Bound By The Mafia's Love

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 headed to the living room, my eyes glued to the screen.

The police were already at the scene and the alley had been taped off. I watched as three men brought out a wrapped dead body on a stroller. I couldn't believe it, they really didn't get rid of the body like that man had ordered.

My heart began to race. What could this mean for me? I wanted to forget about that night, but now that the police were calling for witnesses or anyone that could tell them anything about the case, what am I going to do?

I turned off the TV, picked up my bag and totally forgot about the toast until I had locked up and was walking down the street.

I took another route to the bookstore because I was specifically avoiding that alley. But even though I had avoided the alley, every single person that came to the store wouldn't stop talking about the murder. A particular lady had been so annoying that I had to lie about closing the shop before I could get her to leave.

The whole area was swarming with police and reporters. The police had the area taped off and trying to maintain order among the residents of the area while the reporters were pouncing on anyone that so much as walked past, asking them questions, one would think they were the detectives in charge of the case.

As if that wasn't enough, detectives went around asking questions about who had seen anything and asking everyone to provide proof about their whereabouts during the time of the murder. It was so bad that I had to turn off the TV in the bookstore and stayed away from my phone like a plague throughout the day.

The detectives visited the store but they simply asked to check the CCTV camera footage. I allowed them access but when they asked if I had seen anything last night, I suddenly couldn't talk, my palms were so sweaty, I was surprised that they had not noticed, they mistook my reaction as fear and promised me that they would get to the bottom of the case.

Even though I was itching to lock up and go home, I struggled to stay put until the day was over. I locked up the store and headed home, avoiding the usual route like I did in the morning. I couldn't wait to get home and finally confide in my uncle about the whole thing. I had made up my mind earlier in the store to get his opinion about going to the police.

The moment I stepped in front of the house, I knew something wasn't right. The lights were turned off, which is not right because my uncle is supposed to be at home. I was about to turn the door knob when the door squeaked open.

Goosebumps broke out all over me as fear gripped me. I pushed the door wide open and stepped inside. The darkness enveloped me.

"Dad!" I call out, but no one replies. "Dad! Are you in there?" I called out again, but no reply. I felt my way around the room to the switch and turned on the lights.

I gasped in shock at the state of the apartment, it was as if the whole house had been ransacked, everything was scattered, even the couch was turned upside down, the vases that my uncle cherished so much had been shattered.

I couldn't bring myself to look around any further, someone had broken in, but what scared me the most was the whereabouts of my uncle. He always came home before me.

I turned around and went back out. I hurried down the road, heading for the factory where he worked. Maybe he had not come home. I told myself as I prayed from the bottom of my heart that nothing had happened to him, he is all I have left. If anything happened to him now, I don't know how I would live through it. He is the reason I have lived through the ordeal of losing my parents.

The factory wasn't far off so I got there quite fast. I couldn't find anyone there except for the security man who came out immediately. He spotted me approaching the gate.

"Is there a problem, ma'am?" He asked, he moved closer to me and his face lit up with a smile when he saw me, "Ally! It's so good to see you. Did Marcello forget something this time?" He said fondly.

"No... My dad didn't send me here. In fact, that's why I am here. He wasn't at home so I thought he would still be in the factory." I replied, panic visible in my voice.

"Oh! He isn't here, maybe he wandered off but..." He paused mid way in his sentence, "that's so unlike him, the moment he leaves the factory, he always heads home."

That's exactly why I am worried, I know my uncle, he doesn't go anywhere other than the factory and the house. "Maybe you could...." The security man continued but I wasn't even listening, I had turned around and began to walk home.

Does this have anything to do with the murder I witnessed last night? I asked myself but I couldn't think of anything that would bring them to my house. They didn't even get a good look at my face, they didn't even see me.

I had to talk to someone, I had to do something, maybe I could go to the police and tell them what I had seen and get them to find my uncle or maybe I could... I could....

My train of thoughts was interrupted by my cellphone buzzing in my jean pocket. I pulled it out and the caller was none other than my best friend, Bianca. We've been friends since high school.

Why didn't I think of her before? I asked myself as I answered the call, her voice rang out from the phone.

"Hey Ally! Can you help me check out the..."

"My uncle is missing and I witnessed something I shouldn't have last night." I blurted out before she could complete her sentence. She went silent on the other end. She remained silent for a minute or two, all I could hear was her rapid breaths before she finally spoke.

"What do you mean by that? What did you witness?" She asked and before I could reply, "Come to my place and we'll talk better." She added rapidly and hung up the phone.

I turned in the opposite direction and headed towards Bianca's apartment. She was waiting for me at the doorstep when I arrived. She invited me in and I had not even taken my seat when she began to ask me questions. I patiently recounted everything that had happened for the past two days.

