1 Chapter 1

Coming from another successful mission onboard a jet-black Eurocopter, fanning its way through the clear skies of Sicily en route Chateau Rafael Gabriel Massimo, was Deloria Rafael. She watches from the spectacular aerial view of the sprawling country home, guarded by heavily armed personnel along with their leashed German Shepherds, pawing around every turn and corner of the Mansion, including the site of the Olympic size swimming pool, the carport, the evergreen gardens and the vast ranch-like open fields, rolling eternally to nowhere; typically of a Mafia's living quarters.

The young lady alighted; a markswoman of immense efficiency, freshly out of the Defence Academy. Clutching a file close to her chest, and moved hurriedly but cautiously away from the Helicopter's blades that beat her hair in all directions so that it looks like a wheat field being lashes at by a severe wind storm.

Deloria has a glowing career working for the Italian Secret Agent. She was handed another lucrative contract by a drug lord, the leader of a formidable drug syndicate, and a successful business magnate named Epifany Rocco DeAngelo, popularly known as Don Rocco, as a hired assassin, for her excellent application of the rifle to what it was made for. A contract that had brought her a faster 'growth' rate than a bacteria. As a result of this, she was responsible for so many deaths and disappearances of people, including Lazarus, the closest friend to Don Rocco's son, Alessandro, to whom she was betrothed since she was a kid. A secrete neatly concealed and kept away from him.

With the wealthy kind of father she has, Deloria Rafeal Gabriel needs not go to work, but she does anyway, just for the fun derived from it. She has defied the long line being formed, consisting of those ardently wanting to date her: the famous, the all-powerful and the influential in Rome, but has managed to turn them down for Alessandro, the only one she has an eye on.

Going somewhere exotic to spend her off day from work with her lover as a Pat-on-the-back for herself after a job well done at work has been on her mind. But firstly, she needed a 'me time,' at least, for a day or two before going off on that love spree adventure in that super Yacht languishing at the Marina, even if it means hoarding herself from her loved ones.

Don Rocco was fortunate in life to own everything money could buy but one thing eluded him, even with his riches: an heir apparent. At 50, he had a son with his newly acquired wife with which there exists a stretch of the generational difference between them, he named him Alessandro. That day, Sicily stood still for him. At the age of Twelve, there was an arranged marriage between Alessandro Epifany and Deloria Rafael, the daughter of his aristocratic friend. They grew up to know no one as their best friend but themselves.

At the age of 25, his father decides it was time he got engaged to Deloria, his betrothed and take over from him the reigns of the Epifany business dynast. The idea was sickening to Alessandro, it gave him the impression his life was being lived for him by his father, and so decides to follow the unbeaten part to find what is rightfully his and escape being trapped in an imposed relationship, and maybe, just maybe, return him to that happy and fulfilled him that he once was.

Deloria walked to her apartment and undressed and immersed in warm bubbly water in the bathtub and let down her hair.

A swift-footed man wearing dark sunglasses stepped out of a Bugatti LA Voiture Noir and took to the staircase leading to the main entrance of the Rafeals but was halted by a stern-looking guard. After a brief verbal exchange, he was allowed entry. The young man was Alessandro Epifany De Angelo, son of a wealthy Sicilian Mafia.

Alessandro is impressive, like a god; highly intelligent and laden with blue eyes and long blonde hair that sweeps over his shoulders. Born and brought up in the decadence of opulence, glamour and the dark but dangerous life of the Mafia Umpire.

He went straight away to Deloria's bed-chamber. with the house help behind him, trying in vain to get his attention to notify him of her mistress' unavailability but he wouldn't listen. Alessandro rapped on the door, again and again even though the doorbell button was visible even unto the blind. Delorea opened her eyes wearily and wondered who it could be. It seems her plans to have a sweet downtime alone will not be possible.

The door opened, revealing her slender feminine figure, halfway nude to her guest. She lets him in and shuts the door behind her. It is a spacious room; exquisitely furnished to a gold standard, with large Gothic windows left ajar, covered with transparent cream coloured curtains that ripple beautifully from the effect of the breeze.

