Prologue

I start counting the seconds it took to clear the constant ringing in my ears. I felt my chest move with my ragged breathing but still couldn't hear a thing. I caught movement from my periphery. I moved slowly and steadied my breathing. Keeping an eye on the figure making sure I didn't get caught.

I moved to a stack of pallets that laid close to the exit. As I approached them, I felt a hot buzz fly by my face. The wood from one of the pallets splintered scattering to the floor. The bullet casing fell to the floor.

"Shit" they saw me!

This was my only chance to get through the exit. I didn't even glance at the person who fired the gun. I shot up from my crouched position and lunged towards the exit. My flight instinct taking over all of my senses. 

I practically made it out until I felt a rough hand yank me back by my arm twisting it behind my back. I've been in this position many times untwisting myself from the vise was easy the hard part was figuring out how to escape the highly skilled men that surrounded me. 

No time to think, I did what I was taught to do. 

Survive.

Untwisting myself from the vice, I yanked my arm throwing the man over my shoulder. The sound of his body crashing to the floor ricochet through the walls. A whoosh came out of his mouth followed by a groan.

I pulled out a dagger from my boot and impaled the hand that grabbed me to the floor. His screams filled the emptiness of the room, signaling me to move. 

I ran and skidded as another man tried to grab me. I pulled out another dagger from my thigh. Slicing at the hand that tried to approach me. 

"Fucking Bitch"! He screamed. 

My focus was to get through the exit. I knew once I stepped out of this maze of murderous men. I would have a better chance of escaping. 

I ran the opposite direction from the exit trying to confuse the enemy. As soon as I had most of the entourage running away from the exit. I knew this time I would make it out.

Another bullet bounced off the floor. They weren't trying to kill me they were trying to capture me. In my world being caught was worse than dying. So I did the unexpected. I ran towards the swarm of enemies that wanted me dead.

I jump kicked the first two men and twisted my body away from the hands that tried to grab me. I elbowed a guy in the nose and punched the guy who popped up next to him. I found an opening as soon as I shoved and kicked one of them upon several men making them fall over like dominoes . I ran making my way to the exit sliding through the last guy that blocked the entrance, aiming at his Achilles so that he had no chance of coming after me. His scream filled the stairwell as his body hit the floor.

I Finally made it out and ran down the flight of stairs only to come face to face with the man that I swore I would kill.

Dark blue eyes met mine taking me back to the past. Memories of people crying and screaming flooded my mind, my body lighting up with an intense rage. 

The person before me was a psychotic, cold-blooded, lying piece of shit that did not deserve to exist. I swore vengeance for the innocent people he coldly murdered. 

This man would soon find out what pain was. Every wound he inflicted would be returned to him without mercy. I would be the one who would destroy his world like he destroyed mine. Every scream, every tear and endless agony will be drained from this man's body. I swore it in front of the graves of the dead. I would be his judge and prosecutor. His life now belonged to me. 

His eyes scanned my face his rage prominent on his face. How many months has it been since he last saw me. His eyes bored into me like if he was searching for a lost treasure. 

I scoffed because I knew what he was looking for. The innocent stupid girl he once knew that no longer existed. The girl he killed the night he decided to become my enemy. 

"Elisabetta"! His rough stern voice surrounded and engulfed me like a cloak. My skin crawled with disgust as my name spilled out of his mouth. 

"You have no right to say my name" I seethed.

He narrowed his eyes at me clearly disliking my tone. No one offends a Don, unless you had a death wish. I on the other hand didn't have a life to give. I was only a shell of a human, a walking corpse with only one mission. To eradicate his existence.

He took a step forward. As I took a step back. My heart palpating with adrenaline. He took another step holding his gaze to mine daring me to move another step. Entrapped by his eyes and the power that he held over me. He inched closer and closer my body frozen with intimidation. His rage dissipating with every step realizing that my body still reacted to his commands. 

"Come to me Elisabetta. His hand reached out like a gentleman waiting for his woman to walk down a staircase. My traitorous body automatically moved towards him remembering the life we once had. Entranced by this beautiful man I took the first step down. Forgetting why I had started this war with him, the war he was sure I would loose. A shuffle and groan from the exit I ran out of broke the enchantment that made my logical thinking into mush. I looked at Giovanni and I looked at the exit that I came out from. I was surrounded. No way out. 

Giovanni smirked knowingly. Tired of waiting, Giovanni started coming up the few steps that remained.

"Stop Gio, if you come any closer. I will kill you! I spurted those words with all the hatred I held in my heart towards him. Giving me the opportunity to think of a way out.

He stopped mid step and stared at my soul only to laugh at my affirmation like it was a joke.

