Chapter 5 - The Gold Bracelet
Vincent dropped his gun. It hit the hardwood floor with a heavy thud.
He rushed forward, pulling his sister and the sleeping boy inside, slamming and locking the heavy door behind them.
"You're alive," Vincent wept, pulling Maria into a crushing embrace, carefully avoiding crushing the boy. "They told me you died in childbirth. They sent me a death certificate."
"They kept me in a basement in Queens for ten years," Maria sobbed into his shoulder. "They only brought Leo to me once a month to prove he was alive so I wouldn't fight back."
I stepped out from behind the fireplace. My mind was reeling. Ten years in a basement. The absolute cruelty of the Russo family was beyond comprehension.
Maria looked up and saw me. "Ellie?"
I ran to her, wrapping my arms around her cold, shivering frame. "Oh, Maria. We thought we lost you."
Bianca stood near the sofa, watching the reunion with wide, horrified eyes. Her entire reality was unravelling. Her father had lied to her. Her family was built on a foundation of horrific abuse.
"I don't understand," Bianca stammered, pointing at the ornate wooden box in Maria's hand. "What is that?"
Maria pulled away from us and held the box up. "It’s how I got out. One of the guards... he had a gambling debt. I bribed him to leave the door unlocked and bring me Leo."
Vincent frowned, wiping his eyes. "Bribed him with what? You had nothing."
Maria looked at Vincent. "I had the box you sent me, Vinnie. The one you traded to Russo five years ago to buy Ellie's safety."
I froze. "What?"
Maria gently set the box on the coffee table. She pulled a small, rusted key from her pocket and unlocked the brass clasp.
Inside the velvet-lined box lay a heavy, solid gold men's bracelet. It was inscribed with the words: To my Vincent. Forever. E.
My breath caught. It was the anniversary bracelet I had given Vincent for our fifth anniversary. He had told me he lost it during a trip to Miami years ago. We had searched for weeks.
"You traded my bracelet?" I asked softly.
Vincent looked at me, the shame burning in his eyes. "Five years ago, Russo found out I was getting close to finding where they kept Leo. He sent men to follow you, Ellie. They sent me pictures of you at the grocery store, at the salon. They told me if I didn't back off, you wouldn't come home."
He pointed to the box. "I sent him the bracelet. It was a message. It meant I was surrendering my most prized possession to guarantee your safety. I stopped looking for Leo. To keep you alive."
Tears spilled down my cheeks. He had traded a symbol of our love to save my life.
Maria touched the gold metal. "Russo kept it in his safe. I stole it tonight before we ran."
Suddenly, a sharp, metallic click echoed through the room.
We all turned.
Bianca had picked up Vincent’s discarded gun from the floor. Her hands were shaking violently, the barrel pointed directly at Vincent's chest.
"Bianca, put it down," Vincent commanded gently.
"I can't!" she sobbed hysterically. "If I go back without the deed, my father will kill me! He'll know I failed! He'll know Maria escaped on my watch!"
"You didn't know," I said, stepping slightly in front of Vincent. "You were a pawn, Bianca. Just like the rest of us."
"I need the boy," Bianca cried, leveling the gun at the sleeping child in Maria’s arms. "I have to take Leo back. It's the only way my father lets me live."
Vincent didn't flinch. He stared down the barrel of his own weapon.
"You pull that trigger," Vincent said, his voice deadly calm, "and you better pray you hit me in the heart. Because if I draw breath after you fire, there won't be a place on this earth you can hide."
Bianca's finger trembled on the trigger.
"Give me the boy!" she screamed.
"No," a deep voice rumbled from the hallway.
We all whipped our heads around.
Standing in the shadows of the archway was a man holding a silenced pistol. He stepped into the light.
It was Paulie, Vincent’s most trusted bodyguard.
Before Bianca could turn, Paulie raised his weapon and fired a single, muted shot.
The gun in Bianca’s hand shattered into pieces as the bullet struck the metal barrel, ripping it from her grip. She screamed, clutching her bruised, stinging hand, collapsing to her knees.
Paulie walked into the room, his eyes entirely devoid of emotion.
"Mr. Moretti," Paulie said calmly. "We have a problem."
Vincent stepped over the sobbing Bianca. "What is it, Paulie?"
May you like
Paulie looked at me, then back at Vincent.
"Russo's men aren't waiting for the deed anymore," Paulie said. "They just breached the front gates. They have orders to burn the house down with everyone inside."