Alessandro has been wordless since he entered the room, just standing before the window, admiring the homely sceneries further afield. Deloria walks to him with an air of a princess and laid her velvety hands on his broad hairy chest then breaks the silence by asking him what the matter was. "You are close, yet distant and cold that I cannot reach you. Whatever the matter is, keep it aside let's have fun, my soul yearns for you."

"Deloria," he said, turning his attention from the window and now looking into her eyeballs, then removed her hands away from his chest tenderly and placed them where they belong. "I have concluded not to go ahead with the marriage earlier announced by our parents," he said. Delorea was half paralysed and half crushed to pieces. Her heart pumps faster in a tumultuous beat. "Why?" She asked, full of sorrow.

"It's a personal decision," he replied. "Alessandro," she said, "you cannot alone take a unanimous decision to undo what had been signed and sealed by our parents a long time ago, can you?" "Yes I can," he said, "the deal was only binding on me when I was a child and couldn't think right for myself, therefore, subject to a review now that I can think for myself. I reserve absolute right to choose the woman am going to spend the rest of my life with,"

presently Alessandro appeared more threatening than ever before causing Delorea to bounce away from him like a frightened gazelle to a healthy distance and then plunged herself back into the jacuzzi, boiling with fury. Notwithstanding, Deloria acted with grace.

There are two sides to Deloria like a coin, the tail, showing the vulnerable side of her: tenderly and completely defenceless when she was around her man, and the head, when displaying her real self on duty: lethal, brutal and unforgiving Osprey that she was.

"I have enlisted myself into the Seminary so I can live a life of a Celibate to fulfil my dream of becoming a priest," he continued. "Alessandro, you must be out of your mind; on a normal condition you wouldn't air such ceptic words to me." But Alessandro repeated what he had told her earlier to confirm to her he was in his right senses and not under the influence of stimulants in any way. His words prickled her to the core of her soul and could no longer put on that air of superiority she wore at the first encounter. She breaks into tears, simmering inwardly with anger and regrets.

"Enough of that Alessandro!" She yelled, " you no longer have single human feelings left in you; I have seen this coming," she said, "that unwavering attention accorded to me back in the days is no longer there and I told myself that something was not right. Now, my fears have come to pass. Alessandro, you know what? Am letting you be, at least for now, not because you are nuts too hard for me to crack, but because I want you to make love to me." She said this while coming out of the bath, wrapped in an immaculate white towel. Before she could step out of the tub, Alessandro was a few steps away from the door, paying little attention to her. Delorea called out to him with that sexy Italian accent saying: "Alessandro my love, turn around and see what you are about to leave behind for the Hermitage," letting off the wrap around her groins fall on the slippery floors. The revelation before him was firmly pointed breast like a baby pumpkin, silky smooth skin and burning thighs that would make any made up mind change its decision.

Alessandro's throat clicked from taste, and his whole being went weak like a spell was cast upon him.

Delorea has a way of taming her occasional wild lover with that tranquillizing weapon of a body she has despite him having canal knowledge of her. Alessandro moved back to her slowly, as if pulled by some kind of invisible forces, while Delorea waits longingly, biting her lower lip, waiting to fall passionately into her man's arms. Alessandro seized her supple watery body and squeezed her voraciously like he was milking an udder. She reciprocated the gesture by throwing her arms around his neck and jumped over his massive structure and clung tightly, with her two legs wounded around his waist while he kissed her indiscriminately on her neck and chest. She drops her head backwards so that her curly hair nearly sweeps the floor. He then moved her gently towards the direction of the massive bed, and then suddenly, as if the forces controlling him has left him. Alessandro let go of her iron grip and dropped her like a hot ball of fire on the bed. "Would you like to explain to me the reasons behind the special bond between you and my fatherer?" Delorea was gripped with fear and her heart fled into her mouth. With this, Alessandro walks away, leaving her more confused than before with a mountain of food for thought to work on.