*JACKSON'S P.O.V*

" Would you like anything to drink Sir?" A boy asked. He can't be older than 16.

" No thanks" I say for the 5th time. This is getting annoying.

" Leave us!," Jeff bellows. He seems a bit more relaxed now that he's passed the stress of the Mafia over to me. Everyone scrambles away except for Santiago, Marco and Charles. " He hasn't earned his vest yet —you know how they are"

"Can we just get down to business?" I run my hand through my hair. I need another hair cut. We moved from the filthy motel to one of our safe houses a few miles back. It's the nicest safehouse we have so we call it HQ. Fluorescent light glare down on us from the ceiling. We're sitting in a windowless room around a rectangular table. I'm sitting at the head. Jeff sits across from me and the three commanders line up to my left. Zara woke up kicking and screaming —another reason we had to leave the motel— so I sent her to go fetch Aiden who will sit on my right.

" Might as well, the battle has already begun" Jeff coughs.

I look away. It pains me to see him like this. Not just because he's Ashley's dad but because he's my Boss. His hair is starting to gray and although he doesn't have any visible wrinkles his eyes are droopy and his hands keep shaking. How did I not notice this before? He went to the hospital one year after he got me because he randomly passed out. When he came back he joked that the pleasers are using up all his stamina.

I wanted to be a leader like that —loved, respected, honorable. Every night a woman with clear brown skin and midnight black hair would go up to his room with a suitcase —we all joked that they were role playing since she left with purple bruises each time— i'm guessing she was some kind of doctor or scientist who wasn't bringing good news.

" Battle?" Marco growls. " Vito's men infiltrated my club in Miami and raped all the women"

" Aye! and I gave them all some plan B's they're fine Marco" Santiago brushed it off.

" If you had shown up like I asked you to maybe that wouldn't have happened!," He snapped. " you only work with girls because you know they can't oppose you —otherwise you'd have a whole lot of enemies"

Jeff slams his fist to the table. " If you two want to argue do that at your monthly meetings or your Boss will replace you —won't you Jackson" His eyes say Control them, be a leader.

I clear my throat. " Oh I already have a few people in mind"

They mutter apologies.

The door swing open revealing Aiden and Zara. They both seem fine. Aiden only has a bruise on his knuckles. So much for him being punished. I smirk.

" Next time at least give me enough respect as to not put me up against a child" He glares at Jeff and sit to my right.

" Do you accept?" I asked referring to him being my right hand man.

" Only if I get Zara as a prize" He winks.

I sigh.

" Yes! " He responds before I say anything. Then whispers under his breath. "Damn I didn't know becoming a Mafia Boss makes you lose your sense of humor..."

" What was that?" I ask and he laughs. Now all we need is Ashley and this wouldn't be so bad after all.

Da-dum.

My chest —no my heart— aches again.

" Can we all focus now?" Jeff asks, making eye contact with everyone. We all nod.

" Good now Jackson, there's no easy way to say this so i'm just gonna go ahead and say it," He pauses to catch his breath. " Vito is your father"

...What?

My chest aches again but its not the same hurt from before. This feels more like...

Bloodlust.

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