Raindrops tapped gently on the bookstore's windows, creating a smoothing rhythm that echoed through the cozy aisles and the distant rumble of thunder creating an eerie ambiance as I closed up the quaint bookstore.
It was an ordinary night, much like any other. I had spent my day sorting through new books and helping the few customers that frequently visited the bookstore to pick out new books and replace old ones.It was pretty much the usual daily routine, except that the white furry cat that usually came around to keep me company didn't show up, which is very unusual, at least not since I started feeding it.I grabbed the paperbag that contained my leftover lunch which I had kept specifically for the cat. I stepped outside and gazed out at the city of Verona.Nothing much happens around here except for the usual tourist dramas. I pulled my coat tightly around me and stepped into the rain. I had forgotten my umbrella at home, so I would have to walk home like that. After all, it wasn't raining heavily, it was just drizzling.Walking down the road, just when I was about to turn in the opposite direction that would lead to the house I shared with my uncle, I heard a loud noise from the alley on my right. I smiled, it had to be the cat foraging for food. She didn't show up today, so she must be very hungry.I turned around and walked down the alley, my eyes scanning the trash bags propped up against the wall, but I couldn't see the cat anywhere. The alley was dark but I could make out objects, clearly enough for me to walk through. The crashing sound came again, more loudly, this time accompanied by a voice.On impulse, I ducked behind the recycle bin and looked out. I could see a man right in front of me holding a gun in front of someone that was sprawled out on the floor. My heart began to beat rapidly as I tried to wrap my head around the situation I had just walked into."You sick son of a b****!" The man with the gun cursed. I got a good look at his face because of the tall street light just behind the wall, although it was broken, it kept flickering."No! No! Please.... I would be...." The man sprawled out on the floor stammered as he tried to scurry away. From my hiding spot, I couldn't see the face of the man on the floor but I could see his long legs. Three men stood against the wall to the right-hand side of the man that held the gun.The man with the gun quickly stepped on the leg of the man who was trying to get away from him. I heard the poor fellow hissing in pain. The lights flickered again just in time as the man with the gun pulled the trigger and the noise resounded down the whole area."Get rid of the body." He bellowed and tossed the gun at the corpse on the floor. The men nodded and sprang into action.I felt my legs go numb under me. My heart began to pound so loudly in my chest that I felt it would rip right out of my chest. I gripped my chest in pain as goosebumps popped up across my body and every hair on my skin stood at attention."Meow!" I jumped around in shock, it felt like my heart got ripped out for a second. I knocked over an empty can and it rolled down to the men at the end of the alley."Damn it!" I said under my breath as my eyes landed on the cat. "There you are, I was looking all over for you.""What is that?" I heard one of the men ask as they began to walk towards the recycling bin. The sound of their shoes on the floor felt like a death sentence. I gasped for air as my eyes scanned the area. How on Earth can I get out of this predicament just in time?Before the men could get close enough, the cat jumped out, landing on the first man and began scratching his legs."Ugh!!! It's a cat! I hate cats!" He said with a scowl as he kicked the cat to the wall. "It's just a cat, let's go before I throw up." He said to the other men and they turned around and walked away. I breathed a sigh of relief. That was very close.I waited for a few minutes to be sure they had gone before I stepped out from behind the bin. The cat just sat there on the floor, licking its legs. I saw the cut on her leg. She must have acquired that cut when that man kicked her to the wall.I bent down and patted her head gently, "You just saved my life, thank you." I whispered. I emptied the contents of the paper bag on the floor. I looked up and my heart skipped a beat as I saw the legs of the man that had just been killed. I thought they had taken the body?I tumbled backwards in fear. I scurried to my feet and ran, as if the whole world was after me. I ran straight home without looking back until I had gotten to the entrance of the house. The lights were on, which only meant my Uncle was back home. He always arrived from the factory where he worked before me.I turned the door knob and pushed the door open. The house felt really warm as I stepped inside."Ally! Is that you!" I heard my uncle call out from the living room. He had taken me in after I lost my parents in a car accident that I had mysteriously survived when I was five. Ever since then, he has