Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
And just like that, Elvis boasted he came into the possession of a hundred year old wine. Of course, it intrigued the men who couldn’t wait to taste such a treat. But then, such a drink was supposed to go along with a snack and that was how she and Natalie ended up in the kitchen making finger foods that go perfectly with drinks while the men got themselves wasted in the living room. Hopefully they got along in her absence and not kill each other.
“I owe you an apology,” Her mother Natalie said to her out of nowhere while they were making the mini duck rice paper rolls with coriander peanut salsa. The other staff was present as well to make the work a lot faster and easier.
“Apology for what?” Rhea asked as she wrapped the duck and vermicelli in rice paper rolls, served in a baby cos lettuce leaf, and drizzled spicy peanut sauce on it.
Natalie let out a deep breath, “You were right and I was right all this time. He’s nothing like his father. I let my fear of the past try to hold you back and I’m sorry for that.” She apologized sincerely.
“It’s alright,” Rhea shrugged, “I was indeed very mad at you, but then, I couldn’t help but look from your perspective at the same time. You’re my mother and thought you were doing the right thing. Honestly, Daniel scares me as well and if I were in your shoes, I would hide my child away from that monster forever. “
It was at that moment that Natalie turned and faced her, asking with a serious tone, “While you were with Lukas, did Daniel try to hurt you or anything?”
“Well…” Rhea thought it over and said, “He tried to kill me once because, in his language, not mine, I was making his son, Lukas weak, however, Samson was there to save my ass, and ever since then, he’s practically left me alone.”
…..
Natalie’s gaze narrowed with anger when she heard that story. That asshole tried to hurt her daughter. She should have ended him when she had the chance to end him that day! However, she managed to rein in her anger and asked, “Who is Samson?”
“Huh?” Rhea was startled when her mother asked that. She didn’t let out that name on purpose and how was she going to tell her mother that Samson was Lukas’s pet lion?
Nope, Rhea decided against the idea without a second thought. Not now Natalie was beginning to see Lukas in a favorable light. There was no way she was going to accept a man who raised a lion as a bed for her daughter.
So Rhea lied through her teeth,
“About Samson…he’s one of er… Lukas’s men and quite capable as well. He bravely fought through Daniel’s minions to get to me that day, ” yep, he ripped an arm with his razor-sharp teeth. So brave of him.
“Oh, is that so? Then I need to see him in person and thank him for saving you from that monster….” Natalie said, without much thought, and didn’t notice the cold sweat that broke out on her daughter’s face.
“I need to thank him for saving my precious daughter’s life ….” Her mother said with a tone of appreciation, reaching out to tug her hair to the back of her ear while Rhea put on a nervous smile.
She hurriedly said, “Sure, I would make it possible for the both of you to meet one day. But you can’t visit the base for now and when the time comes, the both of you would get along fine,” Rhea hoped, since Samson was not so welcoming to strangers and knowing her mother, she wouldn’t be open to keeping such a predator close by.
“Fine,” Natalie agreed without thinking much while Rhea managed to calm her racing heart. That had been so close. The things she would do for love, Rhea sighed tiredly.
“You should be careful though,” Natalie suddenly said and she lifted her face to meet her somber expression. What now?
“Be careful about what?” She asked curiously and cautiously.
Natalie didn’t answer right away; rather she handed the last of the finger snacks on a tray to the staff to have it delivered to the men while they continued their conversation.
Done, her mother leaned against the counter with her arms folded across her chest, and Rhea asked her once more, “What should I be careful about? Daniel?”
“No, yes, I mean…” Natalie got flustered while trying to explain herself and she paused momentarily. She was much clearer this time when she continued, “Of course, you should be careful of Daniel. But this time, I mean Lukas.”
Hearing Lukas’s name made Rhea suspiciously narrow her gaze at her mother, wondering what she was about to say about him this time. She thought they were over this conversation already.
Natalie went on, “While Lukas might not be like his father, Daniel, he still has his blood running through his veins and like his father, it wouldn’t surprise me if he has a deadly obsession over you too. So I’ll advise you to back out now if you can’t handle that before it’s too late and history repeats itself once again. It would be hard at first to get away from him but unlike me who had no help in the past, you have me, your mother, and the Draven brother, and together we would help you.” Her mother offered her a way out.
