Isaac's POV
"Morning."
I look over my shoulder to find David, Hailey's father, stepping out of his house, two mugs in his hand.
"Morning," I say in return, taking one last hit of my cigarette and putting it out.
David slides the kitchen door close behind him and is walking over to where I'm sitting on his porch, handing me a mug of what I can only assume is coffee.
"You get any sleep?"
"Few hours," I tell him, reaching for the mug. "Thank you."
David takes a seat in one of the three porch chairs that are left, sitting to my right, placing his mug on top of a coaster on the table in front of us. "Hailey?"
"Asleep, she was out the instant we hit the bedroom. You got an early shift today?"
It's only 5:18 in the morning so I'm surprised to see that he's up already.
He shakes his head, "mid shift but my body's used to getting up early though. Ana hates it so I try to be as quiet as I can."
I nod bringing the cup of coffee up to my lips taking a sip out of it, to my surprise it tastes decently good.
"Hailey once mentioned that we drank our coffee the same so hopefully it isn't too bitter," he says beside me. "There's creamer in the fridge if you need it, it's some seasonal flavor shit though; it's Ana's."
I snort softly while placing the mug down on the coaster in front of me, "it's fine thank you."
"How you holding up?" He questions taking a drink from his own mug.
I shrug my shoulders looking out into his backyard, the sun is barely starting to rise so there's a faint glow in the horizon.
I needed to get out of the house last night after what happened with my dad, after reading the letter my mother left laying on the floor. I don't know when exactly it happened but I remember starting to slowly black out as the anger continued to crawl up my back.
I remember the air feeling fairly thin, struggling to breathe, the room, house, suddenly feeling small and next thing I know we're standing outside in the front yard with Hailey leaning over next to me, telling me to breathe, a couple of my men standing in the courtyard, watching me have a full on panic attack, blackout.
I remember Val coming closer towards us, concern written all over his face, his lips moving but no sound coming out. All I could hear was the sound of my own heartbeat as it continued to work on overload, muffling everything else out around me.
Hailey's voice eventually breaks through the muffle barrier, but she isn't exactly talking to me, she's talking to the men in the courtyard, commanding them as I become more and more alert of my surroundings.
I remember her taking my gun from my hand, looking down at my bloody bruised knuckles as she demands that everyone just give us our space, snapping her fingers at another one of my guys, yelling at him to bring her the keys to her challenger.
It was her idea to go for a drive, her idea for us to leave the house and give my parents, myself, some space away from one another.
Hailey actually goes back and forth with Val for a bit, one of my fathers high security.
I say my fathers because the second I took over I demoted him and made Beans my head of security. The two already didn't get along due to their own differences so when I made the switch it only made things worse for the both of them.
Val continued to argue with my wife about the safety precautions they have to take, reminding her how it wasn't safe for her to be out driving without a driver, especially at night.
Val was more than happy to take us anywhere that she wanted to go because I obviously wasn't in the right state of mind to be driving at the moment but Hailey instantly put her foot down and I couldn't have been more proud in that moment.
She reminded Val who he worked for, who he took orders from, reminding him that she was more than capable of doing her own driving and decided to add on that she could call her usual drivers to come pick her up if she needed an escort, aka Beans and Ian.
This obviously ticked Val off because I saw the instant shift in his eyes as I became completely aware of my surroundings and put in my own two cents.
Hailey knows nothing about Beans and Val not liking each other, she knows that they have differences because of an altercation I had to tell her about when I made the switch. She knows sometimes the men get under each other's skin but she didn't purposely throw it in his face that she could call Beanie instead, and that's what I had to remind Val, in Italian of course so my wife couldn't understand.
Hailey had a handful of people she was comfortable with, men who she only wanted to deal with, a team lined up at her disposal in case she needed to call for help, Sacramento being in charge of that team.
With everything going on I was not going to make the same mistakes I made before, I was not going to put my wife and unborn son in danger.
As stubborn and bratty as Hailey can be, Sacramento was well grounded, he would know how to handle my wife without being disrespectful, regardless if she got her feelings hurt or not.
Sacramento knows of Hailey's friendships with some of the men in the family, and I've made it pretty clear that he is to keep his distance, he's allowed to give her that comfortability if she so desperately wants it but he is not to reveal his identity to her.
