Angelo

Donning a three-piece black Fendi suit he added a blood red tie, not his usual style but for some reason he felt like it was fitting for the evening ahead. He didn't go out to events unless his business called him there to make contacts or bribe some officials, so this evening was unusual and felt foreign to him.

He straightened himself and headed for the door to his suite, he walked down the long hallway and the maids and guards nodded to him in respect as he walked past attending to their duties.

His head maid who had also been his nanny after his mother had passed was waiting at the front door beside his driver. Esther was now in her late sixties and although he had gifted her a million-dollar apartment, she never left his side, she refused to retire, and he was grateful as she had been like a mother to him for all those years.

As he descended the stairs he saw her smiling at him, it looked like she knew more about the evening ahead than he did.

"What are you and Luca up to?" He asked as he stood beside her.

Esther smiled calmly and helped Angelo wear his long black coat, she then faced him and straightened his tie. "I know your world is about to change and for that I will be thankful."

Angelo rolled his eyes, "Temporarily." He murmured.

"What will be will be and I look forward to hearing little feet running about these halls again." Esther let go of his tie and pushed him out the door. These days only Esther could order him about and she took full advantage of it.

"Davide." Angelo acknowledged him and walked towards his armoured matte black Knight XV SUV.

His car was one of a kind as there are only 100 vehicles in the world. This SUV does nothing to hide its statement of bulletproof SUV and also do not allow anyone to know its power until required. It has a military grade design built for protection.

His old Audi A8 had been blown in the incident from a few months ago up so he upgraded, and this SUV certainly made a statement.

During the journey he worked through emails and soon he arrived at his destination, he sighed and put away his phone. Never having gone to an art gallery he didn't know what to expect but this art gallery although it was prestigious from the outside it seemed very out of the ordinary, he knew he would only stand out here and standing out meant danger. But he enjoyed the thrill, if the rat tried again, he would grin while he strangled the last breath out of him.

A knock at the door disturbed his thoughts, it was Luca and beside him stood his wife Elena.

Angelo nodded to Davide and Davide got out and opened the door for him. He stood six foot six inches tall and fixed his suit.

"Davide stay close, I won't be long." Angelo remarked and walked towards the gallery.

Luca chuckled and held his lovely wife close, "This is going to be an interesting evening."

Angelo heard his friend mutter.

Elena giggled at her husband, he had filled her in on the details of the evening and if all went to plan her new artist friend would soon be like a sister-in-law. She would finally have some company and a good friend to go out with, rather than the fake wives wearing piles of makeup and the mistresses of the other men.

Once inside the gallery Angelo glanced around at the paintings, they seemed quite dark in theme, and he was surprised that they were actually to his taste. Luca and Elena joined his side.

"Oh, look there is Raven." Elena whispered to her husband pointing in the direction of the far wall.

Angelo had read the leaflet more times than he could count trying to figure out why this woman was perfect in Luca's eyes. The artist's name was left off the leaflet and he could not find out anything bar her logo of a black bird; she was an enigma he was determined to work out.

As his eyes landed on a man in a flamboyant blue suit his eyes moved lower to a pair of emerald eyes, those eyes burned like fire in his heart. Her long wavy jet-black hair looked so soft he longed to run his hands through it. He was stunned he knew those eyes that captivated him.

"La mia alba." Angelo whispered.

Now the logo made sense it wasn't any black bird but his Raven.

As their eye met they went wide and before he could do anything he saw her turn and flee. He smiled genuinely for the first time in a long time and took off after her. The chase was on, she had always surprised and thrilled him.

He had never chased after anyone in his life but her, he never thought he would again but here he was sprinting after her slight frame through the gallery exit and down an alley way.