Three for us,Rico said.
"Go fuck yourself," Da Han countered.
"Bronx, that's what my Lords want," Dasan said, adding his input because he has no plans to stay silent forever.
"How about this," Da Han said after a few moments of silence. "To ensure that there is no more bad blood between our three factions, I want to propose a 'Blood Marriage.'"
Rico cocked an eyebrow.Explain.
"That is an arranged marriage between our firstborns," Da Han said. "It is how I met my wife. In unifying our families, the territory will be shared as well as the profits gained. Anyone who challenges your family or my triad challenges us together."
Maverick watched Rico's expression transform into one of reflection, and it would seem the big boss found the proposal enticing.
Darling, your thoughts?Rico asked Alessia.
Alessia's gaze took in Da Han, and Maverick could tell she was scanning for deceit. She exhaled. "It's promising."
Will Enzo accept it? Rico asked.
"He will not, but I believe we shouldn't give him a choice as long as the deal is sweetened," Alessia said. "Furthermore, this Blood Marriage seems to rely on the merging of our bloodlines, as it was with you and your wife. If Li is your firstborn and Enzo is ours... well, I'm sure you can see the dilemma."
"Blood Marriage is a union between the firstborns; however, my daughter is his twin and my only baby girl. We can make an exception and have her marry Enzo," Da Han suggested.
"Our son is gay and would not be interested in your daughter. Having him marry Li will be challenging enough for him to accept, but he will," Alessia said, then she flipped her hair behind her shoulder as she made herself more comfortable in the chair. "Perhaps we can go a step further to guarantee our families become one. Vincenzo is Nico's son, Castiello blood, and bisexual. If he were to marry Xiù and they have children, that would go a long way in putting my husband and me at ease with our arrangement." She turned then to see what her husband had to say.
I like that idea, my darling. Marrying both of Da Han's children to our family will solidify our bond. Do you agree, Mr. Mujin?Rico asked.
Da Han took a deep breath because he was willing to marry one child to fulfill the Blood Marriage, but two? "If I marry my children to your family, I expect everything to be split equally between us."
Rico nodded.We share Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Staten Island. The Lords get the Bronx and Queens.
Maverick saw his father's lips pursed and knew he liked the sound of that. It would seem that Rico was wheeling and dealing the right way. He was impressed as he watched three of the most ruthless and powerful men he'd ever met come to terms. He knew he could never be a leader; he didn't have the temperament, nor the knowledge to weave his way through the intricacies of negotiation. His idea of solving problems was to kill the problem, but this 'sit-down' was on another level. He wondered what his dad and brother thought of it.
"My brother Yufei will control Staten Island along with your people," Da Han said, continuing with the deal.
"Enzo will move to New York and run that territory with your son, Li," Alessia said.
That works, as Vincenzo goes where he does because he's Enzo's right hand and Capo. Your daughter being married to him means she doesn't have to be separated from Li,Rico pointed out.
Da Han nodded. "They'll be married; we'll be family. That's how it should go. Let all the bad blood between us wash away. You lost good people; I lost good people. We don't need to lose anymore."
Maverick liked the way this negotiation was going. It would seem that Da Han came to the table with a plan.
"What about Chicago?" Dasan asked.
"My triad stays on their side; your chapter of the Lords stays on theirs, the way it's always been," Da Han said.
'Not goodenough", Rico said."If we're family, my men should be able to enter your Chicago territory."
"That depends, will it be for business or pleasure?" Da Han asked.
"Pleasure, of course. Business should only be limited to our respective territories. My people won't do business on the north side of Chicago, and yours won't deal on the south side," Rico said.
Da Han huffed, then waved his hand. "Fine. We share all of our territory for pleasure. Regarding the bikers, the Lords keep to their side, and my brother won't enter their backyard, at least not without permission. And vice versa, fair?"
"That works for me. You two can share all you want, but the Lords will only tolerate one biker club in our space, and you all don't even consider yourselves a club. You're a biker gang, and I doubt your people will choose to be a support gang to the Lords," Dasan said.
"Your doubts are correct," Da Han said. "But you won't have to worry about Yufei's gang being in Chicago. I have plans for him to move to New York, Manhattan to be exact. He'll give Li the support he'll need."
