Chapter 6 - The Price of a Gold Watch
Three weeks later, Luciano walked into Elena's apartment carrying groceries.
Elena stared at him.
“What are those?”
“Groceries.”
“I have eyes.”
Sofia ran from her bedroom.
“Luciano!”
She hugged him.
Luciano froze.
The most feared man on the West Coast had apparently never developed a strategy for nine-year-old hugs.
Slowly, he hugged her back.
Elena noticed.
She said nothing.
Sofia pointed at his forehead.
“Your cut's almost gone.”
“My doctor says I survived.”
“My doctor?”
Luciano sighed.
“Fine. The doctor.”
Sofia grinned.
Elena inspected the bags.
“This is too much.”
“You say that about everything.”
“There are steaks.”
“Those are food.”
“Expensive food.”
Luciano removed his gold watch.
He placed it on the table.
Sofia frowned.
“Why are you taking that off?”
“Because I have something to show you.”
He turned it over.
Beneath the serpent and crown, a new engraving had been added.
S.R.
Sofia Ramirez.
She stared.
“You put my initials on your watch?”
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“So I remember.”
“Remember what?”
Luciano sat across from her.
“That the person who saved me had every reason to take something from me and chose kindness instead.”
Sofia looked embarrassed.
“I just helped you.”
“Exactly.”
Elena sat down.
“What happened to Vale?”
“Federal custody.”
“Rourke?”
“Same.”
“And your organization?”
Luciano leaned back.
“Changing.”
Elena looked skeptical.
“How?”
“Vale's arrest gave me leverage. I've closed several operations.”
“Illegal ones?”
“Yes.”
“Several?”
Luciano smiled faintly.
“You're relentless.”
“I raised her.”
Sofia grinned.
Luciano continued.
“I'm moving everything I can into legitimate businesses.”
“Why?”
He looked at Sofia.
“Because she asked whether I hurt bad people.”
Sofia became serious.
“You didn't answer very well.”
“No.”
Luciano looked at his hands.
“I've spent most of my life believing survival excused almost anything.”
Elena quietly said, “It doesn't.”
“I know.”
“Do you?”
Luciano looked at her.
“I'm learning.”
Sofia reached into her pocket.
“I got you something.”
She placed a small object on the table.
A metal keychain.
Cheap.
Handmade.
The shape wasn't perfect.
But Sofia had bent scrap wire into a small crown.
Luciano stared at it.
“I made it.”
“For me?”
“You gave Grandma medicine.”
“Elena barely allowed it.”
“And you protected us.”
Luciano picked up the keychain.
“What do I owe you?”
“Nothing.”
He smiled.
“Apparently that's always your answer.”
Sofia pointed at him.
“You can do one thing.”
“Name it.”
“Don't become like Vale.”
Luciano's smile faded.
“That might be the most expensive thing anyone has ever asked me for.”
“You can afford it.”
He looked at his gold watch.
Then at the scrap-metal crown.
“Yes.”
His voice became quiet.
“I think I can.”
But Luciano had one final surprise.
He slid an envelope toward Elena.
She immediately pushed it back.
“No.”
“You haven't opened it.”
“I know you.”
“Please.”
That word made Elena pause.
She opened the envelope.
Inside was not money.
It was a lease.
A small storefront.
Elena stared.
“What is this?”
“Sofia told me you used to sew.”
“I still do.”
“The building has an apartment upstairs.”
Elena looked angry.
“Luciano—”
“Read the rent.”
She did.
One dollar per year.
“No.”
“The building belongs to a community trust now. Not me.”
“You created the trust.”
“Technically.”
“Luciano.”
He smiled.
“Sofia needs somewhere safer than a recycling yard after school.”
Elena looked toward her granddaughter.
Sofia was already smiling.
“Grandma, you could have your shop.”
Elena's resistance weakened.
Luciano continued.
“And Sofia could do homework there.”
Elena stared at the lease.
Then at him.
“Why?”
Luciano's answer was simple.
May you like
“Because nobody should have to search through garbage to keep someone they love alive.”
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