treated me like his own and I couldn't wish for anything more."Yes Dad, it's me." I started calling him Dad a few years back. After sacrificing his whole life and career as a wrestler to look after me, it was the least I could do to make him feel like it was worth it. "Had dinner yet?" I asked as I took off my coat and walked into the living room.He was sitting on the couch and I placed a gentle kiss on his cheek, "How was your day?" He asked, his eyes glued on me."It was fine." I answered absentmindedly."You don't look fine Ally." He said, "Your face is all flushed, drained of its colour and you looked like you just saw a ghost and did you really have to walk in the rain? You are dripping water all over the floor.""I am fine Dad, I just need some rest." I insisted. I couldn't bring myself to tell him that I had just witnessed a murder in an alley and I had narrowly escaped being murdered too. He looked me over. I could tell he still had a lot to say, but he simply kept quiet.I sighed in relief and headed upstairs to my room. I took a shower and went straight to bed. Under the comfort of my blanket, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had just witnessed. Why did he kill that man? Who is he?Questions kept racing through my head and at the same time I wanted to forget about everything. To wake up tomorrow and not find a single trace of what had happened and to go on with my life like I had never seen anything.I kept tossing around in bed the whole night, the images of the murder scene and the loud noise the gun had created kept replaying in my head. The cold stare of the murderer sent chills down my body.Now that I thought about it, I had taken a good look at him, he exuded a commanding presence—tall and lean with piercing dark eyes that seemed to see right through people. His black hair is neatly styled, and a hint of stubble adds to his rugged allure.I really can't explain why I had gone from being so scared about witnessing a murder to analysing what the murderer looked like, but not in the usual terrified manner, before I could get a grip on myself, I slept off.I woke up startled. I had a dream, a dream about what happened last night. It felt so real that I woke up all sweaty. In my dream, the man from last night had spotted me behind the recycle bin. His dark eyes held mine as he lifted the gun and pointed it in my direction. Before I could say or do anything, he pulled the trigger and I jumped in fright.It was at that moment that I woke up. I sat up in bed for a while trying to catch my breath before I stood up and headed for the bathroom. I glanced at the wall clock on my way and my eyes flew wide open in shock."Past ten!" I gasped. I am already late for work. I rushed through my daily routine of getting ready, picked out an outfit and gulped down a cup of coffee. My uncle had already left for work, he always left before me and returned before me. The TV was turned on while I was in the kitchen making toast.I could overhear the news on TV, fear gripped me when the news about the murder came on. I left my toast on the counter and heade
"Excuse me Sir," I looked up with a frown to find my secretary, Anita, looking up at me from her standing position at the door. She knew I hated interruptions like this and that no one could see me without an appointment. "It's Alex and he said it's really important." She added quickly.I sighed and gestured to her to let him in. She went back out and shut the door behind her. Shortly after, the door opened and Alexio, my man in the police force, stepped in. For someone in my kind of business, having eyes and ears in the police force goes a long way in making some things really easy."Why are you here Alexio? It's not that time of the week, or is it?" I asked, pushing away the pile of paperwork in front of me and clearing a space for my outstretched arm on the table. Once again, I gestured for him to take his seat and he obliged."You need to hear this Dante. I had to come tell you myself because I have never heard that you slipped up during a job, that's so unusual." He said with a
I was still trying to wrap my head around what kind of situation Alessia had gotten herself into when my phone buzzed beside me on the couch. I had just managed to get Alessia to go to sleep even though I knew she was just pretending to be asleep. I decided to let her be. I picked up my phone and tapped on the message icon that had just popped onto the screen.My eyes scanned through the properly written message in just a few seconds. I couldn't believe my eyes. I tried to take a look at the number that sent the message but the sender had hidden his or her number. How did they get my contact? How did they know about me? I asked myself, but then I remembered the news I had watched earlier. The man that had been murdered in that alley last night was the only son of Antonio Cappello, a ruthless gang leader that controlled some underground businesses in Verona.So Yes! Alessia had gotten involved with some really big shots.I swallowed hard as I read through the message again. Whoever th
