Pingggg”, the notification sound from my phone cut through my reverie.
“MEET ME AT THE HOUSE IN TEN.”
I groaned inwardly at the curtness of the the message from my grandfather. He was the only one who knew how to get under my skin and not regard me with the safe fear as my men.Despite that, he’s the only person I show any ounce of emotion towards.The reason I still had a seat as Capo and an army of loyal men to lead.That is until I weed out all my enemies stirring up matters behind the scenes.
This was all because of the my father and his disgrace of leadership as Capo.The mere thought of him was like bile in my throat.
Tossing the remnants of my drink down,I picked up my keys and made way to the house to find out what the meeting with grandfather was about.
“Boss.”, the men who littered the compound greeted with a slight bow as I switched off the engine. I responded with a light nod and make way into the building.
“Grandpa?” I called out closing the door behind me. He stood at the top of the staircase. “Kian,to the study.”
He answered and turned.
I struggled to figure out what his expression was about and I picked up on the tension he radiated.
Something was definitely amiss and I was eager to find out. Grandpa was currently worried at the the growing numbers of the bosses who were not pleased with me being chosen as Capo after my father. We needed to silence those voices before they recruited more men to join their cause.
“Did something happen?” I asked as we got into the study.
“It will soon if you don’t trash out your foes and get all the bosses on your side before the official induction. You need to seal your position as Capo.”
The strain in his voice was not lost on me.
“I am wor…..”,he raised his hand to silence me.
“I have a solution to your problem.”
“But grandpa you know I’m working on it.Very soon I’ll fish out those lowly cowards and give them a choice to pledge their allegiance or have their throats slashed.”
“I wasn’t referring to that problem,Kian” ,he responded with a chuckle.
I stared in confusion. “ Which problem grandpa?”
“Sealing your position as Capo by marriage. You are to get married and start a family” , he said without batting an eyelid as he stared at me.
My mouth fell open. “ What?”
My arms started to shake from unrestrained anger. “ No f*****g way in hell.” I glared.
Grandfather frowned. He swirled the whiskey around in his glass not looking up.
“It has always been tradition for a Capo to be married at the time of his induction.You will not be an exception.”
“We have to set things straight and get the Traditionalists on our side”, he continued.
Anger burned through my veins. I could feel my temper bursting out of its cage at his casual tone and dismissive body language.
It was as though he was oblivious to my anger.
“ I am not going to get married to satisfy some archaic traditions and please some f*****g old men!You know this grandpa.”, i bellowed shaking from anger.
“Marriage is a liability I cannot afford. I will seal my position as Capo by slashing the throats of anyone who speaks against me. Not by some f*****g marriage. It is never going to happen.
Not today ,not tomorrow,not ever, Don Silver.
Using his name caught his attention and I wished it hadn’t.
His eyes shot up. I saw the split second of anger on his face before the schooled mask of calm slipped back on.
“ At the expense of you seat as Capo?”, he asked in a dangerously low voice.
A sharp intake of breath escaped from my lips in surprise. “ You will not-“
“You don’t get to tell me what I will and will not do Kian DaSilver.You will listen and listen good.!”
“There is no room for preferences while your seat as Capo dangles before your eyes. Getting the Traditional underbosses on your side will make things easier for you. Get over your emotions son!”, he said in a firm voice.
“I will not do this grandpa.I cannot do it.”
Flashes of my father pleading for mercy while being left to bleed out like some rabid dog begn to appear before my eyes.
“Stop being hotheaded about this and listen to my f*****g instructions! Don’t be like your father! That was his downfall.”
“ Do not compare me to that weakling!”, I growled and banged my fists unto the desk that separated us.
“ Then calm the f**k down and listen to what I have to say. I know what’s best for you son. And I am doing this so you will not have any problems in the future. This is the only way. Agree to this marriage and I will have a meeting with the underbosses to get them on our side.”
“Okay”, I brought my self to say.
I walked to the far end of the study and stopped in front of the window overlooking the premises. I lowered my gaze to my fingers which traced the cool marble of the window sill.
Everything grandpa had said was something I knew but because he had never mentioned it I thought I had been given a leeway.
The thought of getting married brought my blood to boil. I knew just one thing- marriage and love make you weak. Just as it did to my father. And I would die before I gave it a chance to do the same to me.
“I have already chosen you a bride son”, I heard grandpa say.
I turned to face him in surprise.
With a sly grin he tapped on the laptop which I had not noticed before and turned it to face me.
“ Anya Moretti-“
“ Daughter of Salvatore Morretti”, I cut him midway.
“But grandpa there is a scandal about them in the papers.Surely you do not want us to be associated with them at this time”, i grimaced.
“That has been sorted . You should watch the news son.”, he answered with a deviant smile.
“ What have you done grandpa?”, I shook my hard while I stared at the photo of the most amber colored eyes I had ever come across in my life.
“We will formally announce your engagement tomorrow evening at a dinner in their house.”, grandpa said and left without waiting for my reply.
“f**k!”, I muttered under my breath as I stared at the photo one more time.