A/N; I'm so sorry for the really late updates, there's been a lot of shit going on recently. But I hope this chapter can make up for it.
Tom exited the restaurant, feeling all giddy. The girl he once loved loves him too, and the feeling was definitely reciprocated.
He climbed into his car, checking his phone to find 16 missed calls from Harrison.
"Probably complaining about the temperature of the pool" thought Tom.
He drove back to the mansion, thinking what this could mean for his milestone with Y/N. Of course, they weren't an item, but they COULD be. "Baby steps Tom" he thought to himself. Whilst thinking about who could take over while he was away, he arrived at the gates of his home. Confused as to why they didn't automatically open, he sat in his seat patiently, drumming his fingers against the leather steering wheel.
He heard a knock on his window, and started scrolling down the window.
"David, what the fuck is going - wait who are you?"
A complete stranger was at the window, wearing the uniform David was supposed to be wearing.
"Who on earth are you? Where's David?" Tom brushed his fingers against the gun in his pocket.
"David has been - wait hold on", the guard turned away as static came from his radio.
Now Tom was fuming. Even if this guy was a new addition to his security team, he should've been taught to say 'sir' at all times and to never make him wait.
"Look, I don't know who you think you are, but if you're going to work for me -"
"I don't work for you," he interrupted.
Before Tom could say anything, the gates opened and his 'guard' gave him a tight-lipped smile and walked back to his station.
Tom,, who was as confused as ever, slowly drove in.
"Nothing weird," he thought as he was driving. "Just Harrison's car, Sam's, Harry's, Mum and Dad's. Maybe they're just pranking me". He relaxed, if slightly amused, until he go to his reserved parking spot. He grit his teeth when he saw a pink Corvette in his place.
"What in the..." he read the number plate and his eyebrows furrowed. He'd sworn he'd seen that number plate before.
He left his car in the middle of the path, not really caring if it got in the way. Some people needed to remember that this was HIS house, so HIS rules.
He ran up the white marble steps, pushing the heavy doors open. Normally they would open automatically. He walked into a scene of distraught. Harry was sitting at the bottom of the steps, hanging his head. Dom was sat in an armchair, drinking something out of a glass, Nikki was rubbing his other hand comfortingly. Sam was nibbling his lip, scrolling through his phone with pinched eyebrows. Harrison was pacing up and down. He stopped when he heard Toms steps. He quickly walked over to his friend, phone in hand.
"Where have you been?" Harrison demanded. "I've called you like 20 times, have you just been ignoring them?"
"Um, I was at a business meeting," he stuttered in reply.
Dom scoffed. "I find that quite hard to believe, since you don't even HAVE a business. so cut the shit. Where were you?"
It was like being brought back in time, Dom scolding a teenage for coming home late. And Tom wasn't having it.
"Fine, I was with Y/N.But what do you mean I don't have a business?" He quickly changed the subject after seeing the vexed look on Harrison's face, and Dom's angry demeanour.
"For gods sake, I knew we should've put him in an arranged marriage. Then he wouldn't be so damn distracted all the time!" Dom erupted. He poured himself another drink and sat down again.
Now it was Harrison's turn. "Mate, what did I keep on telling you. You keep on forgetting that you're the leader of a mafia, a leader who has responsibilities". He stressed the word responsibility.
Tom ran his hand through his hair, not wanting to admit that Harrison was right. "Ok but who's pink car is that outside?"
"What?"
"The-"
"Hello darling".
Vanessa appeared at the door, smiling.
"I just had the loveliest walk around the grounds".
"A walk? I thought you'd stop by my bedroom first, wanting to have sex. Just how you spent your last days here" Tom sneered.
"Ah, anything to savour sweet success Thomas. Some improvements are needed in the gardens, but it's nothing I can't add a little sparkle to. Just like this house".She gestured around the landing. "There's gonna be a lot of changes around here". She lit a cigarette, and puffed on it, maybe she was trying to achieve a sophisticated look, but that illusion was shattered after she coughed on a puff.
"Okay, you're definitely not making any sense, but then again you never did. Can someone explain to me what that nutcase is on about?"
"Don't worry dear," Vanessa once again spoke up, "I'm sure Harrison will explain it all to you. It's the least he could do for you. One last job as your right-hand man," she paused to come over and linked her arm with Harrisons. "You know, before he comes to work for me".
The silence in the room was ironically deafening.
"Harrison", Tom decided to break the tension, if that was even possible. "H, please tell me that this just some sick joke. Please tell me we're taking the piss out of that bitch". Harrison looked down, whilst Vanessa looked hurt.
Harrison bravely looked Tom in the eye, who seemed seconds away from bursting into tears.
