The Reluctant Mafia Boss

Chapter 12

Luca's POV

"How's the main man doing today?" I watched Marco asked Nicolo.

"I am good." Nicolo responded.

"Good? No sore feeling, pain or discomfort this morning?" Marco asked him again.

"No, none. The medications are working really well." Nicolo responded. "I just need to heal fast so I can start hanging out with my friends again soon."

"I'm glad you're feeling better. And don't worry you'll be up and running in no time." Marco told him. "You're strong, a fighter like your uncle."

"Hey buddy, uncle Marco and I will be out in the living room talking for a while. Do you need anything else?" I asked him.

"No." Nicolo shook his head. "I am good for now dad."

"Just call if you need anything alright?" I told him as I showed him my phone.

"Ok." Nicolo nodded before taking up his remote and turning on the TV.

"He is really a fighter you know." Marco said to me as we walked out into the living room. "A really strong one too."

"Don't I know it." I responded.

"He must've adopted that trait from Sergio, or from Adriana because it sure as hell isn't from you.". Marco said shocking me.

"What the hell is that supposed to mean?". I frowned at him.

"It means exactly what you think it does." Marco responded. "You being scared to do what is expected of you, being scared to fight to protect your family, is high level of weakness. So surely you don't think that Nicolo's strength come from you."

"You think I'm weak?"

"Yes! If you keep refusing to take over and do what is best for the safety of your family, then you are weak." Marco said firmly.

"I am doing what I think is best for my family's safety..."

"And what's that? Being a coward and running away from..."

"I'm not running. I'm trying to be a good father and not get further involved in this lifestyle you're so eager to join." I told him. " I'm not even involved, and people I love and care about got hurt or killed because of this lifestyle. If I get further involved in this, do you think the hits are going to stop? They're only going to keep coming."

"And you think that ignoring the fact is going to cause it to stop? You were born into this life. The minute you were conceived, a hit was placed on your head. The same thing happened to Sergio, he too was born into this legacy. The difference is that he learned to embrace it. He is not afraid of doing what it takes to get protection for his families- both of them. And that is what makes him such a great role model and a father figure I can look up to since mine is gone."

"You think that I'm supposed to be enthusiastic about joining something or taking over something that caused the death of my wife, friends, other family?"  I sneered. "I am trying to stay away from this because getting involved further is not going to have any nice results. Staying away or being reluctant is my way of hoping all the blood shed and chaos that comes with this lifestyle, will pass us by."

"You honestly can't believe that. If you believe that running away from this is going to help any issue, you are only fooling yourself. As far as I see it, the only way to get those hits off our family is to show these sons of bitches that you won't roll over and play dead."