Chapter 52
It takes a week to get a meeting set up with the family to have the initiation ritual. There’s nearly fifty people here, ready to watch as I’m sworn in. I’m told the rules and expectations, and I bleed on a card with a depiction of St. Michael, the archangel.
A lot of mafia members are Catholics, going to church on holidays, wearing pendants and making the sign of the cross, all while living a lifestyle the church condemns.
I find it interesting that they cling to Catholicism so tightly, and in talking to a good amount of them, I realized they appreciate that I was a priest. Hypocrisy runs rampant.
The event goes on for a little while, strictly for made men only, so Javier isn’t here.
I talk to everyone, even if it’s just briefly, and most everyone gives me their condolences.
There’s several I can tell don’t like that I’m their new boss.
It’s written on their faces, expressed by their snarls and furrowed brows.
Once the secretive side of things is over, I announce that I’m opening it up to others, giving them time to invite their wives or girlfriends, or to call the associates to see if they’d like to attend.
The family consists of hundreds of members, so this is a risky move I’m about to make, but a necessary one, and since Javier is right outside, he’ll be here before anyone else.
Once I send him a message, he strolls in, wearing his signature black. Though it can’t be seen, I know he’s got his new holster and guns underneath his jacket.
“How’d it go?” he asks when he sidles up next to me.
I take a sip of my drink. “Good. It’s official.”
“Boss,” he says with a dip of his head.
I grin. “Ready?”
He takes my glass and downs the rest of the drink. “Ready.”
“Everyone!” I announce, raising my voice amongst the crowd.
Javier puts his fingers in his mouth and lets loose a loud whistle. “Turn that music down.”
The music quiets as does the chatter, and all eyes are on me.
“I heard the rules earlier, as you’ve all heard countless times before.
Respect women. Don’t engage with the woman of another member, or their sisters, unless your motives are serious.
Stay loyal, don’t interfere with anyone else’s interests.
Don’t talk to the cops. Don’t engage in a battle you can’t win.
You know, all of that,” I say with a tight smile.
“Lots of rules. Old traditions. Which I can understand. Though, I won’t go into the fact that twenty-nine years ago, members of this family killed my mother.
” I wave my hand in the air as people murmur.
“Well, now that I’ve been sworn in as the new boss, I’m not here to lie and say I’ll be just like my father.
While we have similarities, we also have plenty of differences.
I’m ready to hear anybody out. If you need to talk to me, let me know and we’ll make it happen.
My ego isn’t too big to not listen to anybody’s ideas for this family.
I’m the boss, but we are a family, and I want it to feel that way.
“Having said that, there’s something you all should know.
It goes against everything the mafia has been known for.
” Javier shifts, and George moves closer to my side.
“But it doesn’t change the rules that were mentioned tonight.
You’re all aware that I came into this in an unusual way.
You’re also aware I spent many years as a priest. Everything about me being the boss goes against the grain, so while this might be surprising, it will not be the only thing that’s different about me.
” I take a breath and look into the eyes of the crowd, sensing concern and confusion.
“I’ll never take a wife, nor any of yours,” I say with a wry grin, garnering a few laughs.
“Your sisters are safe, because I’m not attracted to women. ”
With the bomb thrown, the room goes quiet, waiting to see what happens next.
I shrug. “It doesn’t change the fundamentals of who I am. I—”
“No, fuck that. What are you saying?” someone says from the crowd. “We ain’t havin’ a gay boss.”
Murmurs and chatter pick up, people looking to each other, searching for a way to react.
“Well, you do,” I say simply, trying to find the guy who said it. “What does it matter to you? To anyone?”
“Nobody’s gonna take us seriously. How are we going to be intimidating with a fucking cocksucker at the helm.”
I tilt my head, noticing Javier bristling with rage at my side.
“He killed Sammy,” George announces. “He came up with the plan to get rid of Johnny. He lied to the cops to keep our people out of trouble.”
I notice a few people nodding along, but plenty still look angry and disturbed.
“You can feel how you feel,” I say, “But you will respect this family and me as the boss.” I pause.
“Or, we can start revealing who is breaking rules and how.” I start looking around the room, searching for the faces I’ve already done research on.
“People who are sleeping with member’s sisters.
” I make eye contact with at least three people I know of for sure.