He's one of my highest paid men for a reason, he's good at what he does for a reason, he has the most training for a reason. Most of the men in this warehouse don't even know who Sacramento is when he's wearing his tech suit, to them he's just Tobias, he's just another guy on my security tech team.
The only three people that know of Sacramento's double life are my dad, Dominic and myself. Beans, Jer, Val, Metcalf, Aj, Dee, anyone else in this warehouse only knows Tobias exists, his own men don't even know who he really is.
I've had a handful of my men, including Beanie, come up to me and ask why I have a man like Tobias on my tech team, a man of his built should be out in the field because let me tell you Sacramento is one massive mother fucker.
The guy is probably about 6'5, 6'6, definitely taller than myself and most of the guys here, not only is he tall but the mother fucker is bulky as hell.
My father actually let Sacramento pick his own cover up title when he recruited him, so it definitely leaves a lot of my men wondering why I have such a muscular man in surveillance because the guy definitely loves to wear tight shirts. Sacramento actually use to be on patrol/routes years ago to play off cover right but Dom explained that it was harder to get him back to the warehouse when they needed him, sometimes he was out of boundaries limits, or he couldn't get away from his partner, group, without his cover being blown.
I inhale a deep breath turning to look at David, "am I being an asshole for not wanting to hear him out?"
He immediately begins to shake his head, "no, your feelings are just as valid as your moms kid. You're allowed to be upset and want your space, you're allowed to dwell in it and take all the time you need. You know you guys are more than welcome to stay here as long as you like."
"Things were supposed to be getting better now that he's back," I mutter under my breath, looking down at the coffee in the mug. "They weren't supposed to be getting worse."
David inhales a deep breath and sets his cup back down, "you know, I can't even begin to imagine how you're feeling, kid. Your dad's something else for doing what he did, but at the same time I don't blame him, but that's the father part of me talking."
I turn to look at him.
"What your dad did, faking his death- yeah that was pretty fucked up, but at the same time I respect him. I can't begin to imagine how many times he must've gone back and forth with the idea of having to genuinely leave his family behind just to keep them safe. I know you feel betrayed, hurt that he couldn't trust in you, kid, but you're looking at everything the wrong way."
I frown not following.
"Your dad," he says. "He's always been your guy's guardian. He's a provider, he's a protector, he's your keeper, he's your mothers defender, it's always just been him. When he decided to fake his death he gave up all those rights, he put all his trust in you, Isaac, he put you in control of everything. You didn't just become the head of his organization, you became the keeper, the provider, you became the defender, the protector."
He points in my direction, "he put your mom's safety, his wife, the love of his life, in your hands, kid. I've known your dad for quite sometime now and the love the man has for that woman is something I've honestly never seen. That woman is his entire world. You'll always be his son, regardless of whether you decide to forgive him or not, she was probably his main concern, he can genuinely lose her for good. He put the most trust in you, Isaac, he trusted you to take care of everything without him, it's only ever just been him."
I look away from him and back down at my coffee as I reach for it, it's definitely not as hot as it first was. "I hate that you're making sense," I mumble.
David chuckles softly, "I know, kid, and I'm sorry. Hailey let me read the letter after you guys went to bed, I left it on the kitchen island."
I quickly turn to look at him again.
"I'm sorry that you can't catch a break, kid, but try not to entirely blame your dad for this. You wanna stay being mad at him, then be mad at him for other reasons. That letter was as clear as day proving that your dad had no idea that Cris was his kid, his own mother wasn't even sure. Your dad was in the blind just as you are, it was completely out of his control. You can be mad at him for other reasons."
"What if he decides to take on his father roll with him?"
"Is that what you're afraid of? Having to share your dad?"
I shake my head, "I'm scared that he'll be a better father to him than he ever was to me.."
David inhales a deep breath and is sitting forward in his chair, placing his hand on my right knee, "you grew up with your dad in your life, Isaac, granted he wasn't the dad you entirely wanted, but he was there your entire life, he wasn't absent. Cris grew up in a very broken home from what I've seen, heard about, it's natural for your dad to want to compensate that, it doesn't make him any less your father though. You know your dad in ways no one else does. Cris is a grown ass man, he can choose to not have your dad in his life, they know nothing about each other, they'll have to get to know each other, they have to get past that awkward stage, past their differences due to the lifestyle you guys live in."
