𝐄𝐠𝐲𝐩𝐭

𝟏𝟓

𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 "𝐏𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐭𝐨𝐦" 𝐆𝐞𝐧𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐞

New York isn't as inviting as most would think, but it's just the kind of invite I needed.

Getting off the plane a few days ago and being met with the crisp air that the season has to offer was all the welcoming I needed.

Back to business.

It is now Friday, the day I do my routinely checkups on Alpha and The Towers. Our twin hotels are first on my list, primarily because Dimitri and I have to meet with our father about our forced getaway.

Strolling into Starlight, already checking on Serenade, I catch that same receptionist from last time, deciding to stop and speak to her this time around.

"Ciao bella," I greet, her face becoming as red as the lacy bra that shines from behind her shirt.

"G-Good evening Mr. Genovese," she stutters, startled by our abrupt start to a conversation.

"Has Genovese Senior been in your eyesight in the past," I pause and look down at my watch, "ten minutes?" I question, sending her a million-dollar smile.

She nods her head quickly before letting me know that he has been in the building. I bid her goodbye and make my way to the ground levels of Starlight, bracing myself for my father's big personality.

"My other boy! How was the trip?" My father exclaims once I enter the meeting room.

"Sir," I greet shortly, giving Dimitri a dap from across the table.

"Well, how was Canan?" Blaze asks, his eyebrows shooting up in expectation.

I hesitated before answering his question, and unbeknownst to me, I had no clue as to why.

I begin to explain everything I remembered there, from the differences between "Chief" and the "Boss", to Chief actually having three children instead of the known one.

Any details involving Chief's three kids were kept very brief, Blaze was already getting a load of information, and I'm not willing to exceed that and have him start up his schemes.

"So who's the Boss?" Blaze asks once I finish my sentence.

"Boss is a-"

"We didn't meet." I interject Dimitri's confession, an eyebrow raising in question from my brother.

"You were there for that long and didn't see the fucker?" Blaze seethes, growing annoyed at the revelation.

"Supposedly they were traveling when we were visiting." I conclude, wanting to end this conversation as quickly as possible.

Dimitri took over and started to explain the coordinates and pinned locations that we were able to gather, but our father knew that Canan's boss knew better than to outright give the location of the country to us.

After about fifteen more minutes of discussing our whereabouts, he finally brings up their original manufactured psychedelic.

"Where's my souvenir?" Blaze asks, his palm facing up expecting at least a dimebag of MLE.

I place the gold cub in his hands with a smirk, Dimitri ready to pass out from holding his laughter in, knowing that our father isn't going to be happy with my gift shop choice.

"Ora!" Blaze grips on the metal, "Che cazzo è questo?"(Now, what the fuck is this?) his voice booms, his face becoming red at the artifact in his hands.

"Well-"

I didn't even have a chance to explain how high security their laboratory was, downright their whole country seemed like TSA at JFK. Before Blaze cuts me off with his strings of curses in his native tongue.

"Signore, si rilassi-," (Sir, relax-) Dimitri pleads, only making Blaze hurl the baby lion straight towards his face, merely missing the throw by a centimeter as he ducks under the table.

"What the fuck-"

"What the fuck is right!" Blaze screams, shooting up from his seat. I lean back in my seat with two fingers to my temple, waiting for his tantrum to be over.

"What the fuck do you think I'm supposed to do with a gold toy? Stick it up my ass?" He boils, fumes practically blowing from his ears.

I shake my head as he storms out of the room, informally ending our meeting.

Shortly after my brother leaves the room, letting me bask in my thoughts on how happy I would be with my two hands ringing Blaze's neck.

Relax Phantom, no need.

I sigh comes from my mouth as I stand up from the table, loosening my tie out of frustration, wanting to get rid of any restraint on me.

When I go to retrieve the now broken cub, something shines from within the tiny relic.

I pick up the black piece of plastic with the silver piece sticking out, shaking my head at the priceless item that's between my fingers.

Of course, there would be flash drives in these figurines.

I slip the cub that has been split by its neck into my suit jacket pocket, along with my newly acquired flash drive, and head out the door.

A wave of anxiety succumbs my body as I make my way out of the hotel, a scowl etched onto my face, scaring those who have crossed my path within the last 45 seconds.

Once I'm in the safety of my vehicle, I let out a long list of profanities as I run my hands through my curls.

What the fuck am I supposed to do with this? Do I even want to look?

Of course, you want to look, and you're going to.

I huff and push to start my car, the engine roaring into the cold night sky. Sitting there to let her warm up, my mind races at what could be tucked away on this flimsy piece of plastic.

There must be more copies or a larger hard drive that stores a lot more information than what I have in my hands right now.

An internal battle declares itself in my mind, fighting on the decision of looking through this or not.

I'm a Genovese, so to help the family name in any way shape, or form, I am obliged to do what I need to.

But then old me, old vulnerable me, he knows that once something is done, there's no going back.

I put my car in drive, revving the engine, and proceeding to go to Acapella's Diner, my favorite business venture that I have accomplished on my own.

My thoughts run wild as I speed down the city streets, my grip on the steering wheel being borderline deadly.

I groan and shake my head at the decisions I have both made and will be making, a strong feeling telling me that my actions will ruin part of my future.

But if this means that I can secure my empire,

I guess we're not going back.

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𝐯𝐨𝐭𝐞 & 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 ♡