The Mafia King's Rebel

Chapter 9:

Malakai:

“You have ruined my whole day.” Nico grumbles beside me as I park the car in front of the mansion that belongs to Irish don— Cormac O’Rourke. Ireland sure is cold by the time of this year. Nico was surprised when I suggested an early flight to Ireland to come meet the Irish don.

“I don't care what the hell you do every morning, but this meeting is important to us.” I come out of the car, staring up ahead. His mansion is tucked away from normal residence. It's one of those mansions that has been alive since the eighteenth century.

Nico can talk however he likes but it took more than six months to secure this meeting with this Irish don. The old bastard had me waiting on purpose.

Two guards in dark coats step forward, their rifle positioned. “Names?”

“Malakai Lorenzo.” I keep my voice bland. They nod stiffly before we are escorted down the main hall after a thorough weapon search. I guess the old man is afraid of death after all. The hall is flagged with frames of the former O’Rourkes who looked like they enjoyed inflicting pain.

Cormac is already waiting in his study room, three more heavily armed guards are standing beside him as he twirls a glass of Tumblr whiskey in his hands. At the age of sixty-nine, he sure looks ruthless as they come.

“Welcome to my humble home in Ireland.” He greets, though his voice lacks any warmth. My eyes stay fixed on the jagged scar that runs through the corner of his mouth. Nico scoffs beside me but doesn't say a word, instead he sits on the leather chair facing the don.

I take a seat next to Nico. “We need you to partner with us.” I start, there is no way in hell that I am going to sugarcoat anything today. Cormac O’Rourke might not take us seriously because we don't have a family line that runs the mafia. It has always been Nico and I, but I won't let this old rat play with us however he wishes.

He sips the whiskey slowly. “And why would I do that?”

“Isn't this a matter we need to discuss privately?” Nico says beside me, and I give him a hard glare; Nico isn't patient like me, I can already tell what's running through his mind before he even says it.

Cormac looks at him suspiciously, and nods to the guards. “My guards stay, you think I am going to stay alone with the both of you, I might be old, but I ain't dumb. I am not partnering with you, Lorenzo. Your empire is petty, you don't have a solid family line, the Haven could be destroyed at any moment.”

“Oh, maybe this will change your mind.” Nico stands up from the chair and brings out a document from his suitcase. Nico is always prepared for cases like this, ever since I told him who we were meeting during the jet flight, he had already been on his laptop.

He drops the document on the table and says flatly. “Three years ago you ordered the quiet killing of your own cousin, Ronan O’Rourke because he had proof you’d been skimming from the family’s heroin shipments coming out of Afghanistan through your Liverpool contacts. We have bank records, encrypted messages, and a surviving witness who’s willing to talk if you force our hand. Enough to turn half your own capos against you. Enough for the other Irish families to smell weakness and start carving up your territory.”

The room goes quiet as his whole face drains of color, one of his men reaches for a gun but Nico faces his phone screen that displays one of the secret screenshots of the transfer Cormac has been involved in. “I wouldn't do that if I were you.” Nico smirks.

I sit there all controlled, “we aren't here to cause a fight. We just want to partner with you, give us access to your guns, make sure we defeat our enemies, and in return, your secret stays dead with us but if you refuse, we will make sure your secret travels straight into the hands of your enemies. Deal?”

“I need…sometime to think about it.” The don replies, still clearly shaken by the whole incident.

“Sure.” I brush off the dust on my coat. “We will give you some time, but don't try to play dumb. Your secrets are in our hands.”

He scowls at us

“You think he's going to send an assassin to us or something?” Nico asks as his men escort us out of the estate. I am sure he would have thought of that, but getting us killed is too big of a gamble.

“I guess we will have to wait and see.” I tell Nico.

“They’re behind us,” Nico says quietly, eyes on the side mirror. A black SUV, no plates, riding too close. “Bastard wants us dead before we leave his soil.”

I check the weapons in the back seat. “Let's end it here.” The moment I swerve left and kill the engine, Nico and I step into the drizzling rain. The black SUV also screeches to a stop, and four men pours out each holding bats and knives.

I guess he wants to play it dirty after all.

Nico moves first, sometimes I forget that he had been fighting the streets for a long time before I suggested starting our own organization. He delivers a head shot to one of the men, sending him sprawling to the floor.

I send one down with a brutal elbow to the dark, I don't move fast because someone's blade slides deep into my left bicep. I snarl, grab his wrist and slam my knee into his gut. After fifteen minutes, they are all sprawled unconscious on the floor.

“f**k,” I hiss, pressing a hand to my arm. Blood pours hot between my fingers, mixing with the rain. Nico tears a strip from his own shirt and helps me wrap it tight around the gash.

