Who knows where my head will be at after this so-called meeting with our father.
I chose to take a cab after the few drinks I had, so I pay my fee and get out. He drives off and I button the coat and look the strip club over. The lights of the club are bright with a LED tail blinking as if it’s waving back and forth, the name of the place lit up in blue letters underneath it.
Exhaling sharply, I head under the blue canopy where the doors are opened for me, I’m instantly greeted with the pounding bass of pop music, and a confusing smell of perfume and men’s cologne.
“Mr. DeAngelo.” A man nods his head at me, but I don’t recognize him. Father must have brought in new people after Kieran and Matteo left. A dancer trips over her heels, slamming down onto her face. I drop to her side and press my hand to the small of her back. Her skin is clammy and cold. She’s on the thinner side and has a snake tattoo wrapping around her hip. With all the dancing lights, I can’t see much more of her.
“Are you okay?” I ask her. Now on all fours, her blonde pigtails colored blue and pink, she looks up at me with a surprised look. As if she’s shocked that someone actually cares about her well-being and not if she will give them a discount.
Taking her by the hand, I help her to her feet.
“Go to the back and take those heels off, they’re too much,” I tell her, not caring what the rules of the place are.
“Thank you,” she says with a light smile, her creamy ass cheeks swaying as she walks away.
“That was nice of you, man. Most of the men that come in here are savages.”
I turn, finding the bouncer looking at me with a easygoing look and it occurs to me I did do something nice. Running the hand over the back of my neck, I try not to think too much about it. She fell, I helped. Wouldn’t anyone?
He slides a dark blue velvet curtain to the side, letting only me pass through. I give him a courteous nod and he drops the curtain back into place. Father and my uncles Tony, Leo, and Gio are all sitting around a poker table with a plume of cigar smoke above their heads. This is where everything goes down, where FEDS have had their own killed and tortured to get within earshot of these men and here I am as if someone pulled back the curtain of the magical Oz getting to see first-hand what goes down amidst New York. Father did have these secret meetings on a yacht that was passed down through the family, but Kieran burned that to a crisp. I feel the urge to smile thinking about it.
“Romeo, there you are!” my father greets excitedly, and my brows furrow. He used to do the exact same thing to Kieran, never me. I’m simply a replacement of my older brother and I don’t just think it, I know it.
“Father,” I reply in greeting, his bowler shirt hideous as ever, and the light above revealing his thinning hair. Unbuttoning my jacket, I take a seat in a black velvet chair and try not to think about what devious sex acts have been done in it.
“You son of a bitch!” Gio laughs, a cigar hanging out of his mouth as he points to my dad who is scraping all the chips to his chest from across the table, ashes falling onto his suit. He chuckles, completely amused that he won. Again. Kieran always beats him in poker, so I know he’s not that good, in fact, I’m pretty sure my uncles just let him win.
Father sits back in his chair, a woman with a black silk see-through robe comes from behind the curtain, her blonde hair sitting on top of her head in a pile of delicious curls. Without saying a word she fills my uncles’ cups with a decanter of whiskey, her eyes cast down while she pours.
“You want something? Anything?” Father points his chubby finger at me, acting as if I’m his VIP. “Georgia here will get it for you,” he continues before looking up at the tall beauty. “This is my son,” he informs her, and her eyes cast my way.
“He looks like you,” she says softly, and I lift my right eyebrow. It’s apparent my father has everyone wrapped around his finger, but not out of respect; it’s out of fear.
“I’m good,” I reply callously, ready for whatever my father has to say, to be said.
She says something to my dad that has him laughing under his breath, before she leaves the room. I’m sure he’s fucking her, but as a man in his crew, it’s my job to look my mother in the eye and assume otherwise.
“Have you talked to Kieran?” he finally asks before taking a sip of his drink.
I don’t reply, it’s none of his business and if I know my father, which I do, any answer I give him won’t be the right one. “Well, I just assume you don’t. He’s a liar, betrayed his own blood, and cannot be trusted. He is the enemy, and dead to me as far as I’m concerned.” His tone of voice holding a sharpness that reminds me of only a sword. One that has been through fire and flames of treachery and is glowing the color orange. I bite my tongue, keeping from reminding my father that he tried to have him and Leona killed. I’m not surprised Kieran fought back with a power so bold that even I can’t follow his footsteps.
Sitting forward, I rest my elbows on my knees and rub my palms together anxiously.
“Why am I here?”
“You want the kid to take the position, don’t ya?” Gio asks, and my father’s eyes squint as he sizes me up. I don’t know what he thinks he’s going to see, he knows who I am, knows my weaknesses and strengths better than anyone. My eyes slip to Gio, his pink tie strikingly bright against his Armani suit, but he looks good compared to the rest of these chuckleheads. He wouldn’t have asked my father that if they hadn’t already talked about me taking the position. Father is fucking with me. Making me out to be lesser of a man than others that are up for the job.
“I don’t know,” he mumbles, rubbing his chin. Grinding my teeth, I fight the annoyance biting at my tongue. I can’t help but curse fucking Kieran leaving me behind to deal with this shit. Nice, he had me come to this shithole just so he could tell me he’s unsure of my placement in his world. He could have saved me the cab fee and told me that over the phone.
“Power isn’t just handed to someone, it’s something that is earned through years of loyalty and hardships. I don’t expect you to hand me the title of underboss simply because I’m your son, nor do I want it.” I stand, buttoning my jacket. “I seek more. I may have my dark moments but I want a throne where kindness isn’t a weakness which is not in the mafia. I show respect even if people don’t deserve it, and this shouldn’t make you question my character, if anything… it’s a reflection of the man you are.”
He stands, slamming his fist on the table. Chips scatter, cards falling to the floor.
“You do not talk to me that way!” he roars, and I tilt my head to the side at his tantrum. “I’ve killed men for saying lesser to me.”
“Right, you’re the devil, I know. Thing is… the Devil used to be an angel. I was never an angel. I’m worse.” Lifting my brow at him in a sense of challenge, I turn to walk away, leaving Oz the powerful great speechless.
“Wait, we need him!” Gio proclaims.
“What if…” My father hesitates, I can hear the struggle in his voice as he sits in his chair.
“A test.”
I turn, intrigued.
“Mr. Ludwig, who owns the liquor store on the west side, he came to us about an hour ago. He wants a loan to put his daughter through vet school.” He shrugs, looking at my uncles before back at me.