Page 19 of The Devil's Heir
Now, this grabs my attention, and I whip around. Carmen's smile is anything but friendly. Per usual, her makeup is caked on, so you can see every wrinkle that graces her face. Her bright red lipstick does nothing but make her look like an old Madame from a fucking brothel. Her clothes are way too tight and definitely not the style a woman her age should wear.
"What the fuck do you mean I'm going up north—and who are these others you mentioned?"
"Why, the sons and heirs from the surrounding mafia families. Who did you think?" Carmen scoffs like I should already have known this.
"No."
I dust my hands off and stand to leave but she grabs my arm, glaring at me. "This is part of you getting your uncle's inheritance. If you don't believe me, then ask that lawyer you trust so much. You can't take over this family without the proper training."
I should have known that I couldn't choose my own school, but I never thought I'd get shipped to Crawford University. Well, it's not a university because only the kids from crime families go there. It's more like a private school. Still, it's not the future I had planned.
"Whatever," I bite out and walk away.
"Jarek, get back here! I'm not through with you!"
I lift my arm and give her the finger before slamming through the solarium door. I'm not expecting the two big motherfuckers standing just outside, so when they each grab an arm of mine, I fight and curse, but they don't let go.
Carmen comes through the door, smirking. "We could have done this civilly, but no. You allow your temper to get the best of you, and now, we're doing this the hard way."
"What is this?" I demand.
"Thisis you going to meet with Lonzo. He's got a few pointers that he wants to show you, and he will be an excellent mentor as you start learning about the family."
By family, she means the Mafia family. Joseph Lonzo is one of the top dogs here in Rushwood. I think he may be THE mafia boss, but I don't know. Only a few select have that knowledge—it's dangerous knowledge to have.
"Why didn't he just call me and ask for me to come by?"
Something isn't right. This isn't how things are done, but my uncle never talked business with me, so I'm unsure how this type of thing occurs.
"Now, why on earth would he call you when I'm head of the family? Jarek, you fail to comprehend that you have no power here yet. Everything goes through me until you inherit, and you can't do that without the proper training."
"Fine," I growl. "Let me go, and I'll go willingly."
"Please forgive me if I don't believe a word of that," Carmen states, then nods at the men holding me.
Turning, I'm dragged from the house by my arms, thrown into the back seat of a town car, and have a hood placed over my head. I'm then whisked away to an unknown location.
The ride takes about twenty minutes, and when we get to the location, I'm dragged once more from the car and into some building. I don't fight them or try pulling the hood off to show them that I'm cooperating. My hands are free, so I could do the latter without a problem, but I don't.
The sound of us walking on a tiled floor echoes all around me as we enter the building. After a few right and left turns, we come to a room where a door closes, and I'm pushed into a chair. The hood is finally pulled from my head, and there sits an older man whom I've never seen before.
Joseph Lonzo's name is known throughout the area, but very few know what he looks like. He looks to be in his late fifties but still robust. He's a good-looking man, even at his age, but his dark eyes tell me that he isn't a very nice person.
"Hello, Jarek Falcon. It's a pleasure to finally meet you. Your aunt has said," he starts to say, then pauses. "Well, it doesn't really matter what she said. I like to find out for myself what the future Mafia Kingpin is all about." Lonzo sits in the big chair behind his mahogany desk.
His words confuse me.
"I'm sorry, but did you say King Pin?" I ask baffled.
A King Pin is what a crime boss is referred to as; that as well as many other labels. He must be mistaken.
Lonzo chuckles, amused.
"Yes, young Falcon. You are about to inherit a mighty kingdom in the crime world. Your uncle, God rest his soul, was Rushwood's Mafia Boss, and as his Heir, you are now the future leader of the mafia family."
Lonzo's words hit me like a brick. Never would I have imagined that my uncle was THE crime lord of the mafia family.
"I'm sorry, Mr. Lonzo, but I never knew my uncle led the family—he never told me." I sit up straight in my chair.