"This is what I wanna have with my dad," I turn to David. "I wanna have this right here, I wanna be able to talk to him the way I'm talking to you."
His lips tugs to the side, "then tell him that kid, it's pull and take on both sides. You gotta be willing to listen if you want to talk."
He scoffs softly, "I can't have this same conversation with my own son without one of us getting under each other's skin," he says. "As a dad we tend to put a lot of pressure on you guys, we expect you guys to be better than we ever were and blow up the second you're not the son I raised you better to be. Caleb went to school out of state to get away from me, because I wasn't ready to listen to him, I wasn't ready to be the father he needed me to be after his mother died. I completely gave up on him, neglected him and focused entirely on my daughter and saving her from this world. I'm no better than your own dad, kid."
"Thank you," I tell him as he sits back in his chair, the sun now hitting him in the face, it's brighter than it was a few minutes ago.
He frowns.
"For helping me see a different perspective," I explained. "For being the father figured I needed in the moment I guess."
His lips tug to the side, "we're family kid, I'll always have your back as long as you're with my daughter. Don't focus on your dad so much, focus on yourself, are you ready to have a half brother?"
I shrug my shoulders.
"This may be your dad's issue, his problem, but everyone's life is about to change should Cris or your dad decide they wanna be in each other's lives."
***
David and I stay sitting out in the backyard on his porch for a little longer, talking, and even joking around here and there, finishing our coffee, before Hailey comes to look for me, the biggest smile on her face when she catches her dad and I bonding like she said.
I walk back into the house and head back up to her old bedroom and get back into bed with her, it's still too early for her to be awake, she was up late with me last night before we went into her bedroom.
I lay in bed with her for about another hour or so, sleep never coming back to me so instead I turn her TV on, putting the volume on the lowest setting so it doesn't wake her up or the rest of her house. Ana's asleep in David's bedroom still and Caleb in his.
It's a little past eight thirty when I decided to climb out of bed and sneak my way out of her bedroom and make my way downstairs to find her father still up and hanging out in the living room.
I tell him that ima head off and try to get things situated with my dad. I tell him that I'll send a car over for Hailey seeing how I'm taking off in hers, to have her call me once she's up if she needs me, if not I'll be back later depending on how things play out.
I sit in the challenger for a few minutes allowing the car to heat up but in reality I'm just trying to buy up more time before having to face my father, before having to go back to reality.
My heart begins to feel heavy and I start to feel a little anxious and on edge as I come into view of my warehouse and pass through the front gates.
I park in my usual parking spot and begin to work on my breathing, reminding myself of the conversation with Hailey's father, reminding myself that I didn't come to pick a fight, that I'm here to hear my father out, I'm here to talk, listen, work through this. I'll check in real quick, do what I gotta do and then I'll call him in so we can talk.
I killed the engine to Hailey's car and stepped out of it, checking the time on my watch. It's past 9 am meaning attendance and announcements should be done, my morning men should be clocked in and on routes already.
I close the door behind me and lock it, making my way towards the building and double doors. I walk into the warehouse to find a small crowd gathered around in the center of the floor where the mats are at, some of the men hollering and cheering.
Who the fuck is fighting on my mats?
I begin to head in the crowd's direction rather than the office to see what the commotion is about, my men instantly greeting me as I get close by, moving out of the way, giving me a clear view of what's going on.
Well I'll be fucking damned.
I immediately begin to smile softly as I see Emiliano standing in the middle of the mat, shirtless, shoeless, dodging hit after hit, a smile on his own face.
Milo's currently pacing the floor, hashing it out with Aj having a one on one as he keeps his eyes on Ric, who's standing to the side, also shirtless, shoeless, bouncing up and down, standing near his commander, my father.
I'm actually surprised to even see him here.
I would've assumed he would've stayed home with my mother, or as far away as he can stay from me after doing what I did but here he is, standing on the other side of the mat, his arms folded along his chest as he watches the men in front of him, a smile on his face.
His lips part for a second but I can't hear what he's saying from the loud background Music. Ric looks behind him a second later, back at my father and is nodding his head and then moving forward as my dad gives him the okay to go into the ring.
I watch Milo dodge Aj's hit after hit and immediately get knocked to the ground a second later as he turns his back for a second and Ric is kicking his leg out.
