Fated to a Demon Bodyguard

Prologue

Two Years Earlier

Why did it always rain at funerals?

Why, amid summer, had the skies opened and dumped a deluge onto our sorry party?

I didn’t believe in god, unlike my father-in-law, but even I couldn’t ignore the significance on this, the day of my wife’s funeral.

“Papa?” I took my daughter’s tiny hand and squeezed. The black dress and coat she wore hung on her dainty frame. Her long dark hair was tied with a delicate pale blue ribbon. Her mother’s favourite colour. I loved my daughter, Carlotta, but looking at her broke my heart.

The resemblance to her mother, Mia, and her grandmother, Sofia, was uncanny. She was the image of both at the same age, reminding me and her grandfather what we’d lost.

The only other splash of colour on this dark and dreary day was the blood-red roses and white lilies cascading over the dark brown ornate coffin.

“It’ll be okay, Carlotta. Papa’s here.” I clutched her hand, sheltering her from the downpour with the umbrella. I shivered as ice-cold droplets of rain dripped down my neck, soaking the collar of my shirt.

I glanced at her grandfather. Mia’s father. His face was as hard as granite. Not a single tear on his tanned, weathered face. Men like him didn’t cry in public.

I’d tried hard to be strong for my daughter, but as the last words of the service were spoken, I couldn’t have stopped the flood of tears if I’d tried.

My father-in-law’s scowl spoke volumes. But for the past twelve years, Mia had been the love of my life.

I ignored him and cried with my daughter as we’d done for the past two weeks. One by one, the mourners departed, leaving us alone to say our last goodbyes.

“Come, Carlotta. Leave your papa to his grief.” Lucia, Mia’s sister, led her away until it was just me standing by the grave.

I dropped to my knees, ignoring the sodden ground, my head clasped in my hands as grief overtook me and sobs racked my body. My tears mingled with the steadily falling rain.

Why had this happened? Why had she left me? What would I do now?

I’d held it together the best I could, but now the dam had burst.

I wailed and howled to the skies until my throat was raw, not caring who heard or that I was soaked to the skin.

I could catch pneumonia and die, but then at least I’d see my beloved Mia again.

“You’re showing yourself up.” My father-in-law’s stern voice finally broke through my torment, and I waited for the words he’d thrown in my face for the past week.

“Be a man. Your daughter doesn’t need to see you like this. You were always weak. I told Mia when she first met you.”

I didn’t care to hear the rest of his words and slowly stood, ignoring the mud that dirtied my trousers.

“Mia loved me, and she loved our daughter. We were the perfect family.”

“Yet she died running from you.” Dark, emotionless eyes stared at me.

His acerbic words cut deep, and I took a step towards him. “Mia wasn’t running from us.”

“She was planning on leaving. How else could you explain her haste? How else can you explain her dying on roads she knew like the back of her hand?” He spat the words, intending to wound.

“This is neither the time nor the place to discuss this.” I turned to leave, eager to be out of the rain and away from the man I despised.

He grabbed my arm in a steely grip.

I tore it from his grasp.

“Don’t fucking touch me.” I strode towards the waiting cavalcade of cars, his words ringing in my ears.

“This isn’t over.” His firm voice sounded loud in the cemetery’s quiet. “If you think you can run away and take my granddaughter with you, think again. She’ll not leave my house. Not while I’m alive.”

I refused to answer him, today or any day. Carlotta was mine, and there was no way we’d be staying here longer than necessary. She was my fucking daughter, and I’d do what I must to keep her with me.

I joined Lucia and Carlotta in the SUV and watched as Ernesto made his way to his own car, a scowl on his face.

“Is Nonno okay, Papa?” Watery eyes stared up at me. My daughter looked so pale, and her hands were like little blocks of ice.

I held her hands in mine. “He’s fine. Let’s get you back home and warmed up. Are you okay?”

“I miss Mamma.” Her eyes filled again, her bottom lip quivering.

I pulled her to me and kissed the top of her head.

“We all do, sweetheart. But we’ll never forget her. We’ll keep her safe in our hearts.”

The rest of the journey was spent in silence. I smiled at Lucia and mouthed a thank you.

She’d been an absolute godsend since Mia had died. She knew the struggles we’d endured living in the same house as Ernesto.

He’d had two daughters, Lucia being the eldest, but his interest in her was minimal as she’d been unable to have children. Instead, he’d turned his attention to Mia the moment she’d conceived.

The past ten years had been torturous. Mia hadn’t wanted to upset her father, so we’d stayed against my better judgement until neither of us could bear it any longer.

The day Mia died was the day we’d agreed to tell her father we were moving out.

We’d found and bought a villa. Contracts had been exchanged and a moving date planned. All that remained was to tell Ernesto.

I knew Mia had worried, and I could only surmise that her mind had been elsewhere on the meandering roads. According to the police, she’d taken a bend too quickly, lost control, and careered off the road. The only saving grace was that she’d died on impact and likely not suffered.

I’d identified the body as best I could. Her facial injuries made her almost unrecognisable, but there was no mistaking the jewellery she wore. The light blue sapphire ring I’d given her, the wedding band, and the gold locket containing a lock of Carlotta’s hair she’d refused to take off.

I’d gone there alone, not wanting Ernesto’s company, glad I had. I’d hoped seeing her would bring her loss home to me, but two weeks later, I still couldn’t believe she was no longer here.

I missed her dreadfully.

The world was a much darker place without her.

Finally, we arrived at Ernesto’s villa, where a line of people waited at the door to celebrate Mia’s life with us. All I wanted to do was shut myself away in our room, avoid the world for the rest of the day.

Still holding Carlotta’s hand, I accepted the words of condolence and the mournful looks from people I didn’t know. Funny how a death brought them out of the woodwork., but they were likely Ernesto’s friends, come to commiserate with him.

Mi dispiace tanto per la tua perdita – I am sorry for your loss.

I heard it over and over until I couldn’t take it any longer.

Leaving Carlotta with some of her friends, I dashed upstairs to the room I’d shared with Mia, quietly closed the door, and leant against it, once again letting the tears fall.

I slid to the floor, my knees bent, resting my forearms on them.

Thud, thud, thud. I banged my head against the door, so fucking angry at the unfairness of it all. What was I going to do now?

I couldn’t stay here. Not without Mia, but Carlotta had already endured so much. To tear her away from her grandfather so soon after losing her mother wasn’t fair to her.

As much as I wanted to return to England, I’d stay for her sake until the time was right.

A year. I’d give it a year. Then we’d return to London and make a life there, although without Mia, I didn’t see how that would be possible.

Only time would tell.