Chapter 1

It was nighttime in Catania, Sicily, but it didn't look it. The rain had barely ceased and the endless chatters of passers-by seemed to harmonise with the loud music playing from the street bars. The streetlights brightened the rowdy footpath as three tall men wearing black shirts and hats that rhymed with the darkness walked hastily. 

"Ehi! Sei Cieco! (Hey! Are you blind?)" A man who looked in his early thirties shouted as he hit his shoulder against the chest of one of the three men. Luca, the third man in question slowly slipped his finger into his pocket. 

"He's drunk! Lets go" the leader, who was in the centre of the three cautioned and Luca bowed his head, resuming his steps. 

 The men paused, they seemed to have gotten to their destination. Their dark figures were cast on the wet ground and the tickles of rain drops splashed against the small puddles of water on the soil. 

 Lorenzo de niro, popularly called Enzo- the Mafian gang leader stood in front of the cream building with baroque architecture style. Its walls and doorways were made of both rough stones and smooth stucco. It was an ancient building with a number of cracks that were only visible if one looked critically. The two other men stood behind him with a black mask covering their faces.

Lorenzo rang the doorbell gently. 

"Yes! I'm coming!" It was the high pitched sound of young girl's voice that answered. The door opened. Lorenzo stared at the young girl that raised up her chin to look at him. She looked about six or seven and was dressed in a pink lengthy gown. She had worn a big smile on her face earlier until she saw their deadpan faces. Her lips gave a thin line now. 

Lorenzo turned his face sideways and bent over to reach her height. 

"Where's Daddy?"

The little girl froze at the silent gush of his breath. 

"Who are you?" She asked with a quivering voice.

"We are daddy's friends." Lorenzo retorted. 

"But I don't know you." She said with eyes beaming with fear and He could see it. He had always trusted in his ability to read the expressions of people. He was empathic and he knew it.

Lorenzo ran his fingers across her chin, "Don't be afraid little one, I Know you"

"Anna!" A young pretty woman who looked in her late twenties called out from behind.

"Mamma" the little girl ran towards the woman as she lifted her up into her arms and kissed her forehead. 

"Who are you?" She asked. 

Lorenzo smirked and walked into the house. The men behind him followed. 

"Where is Paolo?" He asked, his deep Voice sending ounces of shivers down her spine.

"What do you want?"she demanded, taking steps backward. 

"Sorry for the insolence, I can be a bit uncouth sometimes. My name is Lorenzo, a close friend of Paolo" he removed his hat, revealing his black wavy hair that looked like it just got immersed in water. His direct eye contact and warm smile seemed to lessen the tension on her face. Her eyes rolled to the suitcases they were holding in distrust. Lorenzo seemed to notice what her expression meant. 

"I brought a gift for Paolo..." He moved towards a table he had set his eyes on, placed the brief case and opened it. "... See, papers, legal papers," 

The woman let down the young girl she was holding In her arms and held her hand tightly. He wasn't sure if she was still in doubt or not. 

"Paolo didn't tell you about me? About us?...... We work together." He said as he closed the brief case and placed the hat back on his head. 

"I don't remember." She said. He marveled at how bold she was, more marveled at Paolo's Choice of women. 

"I can have a seat, can't I?" He didn't wait for her affirmation. He sat down on one of the firm cushion chairs he saw. ".. comfy" he complimented. 

"Paolo Is out, he'll be back soon." The woman retorted. It seemed like she had already began to welcome him.

"Great. You must be Mia." He said caressing the sofa with his palms.

"Yes, how do you know?" She asked calmly. 

"Mia...." He paused for a second and brought out a pack of cigarettes and his lighter. He removed one and ignited it, placing it between his fingers, into his mouth, and making a puff of smoke. 

"..sorry... Do you smoke?" He asked, offering her a cigarette. He saw She was hesitant, so he returned it back into his pocket.

 " I remember how you looked in that white laced wedding gown at Bologna. It was 6 years ago, when Paolo told us he had found the woman of his dreams."

Mia's eyes widened. "You were there!" She gasped at the realisation. He smiled. "It's sad that I'm welcomed this way, it's no way to treat family, you know. " He said touching his chest as if disappointed. Mia's face brightened immediately. 

"Oh mi dio, I'm so sorry," her lips curved as if she were sober. He chuckled and watched her tell Anna to say her greetings.

"It's fine. I must say, Anna has grown a lot." He said staring at the little girl whom he thought looked just like her father still holding his cigarette.

"Yes." Her face beamed with a smile now. She rushed towards him, ushering the other two men to have their seat, but they refused. 

"It's okay, I bet they are fine." He said, waving his left hand. 

"What can I get you?" She asked

"I'd love a bottle of Barolo please." He said grinning widely and watched her leave to get his requests done. He stood up, with his eyes searching around the paintings on the wall. He walked towards them, caressing the hangings while making a puff of smoke. 

"Bellisimo!" He muttered. 

Mia walked in with a tray that had a bottle of Barolo and a few glass cups. Immediately, Lorenzo put his hands behind his back. 