Both Aj and Ric smile at each other but neither one of the men rush towards Emiliano on the floor, they don't ambush him like I imagine they would. They both continue to bounce up and down , moving along the small ring, circling around Milo, both going in opposite directions.
I watch Emiliano lay on his back for about a half a second as he struggles to turn on his side and is falling back onto his back.
Ric instantly moves forward and is sticking his hand out in front of him, crouching down next to Emiliano, "come on."
I roll my eyes mentally and begin to move forward in my father's direction, I know where this is going already.
I keep my eyes on the floor as the men in front of me quickly move out of my way and watch Ric help Milo onto his feet only to sucker punch him in the face and kick his leg back out, causing Emiliano to fall back down onto his back as he begins to groan softly.
"The hell do you think you're doing?" I grumble once I'm standing next to my father, keeping my eyes in front of me, on Milo, Ric and Aj.
Ric snickers softly and is shaking his head, apologizing he attempts to help Milo back onto his feet but he's quickly swatting his hand away, the trust already broken.
"Just some PT."
"This isn't physical therapy. This is torture."
"How the hell do you expect his back not to spasm out if all you do is have him stretch, he needs to work through the pain, he needs to build up his tolerance again."
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" I shout as Aj goes in to 'help' Milo off of the floor. All three men look in my direction and Aj and Ric are quickly taking a few steps back. "Get him up," I command and a handful of men are running to Milo's aid.
"Who the fuck gave you clearance to my men?" I turn to look at my father. "What made you possibly think it was okay for you to be here today? That you can just come back from the dead and run this warehouse like it was still yours?"
Okay breathe.
"Isaac-"
"No honestly, what the fuck goes on through your brain that makes you think you know what's right for my men? The men you use to once constantly tournament and neglect."
I watch my fathers lip quiver but he doesn't lash out, he inhales a deep breath instead, "Dominic, your second in command, Beans, Jer, they all tried calling you for roll call this morning and when you didn't answer I got called in. He-" he points over to Milo on the mats. "Was waiting in your office ready to talk to his boss, ready to prove that he can be sent out into the field, ready to make negotiations."
"So instead you sent him to the mats to fight off not only one guy, but two!?"
My dad shrugs his shoulders, "the world isn't a nice place, he needs to be prepared for anything. If anything I went easy on him putting him up against Ric and Aj only. You got jumped by six guys at one point didn't you?"
"It wasn't your call to make!" I snarl.
"Then answer your fucking phone when your family needs you!" He shouts back. "The mafia doesn't stop for nobody! I was here day and night even when an inconvenience came up! I was here still putting this family first, keeping this empire alive!"
"And look at where the fuck that got you!" I fumed, getting in his face.
"Okay, okay," Jeremiah quickly runs up to my father and I. He stands in between us, pushing us apart, "let's take a quick breather, a lot of tension going around these days."
"You ready to talk?" I look in my father's direction, pushing Jer's hand away from me.
"If you're ready to listen," he replies, doing the same with Jer's hand.
Jer nervously glances back and forth from my dad and I, "maybe we can talk out here? Where it's more open? Safer?"
"He'll be fine," I tell Jer, looking Pops straight in the eyes. "Get Dominic and Ricci back to the warehouse, I want a conference meeting set up in thirty."
"I'm sorry you want me to wake Azzaro up?"
"Did I stutter?"
"No sir."
"Then wake him up!"
"Yes sir," he sighs heavily.
I turn around and quickly begin to make my way towards the office, listening to my father's footsteps follow closely behind me. I take the letter out of the inside pocket of my trench coat, remembering to grab it before leaving Hailey's dad's house. I take off my coat and toss it onto the couch, leaving me in the sweatpant suit that Hailey's dad and Ana gifted me for Christmas.
Something that's definitely different between my father and I, the men hardly ever got to see my dad in casual clothing unless he was at home, and here I was constantly showing up to the warehouse in sweatpants because I instantly went towards the gym.
I got my work out in, took a shower, and then got into my formal clothing to start the day, start the meetings, roll call; my job as head boss.
I'm not surprised that Dominic called my father to come into the morning roll call and announcements, I was purposely ignoring every single call I got this morning. I purposely left my phone on do not disturb because I didn't want to be disturbed, and as much as I hate to admit it my fathers absolutely right.
