Mafia Queen

Final Princess

Teela's POV

I stare at this girl. Her family has kept her hidden. I have never seen her, but she looks enough like Kenji for me to know that she is the sister we heard about.

"You have an air of confidence around you," she says, her voice low, almost a whisper. "But so did he."

"I hope you are smarter than he was. All the sisters have been."

She looked at me curiously. I could see the calculation in her eyes. "In our family we take revenge on those who wrong us. You had my brother killed. You wronged us. I'm not my brother, I won't underestimate you."

"Revenge on me, or him for not seeing your worth? For keeping you hidden, concealed in the shadows, when it should have been you in charge all along."

I see her flinch slightly at my words. There is a flicker of something, anger, maybe hurt. It's gone before I can decide which. "You're perceptive. But don't mistake my anger for weakness. I've learned from an early age to watch and wait. I won't make the same mistakes my brother did," she raises a gun and points it at me. "You will pay for what you have done."

I stare at her for a second. When I speak, my voice is even and deliberate. "Do you really want to do that? I know your type, younger sibling who wants to please your parents. Only to be told to sit down and be quiet. So you do. I know you can lead and make your family unstoppable. Just as much as you know it. All you need is the chance to show it. Do you want that chance?"

She stares at me with eyes that ar not only calculating but now determined. Her eyes narrowed, "What are you suggesting, that I join you? After you killed my brother! Do you honestly think I would betray my family that easily? That I would turn my back on everything they taught me about family and loyalty?"

"Your family kept you in the shadows, doting on him and making their world about him. You said you wouldn't underestimate me, but you underestimated him. Do you really think your family or him would give you the chance I am offering you?"

I watched her hand tighten on the gun. Her knuckles going white. I can see it in her face, the offer is tempting her. There is also a hint of confusion and regret that she is even considering it. "So, is this really an offer for me to take over? Why would you do that, after everything you have done?"

"Because I was you three years ago. Staring at a brother who only looked through me. Parents who saw me as nothing more than a means to grab more power. A pawn they can marry off. That wasn't the life I wanted. That was the life I was going to get myself out of, even if I had to kill myself to do it."

With this new information, she lowers the gun and asks with real interest. "What did you do? How did you escape?"

"By doing the same thing I did here. Taking out what was standing in my way. I'm offering you your family's territory, and what is left of the men. All that is required of you is to ally yourself to me and those on my side. We would share resources and help each other. You would join a Mafia Royal Court so strong, no man would dare to try and tare it down."

Her eyes widened, and she looked at me with earnest eyes, "If I join you, I will gain control of my family. You swear that I'll have complete control? That you won't try to undermine me or take over? How do I know if I can trust you?"

"If you won't listen to me, maybe you will listen to them," I indicated three new figures that had just entered the room.

Her eyes shift to them and she stares at them curiously.

"My name is Jade, this is Ruby and Sophia."

The girl nods to them, then turns back to me, "You said something about a Mafia Royal Court. What does that mean?"

"There are ten families in this city that hold territory. Standing in this room are five members of those families. The others are sitting in their offices, watching this on a live feed, but still running their families' operations. If you join, that will make the court complete and the forgotten daughters will have total control." I explain.

"Forgotten daughters," she whispers to herself. Then she speaks for the room to hear, "I'm in, but I want assurances. I want to be certain I'll have the autonomy you're promising."

I nod to the girls and they step forward.

"We stand together, united. No one will take what is ours from us. We are equals, and we support each other," Sophia starts out.

"Your territory will be yours to command and run as you see fit. The court works together in all things. Everyone has an equal voice and equal power. If there is a decision to make, Tella is the one who steps aside, so there is an odd number of members and the vote can be decided," Jade continues.

"We are stronger together, not against each other. You will be strong too," Ruby concludes.

"You see, you will be a part of something that will mean a greater strength in the city. Girls will see us and find their own strength, and it will even the playing field," I tell her.

She listens to everyone speak, and I can see her replaying what we said in her head. When I see her decision cross her face, she stands tall and squares her shoulders, "I understand, and I accept. What is our next move? How do we proceed from here?"

"Tomorrow we will hold a press conference. We will announce that your brother was killed by a gang and that you are now the head of your family. The gang that will be accused already has a member they need to snuff out anyway. So they will claim he went against the gang and acted alone. No one will know it was the court," I explain.

"A press conference," the girl nods.

"After the press conference, you will meet the rest of the princesses. Only you and I will be present at the press conference. As always, the rest will watch through the live feed. Unlike the stupid men who used to be in charge, we know not to have all of us in the same open place at the same time. We never know when someone will try and take one of us down, and we can't make it easy on them," I continue.

"Very smart," she replied. "Tomorrow morning then? I will be ready."

"I will do this now so that you fully understand. As long as you don't cross us, you have a place on this court. I am the Mafia Queen, that is why I step aside when there is a decision that has to be made. I hold slightly more power than the rest, but that is only because I started this. But on certain things, it doesn't matter what, I always have the final say."

She nods at my words and then tilts her head, "Mafia Queen, got it. I will keep my head down and my eyes open. You have my total loyalty."

I nod, "Good, rest now. Tomorrow your life will change for the better. Thank you for seeing the worth in what I offered. Unlike your useless brother."

"Yes, I will rest. Thank you for the chance," a bitter smile tugs at the corner of her mouth, and her eyes flashed with what can only be described as anger for her brother. " He was blind and arrogant. He didn't deserve the seat he sat in. I will make sure I do."