My heart thrummed at the sound of his laugh. Memories of two beautiful souls filled with love and innocence flooded my vision. A smile that could woo any woman, the tentative kisses that electrified my body. The warmth of his body seeped to my very core. The love, friendship and bond we created over time now buried. Trust, loyalty and respect the three sacred words we lived by. Now torn and burned to ashes simply because I chose to believe in lies disguised as love. 

"Stop playing this game Elisa. You belong to me! He said it with pride and no drop of remorse. "I let you get away once but this time there will be no way out"! His eyes burned fiercely with the promise that I knew he could make come true if I allowed him to. 

"You and me forever until death do us apart". He repeated our promise to one another stabbing me in the depth of my heart that held the love that I held for us but now shrouded in guilt and hatred. I reminded myself that this man didn't deserve my love. I would rather die than give him what little dignity I had left. 

The damage was too severe to go back to what we once were. If I got caught by this man my days would be filled with endless torture. I backed up to several steps getting closer to where the groan came from. Giovanni stopped in his tracks and glared. He shook his head with irritation plastered on his face. 

I looked around hoping for a way out but ended up with a dead end. My time is running out if I don't find a way out I'll never see the light of day again. Disappointment and grief started to well up in my heart. I started to bite on my lower lip, a nervous tic that has been with me since I can remember. I went through every possible outcome to try to escape but none guaranteed me a way out. I turned to see if I had missed any possible opportunity when a piece of metal shinned through the window from a container that sat outside on the concrete floor.

Desperation melted away from my body and realization that I had found my way out settled in my gut. 

I looked at Giovanni straight in his eyes. Awareness prickling the air and confusion constricting Gio's face. He saw my realization in my eyes, concern evident in his face. He knew he was about to loose me once again. He ran up the steps but he was too late. I was faster than he was.

"Go to hell"! I shouted with victory emitting from my voice.

The statement surprised him and his eyes surprised me more. He was hurt by my words. My heart wanted to feel guilty but my anger snuffed out the feeling. With no time on hand I reacted before he could reach me. 

I jumped on top of the rail. And sprung off of it wrapping my face with my arms and embracing the impact of the glass. As I hit the glass a series of cuss words were screamed as I flew out the window. 

I didn't remember how high I was until I looked down. I was more than six stories high and all that met me on the ground was concrete. If I hit the ground I knew I was going to die. 

A fire exit with stairs embedded on the wall was at arms length. I reached out and grabbed the railing my body hitting the iron with full force. Dangling from the railing I tried to breath through gritted teeth as the air in my lungs rushed out upon impact and adrenaline took over my body. 

A wave of pain shot down my arm. Blood trickled down. I didn't remember ever being shot. I looked up at the window that I jumped out of. Hector, Gio's right hand man aimed a gun at me. I didn't have the strength to pull myself up. A wave of nausea assaulted my stomach and shot up my throat. I gulped it down as a rush of devastation flooded my mind.

This was it I didn't fulfill my revenge. I am going to die. As anxiety and desperation to live clawed at me my vision started to blur. My grip on the railing started to loosen. 

I can't die! I can't die! I can't die! I kept repeating these words in my mind. My mantra to continue on living. I have to finish what I started was all that went through my mind. 

I relaxed and I started to control my breathing. I needed to concentrate. I heard a commotion at the bottom but couldn't see nothing or hear what they were saying. 

The pain in my arm was increasing. I didn't know how much longer I could hang on. 

I felt it before I could hear it. Another bullet hit my leg making me wince and recoil with pain. This time I couldn't bear the pain I let go of the railing.

I felt the wind caress my body as I fell several stories. My heart ached with sorrow and guilt for failing. 

Tears flew up and away from my face as my vision started to darken. Blue eyes met my half hooded eyes, extending his hand out the window as if he could reach me. His mouth was moving but no sound came out. 

My mind blanked as the darkness surrounded me. Never feeling my body hit the ground I settled to the silent yet peaceful darkness. The darkness started to fade as a shimmer of light emerged and two figures walked towards me.

My heart constricted as familiar faces looked at me. Tears welled up in my eyes, as the pain,guilt and revenge that marred my heart for what seemed like an eternity left like it never existed.

"Mamma, papa!! ". I ran towards them. Embracing them pleading that this was not a dream. Hoping that I could stay in this moment for ever.

"I'm sorry"!! I sobbed into their arms. "I'm sorry I couldn't save you"! I cried all the resentment and hate out of my soul. The guilt that gnawed at me day and night for not being able to save them from death evaporated releasing me from this never ending nightmare that tainted me with darkness. 

I was finally free.