Chapter 8 HE'S JUST A BOY

A row of luxurious cars lined the entrance of GG Hotel, the prestigious foundation owned by Greco. Several men in suits entered the hotel and walk to the private VIP hall. As they crossed paths, they exchanged greetings.

"Where's Rosario? He wasn't at the celebration either" Rossi asked.

"I couldn't get in touch with him" Bruno said.

"Is he aware of today's meeting?" Rossi asked again.

"Who among us didn't know that today is a meeting day? He's knows" Bruno said, while the others engaged in quiet conversations amongst themselves. Just then, the door opened, and two men entered, followed by Greco. The group immediately stand to greet their Don, who strode in with an air of authority.

"Don Greco" they all said in unison, each placing a clenched fist over their shoulder as a sign of respect. Greco walked directly to his seat without delay.

"Sit" Greco commanded, addressing the fifty members in the room. As he surveyed the gathering, his gaze sharpened. "Where is Rosario?" he asked.

"He was not reachable" Bruno responded.

"(I will give him one last chance, tell him when you see him)" Greco said in a firm tone.

"(Yes), Don Greco" Bruno said.

"(Let the initiation begin)" Greco said, signaling the start of the meeting.

After the meeting came to an end, the members leave one by one, while Greco walk straight to his private suite in the hotel. He swiped his card, and the door opened. Moving directly to his bedroom, he was taken aback by the sight before him.

"Camila, what are you doing here?" Greco asked, his voice filled with surprise as he addressed the woman lying half-naked on his bed. Camila was dressed in a red bra and panties.

"(Are you not happy to see me)?" Camila asked playfully, as she climb down the bed and hug Greco tightly.

"(When did you get here)?" Greco asked as Camila gently pulled him onto the bed, positioning herself on top of him.

"This morning. I knew you would be here" Camila said, her hands slowly unbuttoning Greco's shirt.

"Camila, (not now)" Greco said, not ready for what's about to happen.

"(Why?) Are you in love with that bitch?" Camila snapped, her anger rising.

"You know the situation, Camila. Calm down" Greco said, trying to soothe her.

"I can't believe she's living under your roof now, and she brought her bastard with her. Are you even thinking, Greco?" Camila fumed, remaining seated on top of him.

"(He's just a boy)" Greco said, attempting to dismiss her concerns.

"(A boy)? He's watching everything, Greco. He could turn against you in the future, and so could that bitch" Camila warned, her voice filled with hatred.

"Marian controls Lucian, and I control Marian. She won't betray me as long as I keep feeding her that fake love" Greco said, his voice calm and calculating.

"Oh, fuck. (I wish her a quick death)" Camila spat, her disdain evident.

"Calm down, Camila. (She's still useful). Just be patient" Greco said.

"Until when? I want to be the one living in your house. I deserve to be" Camila said.

"You'll move in when the time is right" Greco said, assuring her.

"I can't wait any longer. Do you still sleep with her?" Camila asked, her voice filled with jealousy.

"Yes, but she's just a tool. You are the one who will be by my side" Greco said. "The shipment from last time, is it still intact?"

"Yes, it's all secured" Camila said.

"Good. Have your girls bring it to the hotel. We might need it if the Spanish mob decides to make a move against us this time" Greco said, his tone turning serious.

"We caused this fight among ourselves again, even after Ronaldo signed that peace treaty with them. We shouldn't have lied about them in our plans" Camila said, her tone filled with concern.

"Why on earth would he sign a peace treaty with the very mobs that murdered my father? That foolish old man. We'll fight the Spanish mobs until our last breath" Greco said, his voice filled with determination. As he spoke, Camila began to caress his body, her touch growing more intimate as she slid her hand inside his trousers, stroking his member.

"Ah, Camila" Greco breathed, his voice dropping to a low whisper as the sensation intensified.

"You look tired. (Allow me to please you), Don Greco" Camila said, her voice dripping with seduction as she quickened her pace, bringing Greco closer to the edge.

Meanwhile, Rosario had just stepped out of his car when he noticed Bruno and Rossi driving into his compound. He stood beside his car, watching as they alighted from the vehicle.

"Rosario?" Rossi called out, approaching him with a serious expression, while Bruno closed the car door behind him.

"Rossi, Bruno, (What happened? No one showed up to the meeting)" Rosario asked, a note of confusion in his voice as he glanced between the two men.

"(I tried to reach you but you were unreachable)" Bruno said, exchanging a look with Rossi.

"(I lost my cell phone. I got a new one and replaced my SIM card)" Rosario said.

"(Let's go inside)" he added, gesturing towards the house.

Once the three men were seated inside, with Rosario's maid serving them refreshments, Rosario asked again, his tone filled with frustration.

"Was there really no meeting?" he asked.

" (There was). It took place at Greco's hotel" Rossi said.

"That's against our rules. We're not supposed to hold meetings in such a public place" Rosario said.

"(I told Don, but he wouldn't listen)" Bruno added, shaking his head. "And he said he'll remove you from the group if you miss the next one."

"He will never be my Don, and I won't attend unless the meeting is at Ronaldo's house" Rosario stated firmly.

"Don't be like that, Rosario. (Greco is powerful now). And I saw Marian at his house when we visited him" Bruno said.

"I know she's in a romantic relationship with Greco, (but I haven't fully connected the dots on how involved she is)" Rosario said.

"What dots? Make us understand." Rossi said, leaning forward in his seat.

"(The Spanish mobs didn't kill Ronaldo, Greco did). He planned the whole thing. And as for Marian, I suspect she stole Alfred's company documents for Greco. I believe that's why the company went bankrupt" Rosario explained, his voice low but intense.

"Rosario, (Do you have any evidence?)" Rossi asked, concern lacing his words.

