My father’s death was unexpected, a murder actually, but that is neither here nor there and Iknowmy uncle expected me to hand over the throne. Not fucking likely. This ismybirthright, my throne, my fucking city and my father handed it to me.
“Ah, but I am not.” His dark eyes intend to be intimidating, but I’ve grown up around this man, I know his tricks. Sure, to everyone else he’s scary,but I haven’t feared him since I was eleven and I watched him cower to my father. “You’re here, sweet Elena, and you’re going to live along,healthy life.”
I stifle my chuckle. I hear the threat right there. If I’m gone, it’s all his. But I am ready for everything he has to throw at me.
“Well,” I force my shoulders to loosen and give the men my back, something I really don’t want to do but need to. They need to know I am not afraid of them, and I will not back down. I head to the console table and pluck a crystal glass from the tray, filling it with whiskey from the decanter, before I turn back to them. “I didn’t call you here for nothing, gentlemen. Yes, my father was buried today, but that doesn’t mean everything stops; you should know that.”
The only sound that follows my words is the clip of my heels on the floor. I round the table slowly, swirling the amber liquid in my glass as I go until I reach the largest chair at the head of the table. It’s entirely obnoxious, three times the size of the rest of the chairs, made from African Blackwood and a rich leather that’s expertly cared for three times a week. It screams arrogance and wealth. I am half tempted to get rid of it myself and replace it with the pink velvet chair I have in my dressing room. It’s far more comfortable and doesn’t squeak when I sit.
I’m sure every person at this table would throw a fit and that just makes me want to do it more.
“It seems, gentlemen, that my father’s death has meant that our associates believe they do not need to pay their due. We prop them up, but we can just as quickly make them fall.”
“Rossi Enterprises made their deal with your father,” Anton shrugs, like the millions of dollars we are missing is no big deal. “It should come as no surprise that they’ll test their luck now.”
Rossi Enterprises are the ones we helped win over the market, buying most of the ranches out in the sticks to produce meat and dairy. Their products have completely taken over, lining their pockets, but without my father, they never would have made it. I don’t particularly care to maintain relationships made before my time, but to blatantly miss on payments owed because they believe the deal is over with that death certificate is just plain stupidness.
I will andcantear them down.
“Perhaps a visit is due,” My uncle suggests, pulling a cigarette from his packet and lighting it. “Remind him of his commitments. It would be wise to reintroduce yourself now.”
For once, I don’t disagree with him. “Arrange it.” I command, “Sooner rather than later, and make sure to let him know there is interest added for every hour he is late on payment.”
“Your wish is my command, Miss De Luca,” Anton adds a flare to his words to match that greasy smile of his.
“Rio,” I call for my right hand to follow and he falls into step beside me.
Once the doors are closed behind me, I turn my face to him, continuing down the hall toward the small den, “I don’t like this.”
“Me either,” He agrees, “They are not loyal, Elena.”
“They will be,” I assure him. “They don’t believe I can be like my father, so I will prove to them I can be more.”
“I believe you,” He sighs, “But keep yourself armed. Your uncle has them wrapped around his finger, one word from him, and they’ll make an attempt. He is next in line, and he wants the city.”
“Well, he can’t have it.” I push the door to the den open and stop. “It’s mine.”
He looks at where I block the door, notallowing him inside. Sure, we’ve fucked, but I don’t particularly want company from the opposite sex tonight, not when they’ve already pissed me off. Rio is fine, a little needy but fine, a means to an end when I’ve got an itch to scratch even though I know he wants more.
“No nightcap?” He runs a finger down my arm.
“Not tonight.” I step away from his touch, watching his hand drop and then close the door on his sad little face.
I cross to the oak desk and lower myself into the chair, reaching for the wineglass before I bend and pluck a bottle of white from the fridge beneath. I love a whiskey, but you can pry my wine from my cold dead hands. Pouring half a glass, I lean back and stare toward the portrait of my father hanging above the unlit fireplace. It will remain unused for several more months, since summer has just started. His grey eyes bore down onto me, so stern, even in death, but I know he’d be in my corner.
He was strict with me. As his only child, he knew what I was coming into and treated me as such. There was little love and a lot of learning. I am what I am because of him.
“To you.” I tip the rim of my glass to his portrait and then take a healthy sip, downing almost half the glass before I bring it away from my lips. There are things I need to undo, to adjust, to change, and it will come with time. My main priority is getting a group behind me, where they are loyal tomeandnot who my father was. I will never lead successfully with a ghost at my back.
I don’t stop at the one glass, or even two, deciding to finish the entire bottle instead. I buried my father today, dealt with absolute disrespect from the men who swore to my father they’d bend the knee, and now must handle a bratty corporation who owes me money.
One thing you don’t want to do is owe the mafia money.
The sooner I can get this whole shit dealt with, the better. But I am sick of being looked down on because I am a woman.
Which is going to keep happening unless I make a statement, prove a point and come out triumphant.
But Rio is right, there’s something going on that I cannot see. The quicker I figure that out, the better it will be. I’ll deal with the traitors, set a foundation and sit on the throne where I belong.
