Sergio Agosta was a killer who hid behind a charming smile - but a killer nonetheless. He'd learnt the hard way that actions always had consequences. Which was why he was going after the one thing that would be his one and only shot at revenge - the...
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I watched with bated breath as Gianna's head bobbed up and down in response to my question. I don't think I'd ever get tired of her zeal in life and her childlike innocence when it came to things like this. Some would say that she was a fool to have trusted me so easily - even through the smallest of gestures like clinging onto my hand and never letting go. But to me, it meant the world. It meant that she trusted me enough to be vulnerable with me. I only wish I could do the same with her. Betrayals by some of the people closest to me had hardened me. I closed myself off from people as a result, no longer a fan of the sting of pain that those betrayals brought me.
I lead her inside, passing through the archway as I heard her sharp intake of breath behind me. The Duomo di Monreale really was quite a sight. After being named a UNESCO World Heritage site all those years ago, the number of tourists in the city of Palermo had increased exponentially. Several people flocked to the cathedral between the months of June and August. It was currently November here - which meant that it was the off season and that there were fewer people milling about. Just perfect for me to show Gianna around.
The reason why I had brought her here wasn't that, though. This cathedral held a different significance for the both of us. For me, this is where my life ended and where hers began. My Zio had been killed in this exact same cathedral when he had eloped with the woman of his dreams to come here and get married. A bitter taste rose up my throat as I thought back to the night when we had all found out. Nonna had been absolutely devastated to hear about the death of the youngest of her two sons, her patatino. Father had been calm and completely unfazed by the death of his only brother, going as far as to ordering take out on a day when we were supposed to be mourning the loss of someone close to us. I, however, had been shocked. For the next six months after Zio Sebas' death, I was numb, only going to school because I had to. If I had to pinpoint one turning point in my life, it would have been done. Everything I did back then seemed almost mechanical. Ironically, that was also when I joined my father and started working for him, knowing that I would make it my life mission to find my zio's killer.
Fast forward to 7 years later and I had the name of the man that had single handedly ruined my childhood and adolescent years. Abramo Ricci. It honestly felt like the universe was laughing at me since his daughter happened to be the one person that I had slowly started to care about. It wasn't supposed to happen. There were many times during the weeks that Gianna had been living with me when I had thought of letting her go - thought that we were slowly entering into dangerous territory. But it was too late now. All I saw was her. And I'd rather kill myself before I let her go. She was stuck with me - although she didn't know that. Yet.
My phone vibrated in my pocket as I pulled it out, expecting to find Luca's name on the screen. The name Officer Evans kept flashing before he finally disconnected the call and my phone went black. Merda. Vittoria really was going all out with her threat. Seemed like she was hell bent on getting her daughter back. I had ties back in London obviously, thanks to my several businesses and how generously I helped and funded the London police department. The moment I had spotted Evans 2 years ago at a gala, I had instantly known that we'd be friends rather than foes. That's exactly why he had called me in the car. Apparently, Vittoria - Gianna's mum - had been filing complaint after complaint, no matter how many times they rejected it and told her that Gianna came under the "missing person" cases that they were investigating. Investigating, my foot. Those cases basically meant that the police had given up or had been forcefully told to shut their mouths and not investigate.
