AllFreeNovel
Share Us
I cleared my throat and chose the calmest voice I could muster in response to the previous argument with Phoenix, technically my closest relative in the group and the boss of the Nicolasi Family. “For the last time, since I wasn’t making myself clear, no I do not want to major in philosophy because it’s too hard, I want to major in Poli Sci, come out the other end not wanting to kill myself for thinking so many thoughts and I want to follow in the Families’ footsteps!” Shit, I’m yelling at Phoenix Nicolasi, I heard a guy once got his finger cut off for raising his eyebrows. Should I be petrified?
Absolutely. Shit, he’s going to feed me to Serena’s toddler Bam-Bam (His nickname for reasons I’m sure everyone thought but never said out loud). As if on cue, Bam-Bam half-walked half-crawled up to me and sat. Had he been wearing a kerchief, glasses, and a bow tie around his scraggly neck while holding a knife in each hand, I don’t think I would have even blinked. The bosses started moving away from me. Ash, the Abandonato boss, suddenly found something interesting on the floor to stare at, Junior was staring at his dad as if to say, don’t kill him. And don’t even get me started on King; not a good sign when even he gulps down some wine and pours more.
Terrifying, to be correct.
I sighed. “Listen, Phoenix, I get that you feel a certain responsibility toward me because you and Chase killed my parents—” I held up my hands while Ash cursed under his breath.
“And here we go again…” Ash handed Junior a twenty. What the hell?
Serena walked into the living room and sighed, then scooted Bam-Bam’s chair closer to the table and to me before putting him in his seat. Great. “Is he arguing again?”
“Yes,” they all said in unison, Phoenix included.
He was only supposed to sit down with me after dinner, go over the dos and don’ts of my final year of school and then go over my training schedule while the guys made me into an assassin, see? Normal discussions with your adopted parent.
I lived with Phoenix and Bee, they took me in and protected me years ago, but that did not, however, make them my parents.
My dad was a horrible human being that deserved to be stabbed all those times in the back for what he did to my mom, to my little sister, to my dog—he even killed my pet fish, so there was no sentiment there.
But the whole concept that the same Family I swore my fealty to was actually in charge of killing half of my relatives kind of made me want to throw up—because we’d still had some good people left, and now they were cleansed, gone. I got that my relatives were part of the cursed line, as Ash so eloquently put it, but things were different now.
Things were calm.
We had a new Capo.
I had friends.
Serena even bought me a fish and named it blue. I was one of the youngest De Lange’s still left, but I’d done a damn good job fighting for the Five Families, so why couldn’t I at least choose what I majored in?
I even stopped hiding under the kitchen table when I heard loud noises—bad habit from when my mom and dad would fight—they liked to throw things—the point was—I could handle it now. I was twenty-one and after taking a gap year and going to Italy to attempt to find myself and also learn how to… possibly, become an assassin like the other guys, I did find myself.
It was called staring at your reflection via your shiny dagger, and it was perfection. I also found several girls who agreed with that sentiment, over and over and over—you get the picture.
Phoenix sighed and hung his head. He looked like he was just cast on the show Vikings with his shaved sides and long brown hair braided back. It took one minute for his wife Bee to see him in a Halloween costume as a Viking and it was all over, he’ll never do his hair different again; I heard blood was shed, but that’s not just typical for Viking mentality but for the Family.
“Why?” Phoenix rubbed down his face with both hands and pulled the tie from his neck and opened up his black button-down shirt. “Why do kids never listen?”
“He’s not a kid,” Junior piped up. “You’re just losing your edge and getting protective.”
Phoenix’s head snapped toward his son. “Care to repeat that?”
“Nope.” Junior took a step back. “All I’m saying is, the only reason you want him to major in Philosophy is because in your head it’s safe, but guess what? Nobody is safe, we’re never safe, I mean dipshit over there”—he pointed at Ash—“ran into a wall because he was watching a TikTok!”
“You promised!” Ash yelled.
Junior snorted. “Oh please, you were watching the Barbie dance again and wondering how Ken got so tan when he’s not even Italian.”
“Is there any other option anymore other than getting sent under the bus by a cousin, peer, parent?” Serena sighed.
“To the mattresses,” Ash added.
“My. God.” Phoenix kicked the couch, then adjusted it since he knew his wife would most likely notice and ask why he was using his anger, not his words. They were a riot. “Is it so bad that I want to keep you safe, Ivan?”
I winced. “I’m safe, consider me completely safe, I mean, have you looked around you?” I pointed to the living room full of bosses and assassins. “Between the OG mafia bosses—” I grimaced when Chase walked in and narrowed his eyes at me. “No offense.”
“All of it is taken, but continue,” Phoenix said.
I smiled. “And the new bosses, all your sons, might I add—Junior put your hand down we know he’s your dad.”
