Chapter 8 - The Gift in the Sunroom
By the next morning, the West Side crew had disbanded and fled the city, terrified of Vincent's swift, absolute control. The threat was completely erased.
The sun returned, bathing the estate in warm, bright light. In the sunroom, Emma sat at a small wooden table, carefully coloring a picture of a large castle with bright crayons. Maria stood nearby, organizing fresh linen towels on a brass cart, a genuine smile on her face for the first time in years.
The double glass doors swung open, and Vincent walked inside. He had discarded his suit coat, wearing a simple fitted black shirt with his sleeves rolled up, revealing the intricate ink on his forearms. In his hand, he carried a small, beautifully wrapped pink box tied with a satin ribbon.
Emma looked up from her coloring book, her big brown eyes widening with curiosity. "Hello, Mr. Moretti."
Vincent walked over to her table, resting one hand on the back of her small chair. He set the pink box down in front of her.
"This is for you, Emma," Vincent said softly.
Emma looked at her mother, who nodded with a warm smile, before carefully untying the satin ribbon. She lifted the lid of the box.
Inside sat a brand-new, hand-crafted plush rabbit made of soft cream velvet, wearing a tiny pink dress that matched Emma's own. Around the rabbit's neck was a thin silver chain holding a small, polished silver pendant shaped like a shield.
Emma gasped, her little hands gently lifting the new rabbit from the box. "It's so soft!"
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"The shield on the necklace means you are under my personal protection," Vincent explained, his handsome face softening into a rare, genuine smile. "As long as you live in this house, nobody will ever frighten you again."
Emma looked up at the feared mafia boss, then reached out and threw her small arms around his waist, hugging him tightly. Vincent froze for a fraction of a second, unused to such pure, uncalculated affection, before lightly resting his large, tattooed hand on her back.