"Luca had it and was going to deliver it, but he was killed by Greco's sniper, that bitch. (Greco has the evidence now)" Rosario said, a heavy silence settling over the room.

"(That bastard, he killed Luca. What about Luca's son?)" Rossi asked, his voice filled with anger.

"(He's nowhere to be found). I've been suspicious since the day of Ronaldo's funeral, so I had someone planted in Greco's house to gather evidence. But it's all useless if we don't have someone from Ronaldo's bloodline to stand against him" Rosario said, frustration clear in his voice.

"What about Marian's son, Lucian?" Bruno suggested.

"Bruno's right. If what you're saying is true, we could use Lucian to bring down Greco" Rossi added.

"(He's just a boy. Thirteen years old)" Rosario said.

"Ronaldo became Don at twenty. If we can get the boy, we can train him" Rossi said, his determination increasing.

"I'll keep a close watch on him" Rosario said, then looked at the others intently. "Are you with me in this?"

"(We're with you), Rosario" Bruno said without hesitation.

"(Me too)" Rossi agreed, nodding firmly.

"We need to gather more men to our side. We have to let them know that Greco killed Ronaldo and reignited the war that Ronaldo ended with the Spanish mobs. (He's leading us to our graves)" Rosario said with conviction.

"You're right" Rossi concurred.

Meanwhile, Camila was stepping out of the bathroom, her body still wet, as Greco finished getting dressed.

"Greco, now that we have everything we need, you should remind that bitch where she truly belongs" Camila said, her voice filled with disdain.

"Not just yet. You'll be traveling to Spain to keep an eye on our enemies" Greco said as he finished buttoning his shirt.

"Another task already?" Camila sighed, her frustration barely hidden.

"Yes. Take your girls with you, and keep me updated on every moves" Greco said.

"Then, when I return, I'll visit your house, just like old times. She won't suspect a thing" Camila said with a sly smile.

"As you wish. I need to be on my way now. Make sure to return my card to the manager when you're done" Greco said as he walked toward the door, glancing back at Camila one last time before leaving. Camila watched him go.

Meanwhile, Lucian was left behind again as James drove Cardo home first. Not wanting to return to an empty and unwelcoming house, Lucian decided to take a stroll around the neighborhood. As he walked out of the school compound, his backpack slung over one shoulder, he knew that no one at home, not even his mother, would greet him warmly or care about him.

As he wandered the streets, he noticed a small, fluffy white puppy wandering into the middle of the road. Just as a car sped toward the puppy, Lucian acted quickly, rushing to scoop up the little creature in his arms. The white puppy looked up at him with pitiful eyes, trembling and whimpering softly.

"I guess you don't like your home either. Why are you all alone, just like me? Is it because your mother doesn't love you, or did she send you away?" Lucian asked the puppy softly, his voice filled with empathy. "We should be friends since we're both feeling rejected" he added, cradling the puppy close.

At that moment, a car pulled up beside him-it was James. Lucian entered the car, still holding the puppy, and they drove away.

Later, when Greco returned home, Marian greeted him warmly. "I'm happy you're back, Honey" she said, gently loosening his tie, while Cardo watched TV in the living room, paying no attention to their conversation.

"Where's Lucian?" Greco asked as he walked into the house.

"He wouldn't ride with me, Dad. He said I disgust him. James bring us home separately" Cardo said. Greco's mind flashed back to what Camila had warned him about Lucian.

"Marian, that son of yours, I-" Greco began, his tone sharp, but he was interrupted as Lucian entered the room, cradling a small puppy in his arms.

"Mum, Sir Greco" Lucian greeted them, gently stroking the puppy's head.

"Where did you get that?" Marian asked, her voice rising in anger.

"It didn't have anyone, so I decided to bring him home" Lucian explained, his tone defensive yet soft.

"You dare bring a dog into my house? You're just wasting my resources. And why wouldn't you ride home with Cardo?" Greco asked.

"But, Sir-" Lucian started to respond, but Marian cut him off sharply.

"Will you shut up. I'm tired of all the complaints I keep hearing about you. Now take that creature out of this houup" Marian said, her voice harsh. The puppy whimpered softly, resting its head under Lucian's arm as if seeking protection.

"Mum, please, I can't just abandon him. He's too young" Lucian pleaded, as he continue to rub the puppy's head to sooth it.

"You can't expect me to feed this dog while you're freeloading under my roof. I won't tolerate this behavior any longer. If you're staying here, you'll follow my rules" Greco stated firmly.

"Dad's right. Why would you bring a dog here?" Cardo chimed in, echoing his father's sentiment.

"And from now on, you'll take the school bus like everyone else. Why would you come home separately, just because you don't like my son or this house? You need to make a choice, Marian-either you stay with me, or you choose your son" Greco said as he stormed off to his room upstairs.

"You always find a way to make him angry with me. Now get that monster out of this house" Marian said angrily, her frustration evident. With a heavy heart, Lucian left the house with the dog. Before walking out of the compound, he grabbed a rope, knowing what he had to do.

As he walked down the street, Lucian spotted a large tree that offered a comforting shade. He gently placed the puppy on the ground, and the little dog whimpered, its eyes filled with confusion and fear.

"I'm so sorry" Lucian whispered as he stroked the dog's soft, fluffy fur. "What should I call you? How about Snow, since you're so white?" he said, giving the dog a name before tying the rope around its neck and securing it to the tree.

"I won't leave you all alone. I'm your friend, and we've got each other now" Lucian said. "I'll come back to build you a proper home, and I swear I'll bring you food" he added.

The puppy made soft, pitiful sounds, its tiny body trembling slightly. "Later, Snow" Lucian said, giving the dog one last affectionate pat before walking away, his heart heavy with the weight of leaving his new friend behind.