We ran along the rooftops of Venice. Leaping over alleyways and jumping various walls and obstacles as if we had been doing it our whole lives.

And I was having the most fun I've had in three months.

The four mafia men in hot pursuit only added to the thrill and exhilarating of the chase. We were gaining ground much quicker than they were and I felt confident that we would escape without a fight.

Well, that was until we reached the end of one building and it was at least a six-metre jump to the next.

"Are you fucking insane?" Max hissed grabbing my wrist and preventing me from taking the jump without a second thought. "And do you want to die young?"

"You're underestimating me. I can do it," I reassured before taking a long run up and leaping across the wide alleyway.

I reached the other side with just a few millimetres to spare.

"Your legs are double the length of mine!" I called to Max who was still on the other side. "If I can do it, so can you!"

"Okay, I'm coming!" he called after looking back at the fast approaching men.

He quickly took a few steps back before sprinting to the edge. The men were a mere metre away and the one at the front reached out to grasp my cousin as he neared the edge of the building. His fingers brushed along the fabric of Max's jeans, a split second earlier and he would have got his ankle. I watched as he lept off the edge of the building, arms flailing and guards desperately trying to grab at his legs. He landed with a thud on the next building beside me, breathing heavily and wiping the sweat from his brow.

"That was way too close," he panted sitting up to see the men stood angrily still on the other side of the gap.

"We don't have time to waste," I said. "Get up."

We made our way to the other side of the building where a set of external steps stood.

"Down here," I said beginning to hurry down them.

We ran for about ten seconds before Max grabbed my arm and hauled me to a stop.

"Wait," he asked. "Do you hear that?"

I strained my ear to hear echoey footsteps coming from the stairs below us.

"Oh shit," I cursed turning on my heel and thundering back up the stairs.

We reached the top again only to be met by the four men, who were originally chasing us, now having all made the jump.

"Double shit," Max muttered searching for another way off the rooftop.

"Triple shit," I added as about five more Mafia guards poured out of the metal stairwell- including the Descendent of Hecate we had first met in Naples.copy right hot novel pub