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1483 Words
Callum looked up from the papers that were giving him blurry vision to see Trace and his family walking into the office. Annoyed but grateful for the distraction, he rolled his eyes before taking a good look at the young woman standing timidly behind Lukas. Leaning back in his chair, he focused on picking up the key points. That’s when he noticed her timidness, and his eyes narrowed in worry.
Motioning them into the room, he cast a sideways glance at David and Declan, who were sitting on the couch on the other side of the room. Declan had just finished dealing with his oldest son’s teenage temper tantrum, while David was teasing him with comments about how nice it was to have raised well-behaved kids. Declan, of course, noticed the plotting look on Callum’s face and shook his head, knowing what his brother-in-law was thinking.
David stood, stalking over when he spotted Lukas. His face was clouded with anger, but his voice was tinged with humor when he spoke. "You are never to leave me with that blabbering mess of a man ever again, got me? If I gotta babysit your damn father one more time, I'm using him for target practice. All I heard the entire time you were gone was ‘I miss my baby boy’ and ‘Why’d Lukie have to go?’. Oh, and let’s not forget how many times I had to clean up after his drunk ass because the emotional s**t was whining about you not being trained enough to be on your own."
"But did you get one of the most expensive Bourbons on the market in return?" Lukas asked, unfazed. “I mean, if you don’t want that bottle of Angel’s Envy, I can always take it back and say, I dunno, give it to Declan.”
Grunting about ungrateful people, David sat back down. "That's a nice-looking girl you got there. Be a shame to have her find out all your embarrassing teenage moments, wouldn't it?"
The office was warmly lit, with soft sunlight streaming through the windows, highlighting the polished wood furniture and the comfortable, lived-in feel of the space. Beside Lukas, the young woman’s reactions to the new location were subtle but telling. Callum knew Declan was watching everything, as was his norm, while the girl’s eyes darted around her new, unfamiliar environment. Her grip on Lukas’s hand tightened slightly, a discreet tell of someone struggling with anxiety.
Markus, noticing the tension, chimed in with a smirk. "Hey, David, remember that time you tried to teach Jaxon how to shave and ended up cutting yourself instead? Or maybe I could tell my little sister how you get shown up by Kennedy every other day.”
"Markus, I get that you’re joking, but that’s enough. Dave, stop tormenting the poor guy. He’s been through a lot in a week and a half," Callum said as he shook his head, secretly enjoying how well his people got along. It was nice to know that they all fell under the “what you see is what you get” banner. Turning his gaze back to the family that worked under him, he smiled, "Lukas, David isn’t completely joking. Your father was a complete emotional disaster after you left, but now that you’re home I’m sure he’ll behave, won’t you, T-Dawg?”
Sitting in his usual chair, Trace nodded solemnly. “I hear ya, Boss.”
Callum continued, “I’m not going to say anything more about it because I understand the complexities. My oldest boy keeps disappearing to Italy with his wife, which drives me up the wall, so I get where you’re coming from, Trace."
Lukas turned to Johanna, who was still holding onto his hand tightly. "Don’t worry, Johanna. These guys just like to mess around, but they’ve all been friends since before I was born. You’ll get used to them eventually."
She offered him a timid smile, still feeling overwhelmed by the new environment but comforted by Lukas's presence and his reassuring words. “It’s okay. Not what I expected, but as you said, I will get used to it eventually.”
Callum, noticing the subtle dynamics and wanting to ease the tension, finally spoke. Getting to his feet, he motioned for the guards to leave the room. Once they were alone, he leaned against his desk. "Alright, down to business. I’m Callum Hansson, the leader of this place and owner of several businesses in the GTA, or Greater Toronto Area. I’m full of money and power, but I’m also a family man. This building is my fortress, built by my father when he took over for my grandfather. Lukas, you’ve had a hard time, so I heard. Let’s get the basic introductions out of the way, then you and your girl can go rest from the trip. Jet lag is a b***h, and I want you rested and ready to get back to work in two to three weeks. Maybe sooner if things go right with the new idiots that keep threatening Steven.”
“Someone’s aiming for one of Nix’s bros? Not good. If there’s anything I can do to help, call me in. Rested or not, I’ll tear them apart for Phoenix if he hasn’t already,” Lukas growled darkly.
“Easy, Storm,” Declan called over from his customary seat by the bay window—a spot he chose specifically to watch the curved, horseshoe driveway and the main gate. “Kenni’s already got feelers out trying to find out who it is. When we know, your team will get green light status to do what’s needed.”
“Good,” the youngest of them all answered in a clipped tone. Relaxing, Lukas sat down in one of the chairs across from the man and pulled Johanna into his lap. "If we let it go too long, Nix won’t hold back. Boss is difficult to read on his best day, let alone when someone goes after his beloved siblings. Meistari Callum, this is my wife, Johanna. We were married in Germany."
"Um, say that again," Trace snapped. "What the hell are you talking about? You got married? In Germany? Why?! Why did you have to take that from me? My only straight kid, and he got hitched without me."
"Dad, chill out. Before you bust a vein over it, let me explain. I had to marry her there to override the problems we faced afterward. Elias and her mother did everything they could to delay us, but Aunt Helga stepped in," Lukas explained calmly.
Johanna looked at him, shocked at the blatant disrespect. Something she would have been beaten for, he got away with.
Markus reached over, gently touching her arm to get her attention. “Don’t overthink it. We get away with a lot because we’re on Meistari Callum’s eldest son’s team. We grew up within these walls and know how to circumvent issues fast and easy, don’t we, little bro?”
“Damn right,” Lukas echoed.
Callum cleared his throat. "All in all, it looks like yet another one of my born recruits successfully got what he went searching for. Love match or convenience?"
Johanna bit her lip nervously. Would the man let her stay if he knew the truth?
"Convenience, but that can change with time," Lukas said. "Her family was abusive, and I was originally set up with her sister. I got there only to find out that they were more like a nest of hornets who were after my money. I didn't like how they treated her, and offered her a haven. She agreed, so we got hitched in a quick ceremony before we boarded the flight home."
Staring at the young man like he'd lost whatever brain cells he'd been born with, Callum let his gaze slide to the girl sitting on Lukas's knee. Her long brown hair encircled her face in a disarray of curls as her teal eyes flickered fearfully around the room while she listened to them talk. "Johanna, was it?"
Her head snapped in his direction, her eyes wide. "Y-yes, sir?"
"Are you aware that Lukas is part of my mafia?" the man pressed, wanting to know what she knew.
The young woman nodded stiffly. "He's told me what he said was more than I needed to know. I promise I won't say anything."
"That's a pretty accent," Callum said as he sank back into his chair. "Are you here willingly, or were you forced?"
Her breathing hitched, her heart hammering away in her chest. She felt Lukas's hands gently guiding her face to his, smoothing her hair back from her face. "It's okay, Anna. Tell him the truth.”
Calming, she nodded slowly before filling them in on a watered-down version of everything that happened with her family. The more she spoke, the angrier Callum got.
- Writer