“Hold pressure.” Nico says. I nod, and grit my teeth as we climb back into the car. Nico drives us to the private jet. By the time we are over the Atlantic, the bandage is already soaked red, the flight back home is quiet except the occasional drone of the engines, and Nico is tightening the bandage.

The moment we get home, it's already three in the morning, my eyes are hazy and tired.

“Try and get some sleep, Nico.” I tell him as I approach the front door. Our men surrounding the whole property greets us, their eyes stay fixed on my bleeding bandage but they don't say a word.

“I can't control it, honey.” He mocks, before giving me the middle finger. “Sleep tight, darling.” He chuckles, as he walks towards his door.

I sigh, before pushing the door open. Fresh blood is sipping through my shirt sleeve now, and it burns like hell but there's nothing I can do about it.

“Malakai?” A feminine voice says, and I turn to see Scarlett standing there, wearing nothing but a silky black nightgown that barely covers her thighs, I stay transfixed for a moment, taking in the sight. Her hair is tousled, probably from waiting up and her blue eyes are wide.

Something twists low in my chest, a dangerous combination of heat and hunger. Emotions come rarely to me, but how do they suddenly flare up because a bare-foot woman is standing in my living room?

I'm going insane.

She opens her mouth. “You remember the curfew we had?” Her eyes stay fixed on left bicep. “You're bleeding, Kai.”

“No worries.” My voice comes out rough, as I attempt to walk past her, but she grabs my other hands. I turn towards her, my eyes flaring. “Don't touch me.” It comes out sharper than intended. Her hands immediately drop as she swallows, masking the hurt with indifference.

“We need to get you another bandage.” She says, biting her lower lip. The strap from the nightgown slips slightly off one shoulder and I'm focused on her bare shoulder.

“I don't need another bandage.” I say, my head throbbing. Damn it, I need to lie down. “Go to bed, Scarlett. We both know the reason why you're up late waiting is because of the curfew agreement, you are going to get the five grand deposited to your account tomorrow. Happy now?”

She stands there, heaving. “You are such an emotionless bastard, what the hell is wrong with you? Maybe the reason why I was waiting is because I cared, ever thought about that? Oh well, you haven't. Damn, I am such an i***t for waiting, you can go to hell. Thrice.” She shoves past me and walks hurriedly up the stairs, I try to follow her, but she enters the bedroom and slams the door angrily.

My first instinct is to knock, but I withdraw my hand, letting it hover in the air hopelessly. My chest tightens, and it's hard to decipher this kind of emotion.

I sit on the floor and rest my head on the wood of the door, the pain in my bicep hurting more than usual. Why do I care if she's offended by my words? I have hurt way more people than I can count, but the thought of her being angry at me makes me uncomfortable.

I sigh, bringing out my phone and dialing Nico’s number. He picks up, his voice amused.

“How's your arm?” He asks with a lazy drawl, I can almost imagine him sitting on his bed, bored as hell.

“Fine.” I grunt. “If I offend someone, how do I make up for it?”

There's a bit of silence on the other end and I brace myself for what's coming next. “You offended her, didn't you? You let your words get to her, and I thought she was tough.”

“She is tough.” I fire back. “Can you keep your voice low? I don't want her to hear.”

“Lover boy.” Nico makes smooching noises. “Malakai and Scarlett sitting on a tree, k-i-s-s-i-n-g.”

“Quit it, I'm going to hang-up now.” Why in the hell did I think that Nico could help me out?

“Sorry.” He laughs before his tone becomes serious, “I haven't had this much fun ever. Okay, let's see ....don't get her flowers, it's too common, and besides you don't know her favorite flower yet. Don't get her jewellery, she's probably going to sell it.”

“What else?” I ask, my patience running thin.

“We are going to have to go with something simple. Do you know her favorite coffee?”

“I did hear her on the phone gushing about cinnamon latte.” I whisper, how did I even store that in my memory?

“Great, get her that. Have it delivered to where she works alongside some pastries, oh and you can write a little note…it's going to be so cute.” Nico teases, if he was here right now, I would have sent a smack straight to his head.

“I'm not writing any damn letter.” I mean it.

“Whatever you say, lover boy.” Nico replies, before sighing. “You know…it's good seeing you like this, caring.”

“Goodnight, make sure to get some sleep.” I hang up the call and I'm pretty sure he's grinning like an i***t on the other end.

I stand up and head to my bedroom, before laying on the bed. As I stare at the ceiling, her words keep on returning back to me. I hate seeing her this angry.

This is dangerous, I can't let her into my world, it's too dangerous.