Two-The Threat

SILK 

"Sorry, you want me to what?" 

Out of all the things I thought he was calling me here for today, I could never have fathomed that would come out of his mouth. 

I thought maybe he'd ask to get into the arms industry with me, or ask me to join the cartel or something, but to take over his company? 

He chuckles as if he didn't just said what he said. "Are you shocked? I told you I'm getting old, and I would like to enjoy the time I have left with my exquisite wife." 

The man is just full of revelations today and this time I swallow a mouthful of the liquor because I must be dreaming and soon I will wake up and laugh at myself at the absurdity of it all. 

"You don't even know me."   

I must be really funny to the most successful Capo ever known, because he throws his head back and laughs heartily. I take another swig of the alcohol because he must be joking. The Luiz cartel stretches over continents, it's connected in ways even I cannot imagine. 

"Do you really think I would let you come over here if I didn't know you?" He intertwines his hands on the glossy surface of the table. "I've followed you since it became known you're the only surviving son of Stefano Rossi, but of course I already knew of your existence. I saw you rise amongst the ranks from nothing to where you are today. I know exactly who you are." 

The mention of my father's name sends a pang through my heart even now after all these years. Stefano Rossi was nothing more than a sperm donor if you ask me, and if his legitimate family wasn't killed, I would've still been a boy from the wrong side of the tracks. 

I never had any respect for the man, because while he was living in luxury, my mother had to work two jobs as a cleaning lady to take care of us. Stefano Rossi was nothing but a cheating, lying asshole, and I despise the fact that we even share the same surname, let alone blood. 

"I have come to admire the man that you've become, I like the way you do business, I like the way you honor your people." Fernando continues, then shakes his finger at me. "There are a few things that I disagree with, I might add, but we can work on that." 

Do I take pride in the fact that one, if not THE biggest crime boss admires me? Yes, I do. Most of my businesses may be of the illegal kind, but I'm a man of my word and I stick to that. 

"And what are the things that you disagree with?" I want to know, curiously. 

He shakes his head as if he's disappointed. "The women hijo!" 

Did he just call me son? 

Is he looking for a heir because he never had one? 

And yes, there's been a revolving door of women in my life, still is, but none of them whom I actually take seriously. 

"I'm a red-blooded male, sir, I have needs." I say unapologetically. 

There has been a few women that I've kept for a few months, and some of them thought that what we had will become more. But I have not met anyone I would like to spend the rest of my life with. 

"Aaahhh, the needs of the flesh." He shakes his head again. "We're going to have a problem with that. I'm going to need you to control yourself, what I have planned for you has no place for fornication." 

"I have not agreed to anything." I'm proud that my voice comes out sure and confident. 

Do I have the guts to take over an empire like the Luiz cartel? I make anything work for me, but I will not allow to let any man, no matter who he is, dictate my life. 

"No?" Fernando asks in mock surprise. "Mario, bring me the tablet please." 

I watch as Buff guy, who I now know as Mario, retrieves a tablet from a cabinet and walks over to us, giving me an evil side eye. I'm sure he thinks that his boss is crazy to want to leave the business in my hands. 

Fernando does something and then he passes over the tablet to me. 

The video is clear. It's of the inside of a classroom and all the blood drains from my face as I recognize my little sister's face amongst the students, oblivious to the fact that there is a camera in her freaking maths class. 

"Do you want to see the one of your mother or your stepfather?" The bastard smiles kindly, but I know he's a sadistic man. "What about the whereabouts of your abuela mmmhh?" 

I shouldn't have put it past him to threaten my family. I was outnumbered the second he thought of my name. And I have no doubt that he wouldn't kill me if I would to disagree. No, he's the type of man who will let me live so I can see how the world around me dies a slow and painful death. 

"Now, like I said, you have to stop with all the frolicking. This is a family business, we like to keep things clean." He takes the tablet from my slightly trembling hands. 

He found my Achilles' heel. I would do anything to protect my family, even sell my soul to the devil if I must. 

"Your sister is such a pretty little thing." He smiles down at the video and I want to grab it from his hands so he doesn't look at her. "She reminds me so much of my princess at that age." 

I'm too scared to ask, but I'm here, and I'm not getting out of this, so what does it matter? 

"You have a daughter?" 

He smiles fondly. "I do, and I can't be a prouder father. She is everything I could have ever wished for and more." 

"So why can't she take over your company?" I ask, it sounds like she's of age, so what the hell am I doing here? 

"You're a smart man, Silk." There's a gleam in his eyes which I wish I could escape from. "To survive this business, you have to cover everything with smoke and mirrors, otherwise you're a dead or jailed man. You know that." 

I do know that. My real business is concealed in nightclubs, casinos and resorts. My family doesn't have a clue that I dabble in guns and they will never know. My mother doesn't necessarily agree with the business that she thinks I do, gambling is a sin according to Cartholic beliefs, so if she finds out about the guns, she might disown me. 

Or worse, deem me my father's son. 

"You love your family as much as I love mine." He says with respect. "That is why you're the perfect man to continue what I've built." 

"With all due respect Capo." I use the name that everyone else calls him by. "You're asking me to change my life, that is not a decision I can make lightly." 

He raises his glass to me. "Your decision was made before you got on that plane." 

He's right, of course. Call it ambition, or call it greed. I knew life as I knew it was over the second I agreed to meet with him, and me saying no now would mean worse than death. 

"And that is why you will marry my daughter."