I can't just not show up for my men because a little inconvenience happened in my life, I'm definitely better than this so I need to stop acting like some bratty emotional fucking teen and start acting like the Don my father raised me to be.
My emotions don't make me weak, they don't break me, they don't control me... At least not all of them.
I inhale a deep breath as I take a seat in my chair and take the hood off of my head, leaving the hat on still, watching my father taking a seat in front of me.
I toss the letter up onto the desk in between us as we both stare at it quietly.
"Feel free to start whenever you like."
My dad inhales a deep breath, sitting forward in the chair he reaches for the folded up paper. "This is the same exact letter that I was delivered five days ago, the same letter that I hid away in that safe," he points towards the painting behind me. "How it fell into your mother's possession I don't know."
"That's not what the fuck I'm worried about. I want to know if what that letter says is true!"
"You should be worried about that!" He shouts back, tossing the letter back onto the desk. "How many people can get in and out of that safe, Antonio?!"
I stare back at him. Him and I.
"How many?!" He exclaims.
"Two."
"Exactly! Meaning we didn't extract all the fucking moles like we thought we did. Someone from within your close circle is watching, someone from the head table is able to get in and out of this room without being detected. Someone got into that safe, someone took that letter out and personally planted it for your mother to find."
Cazzo.
I lean back in my chair, "who are you thinking? You said you had the situation handled, I left you in charge so you could tie up all our loose ends."
"I thought I did. Every single one was disposed of, families were sacrificed. I took care of it, them," he frowns, almost mumbling to himself, looking off to the floor.
I sit forward, tapping my hand on the desk, regaining his attention, "well come back to it," I say and point to the letter. "You got other shit to get situated."
He inhales a deep breath and nods his head, "it's true," his voice nearly cracks as he attempts to clear his throat. "He's your half brother, he's biologically my son."
An instant cold shiver runs up my spine, "I- I don't understand how. How?!?"
He shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know son, I genuinely don't know, I don't have a clear enough explanation other than what that letter says. I'm no better than how you were where your mother first broke up with me, I was far worse if anything. I treated her a lot shittier than you've probably ever treated Hailey."
"You're not exactly helping your case here."
"We hardly talk about it but your mom hated me when she found out who I was, what I did. She was terrified of me.."
I frown," what did you do?"
He shakes his head, "I can't change the past but I was a lot more different than what I am now. I was selfish and overly arrogant, I didn't have anybody nor did I need anybody and your mom eventually got tired of begging me to let her in so she left, she broke up with me. I immediately turned to drugs, I abused alcohol, I used women. I did anything I could do to get her out of my head, including sleeping with Cris mom one night. We didn't have any type of relationship, I didn't even know the woman, all I knew was that she was Verdino's younger sister, Roxwell's wife, why not kill two birds with one stone. We had a one night stand and that's all it ever was, I haven't heard from her up until I got that letter five days ago," he points to the folded papers.
"Does he know?"
"I don't know," he shrugs.
"You really had no idea about him?"
He shakes his head, "I promise I didn't. I told his mom the second I got the results and instantly called your mother right after but she was still out so she wasn't answering her phone. I wasn't going to hide it from you guys, I was gonna tell your mom, I was going to tell you. I didn't want to strain my family anymore than I already have."
I crunch up the paper under my hand into a ball, "I wanna hate you so fucking much right now, I want a reason to genuinely fucking hate you, but I can't.. I believe you, I believe that you didn't have a clue in the world because of the letter, that you're just as blind sided as ma and I."
"Had I known-"
"I know, you would've said something.. After everything you've done, everything you've hid, I don't know if I can believe you though, I don't trust you anymore."
"And I don't blame you, son, you have every right to be upset but please don't leave, give me a chance to make things right. I want to fix our relationship just as much as I wanna fix the one with your mother. Please don't keep Hailey and the baby away from me, I want to be there, I want to be here for my family."
I inhale a deep breath and shake my head, "I couldn't even if I tried, dad, Hailey loves you too much, she'd immediately put her foot down."
He smiles softly and the hairs on the back of my neck are quickly standing up when the warehouse alarm begins to ring, instantly putting my father and I alert as the men outside of the office begin to scramble around.
The office phone rings a second later and I'm instantly putting it on speaker, "speak."
