1 HOUR
I had been tied to a chair for about four hours and didn’t know how much longer I could take it.
Fabio was getting more aggressive and impatient by the minute and the sight of him pacing back and fosaying a single word made me anxious. “Hold on for one more hour, Christian’s already here,” Vince whi“Sir!” One of the men called out as he opened the door. “The house is surrounded!”
Fabio grinned and looked at me. “So they did feel like saving you after all, but it’s already too late.”
“Leave them, leave them so they can see how I will light this house on fire.” He told the man. “I’ve been that I’ve forgotten all about your little family.” Fabio leaned in closer. “Let’s say, all I’m really after is alrealeast the plan worked.
0 HOURS
“Call those two idiots. It’s time to bring Beau.” Fabio spoke as he made his way towards me. There was nand just as expected he had requested Beau. “And where the hell is Enrique?”
Who was going to tell him that Enrique was very dead?
“This will all be over soon.” He spoke as he stroke my cheek. “That’s what we all want, right?”
Vince fumbled his hands and had a nervous look on his face. “They’re not picking up.” The man spoke aVince. “I’ve already spoken to them, they’re probably just busy.” Vince said.
“Busy?” Fabio chuckled. “Call again or go there, I don’t care—tell someone to bring that kid here!” He gr“I’ll go—“ Vince started, but Fabio shook his head. “No, you will stay right here where I can see you—Anspoke as he pointed to the man.
Vince took a deep breath and nodded his head in response. “Okay, fine—he’ll go.”
The man gave Vince one final look before he stormed out of the basement, and it was not that difficult toWe had to get out of here and we had to do it as soon as possible. “I was thinking, we should bring Luis him a lesson,” Vince spoke.
Fabio rubbed his chin as he went into deep thoughts. “Since when do you want to ‘teach’ Luis’ stuff?”
“I was going to let him run out the fire, that would’ve been the right punishment for him walking out on spoke.
“It’s not to teach him a lesson, it’s so he knows what kind of monster you are.” Vince spat out. I understowas getting at, and bringing Luis here was definitely necessary. If Fabio was really going to burn down thwas not safe to leave Luis alone.
“That’s fair, bring the boy here.” He told one of the men who had immediately obeyed and ran out. Vincreassuring smile, but all that went through my head was that it could be the end for us. Not even the thobeing close was enough to calm my nerves.
“Ah, Luis.” Fabio clasped his hands and smirked at the frightened Luis who had just walked in. Even if it wshort while, I was happy that I got him out of this unhealthy situation. No child deserved this. What kind this man?
Luis ran over to Vince and wrapped his arms around his waist. His head was turned against Fabio as smamouth. “He’s not going to hurt you, do you remember what I told you? You can’t cry.” Vince whispered “Sir!” Another man burst through the door. “The house is completely surrounded, it seems like all the famdecided to go against you.” He spoke in a hurry.
Fabio lowered his head as small snickers left his mouth before he let out an annoyed yell and threw the fcould find towards the door. Vince held Luis against him while my hands had immediately moved to my “You!” Fabio walked towards me and roughly grabbed my chin. “Am I not the one they should be feelingshould they feel sorry for you?” He yelled out before my cheek was met with a hard slap.
Stay strong Serena, I told myself as I wrapped my arms around my stomach. He could hit me and he coubut not the baby. “Dad, I think Beau is missing!” Vince suddenly called out.
Fabio lost every bit of attention he had for me and turned around to face Vince. “Missing? And what makso?” He spoke as he stepped away from me.
“That must be why the guards aren’t picking up their phone anymore, I already thought they sounded a the phone—Beau must’ve escaped.” Vince tried to shift the attention to himself which seemed to have w“And you’re only telling me now?” Fabio spoke with clenched fists. “It’s because I wasn’t sure, but I’m suhas escaped.”
Once again Fabio let out a yell and threw the first thing he could find, but this time he left me alone. He “Make sure she doesn’t move a muscle!” He pointed his finger in Vince’s face and stormed out of the bamoved to the four other men who were also in the room as I wondered how Vince was going to take carbefore I could even think it through he had pulled out a gun.
“Vince, I know you’re excited, but your dad told us to let her live for now.” One of the men laughed as thfollowed. Vince whispered something into Luis’s ears before Luis covered his eyes.
“Out,” Vince demanded as he pointed the gun towards him. One of the men pulled out his gun and poinwhile the two orders surrendered. “Fabio told us to shoot anyone who would sabotage his plans, especiaspoke.
“I have some personal business to take care of, out!” Vince repeated himself. The man lowered his gun anVince. “A pregnant woman? The woman of your former friend? You’re a pig.” He chuckled. The man whisgestured for the three others to leave the room as they all followed.
The moment they walked out of the basement Vince slammed the door shut and locked it. “Hey!” The mpounded on the door.
“We have to move quickly, when he finds out the truth about Beau all three of us are dead meat.” Vince me in a hurry and cut the ropes around my legs.
“Enzo, you can come out now,” Vince called out while he grabbed my hand to help me up. Enzo?
“Are you okay? Are you hurt?” Vince asked me and placed his hand on my belly. “No, I’m fine, let’s get otold him and pulled him into a tight hug. “Serena, I love you.” He whispered in my ears as I pulled him cl
The same words which had been so difficult for Christian to say came so easily for Vince, and yet I could his feelings.
