance he had, trying to convince her to give Francesco a chance since their father Paulo Rosario was the one who had forced Francesco into this life of crime and had taken away his innocence and his soul at a young age. But again part of Adele was telling her to try to ..... run away. Part of her couldn't believe that this Francesco was capable of changing. But Adele had feelings for Francesco. She couldn't betray him. She couldn't find it in herself to leave him. It wasn't impossible. Antonio had passed on a written message from Michael containing some contacts in FBI that could arrange her escape. She had kept that piece of paper in her bag of toiletries, somewhere she didn't think Francesco was going to look. Sometimes she stared at that piece of paper that included the last words from Michael before he was sent away to Oklahoma by Antonio's arrangements but she had the contents memorised since she had read it so many times.

As Francesco walked out of the shower he frowned as he saw Adele looking distraught with her hands covering her face. He walked closer and put his hand on her shoulder startling Adele.

Adele looked up and gasped " You scared me."

Francesco spoke " Really? You are lucky I put some clothes on before leaving the shower. If I hadn't, that would have been scary. Don't you think?" He then winked.

Adele bit her lip as she looked at the half naked figure of Francesco towering over her. He had put on his trousers but he had no shirt on. She couldn't believe how someone so cold and cruel, could be so handsome. She spoke " You came out early."

Francesco nodded and sat next to Adele. He then looked into Adele's eyes " What's bothering you?"

Adele spoke " Nothing."

Francesco raised an eyebrow " I know you, my little rule breaker. You are upset. Tell me how to make it better."

Adele looked away " It's nothing. Why don't you go get changed so we can go to the party?"

Francesco sighed " So you want to be difficult." He then gently wrapped his arms around Adele and pushed her to lie flat on the sofa. He then laid on top of her and pinned her down. He whispered " Last chance ..."

Adele spoke " It's nothing."

Francesco spoke " You asked for it." He then pinned both of Adele's arms above her in a form grip with one hand and started tickling Adele making her laugh against her wishes.

Adele spoke " Please .... Stop .... I can't take it ... Fine I tell you ... Stop it.... Please."

Francesco stopped tickling her and let go of her arms but remained on top of her. He spoke " I am listening."

Adele sighed " I think you already knew what bothered me. You just asked me to say it so you could warn me off about not interfering in your business. It's upsetting me that you just kill someone and then ..... you just go to a party."

Francesco's expression turned serious " Is that all that there is? Sweetheart. I didn't kill any one tonight."

Adele was shaking her head " There was so much blood though. You must have killed someone."

Francesco spoke firmly " No one died..... I don't like discussing my business with you but I make an exception this time to put your mind at ease for tonight..... I didn't lie to you. I went to chat with someone who was of interest to me. As I was questioning them, some bodyguards they had hired, decided to play the heroes and save them from the room which was totally unnecessary. So as my men caught the bodyguards, I taught them a lesson not to mess with me again. But they are alive. So is the one I was meeting. Now are you going to loosen up a bit? I don't kill unless my targets are no use to me alive." He then leaned close and kissed Adele's lips deeply and urgently.

Shivers went a down Adele's spine as Francesco was devouring her lips with his passionate kisses making it hard to keep up for her. She could endure the pleasure since Francesco was keeping his weight of her but then she felt mortified as he started brushing his stomach against her hips. This was too close. Too much to endure. She was scared of their closeness and what it could lead to. So she tried to pull away to Francesco's dislike. So to show his frustration he put all his weight on Adele's body making her moan that was muffled by the now forceful kisses Francesco planting on her lips.

Adele started trembling when it was becoming too much and that made Francesco finally pull away slowly and lifted his weight off her. He stared into Adele's eyes and he spoke " You are mine Adele. Mine. You must respond to me when I kiss you. Why do you try to pull away?"

Adele was breathing heavily while trembling " You ....went too far. "

Francesco frowned " Too far? How? I didn't do anything."

Adele spoke weakly " It's too close. We can't do this before we get married. I can see how badly you want us to take the next step but you must wait."

Francesco spoke " And I agree Adele. We will wait until our wedding night until we take the next step. We can get close but we won't go any further. "

Adele spoke " Why ... are you in such a hurry? Why can't we take it slower?"

Francesco chuckled " Slower? Really Adele? How can we go any slower than this? We hardly even kiss. We are in our 20s. We are allowed to make out." He then sighed and slowly got up from his position. He stood up towering over Adele looking at her intensely " Fine then. I will try to take it slower. But it won't be easy. I am sorry if I hurt you in any way. it was unintentional." He then walked away to his wardrobe and started getting changed.

Adele was surprised at Francesco's genuine words. He actually sounded slightly remorseful. Adele seemed to be the only one he apologised to now that he was a mob boss. Adele liked being the exception to his rules at that moment. She knew he wouldn't have apologised to anyone else for anything. Maybe there was hope after all.

Adele looked at Francesco getting changed as she sat up. She whispered " You didn't hurt me. But if you went further, you could have .... if you lost control."

Francesco finished buttoning his shirt and wore his coat as he spoke " Sweetheart. I want you to relax. Our making out sessions won't ever go too far. But I can't promise not to get too excited like just now and make out with you more fiercely. I am a man and you are one irresistible woman. But I promise, I won't lose control. However, we would be together soon. It won't be long before you will have a ring on your finger. Trust me."

At that point, Adele panicked. She was hoping that Francesco wasn't going to propose. She Just wasn't ready for that kind of Question. She swallowed hard as she saw Francesco glancing at his rain coat that was on the sofa. She held her breath as Francesco took steps towards his coat. But then he stopped in his tracks as there was a knock on the door.

Francesco growled and walked to the door. He opened the door with more force than necessary making it hit the wall with a bang. He spoke in a threatening tone to the figure at the door " You again? I wanted you to keep away and wait on the ladies floor for Adele if she wished to join you. Now, it seems like you defied another order of mine. Speak fast and give me a good reason for interrupting my time with Adele or I swear you won't feel anything but pain all night."

Georgina gave him a nervous smile but to Adele's surprise she kept her voice steady " Sorry to disturb. I just came by to ask Adele if she wanted to join us hanging around at the ladies floor now. The band female singers who are supposed to perform later have just arrived. You might have heard of them. They are a feminist girl band called ... The United Dreamers. They have just started mingling around at the ladies floor. They won't be there long to socialise, since they need to perform and have to be backstage most times. I was wondering if Adele wanted to drop by now? ..... with your approval of course ... sir.... If you wish it." She was stuttering by the end of her sentence waiting for Francesco's reaction.

Adele was afraid for Georgina but she felt relief at hearing Georgina's request that could save her from facing a marriage proposal if Francesco said yes. She quickly walked to the door and held onto Francesco's arm trying to get his attention off Georgina. He was looking at her with an intimidating stare that scared Adele.

Adele whispered " Francesco .... Can I go with Georgina now please? I like to see the United Dreamers. I don't want to miss the chance to meet them .... I will make it up to you." She added the last part out of desperation since she was afraid of Francesco hurting Georgina for interrupting them.

Francesco spoke without looking away from Georgina keeping his hateful stare directed at her " Of course sweetheart. You can go."