"You need to be careful, Ally," she said, "I saw the news this morning, it's the talk of the town, every single newspaper and news outlet is looking for something about it. You've really gotten yourself tangled up in a dangerous mess." She added, with a far-away look as if she was lost in thought.

"I really don't know what to do, I am so worried about my uncle." I could feel a headache coming on but I really couldn't think about myself at the moment.

"Get some rest, Ally, tomorrow we will go to the station. I am sure the police would be able to help." She replied, stroking my hair gently. I had never felt so indebted to someone than I have to Bianca. This isn't the first time she has supported me like this and she has always been there through some really tough times.

"Had anything to eat yet?" She asked as she stood up and headed for the kitchen. I didn't reply because I wasn't even listening, "Ally," she called out my name and I was forced to look at her.

"Trust me, everything would be fine. We would find your uncle and everything would go back to the way it was." She said reassuringly and I nodded in response, sincerely hoping that she would be right about this one.

"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 smirk.

"Get to the point, what are you talking about?" I snapped, already losing patience. "I have a lot of work to do, so don't waste my time."

"You know, for a man as good-looking as you are, you have no sense of humor. Anyways, we got a tip about the murder that happened last night." My eyes twitched at his words, at this point, he had my undivided attention.

"What do you mean by that? I asked them to get rid of the body." I said through clenched teeth. I really despised it when my men couldn't follow through with simple orders.

"Well... Turns out they didn't and someone called the police this morning when they found the body."

"Let me just show you." He added and pulled out his phone and turned the screen towards me.

A video began to play. I recognized the alley where I had killed that bastard immediately but I had ensured that my men and I avoided any CCTV cameras last night so they couldn't have gotten any evidence to link me with the murder.

"What's this about?" I asked, impatiently.

"Relax and keep watching." Alexio replied, as if on cue, I spotted a young lady walking down into the alley. She seemed to be searching for something, the camera lost sight of her as the darkness enveloped her. I looked up at Alexio, confused, he fast forwarded the video to the part where that same lady ran out of the alley and then paused the video.

"You still don't get it?" He asked. "This video was taken last night, the time matches the time the murder happened and you saw the way she ran back out, she must have seen something that scared her." I looked up sharply at him.

"Have they found her already?" I asked.

"No, but they would soon. Someone sent in the video and I can bet my life that it was Antonio's men. They are seriously searching for her. This morning, my boss asked me to run her through the data base and nothing much came up. She isn't really active on social media, and has no criminal record. The only records we have of her are those from high school and college. She now works in a bookstore. I got her address but when I got there, the whole house had been turned upside down."

"Antonio!" I hissed, he had to be behind this. Alexio nodded.

"My man in the Cappellos house informed me that the girl has not been found, so I have come to inform you that you need to find her. That girl is the only person that can link you to the crime. If she saw you, then she must not end up with Antonio. The police are on the case already but there are no match for your resources and Antonio's."

"Good job Alexio, see if you can slow them down. I would get my men on it immediately." He nodded and left after sharing the footage with me. I sent the video to Marco (my right-hand man) with orders that the girl in the video should be found immediately.

I sank deeper into my seat, my eyes glued on the screen of my laptop as the video continued to play. When the part where she ran out of the alley came on, I paused the video to get a good look at her.

Her hair was kohl-black and it bounced off her shoulders in waves as she ran. She was dressed in a pair of washed out jeans and a baggy shirt that restricted me from getting a good look at her body, but even with the outfit, one could tell that she had a sculpted figure which was twine-thin. I wondered what a woman like her was looking for in the alley last night, but that wasn't the issue now.

If Antonio found her before I did, he would use her against me, he would make a huge case out of last night and watch me take a shameful fall. Antonio Cappello is the leader of the second largest and second most powerful mafia in Verona and he hates that title. He wants to be first and has been at war with me for ages to get that title.

I had hated his gang since birth. Antonio's father had brutally murdered my father right before my eyes and did unspeakable things to my mom. I had fought my way to the top and ensured that I reduced the Cappellos' influence in Verona to second place.

Left to me, I would have totally gotten rid of them, but the Cappellos have built a solid foothold in Verona, a legacy that would take years to topple over.

The rivalry between our gangs has lasted for years and it didn't help matters that the man I had shot last night in the alley is Antonio's only son...

This meant only one thing: WAR! And even though Antonio doesn't have any evidence to prove that it was me, he must know, just like anyone else, that no one in Verona has the balls to kill his son except Dante Marino and he would stop at nothing to make sure that I paid for that.

That's the reason he is after the woman in the video. She is the key to his first step in getting revenge.

But I am not going to let that happen. It's not the war that scares me but the things we both stand to lose if both gangs go to war. The Cappellos bite harder than they bark and I wasn't going to put everything I had built on the line because of a son he raised without manners.