“What are you doing here?” I don’t bother glancing up from my computer as my brother enters my office with not even a knock. This is why I often go into one of my offices outside of our family home. That way I can’t be bothered with every small thing.
Except things have been changing, and everyone is always away now, especially our parents. I have been slowly slipping into the role of taking over the family business from my father. The more I take over, the more my father and I bump up against each other, not seeing eye to eye on everything. It’s been rocky, to say the least.
“Dad told me to be here.” I pause, pulling my attention away from the screen and the last numbers or the hit we’re going to take, but some hits are worth the price in the end.
“Did he now?” Interesting. What is the old man up to? There’s never a dull day when it comes to my father. Always has something up his sleeve. Sometimes good and others not so good. It’s a flip of a coin on what today will bring.
‘Something about a meeting.’ Yes, I do have a meeting set with my father, but I’m starting to think it’s not going to be a call. ‘Do you know what it’s about? He said I needed to be here and change is happening.’ My brother Ronan shrugs.
‘I suppose we’ll be finding out together.’ I assumed it was a typical check-in. You know what they say about assuming.
Lately, my father has been giving me room to stretch and get a solid footing without him having a remark about everything. We agree on many things but not everything. Especially with the new direction I want to take our family business. It’s time. Things have changed, and my father hasn’t been the best at adapting to those changes.
“This couldn’t be an email?” My youngest brother Z strolls into my office next. Fucking hell, it must be serious if he also asked Z to be here for this.
“Is Cosima going to show up next?” Our little sister is tucked away at college in Europe. That was part of the reason our parents have been staying in Europe more lately. It was either there or at the condo they bought in the city. Both Zero and Ronan keep a place in the city as well.
‘Not today.’ Zero drops down into one of the chairs in front of my desk. Ronan stays standing.
‘Maybe he’s fully handing things over. He might as well at this point.’ Ronan says.
Ronan has no interest in taking over. He doesn’t want to be involved in all the ins and outs of business. He’s more of a hands-on type.
‘Everyone is here,’ my father says, entering my office. I stand.
‘Where is Mom?’ I ask.
‘She is busy.’
‘Busy?’ I ask, wondering what the hell he is talking about.
‘We’ll get to that.’ I sit back down in my chair. Father walks over to the bar, pouring himself a finger of scotch. I bet I’m going to need one myself.
None of us speak. We wait for him to tell us why he’s here and what is going on.
“You want to take over,” Dad finally starts, taking a seat on the couch, stretching his legs out.
“That’s why you’re here?” I’m not one for small talk or to drag things out. There is no need to pussyfoot around this. I have other things I could be doing right now.
“We haven’t been seeing eye to eye on things.”
“That may be so, but if you want me to take over your operation and businesses, then this is how it will be.” Ronan shifts on his feet, and I don’t miss Z sitting up straighter.
“You know I want you to take over, but I think there are a few flaws in your plan of going legit.”
“We’ll never be legit.” He knows that. We all do. Order still has to be kept in the streets. It’s the way of things. If it’s not us, it will be someone else that maintains it.
“Yes, but you’re rubbing shoulders with senators, and I believe I heard you had dinner with the chief of police.”
“You have someone watching me? Reporting back?” I can confirm with certainty that it is not one of my brothers.
‘I always know what’s happening in this city.’
‘I’m going to—”
‘Listen,’ Father snaps, cutting me off. There are not many men that would dare speak to me in that tone. I lean back in my chair. We might be at odds when it comes to business, but I still have respect for him, so I do as he says and keep my mouth closed. “I’m not opposed to cleaning things up. I did the same when I took over, but let’s face it, some people won’t want to do their legit businesses with us because of our last name alone.”
“I know,” I agree.
One of our biggest avenues are the docks. We control almost all of the docks in the city that can be privately owned, rather than those owned by the government. We are cutting ties with some of the importers we used to let use them; I need new ones. This is something Z and I have been going around and around about.
“You’re also not very charming,” my father tosses out.
“Charming.”
“Yes, charming. People have to somewhat like you. Feel like you’re really cleaning things up in order to want to do business with you. If you want legitimate business, that is.”
“And how do you want me to go about that?”
“That’s easy. You’ll get married.” It takes everything in me not to give a reaction. Ronan’s brows lift while Z lets out a low whistle. I expected my father to have a solution, but never could I have imagined that marriage would be it.
“War here getting married?” Z shakes his head. “Who’d want to marry this asshole?” He says it with a smile, but he’s not wrong. I’m not winning any awards for my personality. Actually, people tend to try to stay away from me as much as possible. Unless they need something.
I can’t wait to hear how the hell the old man plans on finding me a wife. He has to know that the girl’s fate wouldn’t be a favorable one. I’ll never love or care for her. I’m honestly not sure if I love my own family. I have loyalty to them, but I have never been one for emotions. I do know I care about them. However, I firmly believe that I could never love this woman.
“I already have someone in mind, and they have agreed,” our father informs us. Of course he does.
Now I have an idea where my mother is. If there is a wedding coming up, she is likely all over it. My fingers itch to pull at the collar of my shirt.
“An arranged marriage, really?” My parents had an arranged marriage, and my sister is under the assumption the same will happen to her.
At least that’s what she confessed to me one night in tears. I told her to let me worry about that. It might have worked out for our parents, but that’s not the case for everyone else.
‘Do you plan to ever marry?’
‘No.’ Without a doubt, that would put a target on the woman. I wouldn’t do that. I might be cleaning things up, but we still firmly operate in the gray, playing in both worlds.
“See? Then what does it matter who you marry?” I know what he’s getting at. I could stick her somewhere and ignore the woman, but I’m sure kids are on the top of that list for my father with this plan. He wants to have a more family appeal.
“No.” I shake my head.
“I’m not asking. You will marry Tova Sullivan.”
