Mafially Yours

34

As part of a life where every decision counts, one wrong move can cost your life and one wrong decision can cost the money, you did everything to have. It is imperative that you control everything you can and cannot do because if not, you will create a whirlpool of dangers that will deepen and darken over time.

Fred asked the whole house to gather in Huncho's office, claiming that what he had to share was important. We all walked to the office and for some reason, Fred shut the door behind us, even if no one else was home. Huncho's calming expressions weren't mirrored in the other faces in the room.

"Okay, first of all, I want you all to know that I tried my best–"

"Fred," Huncho interrupted, giving him a warning look, wanting the bottom of this. But I knew from Fred's constant blinking and deep breathing that the news he was about to share wouldn't garner good responses.

"Okay, it is about Rio, you know, uh–" he looked around when he sucked all the attention out of Huncho, "he is out of the country"

I expected Huncho to yell and fight with Fred but he simply clicked his tongue. He got up and walked closer to Fred.

"You had one job, Fred."

"I didn't know Huncho! How do you expect me to stop him when I know nothing about him!"

"Your job was to know everything about him. Not just what you can know." Huncho shook his head again and looked around.

"I'm sorry Huncho but I really tried my best."

That triggered Huncho's anger.

"No you did not!" Huncho pointed his index finger to Fred's nose, "if you did you would have at least found out earlier he was planning to leave. He didn't book the ticket while on the airplane. You had time to know and time to stop him," he finally paused and nodded, "but it is my fault to trust a coward like you to do men's work."

And that triggered mine.

"Huncho!" I yelled. All the eyes in the room were on me, as surprised of my outburst as myself. My heart started beating faster when Huncho's eyes slowly left Fred's and turned to find mine to flame them, cook them and devour them when needed. He was angry at me for standing up for Fred but I knew I had to.

He stepped closer to me but I raised my chin up. I did something and I was able to stand up for myself and for Fred. All that bothered me was that I didn't want to do this under all these eyes in the room.

"Do you have something to say, Elena?" His voice was sharp as a knife.

"You disrespected Fred, Huncho. You can't do that to your own people." I said and he raised up his eyebrow.

"Excuse me?"

"You can't call him out like that and insult him for something he didn't do on purpose."

He scoffed.

"Making a mistake that could cost our lives and using the excuse of not doing it on purpose is not acceptable."

"But you did the same thing when you brought Rio here when everyone was against the idea, no? You risked everyone's lives too. And you had him under your hands too and let him slip."

"No, I have a better idea, how about you take my place, tell them what to do and I will go in your room and hide from people who want to kill me?"

I winced at the disgust of his words but smiled. I knew how to get under his skin and I didn't want to. But he started and my words were nothing but a reaction to his actions.

"You're so insecure, I hope you know. You're incapable of taking care of your men after my dad but you're trying to look like you're the amazing boss of the upcoming age coming to save them after the king died but you're simply making them hate you. You're always fighting with Damien, always yelling at Fred, you never listen to the others because you think they are young and stupid but without even asking, I know my dad used to lead this better than you. So now Huncho, I don't want to take your place but you can't deal with your men then these shoes don't fit you."

And like that I walked on and slammed the door after me. As soon as my eyes stared at my ceiling and was able to normally breathe again, guilt started to eat me alive. I knew that Huncho was confused and unsure of what he was doing but he couldn't show it because he was the leader of these boys. He had to be strong, he had to be rough, keeping a gang was not easy, let alone take the legacy of someone who knew exactly what he was doing. I took a deep breath and looked up at my dad's picture. I looked him in his eyes, wanting him to talk to me. I wished I knew this lifestyle earlier. I would have gotten used to it. I would have found my ways to protect myself. I shook my head. My head was full of thoughts, so many unsaid questions I wished he could answer. A few minutes later, someone knocked on my door. I thought it was Huncho so I sat up, ready to face him. But it was Fred.

"Hey Fred," I smiled and sat back down on the bed. He walked closer to me and sat next to me.

"I just came to thank you for what you did for me today," he looked down at his hands, "you know, like for standing up for me."

"Don't thank me, someone had to face him."

"It shouldn't have been you," he looked up, connecting our eyes together. His narrow black eyes had more words to say but his tongue kept them a secret. "I mean, because now you are in trouble – because of me."

"Don't worry about it Fred, I didn't do it just for you, I did it for everyone Huncho is yelling at." I gave him another smile that he didn't return. He closed his eyes, opened his mouth to say something but shook his head instead. "What?" I asked.

"Nothing," he mumbled.

"Tell me," I insisted.