Page 2 of Mafia Kings & Wedding Rings

Staten ‘Static’ Marek

Two weeks later…

“ A man’s got to have a code, a creed to live by, no matter his job.”

Justus Marek’s words had been on a loop in my head for the last seven days.

With my grandfather retired, he became the head of our family almost fifteen years ago.

Family was one thing… but our organization was more than that.

When a muhfucka heard the term Mafia, they immediately assumed ruthless, heartless criminals.

Truth was, we was just a bunch of boss ass niggas controlling our environment from fuck shit.

Justus Marek Sr. didn’t fuck around, and when it came to his family, his expectations were higher than most.

Hence why we were all gathered around in the living room of his large ass estate waiting on our family lawyer to tell us why we’d been summoned.

My pops’ funeral was today, and I was already weary being in Oak Bluffs this long.

Ten years ago, when I packed everything I needed on the back of my truck, I didn’t even glance in the rearview mirror.

Never had I imagined returning home on these terms. Staring around the dreary living room, I listened to the thunder rumble with my hands steepled patiently together in front of me.

“Well, now that everyone is here… we can get started.” Our family attorney, Jason Mitchell, addressed us from the chair opposite mine.

Poised in her motorized chair to my left, my mother sat calmly with designer threads draping her thin frame.

Diamond and gold jewelry dripped from her ears, neck, and fingers as she tucked some loose strands of hair and cleared her throat.

She’d always been a natural beauty, with rich, buttery toffee skin and a slim, angular face.

Her round eyes and full lips were her standout features in my opinion.

Although handicapped, the strength she carried was nothing short of amazing.

She decided a long time ago that she wasn’t going to allow that to stop her from living a full life.

Our grandmother, Marcella Marek, sat beside her with one arm propped up on the sofa.

Laced in Chanel, gray hair sleeked back into a tight bun, most people could never guess that she was in her eighties.

My younger brother, Ivo, quietly lingered on one of the gray, crescent-shaped Versailles sofas arranged across a gold-legged table with a marble top.

He hadn’t said much since we’d been here, and I wondered what was on his mind.

This muhfucka was good for hiding some shit.

As kids, we were close but competitive coming up.

Ivo excelled at just about everything he did, so he always had favor with my parents.

My father specifically. Where I was good with my hands and being the muscle, Ivo was a beast in boardrooms. Never mattered much to me.

I didn’t want to be stuck sitting behind some desk in a suit all damn day.

Ivo put his own creative passions aside to fulfill what our father felt was his destiny.

On the other couch, my baby brother, Breccan, who everyone called Brick, scrolled his phone and chewed on a Twizzler while my auntie Soleia examined her fresh nail set.

Seeing them seated side by side reminded me of back in the day.

Sol had Brick with her so much people thought he was her child.

She loved that boy, her stink as she used to call him.

Although much younger than me, my bond with Brick was different.

He was always his own person and did whatever the hell he wanted to do.

Much like myself, Brick didn’t let Justus bully him either.

Annoyed and growing impatient, I rubbed the wrinkles in my forehead from my position in one of two accent chairs.

Behind me at the bar my aunt Sol’s husband, Haco, lingered.

He was head of marketing for Marek Industries, among other things.

My pops depended on him and Ivo a lot over the years, especially in my absence.

As much as I loved Sol, I didn’t fuck with him like that.

Since I’d been present he hadn’t had much to say to me past a greeting.

Unbuttoning the blazer to his Brooks Brothers suit, Jason gripped a stack of papers in his hand and gradually stood before us.

All the dramatics was only further irritating me.

I had to take extra time off from my job in Chicago and pull my kids out of school to bury a man that I hadn’t spoken to in years.

“We are gathered here to go over the last will and testament from Justus Marek Jr. All parties are present, so we will begin.” Jason moved outside of the seating area and lingered behind his chair.