"Look, Tom, I told you the rumours. I told you what was going on. I did my part, my job. All you had to do was pay more attention, but of course your stubbornness had to get in the way. Now, all of your men, all of your staff, they've handed in their notice. Clients are threatening to pull out if you don't go. It's the end Tom."
"What! They can't do that! They've all signed contracts that bind them to me!"
Vanessa interjected once again. "Well, they've left, and some are even going to work for me, because they want a boss that knows their priorities. Not someone who'd kill for a girl."
"You're just jealous because I'd never kill for you". Tom quipped.
"Maybe," she replied, "But now you have nothing. I've taken everything from you".
"Oh yeah sure. And how would you know to run a company. You did a shit job with the last one. I'll give you a month, and soon they'll come running to me".
"The chairman committee have agreed that you've been neglecting your duties and that you or any other member of your family are incapable of carrying this business on your shoulders".
"What chairman committee? And who says Sam and Harry can't take over instead?"
Sam and Harry simultaneously shook their heads. Vanessa smirked.
"I just said why Tommy", Tom winced at the pet name. "Head in the clouds as always. Just another example as to why you're such a shitty leader. And I was actually hoping your dear father could explain It to you. If he's still talking to you".
Everyone turned to stare at Dom who seemed stricken.
Tom raised an eyebrow. "Go on dad as it seems that I'm not the only irresponsible man here".
"Shut up. The 'chairman committee' aren't even around anymore. I had them eliminated".
"When?" Nikki looked alarmed.
"When I realised they were a threat to my business", he snapped.
"Well, you weren't wrong about that Dom. But if you read the files properly, you can't eliminate them. They're the gods of the mafia world. And now the gods have bestowed the power onto me, and I can't disappoint. So all of this is to be taken form you. Starting with this", she gestured to the door, "Please leave, you are trespassing my property".
"You can't kick me out of my own house."
He was proven wrong much later, having to have a 10-people security team kick them out, especially as Tom had made a stink. Harrison hung back, feeling guilty. The last thing Tom saw was Harrison's back before getting thrown on the white steps.
"Great, what do we do now?" Nikki said.
"Right you all go home, I'm gonna sort this". Tom said firmly. He headed for the other direction but Dom stopped him.
"Right, I've got to tell you something-"
"-not now Dad".
"No, we need to discuss-"
"What do you wanna discuss? What happened in there? So do I. You were SERIOUSLY contemplating packing me off in some arranged marriage?"
Dom looked impatient. "Tom, that was just a heat of the moment kind of thing".
"Heat of the moment? HEAT OF THE MOMENT? Right that's it, I'm out".
"Well, wherever you're going, I'm coming with you. And the boys".
"And me". Nikki piped up.
"Darling, maybe you should go home and-"
"Go home my ass. This whole mess came from the fact that you made an executive decision WITHOUT consulting me first. You're not making the same mistake again. So I'm bloody coming, whether you like it or not">
"She's got a point".
"Okay, okay. I apologise dear".
"Now that your lovers spat is over now, can we get going?" said Tom impatiently, shivering on the spot.
They all nodded and followed him as he led them towards the old stables.
"These aren't still In use are they?" Dom asked, taking in the cobwebs and old hay scattering the floor.
"No, we gave away Daisy and Lily to a farm. Now it's often a secret meet-up place. We store emergency weapons here. This is the only place Vanessa doesn't know about".
"Good thinking son".
"Well, someone needed to, didn't they?" Harrison appeared from the shadows.
"There you are. What the hell are you thinking, joining up with that woman? I fucking hate you so much".
"Well, you still came". Harrison shrugged.
"Yeah I only came because you used the emergency-emergency code".
"Yeah, I was quite clever fitting responsibility in my little lecture".
"Shut up. What's gonna happen now?"
"Here's the plan. This is all an act. I'm only working with Vanesa to get insider information. we have a couple other informants but I'm the only one close enough to her. I'll find out what she's hiding, and we can use that to get it all back, okay?"
Tom nodded, slightly annoyed that he didn't come up with this ingenious plan first.
"And we're just supposed to sit back?" Harry asked.
"You still have loyal men, so you can get the information it easily. I suggest you all go into hiding, we can't have people looking for you".
They heard a shouting, and a dot of light coming from beyond the light.
"They're looking for me", he looked around, "You guys need to go".
"Alright good luck".
"Yeah be safe". And with that Sam and Harry left.
"Harrison, you're like a son to us. Keep cautious". Nikki touched his cheek fondly and left with Dom.
The shouting got louder and the lights were getting closer.
"Mate, go!" Harrison whispered urgently.
"Alright. Be careful".