“Or how about someone whose brother just married someone in law enforcement? How are those family dinners going?” I look at a man named Joseph when I say that one.
“Or the guy who recently hooked up with a female detective.” I glance around the room.
“As far as I know we don’t have any women on the payroll.
Oh, and I do believe someone is sleeping with someone’s soon-to-be wife.
Is that right?” I ask, looking at George who nods once.
“Now that last rule I mentioned. Not engaging in a battle you can’t win.” I smile. “I have a lot of information on a lot of you.”
“Fuck that. I’m not fucking anyone’s mom, sister, or nothin’. I’m not talking to the cops or any other shit. And I am not okay with this.” He plows through the crowd, angry and red-faced. “This is embarrassing and I will not tolerate it.”
I lift my brows. “Yeah?” He stops a few feet away from me. “You seem to know the rules then.”
“Yeah, I fucking know ‘em. And even though it’s not explicitly said in the fucking ceremony, we don’t allow…” He looks me up and down, disgust etched on his face, “this bullshit in.”
I nod, my lips downturning slightly. “Got it. Okay, what’s one of the last things we say in the ceremony?
” He doesn’t reply right away, instead his eyes search the room, hoping for someone to join him.
“Anyone?” I ask, looking into the crowd.
I turn to look at this guy who decided this meant enough to him to speak up.
“We live by the gun and we die by the gun. You don’t get to quit. ”
He inhales deeply, his nostrils flaring. “I will not listen to a fa—” Javier steps up next to me, but I put my hand on his arm. Turning, I reach into his jacket, finding his gun. Our eyes meet and I unsnap the leather and pull the gun free. Turning back, I aim it at him. “Say it again.”
His feet shift, and I see the fear in his eyes.
“This ain’t right,” someone says, coming through the crowd. “George,” he pleads. “Come on, you know this ain’t the way we do things.”
George takes his gun out from the waist of his pants and holds it at his side. “This is a new era, Liam.”
“Cortez would have never—”
“My father knew,” I say, staring him in the eyes. “And he chose me for this anyway. Don’t mention his name again. Not in relation to this.”
With the gun still aimed at the first guy’s forehead, I wave my other hand in the air. “All right, anyone who agrees with these guys, come on up.”
Everyone hesitates, fear wrapping around their legs. However, a few more men step forward with their chests puffed up and noses in the air.
Javier pulls out his other gun, and then Elio and Dante make their way to my side, forming a line in front of the crowd.
“Last chance to change your mind. You’re either in this family, with me as boss, or you want out, and there’s only one way to go.”
They stand there, holding on to their egos and pride, unwilling to open their minds to a hint of something different.
But I know now this is how it’s going to be.
I’ve made my decision, and though I know it’s a sin, it has to be done.
I have to do what’s necessary for my survival in this world.
Hopefully this will be just another tale to add to the one that’s already floating around about Sammy.
Maybe people will know not to question me or my dedication to this family.
The mafia thrives on death and violence.
How else do I prove that I’m not one to fuck with if I don’t show them the consequences of their behavior?
“You ready?” I ask the man my gun is aimed at.
He spits at my feet, and my finger squeezes the trigger. The loud boom is followed by several more in quick succession, and soon, the line of people who walked up are now crumpled on the floor.
I gaze around the room again. “I gave them a choice. I give you all the same one. If you leave this room, I will believe it’s because you don’t have an issue.
If I hear even a whisper of a rumor that you’re saying anything about me behind my back, you will join your friends,” I say, gesturing to the bodies.
“I will not work with people who do not have my back a hundred percent. I don’t need you to agree with the way I live, but I need to know I can trust you to keep your mouth closed about things that don’t concern you.
What I got going on will not cause issues within the family, but fucking fiancés, sisters, and cops is a problem, and those will be handled soon. ”
When nobody says anything else, I hand the gun back to Javier. “Are we good?”
Nods and murmurs of agreement spread through the room. “All right. Wait a little while. Let everyone see this before we get it cleaned up. Tell them why it happened and that it can happen again. Enjoy your night.”
George snaps at some of the guys and begins giving them instructions. I turn away and look at Javier. “Ready to go home?”
He smirks. “Who’s gonna be boss when we get there?”
I laugh, putting a hand on his back as we walk out.