The New Barber

CHAPTER 16: Raiden

I couldn't believe that asshole Nielsen came to that restaurant. I had no idea he was already in town. Then out of all the times he could have shown up, it was while I was trying to have a nice dinner date with my girl. 

Frankie and I arrived at an abandoned playground that hasn't been opened to the public for years now. The swings were all rusted up along with the play structures including the monkey bars and the slides whose colors seemed to have faded away and from all the rain and sun exposure throughout the years. 

I knew there would be no interruptions because this also happened to be a place that I liked coming to to think and clear my head a lot of the time. Nobody else really knows about this place and I haven't ever even told Markus neither. 

We rolled down the windows to let the light gentle night air come through into the car and I began to explain things. 

"Nielsen is somebody who I grew up with. My father and his used to be really good friends and then once his father died, he went to live with his uncle and we lost touch. Then a few years ago, we met up again and became investors in a business for his friend. But I found out months later that he was trying to screw me over and trying to...." I stopped myself for a moment to think fast in how I was going to word the next things that were coming out of my mouth next. But I guess there isn't a right way to tell people, including her in what it is I do exactly. 

"Shit. I really never thought there'd ever come a time in my life when I would meet somebody and feel something for them enough to be nervous in telling them what it is I really do." I mumble to myself. Apparently though, I wasn't quiet enough as she seemed to have heard me. 

"Whatever it is, just go ahead and tell me." She says.

So I take in a deep breath and let it out before I continue. 

"Remember when I told you about my father and how he built an empire and handed it over to me to take over?" I started.

"Yeah?" She says. 

"Well the so-called 'empire' he had built is really him becoming THE Mafia King of the U.S. And these businesses I am part owner of, I truly do help people stay in business but, I also tend other businesses as well that are more dangerous." I admit. 

I wanted to continue but instead we ended up sitting there for a moment in awkward silence before she finally said something. 

"So now you're the Mafia King?" She asks. 

"Yes." I nod in agreement. Now what I was about to say next, seemed to be harder than telling her what I did for a living. 

Something she doesn't know is that a few days ago, I had one of the guys that I always have try and find out information on people more than the FBI or the government could find out about someone and what he told me was surprising. He told me who she was. She was the daughter of the man I had taken a hit out on. I tend to try and find out everything I can on someone I let into my life to see their background and make sure there are no tricks and they aren't trying to secretly spy to take me down. Call it paranoia but I mostly like to prefer it as me being cautious. Which you kind of have to be really in this kind of business.

However, I chickened out in telling her about her dad. I wanted to first see how she'd react to all this other stuff. 

"I knew there was something." She says. 

"What?" I asked confused. 

"I had a feeling there was more to what you really did for a living then what you were telling me before." She says. " I mean, I thought at first that maybe you were famous in some way and had a lot of body guards, or that you were so rich that you needed protection because you'd be a target for people wanting to come after you for your money. 

"Well, in a way, that's not ENTIRELY inaccurate. I mean, to a point of course starting with what I do but as far as being known to many and having a lot of money then the guys I have to protect me, I mean, in a way it's almost the same concept." I try and tell her to make a little light of things. 

However, I was soon learning otherwise and that at any moment she was going to burst into tears, fits of rage, slap me, punch me, or get out and start walking down the roadway waiting for a stranger to pick her up. I immediately shake all that out of my head, especially the last part because mainly in general I wouldn't allow her to put herself in danger no matter how much she fought back with me. 

Meanwhile, this silence was driving me crazier than anything else I could think of at the moment. 

Next chapter will be posted soon! :)