Chapter 1 The Beginning

• "By Giovanna Carcione"
• since I returned to Palermo a few days ago, my cousin Sofia has been determined to show me life beyond the walls of the boarding school; that normalcy that most girls my age experience. Even with the heightened security around us, she managed to take me to a trendy club in Cefalù to enjoy a carefree night.
• However, the sense of freedom I experienced, recently began to dissipate giving way to a deep restlessness. During a fight close where we were, Sofia disappeared and I could no longer find her.
• Gathering courage, I decide to leave the club to start my search. I walked through the busy streets, asking strangers if they have seen her. Some shook their heads negatively, others barely paid attention.
• As time passes, I realize that I am getting further and further away from the club and the bustling areas. I decide to give up and look for a taxi to go back home, but being far from the intense movement, the night is strangely silent.
• "Great idea, Giovanna!" I murmur as I try to return to the club. "Lost and alone! If you didn't die a few years ago, your father would certainly kill you when you ask for help to come back!"
• As I walk, I see a car starting to move slowly beside me. A shiver runs down my spine, making me pick up the pace. The window of the vehicle opens and a man starts speaking in a loud tone.
• "You seem lost, signorina. Can I help you?"His voice is soft, but his icy blue eyes, cold and penetrating, immediately lock me in. "Come, I'll take you to your destination."
• "No... no, I'm fine," I reply, feeling my voice trembling. "Thank you..."
• "I insist, cutie. It doesn't make sense for you to keep walking alone around here. The night can be dangerous, you know?"
• The stranger's invitation increases my discomfort even more. My instincts insist that I run, but something paralyzes me, a mixture of vulnerability and uncertainty about how to escape this situation.
• Before I can react, he abruptly brakes the car, catching my attention. My steps falter and panic takes hold of me when I see him get out of the vehicle and approach me. Each of his steps resonates like a sinister echo in the silence of the night. I feel cornered, with nowhere to go.
• "Don't worry, cutie. I'll take you to a safe place," he smiles, but his blue eyes remain as cold as ice. The smell of alcohol on his breath is evident. "And I'm sure you'll like it."
• Before I have a chance to look for an escape route around me, he grabs me by the waist with a force that leaves me breathless. I struggle to free myself, but my efforts are in vain against his relentless strength.
• With a sudden movement, he forcefully throws me into the car. I feel the impact against the seat and my breathing quickens as the door slams shut.
• "You should have accepted my help, sweetheart. Now you will learn the hard way possible.” He shouts as he drives away.
• As if enjoying my fear, the man laughs as he sees me trying to open the door countless times. Fear and a sense of helplessness cloud my thoughts, making it almost impossible to react.
• After long minutes that seem like an eternity in the face of this psychological torture, in a moment of clarity, I remember my purse thrown at my feet. However, before I have a chance to open it, he forcefully snatches it from my hand and throws it on the back seat.
• "It’s not time to put on makeup, sweetheart. " he says, sliding his hand to my knee and giving me a quick glance before returning his attention to the traffic. When his fingers reach my thigh, I hold on firmly and shrink away to escape his touch.
• "Please, take me back." I plead, almost in a whisper. He lets out another laugh and shakes his head, as if hearing a joke.
• "No way, the night is just beginning for the two of us."
• In a moment of clarity, seeing him turn into a dark street, I lift both legs and start kicking him with force. In response, he parks the car and I immediately feel a burning sensation on my face from the strong slap he delivers. I involuntarily close my eyes when I hear a loud buzzing in my ear and taste blood in my mouth.
• "I wanted to be a gentleman, you know... " He murmurs. The fingers of one hand intertwined in my hair, pressing my head forcefully against the back of the seat, while the other, slides between my knees, pushing the seat back with brutality. "Take you to a nice place, treat you with a little courtesy and then fuck you all night. But since you want to play hard to get, I'll put that aside and do it right here."
• "Please..."
• "Shh... Silence! You're more attractive this way, quiet."
• For what seems like an eternity, I tried to free myself from his touches, in vain. His heavy body on mine immobilized me instantly. After minutes of this torture, I am forced to pretend to give up for him to loosen his pressure on me.
• When the hand that held my wrists above my head let’s go/ released me and goes where it shouldn't; I slide my hand towards the back seat. In a mix of fear in the face of his increasingly invasive touches and relief at finding my purse, in a quick movement, I finally manage to grab my gun.
• Gathering the last reserves of strength, I pulled the trigger and press the gun against his stomach. In fractions of a second, between him realizing the object and reacting, I shoot.
• With his abrupt movement, the gun I received from my father a few months ago falls to the ground, but I don't even bother to look for it.
• The heavy raindrops soaking my hair mix with the tears running down my face. I feel my legs trembling and the run seems more challenging with each step, but the instinct for survival compels me to ignore the fatigue.
• The fear that what I did may not have been enough, forces me to seek shelter under one of the parked cars on the dark street. I have no idea where I am. The only certainty I have is that I urgently need to hide if I still want a chance to get out of here alive.
• With my hand over my mouth, I desperately try to stifle the sobs that seem to have no end, while the images of the previous minutes resurface in my mind like an arrow shot, with no possibility of return.
• The glow of the slowly approaching car lights brings me back to reality. I sigh deeply, wishing I had kept even more absolute silence.
• I am mentally relieved when the vehicle passes straight by me. In the apparent quiet that follows, I gather my strength to leave my hiding place.
• Walking with determination, I desperately search for an escape route. But upon hearing another car approaching, I feel compelled to run again.
• After a few meters, I came across the small side wall of a church. Without hesitation, I decided to jump and hide. "Maybe the priest can help me," I murmur. "And I hope God forgives me for invading His sanctuary at this hour of the night, dressed this way, but I have no other choice."
• With determination, I push open the heavy church door and enter, panting. I look around, noticing the empty space, except for a man kneeling in the first pew, near the altar. I do my best to minimize the noise, but the wooden door betrays me when it meets the other, generating a sound that echoes through the room.
• I realize I am in enemy territory when the man stares at me, noticing my presence. He licks the corner of his mouth and makes the sign of the cross before standing up.
• His intense blue eyes do not waver for a second from me as he approaches in slow steps. I swallow hard, observing the imposing figure of the man in front of me.
• Disheveled brown hair, carefully trimmed beard that highlights his clenched jaw, and an expression of exhaustion. It is undeniable how attractive he is. As charming as he is dangerous, especially for me, who carries the surname of his rival family.
• By instinct, as Matteo Villani, the newly proclaimed Don of La Tempesta, approaches a few meters from me, I take two steps back and turn to run again. However, when my fingers wrap around the doorknob, the sound of the trigger freezes my movements.
• "Not so fast, ragazza," he says, in an ironic tone. Just a few steps are enough to feel his hand grab my arm, turning me sharply in his direction. "Don't be rude and look at me!"
• "Please..." I whisper, with a trembling voice. "I just want to go home!"
• "What are you doing here? You are far from home, in territory that does not belong to you..."
• "I'm sorry! I... I shouldn't be here."
• "In that, I agree," the Don replies, squeezing my arm even tighter when I try to break free. "I thought I was tired, but now, in the face of your audacity, I see that I am far from it."
• "Please! I'm sure you don't want a new problem between us."
• "Rules are rules, ragazza. You have just violated a very important one between us, and your father would do the same in my place. I hope the women of Sovranità are as resilient as the men, because our night is just beginning."