(SASHA)
I'm barely 30. That's an age considered too young for this job. However, know it will not stop me from seeing my duties through. Young as I am, I believe I have the respect of people for the most part. But, I'm sure some of my father's men won't like being ordered around by someone half their age.
"It's very serious." My mother says on the other end, and judging from the way she is speaking, I can tell the situation isn't good.
"I'll be there shortly." I grumble.
"Okay, hurry up." She says, almost relieved. Much as this is hard on me, I know it is harder on her. Watching the life leave the love of her life by the second had to be the toughest moment of her life. As usual, their marriage had been an arrangement between two mafia families to strengthen their alliances, but over time, it grew into a loving, wholesome relationship. That too, was washing away right before her eyes.
As soon as I hang up, Miles is already turning the car as we head for my family estate. The drive seems like an eternity, but soon enough, we reach the gates of the Adonis residence. They open up, and Miles drives to an empty parking lot. much as I have lived here pretty much my whole life, the beauty of my home enthralls me. The perfectly manicured hedges, the earth-toned walls, the architecture–everything about this place warms my heart.
I step out of the car and hurry towards the house, so fast that I can feel my legs stumble over each other.
One thing about my father is that he will never let his condition pin him down. Judging by how much wasted he looks, I can tell that he has lost more than just a few pounds. Yet, he refuses to be bedridden. He is busy in his study scuffing over a bunch of documents, still strong-willed as ever.
He lifts his gaze to meet mine. "Sasha, you're here." He says. "Come on. Sit. He points to the Chesterfield set in front of his desk, which I don't want to sit on. Part of my brain tells me he makes people sit there so they can feel small. Instead, I lean against the seat, crossing my arms over my chest.
He sighs, resting his arms on his desk. That is the only way I can tell he is fatigued, because knowing my father, he would never at any point put a show of weakness-not even now. I swallow hard, a knot forming at the pit of my stomach.
He clears his throat. "I'll just cut to the chase." He says, and I narrow my eyes intently, curious to know what's happening.
"Something of concern has come up," he adds. "Rumour has it that most of the men will defect into other syndicates once I'm gone."
A bile rises in my throat, and I swallow thickly. "What?" I ask frowning. "Why?"
He scans my face. "Apparently, some of them aren't happy taking orders from someone your age."
Shit. I knew it. I mutter to myself. My hands unintentionally ball into fists. I had a feeling earlier that my age would be a problem for some of these men. And on top of that, I had Angelo planting doubts on them.
Like I don't have enough to deal with already.
"You mean me?" I ask, jabbing a finger on my chest.
"Yes. Who else?" my father replies.
"When'd you learn this?" I ask holding my waist frustratedly.
"Since forever. I've dealt with these men my whole life. I know how most of them think." He rumbles.
I sigh, exasperated. "But there isn't much I can do about my age."
"I know that, son." He clasps his fingers together, looking at me more intently. "I know a way to calm them down though-"
"Which is?" I shoot up immediately.
"You know that." He says, and I try to rack my brain for whatever he means by that. If I knew a way to calm them, we surely wouldn't have been stressing ourselves with this.
I shake my head. "Remind me."
"Marry. It's that simple. You know, with you being unmarried and everything, the men think you're immature…"
My eyes widen. I can't believe he's bringing up this marriage issue again. "You know I'm not immature."
"I know that too, but you know that isn't how they see it."
Committing to a relationship is already hard enough as it is. Let's not kid ourselves. I don't do relationships, I never have, knowing so well some people are always ready to get me off for a price. Besides, marriages were all for greedy people who just wanted quick ways to infiltrate my family and use the situation to their advantage. Marriage irks me in every sense of the word.
"What business is it of theirs whether I marry or not? That's total nonsense." I blurt out. I hate that my unmarried status could be a problem to our family legacy. "It'd make sense if they wanted to sleep with my omega."
"We've talked about this countless times, Sasha. No one wants to sleep with your omega. It's the fact that you're very unbending to the marriage issue that makes them think you're immature in the first place."
"And what do you think, father? Am I immature?" I ask indifferently. "Do you think I'll handle my responsibilities any less because I'm unmarried?"
"I've never thought of it like that. But Sasha, what I think doesn't matter- won't matter when I'm gone. You have to find an omega and settle down for a change." He forces out.
I stifle a laugh. I know better than to let it out.
"Whatever aversions you have for marriage have to die now. Unless you are willing to risk the men defaulting on us. I bet you don't want that either."
I sigh. I don't want to listen to the first thing about marriage. I already have plenty of omegas at my disposal ready to satisfy my carnal urges whenever I see fit. Unfortunately, the situation at hand doesn't leave me with many choices.
"I don't hate marriages." I blurt out even though we both know it's a lie. I preferred my omegas, ones who wouldn't bug me with commitment. It just took an hour or less and we were done. No attachments whatsoever, something that makes me wonder to myself If I have any emotions.
"So, what happens if I don't get married?" I ask, but I already know the answer to that.
"You risk our men joining alternative syndicates." He says, his throat bobbing as he swallows thickly. He is straining, and as much as he is trying to hide it, it is almost obvious that the thought of disloyalty hurts him. It took him forever to build the Triad syndicate, and watching it crumble just because I didn't want to get married wouldn't have been fair to him.
After all, he had groomed me all my life to take up after him.
"What happened to loyalty?" I blurt out and he stares at me for a while.
"I understand that this is frustrating you, and I understand the men's point of view as well. It's already hard enough for them to want to be led by a minor and were assuming you'd already be married by the time I'm gone." He says.
"So what? I'll magically mature when I get married?" I scoff dismissively. I don't understand why they're so adamant about this marriage issue. If only someone could get married on my behalf and get this matter over and done with.
"Listen, Sasha, we can't work out many options here."
"But this is unfair. So what? I'm being forced into a marriage I don't want because you're dying?" I retort. My father flinches, and it is then that I realize I shouldn't have said that out loud. However, it doesn't take him time to regain his composure. Even at his eleventh hour, my father was never going to show weakness.
"I don't like the idea either, Sasha. But it isn't up for debate. Right now, our focus shouldn't be what you want or what I want. Reason beyond your feelings and see what's at stake here."
"What if I don't?" I ask, fed up and not wanting to argue any longer. I hate that I'm wearing him out. Besides, the faster we reach an agreement, the better it will be for us both.
"Or Angelo will step in," he remarks.
I shake my head in shock. "What the hell?"