Falling for the Mafia Queen

Part 10

    "They're coming." That's all I heard her say before I was rushed out of the room by the nurses, William gave me a concerned look as he rushed past me into the room. Vito was outside the door waiting for me, her parents were standing now concern on their faces, even Shelly had stopped what she was doing to see what was going on.
      "How'd you get her out of juvie when she was younger?" My mouth was speaking before I realized what I was saying, I could feel the anger rising to my face and I wanted real answers.
       Her parents exchanged looks with each other before her mother answered, she looked scared to speak. "The Vitali's."

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    "Come on Marina, you know it will be fun." Zoe was giving me her best smile through the mirror while putting in giant hoops. Her sixteenth birthday was next week with her brother, but their parents decided to have an early birthday party for them since it was during the week otherwise.
    "I don't know, you told me it was just your birthday party and then coming home for a sleepover... this plan, I don't know." I was shaking my head at her through the mirror, she knew I didn't like to take risks.
    "Come on, how often do you get to do this kind of thing though?" She was facing me know batting her lashes at me knowing I'd cave in soon.
    "Come on Marina, you know it's gonna be a ton of fun." Zander barged into the room as he spoke sitting down next to me nugging me to join in on the after party.
    Zoe was strapping into her ruby red heels that matched her slinky halter top dress that was low cut in the back and stopped mid-thigh, Zander was in all black with a matching ruby red bow tie. Both of their curls were wild on their head, Zoe had hers up in a high pony letting it surround her like a halo and Zander had his cut short only a few curls falling into his eyes.
    "But first things first, we have to change your clothes." Zoe was already pulling me to her closet while talking, I could hear her brother laughing behind us. Being almost two years younger then them, Zoe loved to dress me up and do my makeup. By the time we were done I looked like I should be in my 20's when I was barely even 15 yet. Zoe put me in her favorite royal blue dress, it was a three-quarter sleeve dress with sequins on the top and chafan on the bottom making it easy to twirl in, it stopped just above my knees and she had me in a pair of black flats after I kept protesting against the heels.
    "Wow, if I didn't know you I'd say you were 20 at least." Zander waited in Zoe's room while my transformation took place and he's jaw was practically on the floor when I came out.
    "Geez Zander, she's not yours yet. You still have to tell dad, and ask her father's permission you know how that works." Zoe was shaking her head at us as I went to embrace Zander. We secretly had been dating for only a few weeks but with the age difference and both families being fully Italian we wanted the blessing of both of our parents still.

    Their party continued until the early morning, but I wasn't surprised by that we were all night owls and loved the city better at night. Around midnight I found myself wondering up to the rooftop to look at the stars, I knew Zander and Zoe wouldn't mind they knew I liked my space. Just after 2 am they found me on the rooftop.
    "Come on Marina it's time to go." It was Zoe, she had changed out of her dress into an all black ensemble, Zander changed clothes as well. Zoe's hair had been pulled back into a tight bun and her hoops were gone, they both had their gloves on as well. She held out the duffle bag that had my change of clothes, "you should get changed we'll be leaving soon."
    Zoe had packed me a pair of black leggings, a balck baggy zip up, gloves, and balcl Tims. I tossed my hair into a tight bun as I walked out of the bathroom passing Zander the duffle bag and putting on my gloves. Zander stopped me before we continued down the hallway.
    "I want you to have this, even if our parents don't give us their blessing I want you to always have this." He held out his hand and in his palm on his gold chain was his family ring.
The ring had been passed from father to son on the son's sixteenth birthday for the last few generations, and wasn't supposed to leave the family. It was solid gold with two serpents on the sides surrounding an emerald stone with the family name "Vitali" on one side and "vivi la tua vita" which means "live your life" on the other side.
   "Are you sure? I know how important this ring is to your family."
   "Yes I'm sure, I'd want you to have it no matter what." With hesitant hands I took the ring and put it on and hid it under my hoodie.

     Before I knew it, we were pulling up to the back of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. I had been talking about an exhibit that was on display here for the past few weeks, but I knew I'd never be able to go. Apparently one of the workers owed them a favor, and getting access into the museum was how they were gonna collect. I was in my own little world, exploring all the exhibits and taking everything in. I knew Zoe and Zander were following behind me as I went through the museum, pointing out different things and talking about different artists. Around six am, my life changed forever.
      I was racing up the steps back to the exhibit I had originally wanted to see, I wanted to see it one more time before we left. I made it to the top of the steps before I heard the pounding of footsteps on the marble, and it wasn't the twins. When I looked behind me I saw Zander pulling Zoe into the shadows and away from flashlights, I ducked behind a nearby structure hoping they wouldn't find me. I heard them pass my hiding spot and continue into the museum, my phone buzzed as I saw their flashlights go out of my line of sight. It was a message from Zander, "X". I knew what it meant. I raced down the steps sliding on the marble as I went, I saw the twins at the back door ready to bolt outside and that's when I felt a hand on my shoulder stop me in my tracks. The person who stopped me hadn't seen the twins yet, and I saw Zander take a step towards me when I stopped. I didn't want them to get caught, I didn't want them to be seen so I did the only thing I could think of. I screamed.

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     The nurses got my body to calm down, and my breathing was back to normal. Dr. Graves gave me a questioning look before he left but he didn't say anything. I was able to get one of the nurses to hand me my purse before they left. Once the last nurse was out of my room I started digging through my bag, I had to find it.
      "Got cha." I found it at the bottom of my purse still on the chain I put it around my neck again for the first time in years, the Vitali family ring.