Chapter 3 The perfect mafia wife

EGAN

"We cannot stand down and watch them disrespect us like this." The scarred-faced man said. "It is the highest form of insult for them to touch one of our own."

"You don't call the shots here," Eli said.

"That is why we are asking the Sovereign to do something about this." A man sitting beside the scarred-faced man said.

Egan sat at the head of the table, watching his mafia family argue.

He had lived this life for three years now, hardening a little every day.

Since that day his father was murdered, he had lost count of just how many murders he had been responsible for as the new Sovereign.

"I am sorry your children had to be dragged into this, Riccardo." He said to the scarred-faced man.

The man, his father's captain, now his own captain, was Egan's biggest supporter.

"But we cannot go up against the government for now. After our meeting tomorrow, we can make a decision." He added calmly.

"Tomorrow? My daughter is just sixteen and my son is twelve. You want them to spend more days with those people?" Roccardo said angrily.

Egan sighed.

He understood the man's fear, but they could not afford to make any emotional decisions now.

This fight was more delicate because two minors' lives were on the bargaining table, and they were against the dark part of the government.

That section was not fair or scared of breaking the law.

He might have risked attacking them if they were the law-abiding side because they would at least not hurt the children.

"Any hasty decisions will put your children's lives in danger," Egan said.

"Nothing a good rescue strategy cannot fix," Riccardo responded.

"A good rescue strategy takes time to plan, months even," Egan said. "You know this."

If anyone should understand how these things worked, it was the captain, for f*cksake.

"You are bored. You don't care." Riccardo said, squinting at him in disbelief.

Egan said nothing. If he looked bored it was because he needed sleep. A bullet wound on his shoulder had barely healed, and he had not slept in three days.

"Easy captain." Eli said in a threatening voice. You know who you are speaking to.."

"Of course I do." Riccardo said, glancing at Eli. "Our Sovereign who has no stomach for violence.

"But I do." Eli said, and cracked his gun.

Riccardo's son pulled out his gun too. And everyone around the table scrambled up, pointing their guns at each other.

"You do not point guns at family." Riccardo's son spat. He was a hot-headed young man that was initiated into the family just a year ago. "But you wouldn't know that."

"Control your cob." Eli said to Riccardo.

He was Egan's younger brother, only blood brother in the whole Alexakis clan, and was more hot-headed than anyone Egan had ever met.

"That's OK, Renzo." Riccardo said, gently knocking his son's hand down.

Everyone around the table lowered their guns again.

Riccardo shook his head at Egan. "Look at what our family has become, pointing guns at ourselves, and you don't care. You prefer to sit and look out at your resort feeling all cool."

Egan still did not get angry. No other person would dare speak to him in this manner. Riccardo had never even spoken to him like this before.

He understood the man was angry and scared for his children's safety.

"I understand how you feel."

"Of course you don't." Riccardo said angrily, looking down at Egan, who remained in his seat the whole time. "You don't have a family." He sneered.

Egan looked at him in confusion. Of course he had a family, a rather large one, and his brother was standing right here beside him.

"You don't have children, not even a wife. So how can you say you know how I feel?"

Egan did not miss some of the men looking away as soon as Riccardo said that. So they thought the same too?

"I will rescue my children with or without your help." Riccardo spat and walked out angrily.

Egan remained sitting on the huge terrace, on the top floor of one of the Alexakis resorts.

From this place he could see nicely dressed people moving around. He suspected there was an ongoing wedding in the wedding arena below.

He continued watching the movements even after everyone had left him on the terrace, including Eli.

The only one who remained was Sam, his best friend.

"Have you ever thought of having a family, Sam?" He asked.

"A few times. I am in no hurry though," Sam responded.

"Even at thirty? You're old." Egan said.

"You just called yourself old too. We're agemates." Sam responded.

Egan turned to look at him.

Like Eli, as soon as Sam learned he was the new Mafia Sovereign, he wanted in, and practically forced his way into the organization.

But unlike Eli, Sam was the only person that still treated him as usual. The others were only comfortable when they acted like servants around him. Eager to please him, and laugh at the few jokes he ever told.

Eli was worse. He fancied himself his big brother's right-hand man. And was always eager to shoot anyone for him.

Egan shook his head and smiled at Sam.

"For real, though. You need a wife. Soon." Sam said. "This family is beginning to break slowly, our enemies will charge at us if they notice the slightest crack."

Egan said nothing, he continued staring out at the people moving around in fancy party clothes.

"You don't need to think too much about it. Find a beautiful young girl, docile, preferably from a disadvantaged background, so you can be sure she will not cause trouble." Sam said.

"And do it fast. Riccardo and his son are trouble. You don't want them to stab you in the back," Sam added.

"Eli would advise me to just kill them to teach the others a lesson," Egan said with a sad smile.

What he truly needed to do now was go home and rest. But he was curious.

"Not something so extreme," Sam replied. "However, you need to show them who's boss. But first, get a wife, fast."

Egan stood up.

The guards at the door with long rifles bowed as he passed.

He wondered what his grandmother thought about this life he lived now.

She hated that his father had joined the Mafia, instead of working at the family company.

Sam followed him quietly as they walked down, towards where Egan had seen all the guests heading to earlier.

A chilling wedding tune was playing.

He had never been to a wedding before. He wanted to just see, then go back home and rest.

He was a little startled to see the bride entering the garden with a mascara-tear-stained face. He frowned. What could make a bride look so unkept?

He stopped at the garden's entrance, and watched.

The young bride stopped at the makeshift altar and turned.

Egan stared at her, wondering why she felt so familiar?

"The wedding is off." She said in a hoarse voice. Her voice broke and she began to cry.

It was a pitiful sight.

He watched a woman walk up to her. He could not hear what the woman told the bride, but it seemed to make her cry more.

"Is that the perfect mafia wife you were just describing, Sam?" Egan said quietly.

"What?" Sam looked at him in shock.