Page 12 of Mafia King

Theo is ten years old, small enough that the window sill of the upstairs bedroom still feels high. In his hands he is clutching his stuffie, Maximus the blue cow.

“Grrrr, why are they back, Maximus?” Theo asks, arching his eyebrow.

Outside, the late-afternoon light is gold and hard. The farm isn’t exactly big in comparison to the other farms in the area. Theo’s grandfather is a humble man who wants to tend his land, protect what is his, and live life in the way that makes sense to him.

But not everyone feels the same way…

Three men in suits stand on the gravel drive, voices raised. Theo has seen these mem before, and knows that his grandfather doesn’t like them even one small bit. And because of that, Theo doesn’t like them either.

“Go on, sock ‘em!” Theo whispers to himself as he watches. “Tell those meanies to go away and never come back!”

Theo’s grandfather stands between them and the front porch, shotgun held easy but ready across his body.

Grandpa does not shout. He simply tells them, clear and steady, that the land is his and that the next step any of them takes will be the last.

“Come on old timer,” one man says. “We’ve already doubled our first offer. You can’t be serious. This could pay for a nice townhouse over on the new development.”

“I guess you didn’t hear me?”

And with that, Grandpa slowly raises his gun.

The developers hesitate, exchange glances, then scurry and climb back into their cars and leave without another word.

Theo stays at the window until the dust settles, heart hammering, already understanding that some men do not bend, no matter what they are faced with. Meanwhile others will run at the first sign of conflict.

Theo knows what kind of person he wants to be when he’s older and wastes no time in running down from his bedroom to give his darling Grandpa a richly deserved hug.

PRESENT DAY:

The memory settles warm and solid in Theo’s chest. His grandfather always stood on principle no matter how the odds were stacked against him. And as time wore on, those odds became worse and worse for his grandfather until one tragic day where…

“Fuck. Get a grip on yourself,” Theo mutters, pushing down the painful memory. “Grandpa fought until the end. He never backed down. That’s the real victory…”

And Theo carries that same refusal to fold, even when the game grows sharper than expected.

The SUV slows and stops outside the club.

Music thumps faintly through the walls. Theo thanks the driver, steps out onto the pavement, and waits until the vehicle pulls away and turns the corner…

Only then does Theo turn in the opposite direction and start walking toward his apartment.

Nikolai is no ordinary client.

The realization has already taken root, and Theo suspects that it’s only going to get deeper by the day.

Gaining Nikolai’s trust will require patience, precision, and a longer game than any previous job. But the payday will be worth it, especially if he plays every card exactly right.

And best of all, Nikolai won’t suspect a thing…

5

NIKOLAI

The following week, Nikolai steps through the glass doors of the health club and feels the familiar, quiet satisfaction of the place settle over him.

High ceilings, pale stone floors, soft lighting that never feels clinical.

The air carries the faint clean scent of eucalyptus and chlorine. Members move with the unhurried confidence of people who belong here. Nikolai belongs too, though few of them know the full reason why.