Rhea’s lips were pressed in a thin line as she thought over her mother’s words. Was Lukas obsessed with her? Was it not love? That can’t be.
No, Rhea refused to believe in such nonsense. She can’t begin to have doubts now that things are beginning to work out between them. Her mother simply worries about a lot of things.
So she said to Natalie with conviction, “Thanks for your concern, mother, but I’m sure that I can handle that level of affection.”
An Overdramatic Lukas
Rhea really underestimated men’s love for sports because they were merry till evening. It happened that while the women were busy in the kitchen, everyone drank the hundred-year-old wine in tense silence. Even if his brothers welcomed Lukas as their guest, it still didn’t mean they wanted him here.
So they gave Lukas the silent treatment amid Eric’s efforts to make him feel at home. It all proved abortive until he turned the television on and there was a football match going on. And just like that, the atmosphere slowly changed.
At first, both sides pretended to be reserved and watched the match silently with their drinks, however, when the first goal was scored, celebration erupted from their mouths and they couldn’t hold in their excitement anymore.
Just like that, the once silent room was invigorated as they began to argue about the player’s tactics and the football formation. In one word, before the woman could return with the snacks, their men were already wasted.
Both Rhea and Natalie were dumbfounded at the scene of the once quiet men placing bets with wine glasses in their hands. What was going on here? Did the earth suddenly become flat? They were surprised at the turn of events.
Thanks to the awkward ambiance earlier, Natalie had been planning to cut her meeting short with Lukas and perhaps they meet another day. But now, there was no need for that anymore and let them have their fun instead. Natalie was more than relieved to see them getting along now.
The cozy scene was astonishing to Rhea. Thanks to their occupation, it was sometimes hard to imagine them like normal people, but right now they were engaging in mundane things and she couldn’t help but get entranced by the scene. Rhea would love to have a family one day full of joy and laughter and prayed she would be able to achieve that with Lukas.
By the time the match was over, both sides had already suffered losses and gains thanks to their extravagant betting. Lukas lost his wristwatch worth thousands to Ephraim who honestly had been targeting it from the start. Eric in question would have no choice but to relegate one of his betting shops to Lukas.
Victor was the only one who didn’t engage in drinking since he would be driving his cousin home later. With Lukas wasted, one of them had to be sane enough not to get them into an accident. So he couldn’t engage in the betting since it all started on a drunken wimp anyway.
…..
So he acted more as Lukas’s babysitter while his cousin had all the fun. But then, just like every other thing, the good times must come to an end too.
“Alright buddy, it’s fine to go,” Victor hitched Lukas up to his feet, it was time to leave.
But Lukas was completely drunk and placed all of his weight on him, causing Victor to stagger along with him.
“Shit, you’re heavy,” Victor groaned, managing to maintain his footing and shifting Lukas’s weight to one side. They only managed to make it outside when he nearly buckled under his weight. Damn, he was really heavy.
“Do you need help?” Eric said from behind them and Victor turned to look at him. Unlike his brothers who lay in a drunken mess on the sofa, he looked fine and Victor had a slight suspicion that it had something to do with the tea he consumed earlier.
“No, I can handle…” Victor was still saying when Lukas pushed him away and staggered towards Eric with a sheepish grin.
“Father-in-law! You are my father-in-law!” Lukas shouted drunkenly. His cheeks were flushed red and he had difficulty standing.
“About the deal, I would think about it.” Eric calmly said to him.
Lukas saluted him at once, “Sir, yes, sir! I’ll keep…. in mind….” His speech was slurred, “Y-youre best father-in-law in the world”
“Come here,” Victor pulled at his arm but Lukas pushed him away once again and he groaned in frustration. This was why he hated a drunk Lukas. He was a big pain in the ass.
Natalie appeared at that moment with Rhea behind her and Lukas’s eyes lit up like Christmas.
“My mother’s best friend!” He shouted with his arms wide open and intending to hug Natalie.