"Ah!" He marveled at the sight of the drink and walked towards the table. He watched as she poured the wine into one of the cups. He sat down, crossed his left leg over the other and reached out for the wine. As he placed the cup on his lips, the doorbell rang. 

Mia smiled. "He's here." Anna rushed to the door and opened it. She was lifted up in the air by her Father, Paolo who seemed excited to see her. Lorenzo smirked as he sipped the wine. 

The expression on Paolo's face when he set his eyes on Lorenzo was priceless. He quickly let down Anna from his arms and hid her behind him

"Go inside, Anna". He said, fixing his gaze on Lorenzo

 "No, papà" she pleaded

"Ciccio, Your friends are here!" Mia said smiling, adjacent from him. His face looked grave and sad

"Ah! .." he pressed the exhausted cigarette on the tray until it became ashes. "..Look who's here. We've been waiting forever for you!" Lorenzo exclaimed and dropped the cup on the table.

"No. Mia. He's not a friend!.." He yelled and Mia frowned immediately. He turned back to Lorenzo. "... What do you want? Did the Boss send you?" 

Lorenzo heaved a sigh and uncrossed his legs.

"What do I want?.. " he asked and stood up. Paolo wavered, frightened, he clumsily dipped his hands into his back pocket and brought out a gun, aiming at Lorenzo. Swiftly, the men that had escorted Paolo brought out their guns too. Their aims were at paolo. Screams filled the air as Anna ran into her Mother's arms. 

Lorenzo gave a short sardonic laugh as he moved closer to Mia and Anna. Paolo's aim followed his movement.

"What a way to treat an old friend, Paolo, I must say, I'm a bit heartbroken." He said until he reached Mia. Watching her Quiver, he caressed the tip of her long black hair and resumed eye contact with Paolo. 

"If you hurt her, I'm going to kill you Lorenzo!" Paolo threatened. 

"I didn't come for her, Paolo! Don't be a fool! I came for you...." Lorenzo said as he slowly brought out his gun. Mia trembled as he fondled the tip of his gun against her hair.

".... You know one thing the Mafia doesn't forgive? ..." There was silence. "... It's betrayal, Paolo. You're going to make me kill you in front of your sweet little girl."

"What is he saying Paolo? Did you work with the Mafia?" Tears had begun to flow from Mia's eyes..

"No, Ciccio, don't listen to him, it's all lies."Paolo cried out. 

" Oh..."lorenzo moved his lips closer to Mia's ears. "...he didn't tell you?" He laughed and turned to Paolo. " Should I tell her?" He asked sarcastically

"I'm going to blow your brain Lorenzo!" Paolo lashed out and lorenzo gave his evil smile.

"You see, princess, Paolo used to be a member of the Mafia group in Noto. He's worked with us for 15 years now. That's even before he met you. He has killed so many people, women, children, men. Oh, I remember the day he killed a young girl. She pleaded with him but he shot that bullet into her brain. She was looked just like Anna here." 

Mia tightened her grip of Anna, shuddering at his words.  Lorenzo lifted his gun up to Mia's head. 

"Put your gun down, Paolo!" He commanded. 

In a muddle, Paolo pulled the trigger at Lorenzo, but the bullet ran through Mia's chest. A bullet escaped from the guns of one of the men and it hit Paolo's arms. He fell to his knees, the gun, slipping away from his grip

" No!" Paolo bellowed as Mia fell to the ground, releasing Anna from her arms. Anna cried out tapping her mother fiercely. 

Lorenzo walked angrily to him with his gun pointed at his head.

" Any last words Paolo?"

Paolo began to laugh. 

"Fanculo la Mafia (Fuck the mafia)" he cussed out 

Lorenzo pulled the trigger and hot blood gushed out of the bullet hole in his head. The man fell lifeless to the ground and made a loud thump. He used a finger to wipe Paolo's blood that had splashed on his face. The smell of blood had delighted him. 

Anna screamed at the sight of the murder. The man fell on his face and lorenzo stood still, staring at the corpse that laid close to his feet. 

Suddenly, he heard a loud gunshot fired behind him. The crying of the little girl had stopped. He quickly turned back and saw Anna lifeless on the ground. She had been shot too. His eyes moved incessantly to the one who had fired the shots-it was one of the men that had followed him. 

"Luca!" He yelled angrily

"This is not the time to be reckless Capo, she had seen your face already." Luca, Lorenzo's sworn mafian brother said unhesitatingly.

" Sta'Zitto Luca, (shut up). We don't kill Women And children." Lorenzo retorted angrily.

"There's always an exception, Lorenzo" he said straightfaced. 

"I'm the captain now, and here! . Stolto!(fool)"he  shouted.

"I'm not going to let you do things shabbily Capo!" He said as he put the gun back in its place. Lorenzo points his gun at Luca's forehead. Luca didn't flinch. He slowly moved his aim to the left part of his chest- his heart.

"The next time you do this, I'll break your heart, Luca." He threatened giving him a death glare. There was silence in the atmosphere for a minute  Lorenzo de-cocked his gun and put it behind him. 

"We should leave now." He continued as he grabbed his brief case and walked out. The two other men followed.