“Squirrel.” I heard Enzo’s voice as he appeared from what seemed to be a hidden door. “Serena,” A voicespoke. Christian.
“Christian?” I cried while tears streamed down my cheeks and flew into his arms. “It’s okay, you’re safe ncomforted me before he pulled me in closer. “I’m so sorry, you’re safe now.”
“Let me look at you.” He sighed and pulled away so he could drag his fingers through my hair. “I’m fine, fine—we’re fine.” I immediately reassured him. Despite my head getting pushed into a water bucket, I wa“Vince, open this door now!” Fabio yelled out from the other side, but this time he sounded different. It aas if he was not human. “Serena, I will kill you!”
“I don’t want to ruin this little reunion, but Serena needs to get out of here.” Vince said.
“Are you not coming with us?” I asked him, but Vince shook his head. “What’s the point of me trying to Christian needs enough time to get you out of here while I’ll keep my dad here, so Christian can deal witand for all.”
“Christian,” Vince spoke. “I’ll keep him here, so you go and get Serena and Luis out of here.”
“Vince, no,” I whispered. All I wanted was for him to be okay.
“Let’s go.” Enzo spoke as he tried to reach for Luis’s hands, but Luis shook his head and ran into Vince’s door!” Fabio yelled.
Luis refused to let go of Vince and pulled the ends of his shirt. “I’m not leaving without you, I’m not goin“Luis, and I’m not going anywhere until I know you’re safe—you know what you have to do, we’ve discutried his hardest to push him off.
“Guys, we have to go.” Enzo rushed us, but Luis wouldn’t let go of Vince. “No, please no—just come withbut by the look on Vince’s face, I could tell that he never planned to escape. His plan had always been tohelp Christian. Just as his plan had always been to confront his father.
“Shoot!” I heard Fabio demand before the metal door was met with several bullets.
“Sorry bud, if you want to stay here and die, you can—but I’m getting Serena out of here.” Christian apohe picked up Luis and threw him over his shoulder while all Luis could do was cry. “Luis, I’m so sorry.” Heopened the door again and forced us out of the basement.
I turned my head so I could look at Vince for one last time until the very second the door closed. “I will wthrough the end of the tunnel and then I’ll go back for him.”
“How fast can you walk?” Christian asked.
“Fast,” I replied and followed Enzo and Christian through the tunnels while I tried to ignore the sounds L“You have to go back for Vincenzo, I’ll be okay.” I grabbed Christian’s arm, but he shrugged me off.
The sounds of the metal door getting hit with bullets combined with Luis’s sobs as he cried out Vince’s nenough to make me feel guilty. “Vince is ready to give his life so you and Luis can get out of here, now mirritated.
“Serena don’t worry, the others are probably inside right now—just keep walking.” Enzo stood behind hithe look on his face told me otherwise.
He also felt uncomfortable.
Leaving Vince alone with a pissed off Fabio was no different from killing him ourselves.
I did not agree, but he was not in the mood so I did not question his decision and did what he told me tominutes of walking, we heard the sound of the metal door falling, followed by the voices of Fabio’s men full access to the tunnel as all I could do was stop in my steps.
“Vince,” I whispered and turned my head. I felt terrible and was not able to ignore the awful pit in my sto“Serena, keep walking.” Christian grabbed my wrist while he still carried the crying and kicking Luis over “Keep walking!”
“I can’t!” I spoke with tears in my eyes. “If you let me walk while Vince is still out there on his own…I’ll neI yelled at him. If it was anyone else I wouldn’t have cared, but I cared about Vince.
“Why am I starting to think that you care more for his life than the baby’s life?” Christian commented. “Fexact same thought about Isobel!”
He was definitely one to talk when he was the one who forgave Isobel. “Guys, if you all want to go to relatherapy, we can do it after we get out alive—come on.” Enzo attempted to stop us.
“I’m not doing this with you, Serena keep walking,” Christian demanded, but I didn’t take a single step. TFabio’s men were getting closer by the second, but there would be no point in escaping without knowin“No.”
Enzo sighed and ruffled his hands through my hair. “Squirrel is right Chris, this doesn’t feel right—is this for Luis?”
After hearing Enzo’s words Christian gulped as he went into deep thoughts, but the voices of Fabio’s mecloser.
“You take Luis and Serena out of here—and I’ll go back now,” Christian suggested, but I couldn’t stand theld his wrist. I knew that my wishes were impossible. I wanted him to go back for Vince, but I also wantewith me.
I was prepared and knew that he had to go back either way to deal with Fabio, but I wasn’t ready to let g“No, I know you can’t concentrate unless you see for yourself that’s she safe—you get her out of here anhold Fabio until she’s safe.” Enzo turned around and walked away from us. “Enzo, Fabio’s men are out thtried to stop him.
“Yes, another reason why I have to get back—go I’ll cover for you!” Enzo promised.
“I’ll be there soon, don’t die,” Christian told him.
“If anyone is going to kill you, it’s going to be me!” He yelled back at him before he grabbed my hand.
“Let’s go.”
Comments
The readers' comments on the novel: His Promise: The Mafia’s Babies by C. Tamika