There's an instant loud groan on the other side, "R-roxwell's h-here, he's trying to get in boss."
I look up at my father and the instant panic in his eyes is enough to make my entire fucking week.
He's definitely not the same man he was a few months ago, that arrogant, cynical, man is now gone; now he's vulnerable.
And as much as I wanna relish in it, I can't, I can't stand to see my own father suffer over something he had no control over.
Who the fuck am I? When did I start defending this man's actions? Thanks a lot David.
"The hell you groaning for?"
"H-he uh, he put a bullet in my thigh when we refused him entrance. Nimo's d-down boss, he took two to the chest before I could sound the alarm."
"Where's Roxwell now?! Who's he with?!"
He groans a couple more times as he shifts around, "he's alone, p-pinned to the ground."
"Who's team out there?!" I exclaim as I shoot out of the chair and walk around the desk.
"S-Sacramento's sir."
"Tell him I said to stand down!" I shout and poke my head out of the office, "will someone turn this mother fucker off!" I point a figure up in the air, referring to the alarm.
I head back towards the desk as my father watches me quietly, patiently. The alarm turns off by the time I'm back in my chair.
"I'm sorry you want me to do what?!" Sacramento's voice is now coming out of the office phone.
"Stand down," I speak clearly, sitting back in my chair.
"Sir, Geronimo is lying in a pool of his own blood in the booth. Joe-"
"Did I ask you for a breakdown, Sacramento!?"
"No sir."
"What did I ask you?!"
He inhales a deep breath, "to stand down," he says, followed by some whistling in the background.
"Bring him to me. Untouched, unharmed," I demand.
"Yes sir, be there five."
I hang up the call and look over at dad to see him looking two shades lighter than he did a few minutes ago.
This definitely isn't gonna be fun for anyone.
"I'm gonna go ahead and assume that he knows if he's out there killing my men," I say.
Pops nods his head, shaking his leg up and down.
"I can't imagine how hard, how uncomfortable, this is for you, Pops. As mad as I am at you right now, you're not alone, I'm here for you."
He glances over in my direction quietly nodding his head.
I hear the doors to the warehouse slam open and Cris is being guided towards the office a few moments later, standing in the doorway with Sacramento and another one of his men right behind him.
Sacramento holds up a piece in his hand, "you'll get this back only when you're off of the premises."
There's a nasty mug on Cris's face but he doesn't say anything in return, he remains quiet shooting daggers in everyone's direction, especially my fathers.
"Thank you, Sacramento. Hailey's still at her fathers house, go patrol until she's ready to come home."
He nods one single time, "am I making contact or taking her team with me?"
"She can have the contact, she's intrigued with you," I smile.
He nods again, "noted," and is taking off a second later leaving the three of us alone.
"Is it true?" Cris immediately blurts out.
I wave him in, "come in."
"Is it true?!" He repeats himself looking in my father's direction, standing under the door frame still. "A- are y-you really my-"
"Pappy?"
Cris quickly looks in my direction again.
"Oh yeah.." I answered.
"You fucking knew?!"
"Only as of yesterday," my dad responds, jumping into the conversation. "We thought it'd probably be best if Cathy broke the news to you."
"Don't. Fucking. Call. Her that!" Cris points angrily in my dads direction, walking into the room. "You don't know her well enough to be calling her that!"
"Hey! You are not the only one worked up here! Calm the fuck down and take a seat so the three of us can talk, like adults."
"Fuck you," he snarls pointing back and forth from my dad and me now. "I ain't apart of whatever the fuck this is. You are not gonna boss me around like I'm a part of this family." He turns back to Pops. "Just because a piece of paper says you're biologically my father doesn't mean it makes you it."
"I never said it did," he grits in between clenched teeth. He takes a step forward and is placing a hand on Roxwell's shoulder, pushing him down into the chair "regardless of the situation, of who I am, you will respect me under my own roof!"
"You mean your son's roof!" He seethes, leaning forward in the chair. "Or should I say my roof? I mean technically I am considered your first born, right?" He smirks, sitting back now, pointing in my direction. "I have just as much privilege to be sitting in that fucking chair!".
I instantly glance in my dad's direction to see that he's even paler than before, he actually looks like he's about ready to puke, he's more green than pale now.
"If we're going by The Regoles." He pats his hand on his chest, "I'm the sole heir to your kingdom, your famiglia, I could challenge your son for the throne."
