The Don And His Flower

18

Valis memorized her smile.

The way such few small lines tickled the corners of her eyes. The way she naturally places her fingertips to her mouth, as if she'd get punished for showing such beauty. A few children circle around Imani. All sitting in the grass as some of them played. They listened quietly as she spoke to them. Imani watched as the kids put so many stickers all over her wheelchair.

It's been a full month since his woman came home. A full month that his father has been missing. A full month that Valis had become a temporary Don to the people of Sontarc.

Despite his efforts to simmer them, rumors spread quickly. Wedging a divide among the people of Sontarc. Many refused to believe that their Don was responsible for the attack on them. Many were blessed to know he was nowhere in Sontarc anymore. They were mutually blessed to know that Valis Kholodov was nothing as his father seemed.

Giving them the choices of living in some of the newly claimed land under Valis Kholodov. He understood if remaining in Sontarc was too much for them.

He couldn't leave.

He couldn't leave his homeland.

But he wouldn't force that upon everyone else.

"You..you want all control of Europe?"

Valis sat across the table in a small cafe, in Paris. It was entirely empty besides the owner tending to their meals. He left Imani in bed, the doctors watching the nervous woman. Only with the promise to come back to her within two days.

He sat across the head mafias that were spread among France. He simply nodded, looking at their shocked and irritated reactions.

"Kholodov's allience-"

"Is under new terms. I didn't agree to the first one, my father did. I can understand how this may upset you-"

"May upset us? You want one hundred percent of the share holds. You already have Russia, Southern America and Africa. What could you possibly want with Europe?" The elder mafia demanded, an angered finger pointed.

He nodded slowly, thinking about his woman through all of this.

His other alternative was to kill them, take it by force. But it ruins the new leaf he's trying to turn. He isn't greedy as his father, no. There's power in alliances, strength in numbers.

"Costello.. My woman has been held captive in France for four months. Four months she's carried my child inside her. Here in France, specifically under your territory."

He watched the man's eyes look distant. Confusion at the new knowledge as he slowly shook his head. "While I am trying to make new amends with my father's greedy alliances, I can't help but wonder why you couldn't see this happening. Why didn't you have your men patrolling all corners of your territory? Old and new? I mean,"

He sighed, elbows on the table as his chin rest on the back of his hand. "I can't help but suspect that you had a role in my wife's disgusting kidnapping."

Imani let the kids wheel her around, her eyes observing the newly growing fresh foods within the fresh grounds. The aroma of herbs filled her nose as one of the children told her about the rosemary and mint leaves.

A warm hand touched her shoulder. Looking up with a warm smile, she felt him wipe underneath her eyes. The action made her smile falter, realizing that she was crying. The kids gave her a final hug, running off to the second compound as they were called for dinner.

The gust of wind tickled her arms as she looked at the late winter skies.

Four months in captivity, she's missed Thanksgiving and Christmas. Just the end of January and the rains have been a nightmare.

Valis lowered to his knee, eyes on hers as he confirmed her unwanted suspicions.

"It's time, flower."

She felt his lips on her fingers, slowly nodding her head after giving thought.

An entire month.

Imani looked in the distance, familiar faces of her nursing doctors were in her view. Along with the large red and white cooler in one of their hands.

Imani kept silent. Tears threatened against her wishes, the unwanted damning on her as she looked at the blue skies.

She didn't want this.

Imani didn't want to say goodbye to her child.

That's why the doctors promised to take such good care of it for the time being. Because she wasn't ready.

What if they were wrong? What if her baby is alive in that cooler? Scared and covered by a blanket, waiting for mommy to come to the rescue?

Valis kissed her forehead once, and then twice, going back to his knees before her. "I'm scared, Valis." She spoke.

Such soft velvet in his ears. Warmth in his face as he looked at the woman before him. On his knees, he kissed her fingers once more. The trembling muscles slowly at ease as he soothed such nerves. "I know, baby. Me too."

The man was terrified.

Terrified of what may occur during the span of the upcoming months. There were so many things that had to be dealt with. The main one is what felt like the hardest part.

He had to make Imani his wife.

He had to have her carry is last name. It was the only way to guarantee such protection towards her. He barely scraped by this time. Getting so much help from majority of the mafias looking for a woman that wasn't his wife.

If he wasn't close with them, they'd slam doors in his face.

Imani needed to hold his last name. For anyone who threatens her life, threatens their own. She doesn't understand the luxury of safety that she'll endure carrying his last name, carrying his children.

Imani Kholodov.

No one will test her. Not without increasing such a risk of starting a war against the Kholodov Family.

"You think..I partook in your woman's disappearance? That is absurd!" Costello stood up, slamming the pen down once again. Valis sighed, nodding his head before placing an idex finger on his temple. "You must not understand the severity of what I'm trying to get. There is such strength in numbers, there is. But if you do not give me your loyalty, this meeting will end in bloodshed. I'm trying to limit my intake of enemies. The previous properties I now own, we all can benefit from." He sighed, sipping his now cold tea.

"I need to know, who you stand with. My father? Or me?"

One of the men who Valis recalled being Costello scoffed. Grabbing his jacket, he shoved his arms through. "Listen, I have nothing to do with your woman's kidnapping, okay? And it's a shame what might've occurred to her. But honestly, this won't make me sign that alliance. Not to you. I refuse to give you another massive chunk of land. Not when you practically have half of the planet already. So..my loyalty, believe it or not. It lies with your fathe-"

Bang.

The other men gasped, flinching at the sudden gunshot. Theo Marley stood behind Costello, smoking gun aimed at the center of the man's back. Costello fell to his knees. Face to the floor as his body twitched once, blood pooling out slowly.

"How about the rest of you? My father? Or me?"