“I, Justus Alexander Marek Jr., declare that my estate be distributed as follows. For my wife. My rock. The one who gets me when no one else does, I love you. To Rossi Marek, I leave our home and all community and commercial property accumulated during our marriage, along with half of our financial holdings. I have made arrangements so that you can continue to lead the life you are accustomed to.” Jason paused and smoothed out his tie.

“To my baby sister, Soleia, a trust has been established, and Jason will discuss with you the terms for retaining access. For my sons, the remainder of the estate along with all profit shares from every Marek-affiliated business will be evenly divided among you and your children. My final wish to each of you… secure the legacy,” Jason continued.

Locking eyes with my brothers, we each nodded.

“Staten, you are a father of four and my heir. It’s time for you to take that seriously.

This family needs you. You have already fulfilled adding to our legacy, but without a woman to share that with, you are incomplete.

I am only half the man I am because of your mother.

Twelve months from this reading, you will have a wife.

You have been appointed CEO of Marek Industries with Ivo at your side as CFO.

Let me be very transparent on this last part, you are never to sell your stakes in our family business.

It was built on the blood, sweat, and tears of your bloodline. ”

“The fuck?” I objected, but Jason held his hand to silence me so that he could go on.

“I will answer all questions at the end.”

Swiping my beard in frustration, I leaned forward with my hands clasped together over my lap.

“Ivo, you and Jordan have been married and yet to produce. You have twelve months from the reading of this will to do so.” My brother practically popped a vessel.

“Breccan, I’m giving you grace as the youngest, but you are also on a timeline. You have twelve months from now to be married, and another twelve from that date to produce an heir. Consider this a trial period to figure out how to preserve our family.”

“Yo, the hell?” Brick’s entire face balled up, but Jason didn’t address either of them as he continued to read.

“Having money and power is one thing, but I learned a long time ago that it means nothing without someone to share it with. Your mother is responsible for holding me together during some of the most difficult, challenging times of my life.” Jason glanced at Rossi.

“I want that for all of you more than anything. A man without a strong woman at his side is a liability to his bloodline. Make sure the Marek name continues to hold the same weight it always has. I’m entrusting you with it,” Jason finished and lowered the letter in his hand.

“The fuck is this, J?” Brick demanded, jumping to his feet.

“Watch your mouth, Brick,” Granny Marcella chastised, with Rossi staring off emptily next to her.

She’d been like this since I arrived. The only time she showed any kind of emotion was with my kids.

Having them around seemed to somewhat lift her spirits.

I was used to the whimsical, star-gazed look in her eyes.

Justus was good for spoiling and ravaging her every chance he got, even after her accident.

She got flowers for no reason, or some other trinket that she would fall in love with.

Now she toyed with a charm bracelet on her wrist and tuned the rest of us out.

“Granny, kind of sh… stuff is that?” Brick corrected himself before he caught something upside his head. “I ain’t ready to get married. I ain’t even got no girl! What am I supposed to tell my followers?”

“That internet shit ain’t the beginning and end, Brick,” Ivo scoffed and sloped forward with his shoulders drawn tightly together.

“Nigga, says you. This shit opens all kinds of doors for me around here,” Brick argued. “I’m a fucking celebrity, and you know profits have increased since my presence has grown.”

“Just like this muhfucka, dictating how shit supposed to go. Even in death.” Rage bubbled in my veins, and I shot to my feet.

“Staten—” Sighing like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, my mother’s soft tone cut into my outburst.

“Nah, Ma. I showed nothing but respect to that muhfucka, that includes coming here for this shit show when I knew better!”

“What kind of life are you trying to get back to, Staten?” Granny questioned. “Everything you need is right here.”

“Says who, you?”

“This is your family. I don’t care what you say or how you feel. Those children also belong here. It’s obvious they all could stand a little guidance… some stability, and for damn sure some discipline. You’ve been doing this on your own for so long,” Marcella reasoned.

“I don’t need not one muhfucka in this room telling me how to raise my kids!” I barked, startling my grandmother as my own fury blinded me.

“Staten!” my mother hissed, eyes stretching in shock.