"Not that you'd win," I growl, quickly losing my patience.
Cris looks in my direction, his features immediately softening up, "relax," his voice is calmer than expected. "I don't want it." He looks back to my dad, "I 'didn't then, I don't now, regardless of which family it is, I don't want it. Your shoes aren't exactly easy to fill."
I scoff loudly, "you're telling me."
"Can both of you shut the fuck up for two seconds and let me catch a breather please," Pops says while sitting back down in one of the chairs.
"What's the matter pops? Don't like your sons actually agreeing on something together?"
The look on my dads face is murderous.
"My mom-" Cris speaks up softly from beside my father. "She said you knew nothing, that you only just found out as well?"
Pops nods his head, "she dropped a letter off at the front gate last week asking me to run a DNA test, I just got the results yesterday afternoon."
Cris shakes his head, "I don't get it. If you didn't know why did you treat me differently than Ax and my uncle?"
My dad shrugs his shoulders, "it was mainly because of your sister, I promised her that you wouldn't become your father, that I'd secretly look out for you. The more and more my guys watched you, the more I saw that you were nothing like your uncle and cousin."
"I'm sorry," Cris utters under his breath, looking over in my direction. "For your men at the front gate. Rage is not something I'm used to, I guess I let it control me."
I smile and shake my head, "believe me, I know the feeling all too well, Cris."
He instantly scrunches up his nose, "it's weird hearing you call me by my first name and not Roxwell."
"I can call you dumbass if you'd like?"
"Isaac!" my dad immediately scolds me as Cris snickers, shaking his head.
"I don't know what I'm doing here, I don't know what to do, how to feel."
"This doesn't have to change anything if you don't want it to, kid. I can get you out still, I can make you disappear, I can still give you what you want."
"What if I don't want that anymore?" His voice is softer, almost hesitant.
"Then we take it day by day," I answer, surprising both my father and Cris. "It's an adjustment for everyone."
Pops turns to look at him, "what do you want, Cris?"
He shrugs his shoulders, "I don't know, I definitely don't want to impose though, I can't begin to imagine what your wife is feeling."
"Adriana's ready to accept you with open arms if that's what you want, Cristofer."
She is? I mentally frown.
Cris turns to look at me, "what about you? What are your thoughts?"
I shrug my shoulders sitting back in my chair.
"Isaac-" my father begins to say.
"I don't know how I feel yet!" I quickly blurted out talking over him. "I'm in the same boat as you I guess," I wave towards Cris. "I'm still processing it."
"I don't want to get in the way-"
"You're not in the way. You're annoying but you're definitely not in the way. My issues with my dad are my own issues, they don't include you. You want to be a part of his life then so be it. We take it day by day."
"The families don't know what's about to hit them."
Roxwell, Pops, and I all look toward the doorway to find Dominic leaning on the frame, smiling, his arms folded along his chest.
"You know I was pretty irritated that I got woken up, but this," he points in our direction. "This I can get behind. Matteo and his sons taking the city back," he smirks. "Glad to see you boys getting along."
Roxwell and I look over at each other for a couple seconds up until he's breaking the silence in the room.
"My men, my family, they're at your disposal should you choose to align them. I'm with you just like I promised I would be months ago."
I shift my attention away from Cris, averting it to my father and Dominic, who's still standing under the door frame as they both stare in my direction.
I turn back to Cris, "I'm glad that I genuinely don't hate you so much anymore. You wanted to build a name for yourself well here you go."
I get up from my chair, looking over at Dominic, "is my confidence room ready?"
He nods a single time, "just waiting on you three."
"Three?" Cris frowns looking back and forth from Don and I.
I stick my hand out in front of me, "welcome to The Matteo famiglia."
He gets up from his chair immediately clasping his hand with mine, a wide yet soft smile on his face.
I let go of his hand and walk around the desk towards Dominic as he steps out of the way, allowing me to step out of the office.
"Put Roxwell in chair four," I say as I pass him. "I want Hailey's team ready to go after the meeting, I want her in that safe house by dinner time, we extract and rescue Veronica tonight."
****
Phew 😮💨 we survived that! What are we thinking? What can possibly go wrong from here??? lol Hang on for the ride my babies, everything's about to start going down. Tootles ♥️