Chapter One
Caroline Turner snaked through the alleyways of New York.Dark.dingy and cluttered would be a great description of them. She tried to still her breathing as she weaved through different allies and blocks. She begged her heart to still she could hear over the click clacking of her black heels. She was trying to hear him as well.
She was being tailed. She could see charcoal figures and shapes following on the side of the buildings as she weaved in and out praying she was wrong.
She'd just moved here less than two weeks prior from Detroit, Michigan. God, she was so stupid. Detroit wasn't anywhere as big or dangerous as New York. Even though she'd seen her fair share of victims in the hospital she'd worked at. Lord knows she'd helped her fair share of gangsters and rum runners deal with shot and stab wounds.
She had gotten off a particularly hectic and bloodied night. Seven men in total. They'd only saved three. All shot several times by a Thomas gun. Something to do with a raid gone wrong. She had tried to eavesdrop with the other nurses as the men talked in their morphine induced state. They were now being guarded by the cops. Caroline wasn't sure who owned them but she prayed for their sakes that they would make it through the night, no assassinations. The head nurse told her not to hold her breath.
The pounding of her heart and shoes got louder and the allies smaller. Caroline panicked, she was lost in New York city. She wondered briefly if the man stalking her had to do with tonight. Maybe any witnesses were to be hunted down? She shook her head. She wasn't in Detroit...that was the point.
"Oh God, please." She prayed. A good catholic girl at heart she earnestly prayed God was awake at one a.m. to hear her. " Please, God anyone, please." She gripped her black felt closer to her slim body and picked up the pace. Maybe if she sounded distressed someone would pay attention. No one was on this street. She was on a main street with shops long closed, except one club. The bright lights flashing, all was quiet but she'd have to do something soon. She was in unfamiliar territory.
She looked behind her and saw a figure approaching enough too see what he was wearing but still far enough away to not see a face. She had a feeling she wouldn't be alive to give the cops a description of her attacker if she didn't move right now!
She could with his face down and hat covering up his visage. She bolted for the club. The bouncer looked concerned as she approached running toward him out of breathe but Caroline knew what to do. She flashed her megawatt smile and twisted a blonde curl that hung down to her clavicle.
"Any chance a girl could get a drink before closing?" She asked sweetly. She was surprised at the steadiness of her voice. He smiled and knocked on the door. The thick wooden door opened as the smell of liquor poured out into the street. She flashed him another grin and squeezed his arm as she glided past hoping her unknown stalker wasn't brave enough to follow.
She didn't care about anything other than easing her nerves as she approached the bar and tossed her purse on the counter before plopping down on a bar stool. She didn't care if it was lady-like or not. Her heart was pounding like a hangover.
She caught sight of her reflection in the mirror behind the bartender and fixed her hair and placed her curls back up nice and tidy. She was grateful for a drink. Even if she wasn't sure where she was or how she was getting home. Hopefully the bartender could give her some directions to get home.
____________________Luca's POV______________________________________________
"Slow night" that's what Matteo had said. I had been in the back having meetings with other Mafia heads and meeting with families in need of assistance of one kind or another. Wasn't slow for me but watching him count the money, bad night would have been more accurate. Geez, how many people did we have tonight? Five or six was my guess, no point in even being open.