I tapped my feet impatiently as I waited for Marco to arrive. He had left early this morning to finalize the deal he had made with a friend of that girl. According to the update I received from Alexio, the girl only had one friend other than her uncle in Verona. With her uncle missing, then her best friend must know where she is.Alexio got information that Antonio had found out about her friend and reached out to her. They made a deal but Marco was quick to offer double the price and the girl had agreed without a fuss. It wasn't surprising in any way, it was how the world worked. Even a family would betray you for money. Marco knew that and used it to our advantage.I was waiting in my study when my phone buzzed, it was Marco informing me that they had arrived and were in the underground room where we conducted certain businesses. I was still dressed in a sweat shirt and trousers since it was still early in the morning.I hurried downstairs and went outside. I went past the garden
I sat on the bed with my hands wrapped around my legs. I looked like a mess; my hair was all tangled up, and my face looked puffy. I stared into the large mirror in front of the bed; my reflection was a replica of my emotions.I had screamed my lungs out when that man had flung me over his shoulders and brought me here. I had heard him turn the lock the moment he stepped out so I knew that there was no getting out of this one.They had not mentioned anything about my uncle, and that is even scarier. I just need someone to tell me that he is alright; that would at least prevent me from going crazy. I couldn't stop wondering about where they could be keeping him and what they could have done to him. I would never forgive myself if anything happens to him.How did I get tangled up in all this? I asked myself. How did they find me? The last thing I remember was when I was in Bianca's kitchen; I had something to eat and then... and then...I couldn't believe it! It was all beginning to m
Marco pulled up in my Audi RS7 to pick me up from work. I stepped out of the building where I had just finished my last meeting for the day. One of my security men ran up to the car and opened the door for me; I stepped inside, and he closed it gently. Marco, who was in the front seat, turned on the ignition and drove out immediately.I picked up my tablet to check my messages and mail; an email notification popped up on my screen. It's from Alexio.That's weird, I thought. I clicked on it and scanned through, I frowned at the content."Why did Alexio send me a police report?" I asked out loud."The men we sent to Bianca's house were arrested," Marco replied, his eyes glued to the road."You mean Alessia's friend? What about that? Why... Why were they arrested?""When they arrived at her place on your orders, they found her dead. Someone killed her, and before they could get out, the police had already surrounded the place. Apparently, the neighbors had called the cops when they hear
"He is a murderer!" A voice yelled inside my head as I paced back and forth in what is now my room, chewing nervously on my nails. He had shot those men without a second thought and had easily asked Marco to get rid of the bodies without hesitation.What am I still doing here? I can't keep living like this; one day, he might wake up and decide to kill me too. Marco had mentioned that his generosity doesn't last long, and I don't want to be here when it wears off.I have to get out of here. It's bad enough that I witnessed the murder in the alley, but now that I've seen this one, he might not let me walk out alive. I've seen too much. My heart rate increased, and my palms turned sweaty."Oh, Ally! What have you gotten yourself into?" I cried out. The image of Dante with a gun kept flashing before me. The fact that he could easily kill me and dispose of me like he had done with the others terrified me. I can't just wait around for him to decide my fate.Looking around, my eyes settled
I had been in my room for hours now. No one came in, and I couldn't go out even if the door was unlocked. The maids had not brought me anything to eat, so I was expecting them to show up very soon.A loud bang erupted from downstairs. It startled me, but I dismissed it as nothing. Then it came again, louder, closer, and more frequently. I stood up from my bed and hurried to the window. I pushed the curtains aside and was about to put my head out when the door opened, and Rosa rushed in. She spotted me at the window and protested vehemently."No, Ally, stay away from the windows," she pulled me away and quickly escorted me to the bed, "just stay put until I come back, do you understand?" I nodded."What's going on?" I asked."Nothing! It's just the usual, but don't leave this room, okay?""Okay," I replied, and she hurried back out, this time she turned the lock. I sat on my bed, waiting for any sound or anything that would signify what's going on, but nothing. Suddenly, I heard the