Page 6 of Wicked Throne

He’d snapped from his reverie and roared. I’d awaken the sleeping dragon. “I’m talking about the goddamn future of the Scarpettas and all you can think about is sleep?”

The heat had me sweating like a fool. Luckily, I was saved by the phone ringing in the middle of the table. An unknown number showed up on the cellphone with an Atlanta area code. We both watched it ring for just a moment before my father stuck out his left hand to push the green button. My mother had been dead nearly fifteen years and still, he wore his gold band; it gleamed in the light from overhead and it was so shiny I could see my reflection bending within it.

It was a dedication I wasn’t sure that I’d be able to abide by. Not that Vito had been the most faithful man on the planet.

“Good morning John,” my father spoke.

John?

I had no idea who he was, I simply wanted to have my ass in bed with a trashcan nearby.

“Good morning, Vito,” the man on the other end spoke.

His voice was deep and I could tell he commanded respect. He had an air of arrogance to him and I knew that well. My own father’s voice sounded the same way on more than one occasion.

“I’ll cut straight to the chase,” John spoke again. “Those ports that I own in both Georgia and Florida, Louisiana, Texas…they’ll be yours. You’ve been trying for years to buy them off of me. I’m proposing something else. Something has come up for me health-wise…”

My father and I locked eyes.

That John, I thought.

For years, my father had been trying to buy up ports along the eastern seaboard but he’d always been edged out. Being able to get into port would secure our place in the cocaine game. No more using middlemen.

“How much?” My father said almost immediately. If I hadn’t known any better I would have thought he was salivating at the idea of a sale.

“….I’m not selling it,” the man said and I heard a slight southern twang hit my ears.

My father paused, a puzzled look worked its way across his features.

“Then why are we having this conversation?”

“Because I would prefer to keep this in the family.”

“Huh?”

“I’m proposing a marriage,” John stated. “Your son will marry my daughter. Merge our families….”

I think I’d blacked out.

I remembered nothing more as my father had signed away my fucking future.

He didn’t ask what I wanted as if I could have said no to the deal of a lifetime anyway.

Snapping from my thoughts, I realized that Lucia was tapping me on the shoulder. Her dark hair looked a mess and she had a sheet wrapped around her body.

“Sorry,” she said. “I called you but you didn’t answer.”

“What’s the matter?”

“Nothing,” she eased up on her tiptoes and kissed me. “Come back to bed.”

“Okay,” I said and followed her back inside after putting the cigar out.

As I crawled in beside her, I pulled her close. Sweet Lucia. She was delicate and fragile. She was the opposite of Diamond. Lucia submitted easily despite her occupation.

A smile eased its way onto my lips as I kissed Lucia's head.

Diamond didn’t know it yet, but I would make her fragile. I liked to break pretty little things like her. I was going to take her throne and whatever else I liked. Whether she wanted me to or not. Soon, it would be death do us part.