23

Still unaccustomed to flying helicopters, I watched as we passed over the Emerald Isle again and I could appreciate the morning sea view again. However, it was a bit cloudy that day.

We turned away from the island to see other smaller islands and the red roofs of the buildings of Venice, Italy, appearing in the distance.

We got off at a small island where there was a heliport and then boarded a motor boat, which took us out to sea towards the interior of Venice.

I was enchanted by the wonderful views of Venice's ancient and colorful buildings. The water canals that surrounded the city, full of boats and gondolas carrying people everywhere.

The city was alive early in the morning and the people around seemed to be from different regions and countries.

We stopped somewhere and walked along with two bodyguards, and one of them was Fernando.

Mauro was the tour guide for me, unfortunately, as I had no news of Dante and would not be able to enjoy the trip with him anyway.

"We will go for breakfast and then we will meet Dante; at the moment he is in a meeting with my father and some people," Mauro said out of the blue, while he saw a huge basilica and people were enjoying the surroundings, so happy, as if traveling was the best of things.

My situation was different.

"You don't have to cover up anything. I already know that Dante is a dangerous mobster just like your father and you," I watched him impatiently out of the corner of my eye, "The only difference between them and you is that they have the ability to do things from the front, not from behind, like you. You're a coward and that's why Dante solves your problems," I objected annoyed, "Selling your girlfriend to solve your problems, you're clearly not the son Leonardo Di Marco expects you to be.

He tensed his jaw in annoyance and I held up a hand as soon as he was about to throw himself at me.

"Careful what you do, Mauro, you don't know what's behind this beautiful city and this expressionless face," I warned and walked away towards the eating places I saw along the streets.

After an Italian breakfast, where I tried for the first time Cicchetti, a typical Venetian food, along with a cup of coffee and the small glass of white wine that came with the Cicchetti. For dessert a delicious tiramisu, in a bar near St. Mark's Square.

"Mr. Di Marco informed that he will see you at St. Mark's Basilica, so Miss Lawrens can get to know the basilica," Fernando said, arriving at our side. I smiled at once and rose from my chair, thanking the waiter for the food and mindlessly followed my bodyguard.

For some reason I was eager to see Dante and to see a new place.

We arrived at a huge building with an old infrastructure, through which we had passed before. However, upon entering, we were asked to leave our belongings in some lockers, since it was forbidden to take pictures inside the place.

That seemed strange to me, but in any case, I didn't even have a cell phone.

The walls, floor and ceiling had pictures painted all over the place, just as the color gold predominated everywhere. I didn't even know where to look; it was beautiful and artistic.

I didn't understand anything of what those present were saying or what those drawings represented, but I tried to pretend I was just another tourist and not the girl who was sold to the black market.

It was the only good thing about being kidnapped; finally getting to know the country I once wished to visit for Mauro. However, now it was for me.

"If you don't mind, I'm going to tour the basilica alone," I informed Mauro, before walking away from him in the opposite direction.

We were in a closed place, with many strangers, without any communication and the last thing I wanted was to be with him.

"But Dante...," I walked away even faster when I heard voice and pretended I didn't hear.

I walked for a while together with Fernando, who never left my side like a guard dog and sometimes I wondered if he really liked his job; being behind a woman all the time as if she was going to run away, it must be exhausting.

"Sorry I'm going to be rude but wasn't Signorina Lawrens Mauro Di Marco's girlfriend?" my bodyguard asked out of the blue and I looked at him in surprise.

"Like you said?

"Vedo il tipo di fiducia che osi prendere, Fernando (I see the kind of confidence you dare to take, Fernando)," my attention went straight to Alessandro, who was arriving next to Dante.

My heart gave a sudden leap at the sight of him in his typical suits, so elegant and enigmatic, he could draw the attention of anyone beside him. Those present appreciated him more than I did.

"Allontanatevi dalla ragazza e seguitemi (Stay away from the girl and follow me)," the gray-haired man said, leading my bodyguard away from us.

Dante seemed annoyed by that altercation, but he was more focused on me than anything else.

"So, St. Mark's Basilica," I said, to the overwhelming silence.

"That's right. It's so beautiful on the outside, but inside it holds secrets that only the indicated can appreciate," he commented and I swallowed saliva as I noticed he hadn't stopped looking at me when he said it, as if he had just given me a hint, "But I'm not here to tell you about my country's infrastructure; as long as everyone knows we're here, in an isolated place, you and I will be somewhere else.

"Alone? Without your bodyguards?

"Just you and me, shall we go?" she offered me her hand and mesmerized by her dark irises, I took it to be guided through the corridors of the huge basilica, until I came to an exit that was clearly forbidden, as only authorized personnel were allowed.

However, before even knocking on the door, Mauro appears in front of us talking very angrily on the phone. I felt Dante's tug and being carried by his arms, we ended up in an unexpected position.

My heart left me as soon as his body covered me completely and his tempting face was only a few centimeters away from mine and I could perceive the manly cologne that his clothes gave off.

He smiled half sideways and I didn't understand what was going on, but I didn't like the way I felt. It wasn't the idea to see Dante with different eyes, but he didn't give me the time to think it was okay, as we went out into the streets of Venice alone, with no one around.

He took me by the hand running through the people and my heartbeat was rising with every step, as if I was discovering something new I hadn't noticed; a more casual, mischievous and fun Dante.

But fortunately I had brought just the clothes I needed to run through Piazza San Marco, where there were too many people around and I had no idea where we were going.

We arrived at what looked like a bell tower, a tall building that had bells on top and was near the basilica. Paid for tickets and apparently negotiated with the people in charge to have those 15 minutes alone.

From the top there was a beautiful view, different from the helicopter; the red roofs, distinguished from the city and the small islands that Venice had.

Sometimes I wondered where all the people who lived and visited the most touristic cities in the world could fit; in the distance they looked like ants.

He took out his phone and handed it to me to take pictures that I would remember after I left Italy; in one of them we were both making faces like children, while the landscape of red roofs could be seen behind.

For a moment I forgot the reality around us and laughed with him, as if nothing had happened between the two of us. The sensation that Dante provoked in me, I had never felt with Mauro; as if my body had tricked me into believing that what I felt for him was love.

We tried more typical Venetian food, as we stopped in the middle of the day; my stomach was roaring with hunger and we enjoyed ourselves without any hurry.

We took a short gondola ride around the canals of Venice, until we reached the largest canal and apparently passed under the oldest bridge in the city, until we stayed in a different place, farther away from the basilica.

We climbed up a building to the roof, where we could see the sun descending into the sky to set.

We sat on a small terrace to watch the sunset and for the first time in all that time I felt calm, not afraid of danger.

I watched Dante and his profile was illuminated by the sun's rays; I didn't know why my body vibrated when I had him so close or at what moment I went from feigning interest to feeling interest.

His dark eyes met mine and in them I saw that I lost; I lost everything.