The Devil's Vow

Chapter 7 - The Room Beneath the House

For several seconds, Sofia could hear nothing except the pounding of her own heart.

Alessandro's words remained suspended between them.

The person who knows exactly what I promised your father.

She looked at the photograph in Luca's hand.

"The vow."

Alessandro nodded.

"What exactly did you promise?"

His expression closed.

Sofia felt frustration rising again.

"You can't keep doing this."

"I know."

"No, you don't. Every time I ask you something, you give me another piece and expect me to put the rest together myself."

"You've only known me for a day."

"And somehow I already know you're hiding something."

A faint smile touched his mouth.

"You're observant."

"I'm serious."

"So am I."

He stepped closer.

"That's why you're still alive."

Sofia held his gaze.

"And if you weren't here?"

His eyes darkened.

"I'd still be protecting you."

Something about the certainty in his voice unsettled her.

She looked away first.

Luca cleared his throat.

"There is something else."

Alessandro turned.

"What?"

"The vault."

Sofia looked at him.

Luca continued, "We found the entrance."

Silence.

Alessandro's expression changed.

"Where?"

"Behind the library."

Sofia frowned.

"There was nothing there."

"There is now."

Luca looked at her.

"Your key opened the mechanism."

Alessandro glanced at Sofia.

"You'll stay behind me."

She sighed.

"You really need a new sentence."

"Perhaps."

He held out his hand.

She looked at it.

Then at him.

"You want me to hold your hand?"

"No."

He paused.

"I want you to stay close."

Sofia couldn't stop the small smile that appeared.

"That's different."

"Very."

She walked beside him.

Their shoulders brushed as they moved through the library.

Behind one of the bookshelves, Luca had uncovered a narrow iron door.

Sofia stared at it.

"My father built this?"

"Probably."

Alessandro took the silver key from her.

He inserted it into the lock.

Nothing happened.

He turned it.

A deep mechanical click echoed through the room.

The bookshelf shifted.

A narrow staircase appeared behind it.

Sofia stared into the darkness.

"You have got to be kidding me."

Alessandro looked at her.

"Afraid?"

"Curious."

"That's more dangerous."

He stepped onto the first stair.

Sofia followed.

The air grew colder as they descended.

The staircase seemed endless.

At the bottom stood another door.

This one was made of steel.

There was no handle.

Only a small indentation shaped like the symbol on Sofia's pendant.

She touched it.

The door unlocked.

Sofia looked at Alessandro.

"How?"

He shook his head.

"I don't know."

She pressed her palm against the metal.

The door opened.

Inside was a small chamber.

Shelves covered every wall.

Boxes filled them.

Documents.

Photographs.

Ledgers.

Names.

Sofia walked slowly into the room.

"This is everything."

Alessandro nodded.

"Maybe."

She picked up an old file.

Her father's name was written across it.

Antonio Moretti.

She opened it.

The first page contained a photograph.

Her father.

Vincenzo De Luca.

And a third man.

Sofia stared.

"Who is that?"

Alessandro took the photograph.

His face changed.

"You know him."

"No."

"I do."

He turned the photograph over.

There was a name written on the back.

Gabriel Moretti.

Sofia frowned.

"Moretti?"

Alessandro nodded.

"Your father's brother."

Sofia's breath caught.

"I didn't have an uncle."

"You did."

"Why don't I know about him?"

"Because he disappeared before you were born."

She looked at the photograph again.

"Where is he?"

Alessandro's expression became cold.

"Dead."

"How?"

"He betrayed the family."

Sofia looked up.

"What family?"

"Both of them."

A noise sounded behind them.

The steel door slammed shut.

Sofia spun around.

"Alessandro?"

He was already moving.

He tried the door.

Locked.

"Luca?"

No answer.

Sofia's breathing quickened.

"We're trapped."

Alessandro examined the lock.

"It's electronically controlled."

"Can you open it?"

"Eventually."

"Eventually?"

He looked at her.

"Stop panicking."

"I'm not panicking."

"You are."

"I'm trapped underground with a mafia boss in a secret vault."

"Technically, you're trapped underground with me."

"That isn't better."

A faint smile appeared.

"Maybe not."

She glared at him.

Then the lights went out.

Sofia swore.

Alessandro's hand found hers in the darkness.

This time, she didn't pull away.

His fingers closed around hers.

"Stay with me."

"I am."

His thumb moved slowly across her knuckles.

A tiny gesture.

Reassuring.

Intimate.

Sofia swallowed.

"Alessandro?"

"Yes?"

"Why does your hand feel like the safest thing in this room?"

He went silent.

The darkness seemed to press closer around them.

Then he whispered,

"Because I made sure it would."

Her heart stumbled.

Before she could respond, something moved behind the shelves.

Alessandro immediately pulled her against him.

His arm wrapped around her waist.

Sofia's back pressed against his chest.

"Don't move."

She could feel his breath against her hair.

"What is it?"

"I don't know."

A faint metallic scraping came from the darkness.

Alessandro's grip tightened.

Sofia turned her head.

Their faces were inches apart.

She could barely see him.

But she could feel him.

His eyes searched hers.

For a moment, the danger disappeared.

There was only the two of them.

His gaze dropped to her lips.

Sofia's breath caught.

Neither moved.

Then a loud metallic crash shattered the moment.

Alessandro turned sharply.

A hidden panel had opened behind them.

Inside was a small wooden box.

Sofia stepped toward it.

"What is that?"

Alessandro released her slowly.

"I don't know."

She opened the box.

Inside was a single envelope.

Her name was written across it.

Sofia.

Her hands trembled.

She looked at Alessandro.

"This was meant for me."

He nodded.

"Open it."

She broke the seal.

Inside was a handwritten letter.

Her father's handwriting.

Sofia began to read.

My little girl,

If you are reading this, then Alessandro has finally brought you to the place I prayed you would never see.

Her eyes filled with tears.

Alessandro watched silently.

She continued.

There are things I should have told you. Things I chose to hide because I believed ignorance would keep you safe.

Sofia's hand shook.

I was wrong.

She swallowed.

The man who destroyed our family was never outside it.

Her eyes widened.

She read the final lines.

And if Alessandro is standing beside you when you discover this, trust him.

Sofia looked up.

Alessandro's expression was unreadable.

The final sentence sat alone at the bottom of the page.

He is the only man I ever trusted with your life.

Sofia stared at Alessandro.

Neither spoke.

Then somewhere above them, a door slammed.

And a voice echoed through the hidden chamber.

"How touching."

Sofia froze.

Alessandro's entire body went rigid.

The voice came again.

"After eleven years, I finally get to see the little girl everyone was willing to kill for."

Sofia looked toward the sealed door.

Alessandro moved in front of her.

His hand went beneath his jacket.

The voice laughed softly.

"Alessandro."

A pause.

"You should have kept your vow."

The lights suddenly returned.

On the wall opposite them, a small screen flickered to life.

A man's face appeared.

Older.

Scarred.

Smiling.

Sofia stared at the screen.

Alessandro whispered one word.

"Gabriel."

Her supposed dead uncle looked directly into the camera.

And smiled.