3. Chapter 2 #2
I hoped he would choose to be my second, but I didn’t want any of my cousins or siblings forced to join the Givenchy empire just because they’d been born into it. The arrangement with the Vitale’s made me feel even more passionate about them getting a choice in their future.
“Of course it’s the path I’m going to choose. Who else would help out? Leyla? Please. We don’t want this empire to come crashing down.”
Apollo chuckled and his attention turned to me. “Heard she was trying to put a hit on Bradley the other day.”
I rolled my eyes. “Always the dramatic one.”
Atlas shook his head. “You’re going to have your hands full between her and Ari.
Especially with them being so close. I told Zeph he needs to encourage her to go to college out of the community, maybe in New York.
He can sell it as her spreading her wings, but it’ll really benefit us more than her because I don’t think we can keep the two of them in check for too much longer. ”
He wasn’t wrong there, and it was definitely something we’d have to look into. The world was becoming safer for us again, and with our alliance with the Vitale family, New York should be safe enough.
We chatted for a while longer about random things, enjoying the time together. Once Ap and I were in New York, there would be no shooting the shit and just hanging out, and I wouldn’t get to see At until the wedding.
After my mom and dad gave a speech and we all had cake and ice cream, my uncles and I headed into the office to talk. Dad sat behind the desk, like it was his office instead of my grandpa’s, and the rest of us took seats around the room.
Uncle Apollo was the first to speak. “There was something you wanted to discuss?”
I gave him a nod. “I want us to figure out a way to make sure Ari doesn’t end up pregnant before she can even graduate high school.”
My dad looked at Apollo, then back to me. “Lucian wants an heir. He’s made it very clear that the alliance won’t be completely solidified until he has one. And Alessandro told us he’s going to do bloodwork on her to make sure she’s not on birth control.”
“That’s why I’m thinking I wear a condom on our wedding night, then either on the way to the honeymoon or as soon as we get back, we have our doctor give her birth control.
Maybe the shot. I know an IUD or the implant wouldn’t be ideal because she would have to get pregnant as soon as she graduates. ”
Apollo and Dad stared at each other again, obviously having a silent conversation and it pissed me off when they did that.
This time, it was Apollo that spoke after giving a sigh.
“We’re not going to make any promises. While your plan might work, my connections say that Lucian is getting a little…
unstable. More so than normal. If this is the case, he may go so far as to check your trashcan for a condom the next morning, or even demand blood tests each month in the guise of wanting to check for pregnancy, but also as a way to make sure you’re not trying to deceive him. ”
“He can’t demand it if it’s not in the contract, can he?” Wasn’t that the whole point of making the contract in the first place? When my dad and Apollo looked at each other again, I lost it. “Stop fucking doing that. Just say whatever it is out loud so we’re all in on the goddamn secret.”
Uncle Percy chuckled. “Annoying, isn’t it?”
My dad rolled his eyes. “If we’re being technical, while the contract should keep him in check, the truth is, he holds all the power.
If he wants to demand it, while we can try to negotiate, if he wants to really push the issue, we’d have to give in.
I don’t think we could take him on if he wanted to declare war on us and I won’t lose members of our family just so that Ari can graduate high school before becoming a mom. ”
“But we will promise that she'll graduate high school and even get a college degree if she wants.” Atlas crossed one leg over the other. “We have a huge family that will step in to help with whatever she needs, and if you need to take a semester or two off school to be at her beck and call and to take care of your child, we’ll be understanding of that.”
Percy chuckled. “Yeah, because it’s not like you actually need the degree to run the business. You’ll learn way more from experience than from school.”
“Says the guy that works in real estate instead of the family business.”
While I knew my dad and uncles didn’t begrudge Percy for following his own path, especially since working for the family business hadn’t been an option when he got his real estate license, they never missed an opportunity to throw it in his face.
“I promise to keep my ear to the ground and find out what I can so that we can make a wise decision closer to the wedding date.” Apollo’s look told me that he meant every word of that, so I gave him a nod of agreement.
I knew that was the best I was going to get.
“Now, I want to talk about the initiation.”
Apollo had talked about the tasks he’d been given while he was earning favors and we assumed my initiation would be much of the same. Though really, it was all just speculation because Apollo hadn’t been initiated into any of the families.
“I’m going to be there with you as the representative for the Givenchy family.
However, because I’m not part of the Vitale family, there’s a good chance I won’t be allowed to be with you while you’re doing your initiation tasks.
” Apollo ran a hand through his hair and sat back in his chair.
“We have a meeting scheduled with Lucian tomorrow when we arrive to discuss the tasks. In Zephyr’s stead, I speak on behalf of our family, so I’ll do all the negotiations.
“We expect that he’ll have you do some basic tasks that all grunts do, like collecting dues from people, tailing someone, probably even delivering a threat.
He’s going to give you orders that may seem mundane at times, but it’s simply a test of your loyalty to him over all others.
Because you’re going to be his son-in-law, he’ll probably also make you show your loyalty by doing worse things as well.
I wouldn’t put it past him to have you torture someone for information, murder someone, dispose of a body. Those types of things.”