The Chronicles of City Lights and Modern Love

After lunch, Neil informed us that it was it was time we went to the marina. We were going to leave the yacht where it was and make our way in via the tender, which had been stored in the locker under the deck, the opening to which was on the swimming platform.

When we pulled up to outer arm of the marina, Neil took me aside for a moment.

"I don't expect that you'll need it," he said sternly, "but I would feel better if you were carrying this..."

I looked at what he was handing to me. It was a handgun, black and nasty looking, and suddenly more real feeling than the gun I'd used to practice with yesterday.

"Thanks..." I said quietly, not sure of what else I could say.

I tucked it into the waistband of my shorts.

We walked down the wharf and off the marina. To one side, the was a small kiosk and an office which I assumed to be the reception area where the boat owners would go to pay to use the marina facilities. On the other side, there was a large shed and what appeared to be a marine mechanic's workshop.

"Go and have a wander around," Neil said, looking at Carmine as he did so.

Carmine nodded, and put a hand on my back to guide me away from the others. We first went and had a look along a couple of the other arms of the marina, walking past all the other boats, some large and some small, some new and some old. They were all beautiful to me, and they all reminded me of Luciano.

"Do you want to go and get a drink?" Carmine asked, looking at me and perhaps sensing my sadness.

"Sure," I replied, mustering up a smile.

He smiled back and grasped onto my hand, but quickly dropped it, surprised with himself at the gesture.

"Sorry," he said, averting his eyes.

"It's ok," I replied, and I put my hand back in his.

He smiled and we walked back towards the kiosk, where Carmine told me to sit at a table shaded by an umbrella while he went inside to get us drinks.

He returned a couple of minutes later, with two milkshakes.

"Chocolate or strawberry?" he asked.

"Strawberry," I replied with a laugh.

"Good," he said. "Because they're both strawberry. I had a feeling that's what you'd want and I don't like chocolate milkshakes..."

I laughed. "You can read me like a book."

"Cheap trickery..." he said, laughing. "I wish I knew what was really going on in there..." he added, tapping his fingers to my temple.

"There's not much to know..." I replied earnestly.

"I doubt that..."

After we finished our milkshakes, we got up and went to have a look in the big shed, which turned out to be a storage facility for smaller boats. There was over-sized shelving that ran all the way to the roof, and all manner of speed boats were stored in them.

We had wandered down an aisle and, in the quiet and the dim light, I was all of a sudden very aware of how alone we were. Carmine glanced at me, as if he had heard what I was thinking, or the thought had crossed his mind too. He smiled at me and I smiled back shyly, and before I knew it, he closed the distance between us and pushed me against one of the boats, pinning me there beneath the weight of his body. He ran his hands up my sides, making my skin tingle, and then he rested them on either side of my face, slowly inching his face towards mine.

Suddenly, the sound of someone yelling made us pull apart.

"We need to get out of here," Carmine said urgently, looking at me with a worried look on his face.

He grabbed my hand and pulled, making me run with him.

As we ran out of the warehouse, we didn't pass anyone, which was strange due to the fact that it had been so busy with workers when we got there. Once we were outside, we ran to where the floating wharf met the concrete of the marina, and ran all the way to the end where the boat had been tied up, however when we reached the place where it should have been, we found that it was no longer there.

We turned to run back down the wharf, but Carmine pulled us up just as I noticed that someone had started up the wharf and was walking toward us. As the man approached us, I felt a shiver run up my spine and my concern was confirmed when Carmine stepped in front of me.

"What are you doing here?" Carmine hissed as the man reached us.

"Alessandra Evangelo, it is an honour to finally make your acquaintance." The man said sternly, ignoring Carmine completely.

I stepped out from behind Carmine's protective shield, ignoring his protests. I was now exposed, but he still held my hand so firmly in his that it hurt a little.

I placed my other hand on his forearm. "Carmine, let go of my hand..."

He shook his head, but loosened his grip a bit.

"That's really touching," the man sneered. "...but then again, a Moretti wouldn't know anything different from serving the sole purpose of pleasing an Evangelo..."

Carmine clenched his fist again, but then returned his grip to normal when he realised it might have hurt me.

"I'm sorry," I said vitriolically, ignoring Carmine and staring down this stranger. "You seem to know an awful lot about my family, yet I have no idea who you are..."

"Oh, I think you have probably heard of me," he replied. "I'd say I was sorry about shooting your friend, but then I'd be lying, and I really try to avoid saying things I don't mean..."