Page 12 of The Devil's Heir

Jarek

It's been a whole fucking week, and Liliana has somehow disappeared.

How one simple girl can fall off the radar as she did is beyond me.

Yeah, she pawned off the bracelet, but that asshole only gave her a measly five hundred dollars, where I had paid four grand for it.

I'd thank him because without the money that she should have gotten for it but didn't, she won't get too far, yet I want to beat the fucker for swindling my pauper.

However, even without the money, Liliana has still been able to evade me. She has to have someone helping her—I'd bet my life on it, but who the hell could that be? My pauper has no friends.

Scrolling through my email, I come across one from Carl that I never opened.

The subject line says, Inheritance. How the fuck did I miss this?

I guess having my mind on my pauper all week, had me forgetting all about my other issue.

With Carmen gone all week, it's been quiet at the house, so I never thought twice about the inheritance shit.

As I scan the email's contents, I curse. It states that Carmen Falcon, the widow of the Falcon estate, will remain head of the family until Jarek Falcon, the Heir to the Falcon estate, reaches the age of twenty-one. At such time, Jarek will take over as head of the estate and all associated titles.

This just means that I have to deal with Carmen for another three fucking years! Well, I guess going to college on the other side of the country sounds fantastic now.

Reading on, a light appears at the end of the dark tunnel when I get to the part that says Carmen has no right whatsoever to keep either of my inheritance from me. So, in other words, her contract is bullshit, and I'm going to ensure that it's null and void.

As head of the family, she's also part of the mafia life, and I need to tread carefully. There's no telling what she will do to me if I defy her, but I know I can't go on serving her and her little friends, and I'm sure as hell not fathering any children who are not of my choosing.

With this being said, I upload the copy I have of the contract with the bitch and send it to my lawyer. He will know what moves I can make from here on out. Now, I can get back to figuring out where my little pauper has gone.

"There you are. I've been searching all over for you. Why haven't you answered any of my messages?" Carmen asks angrily when she finds me in the solarium cleaning up the rose garden I had planted after my parents died.

It was the only thing I could bring from our home since everything had burned up. I come here when I need to think because Carmen knows not to enter—it's my private domain. Yet here she is—breaking the one fucking rule that I've been able to keep upheld.

"As you can see, I'm busy. What do you want?" I don't bother to look at her because I know it pisses her off.

"You are being very disobedient, Jarek!"

"No, I just don't have time to play your little games anymore," I say, bored, then add, "Not since my lawyer informed me that the contract you had me sign was bullshit. You can't hold my inheritance from me; therefore, I'm done being your little sex toy for all your friends."

Her laugh sends a shiver down my spine. It's not your typical feminine laugh—no—this one is scornful. I focus on the rose bush I'd been working on since before she came in, but maybe that isn't a smart move.

When she speaks next, it's so close to me that I can feel her hot breath on my neck. I never meant for her to get this close.

"You are such a gullible and pathetic little boy, Jarek.

Your uncle should have gotten rid of you when you were younger, but no, the fucker couldn't have kids, and he needed an Heir.

Listen to me well, Jarek. I am in charge of this family until you are old enough to take over, so don't think that just because your lawyer says I can't keep your inheritance from you, it doesn't mean I can't make you do shit. "

"You can try," I say through clenched teeth as I stab the dirt with my garden trowel.

"Oh, dear boy, you're delusional if you think I have no power over you. In fact, I was searching for you to inform you that as soon as graduation is over, you will be going up north to study with the others for the next two years."

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.

" This is 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.

Now that I know what my future holds, it's time I start acting appropriately. I wasn't impressed about my uncle having mafia ties—it's not the life I wanted—but it seems as though I have no choice in the matter.

"Ah, that makes sense, but now that you do know, it's time to prepare yourself for a new life. A life of wealth, weapons, and women." Lonzo's wicked smile creeps me out, but I don't let it show.

Instead, I smile back. Mustering up the words I know he probably wants to hear, I ask, "Where do I start?"