Dark Shadows (Gia Santella Crime Thrillers Book 11), Kristi Belcamino [ereader with dictionary .TXT] 📗

Dark Shadows

Kristi Belcamino

Copyright © 2020 by Kristi Belcamino

All rights reserved.

No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means, including information storage and retrieval systems, without written permission from the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

This is a work of fiction. Names, characters, businesses, places, events and incidents are either the products of the author’s imagination or used in a fictitious manner. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, or actual events is purely coincidental.

For information contact: kristibelcaminowriter@gmail.com

kristibelcaminowriter.com

Created with Vellum

Special thanks to Robin Paradis-Kent for her keen typo-hunting eye. Anything that slipped past after her perusal is my fault entirely.

Dark Shadows

The 11th book in the USA TODAY Bestselling series.

From the moment a killer took her family away from her, Gia has fought tooth and nail against a looming destiny she’s been unwilling to confront—that of a lone wolf vigilante assassin.

Over the years, she’s created new families, dived into new loves and relationships, but one after the other, every family unit she’s tried to form has been taken away -- one way or the other.

Distraught at the possibility of losing everything yet again, Gia takes off for the south of France intent on living a hedonistic life the way she knows how to best: drinking, smoking, sunbathing topless and spending long lust-filled nights with smooth-chested men.

But nothing is ever that simple for Gia.

Her plans to indulge her every fantasy are shattered when one of those beautiful young people end up dead in her villa.

Now it’s up to Gia to make sure more bodies don’t stain her parquet floors. And that the sophisticated French detective doesn’t end up taking her into custody for it all.

Contents

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Chapter 1

Chapter 2

Chapter 3

Chapter 4

Chapter 5

Chapter 6

Chapter 7

Chapter 8

Chapter 9

Chapter 10

Chapter 11

Chapter 12

Chapter 13

Chapter 14

Chapter 15

Chapter 16

Chapter 17

Chapter 18

Chapter 19

Chapter 20

Chapter 21

Chapter 22

Chapter 23

Epilogue

Dark Vengeance Prologue

About the Author

Also by Kristi Belcamino

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Deadly contains the first book in each of my three series: Gia, the prequel novella to the USA Today Bestselling Gia Santella series; Eva, the prequel to the Eva Santella series and The Saint, the prequel to the Gabriella Giovanni series.

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1

When Nico and I first looked at apartments in Barcelona, we didn’t have strong ideas about what we wanted other than it be located in the Gothic Quarter. The quarter was central to everything. It was near the beach and the main pedestrian artery of the city, Las Ramblas, and it overflowed with character. Below our balcony, the narrow street was filled with small mom-and-pop shops that had everything we could possibly desire—cheese, wine, bread. You know, the basic necessities.

But when we walked into this apartment, besides its gorgeous architecture, what I fell in love with was the alcove that was specifically designated as an ofrenda—a home altar for those you loved who had died. Even though I’m Italian and it’s a Mexican tradition, it spoke to me on the deepest level of my soul.

Although some people only set up ofrendas around Dia de los Muertos, mine was in place all year long.

Now, as I wheeled my gunmetal gray suitcase over to the front door, I glanced at the altar. I would miss it the most. I wasn’t sure when I’d be back in Barcelona. If ever.

The ofrenda was set in a deep oval alcove in the wall that contained photos, candles, and mementos from those I’d loved the most in this life: my parents, Bobby—my first true love, and Nico—my last true love.

Nico wasn’t dead, but his picture was there along with all the other people I’d loved and lost in my life.

Was that sacrilegious? Fuck if I knew.

But the truth was the Nico I’d known and loved was dead.

Alzheimer’s had taken him from me. He didn’t know me anymore. Now, I was just some girl he groped when I showed up. At first it had broken my heart. But once I realized that the Nico I’d known and loved was no longer there, in some ways it’d been easier to let go.

I stared at the photos. The photo of my parents was one of them smiling on a boat, their hair windblown. My mother held a glass of wine. My father had his arm around her.

I missed my parents so much. I’d been robbed of them before I was barely old enough to drink. They had been my whole world.

The photo of Bobby was a snapshot I’d taken of him in Italy. He’d been standing on our balcony looking out at the sea. He was so damn handsome. That was the day I’d finally told him I loved him. Within 24 hours he’d be dead. The son of my parents’ killer took him away.

A tear slipped down my cheek as I looked at the photo of Nico.

He looked like a sophisticated movie star and a powerful leader. Which is what he had been. My greatest love. The man I had intended to spend the rest of my life with. That man had loved me more than any woman could dream of being loved, but he had been taken away from me slowly and cruelly by the creeping dementia that stole his memories and light.

When I realized