Page 4 of Precious Legacy

“Ro?” Haldon bellows over the loud music, snapping my attention away from my girl.

I spin around, watching him pour out tequila into shot glasses before he hands me one, ignoring the disapproving look from the bartender. I clear my throat, eyes refocusing on my best friends with a smile because this is Alvaro’s night.

“To a long life and a quick death!” I toast, reciting our little motto as I lift my glass in the air.

They repeat it enthusiastically and we clink our glasses together before knocking back our shots. I relish the burn, the tequila finding its way to my stomach and reminding me I really should have eaten more before drinking. But there’s no time for regrets—it’s time to celebrate my best friend’s birthday and mark of the new leadership, and that’s exactly what I intend to do.

“So when are you heading back to the West Coast?” Haldon asks, leaning sideways on the bar as he looks to me expectantly. I’ve missed so much over the last five years. In between my sporadic visits back to the city it’s these moments that really hit home for me.

The people in California aren’t like here. There’s a distinct difference in the coasts, characters and charisma. I have to remind myself why I took this role, though. Why I left the city and Alanis along with it. I didn’t want to let my father down, and since he and my mother have sacrificed so much for me, I felt obligated to continue his work. I’ve still got a while to wait until it’s my turn to lead the Genovese family, but I could practically feel the silent stares and inquisitive looks tonight. Everyone has expectations, certain values that as the next generation, it’s our responsibility to deliver. The Five have built this city into what it is today, and the last thing anyone needs is us fucking it all up.

That’s why I’ve been so focused on my business on the West Coast. Twenty years ago, my father expanded to California. When I was old enough to understand the real inner workings of this life and what it takes to make it successful, I joined my old man. It was great to finally assist; bring something to the organization that he didn’t have. Our entire family has thrived, and now that the expansion is complete, it’s time to make my way in New York City. I’m content with running the businesses the way my father wants me to for the time being. I get the freedom and reap the benefits of our organization. The only thing missing is my girl.

But I’m here to remedy that problem.

It’s been a while; an entire year has passed since I last saw Lani. And though I know she can’t stand the sight of me, it doesn’t stop me from craving her. She might be harboring hatred towards me for leaving the way I did, but hate only fuels my need for her. I rarely used to come back to New York, unlike my father. It was only for events or just for some time away that I’d return, but now that the West Coast is booming and we’ve entrusted our businesses with a more than capable second-in-command, it’s time I did something for me.

“Well...” I smirk, glancing over my shoulder. “I’m not.” It’s then that I notice Alanis and Haven aren’t in their spot anymore.Shame. I was kind of enjoying the show. Returning my attention to my best friends, I pick up my beer bottle and take a pull.

“What?” Haldon gasps. “You’re staying?” His eyes are wide with surprise and elation, and I have to bite back the smile curving my lips.

“Business in California is done. Bishop has it handled.”

“Damn,” Haldon sighs. “Was hoping to get a vacation.”

Alvaro laughs, nudging his shoulder playfully. Out of the three of us, Haldon is the joker—just like Uncle Hunter. These guys have been my best friends since we were in diapers, when our fathers were building the empire. Luckily, living on the other side of the country only created physical distance. We’re still close, and I know that our friendship will never change. These guys have my back and I have theirs. It’s how we were brought up, the rules we live by and the ones we’ll die by.

“This place has changed,” I remark as I drink in the atmosphere. Club Palma has turned into one of the biggest clubs in Hell’s Kitchen. Inheriting it from his father—along with the rest of the Gambino empire—Haldon now owns one of the most sought after VIP lists. It’s not only a clean business, but one that benefits The Five’s legacy, too. Haldon’s done a great job on the refurbishments, setting up private areas where the wealthy can get their rocks off and exclusive VIP booths where the waiting list is months long. Everybody who’s anybody wants to be here, and Haldon pretty much wears that power like a crown.

The great thing about our organization is that we help each other out and we trust one another implicitly. Just like Alvaro’s father intended, we are one family. One’s success is everybody’s success. Together, we build and maintain the empire.

Haldon grimaces, sipping his beer. “You mean you miss the tacky booths covered in cum stains and cigarette burns?”

I shrug. In answer to his question, I don’t miss those specific things, but remembering just how much I miss recklessly causing chaos wherever we went has me feeling nostalgic. Sometimes, we would sneak out and find a shady club that we had yet to discover, spending the entire night getting drunk and laughing at each other’s expense. Other times, we’d take a car and venture new roads that we hadn’t taken before, wondering how far we’d get before we got caught. We were young idiots at the time. Haldon’s father owned half of the clubs in Hell’s Kitchen—technically, he still does. We couldn’t go anywhere without being seen, but Club Palma was the only place we could come to where it was harder to get noticed. There’s nothing more effective than getting lost in a crowd to hide from your parent’s men.

Looking back, it was probably the most fun I had before I had to grow up—not that I resent my father for bringing me into the fold when he did. In fact, I respect him more for doing so. From what I’ve heard, my grandfather was a complete asshole, a shit leader and a vile predator. He preyed on my mom, pushed my father to his breaking point, and tested him to the point that my dad killed him. I can’t imagine ever being in the position where I had to kill my own father, let alone another member of my family, but my grandfather deserved to die. He hurt my mom, and that was enough.

“So what’s the plan now that you’re back in the city?” Alvaro probes.

“A few things,” I reply, my eyes magnetizing to his twin instantly. She’s back on the dance floor, twisting Haven around before spinning under her arm and swaying those sexy hips. “I need to get the gambling dens in shape. I want to pick up the fight scene, too.”

My best friend sucks a breath through his teeth at those words. “The Russians are all over that right now.”

“And?” I snap my attention to him. “Last time I checked, it wasn’t their city, Vee.”

A smile lifts Alvaro’s lips as I use his nickname. He presses his lips to the bottle, sinking back the rest of his beer. “I thought you’d say that. Which is why you’ll need our help.”

“Yeah?”

“You don’t seriously think we’re going to let you take on the Russians without us, do you?” he smirks.

I clink my bottle against his in reply. He doesn’t need my words to know that I’ll work with him. I’ve been running shit alongside my dad for so long that it’ll make a nice change to get my hands dirty with my best friend. Success doesn’t hit quite the same unless you’ve got someone to share it with.

Naturally, my eyes gravitate to the dance floor, where some handsy prick is grinding up against her. My fist tightens around the neck of my bottle, my jaw clenching. Her green eyes lock onto me, her lips kicking up in a smirk that tests not only my strength, but my willpower, too. The fact she has the audacity to flaunt that shit in front of me is a good enough reason to put a bullet between that asshole’s eyes. Because nobody touches her. Nobody touches what’smine.

“You guys need to sort your shit out,” Alvaro mumbles beside me.

There’s no point in denying the obvious. He knows about me and Alanis. Mostly. He didn’t bat an eyelid when we first told him we were together, but that was years ago and I have no doubt he’s aware of the current situation. That’s the thing about Alvaro Bonanno; he sees right through the bullshit, though he doesn’t get involved when it comes to his twin and I.

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