Filed to story: Bring It On My Mafia Life Novel (Rhea & Lukas)
But Daniel said to him, “You make it sound as if I have something against you?”
Eric laughed sarcastically, “Oh really, don’t you?”
Both men stared each other down, the tension in the air thickening as they unleashed their imposing auras. It was like watching the fight of the titans and it would have been comical to Lukas except that this was a serious matter and his father has a knack for escalating matters. They can’t fight here, else there was no more room for negotiation.
“You don’t believe anything he says, I’m the Don of the family and I believe there can be some sort of adjustment to his punishment,” Lukas said, and only then did Eric take his eyes off Daniel, but not without one long last look.
Eric told him, “I feel you don’t want a war between our families just as I don’t want a war either. Elijah is extremely remorseful for what he did and now, if only justice can be tempered with mercy. I know that nothing can make up for the lives lost, but I believe there can be many windows of opportunities for our family, even in the future.”
When Lukas and Eric looked at each other for far too long, a mutual acknowledgement passing between the both of them, Daniel grabbed his arm and turned him, ” Don’t tell me, you are seriously considering otherwise. “
When Lukas didn’t answer him except for the clenching of his jaw, he got his answer. Daniel’s expression changed, and he poked Lukas in his chest with his finger, “Elijah took the lives of five of our men! Five of them!” He emphasized the numbers in case he had forgotten, “If that doesn’t seem like blatant disrespect to you and our family, it does to me.”
“What is done is done and in the past. If you’re so concerned about the disrespect to our family, we can especially look into that one, and perhaps an official apology with him on his knees, bowing to the graves of those he murdered would be enough. Or whatever else you want that doesn’t even involve Elijah being murdered as vengeance. “
Lukas came closer and whispered to him, “Violence is not always the answer and we stand nothing to win in this war anyway. Think of all the good things we can achieve with an alliance with the Draven family… with the head of the commission.”
He wanted Daniel to not just think about now, but the future as well. The fact that Eric honored the invitation and humbly wanted to make amends was enough. A war would profit them nothing and they weren’t even sure of winning.
For once, Lukas honestly prayed that his father laid aside his selfish interest and myopic thinking and looked at the bigger picture. However, when he saw the man shake his head with mock pity in his eyes, he knew it was for nothing.
“I thought you were weak, but I was wrong. You are a prostitute, easily bought away by the enemy and I would not sit here and watch you bring shame to this family.” Daniel was about to move when Lukas stood in his way and commanded him in an authoritative voice
“You would do nothing! I am the Don of this family and you would do exactly as I said! “
Daniel was stunned, his feet stuck to the ground. It was the first time Lukas was using such a domineering tone on him and he was struck by the strength in it. His eyes narrowed immediately, his son was getting out of control.
“Perhaps, it would be better if we meet again. Perhaps by that time, we would have come up with an amicable term,” Victor dismissed the meeting when he saw the apprehension. Eric has seen enough to know there was an internal crisis and can’t know more.
“If that’s the case then,” Eric said and turned to leave with his people.
However, Daniel shouted out of nowhere, “Say hi to Natalie for me.”
Eric halted in his steps.
He Was Free
Eric held his breath, counting inwardly from one to ten, and the chill in his eyes eventually vanished. For someone who had a lot of self-control, for the first time in his life, Eric just wanted to let consequences be damned and end that bastard.
Well, he almost did, until he recalled that he was currently on neutral ground. It was a trick. Daniel almost tempted him into being the first to break the rule.
Bastard!
Had he acted on his anger, then it would have been game over for him. No negotiation. An outright war. Now Eric could understand why Natalie was obsessed with keeping her daughter, Rhea away from him. Daniel was crazy. An asshole.
They say a rotten apple spoils the whole barrel, Eric could see a perfect example staring right at him. Lukas seemed to be a cool guy, but with his father hovering over him, it was no wonder people thought the same of him. After all, the apple can’t fall far from the tree.
Eric turned to Daniel and said to him, “Thank you so much for that joyful reminder. Since both of you were friends, I’m sure you wouldn’t mind attending our wedding. I would be sure to send you an invitation once it’s out.”
The triumphant smile that should have been on Daniel’s lips vanished at once and his face fell while Eric had the last laugh and left him alone.
And while this was going on, Lukas watched the drama going on with his arms folded across his chest. For once, someone beat his father in his own games, and holy damn, the look on Daniel’s face was satisfying. He actually looked like someone threw shit on his face. Lukas had to fight back the urge to laugh out loud. It was a lovely scene.
They stood watching as Eric got into the backseat, one of his men got into the driver’s seat, started the car, and drove him away till they were no longer in sight. It was just him, Victor, and his father now.
…..
The place was silent and Lukas faced his father, waiting for him to blow up. Usually, in the past, this was the point where Daniel blows up and teaches him a lesson on leadership – by beating him. But he was not the same Lukas anymore and that man was not laying a finger on him, not today, not tomorrow.
As if sensing the change in Lukas, Daniel made no move. He just stared at him and when he couldn’t take it anymore, said to him, “You are a big disappointment.”
“Get used to it.” Lukas rolled his eyes towards heaven. Thinking about it now, ever since he grew up and had his own opinion, his father never seemed to agree with his modern and ingenious ways of solving problems. It was always male, aggressive dominance for him. He just doesn’t realize that times have changed and now, it was work smarter, not harder.
If it wasn’t outrageous to think about it, Lukas could almost say that Daniel was jealous of him… nope, it was impossible. Lukas didn’t want to believe it. Daniel being jealous of him was simply outrageous – and childish.
Yes, Daniel was not jealous of the fact that his late wife hated his ass and reserved all of his affection for his son instead; Daniel was not jealous of the fact that he gets to be with the daughter of the woman he loved; Daniel was not jealous of the fact that he seemed to perform better than him (profit wise) than when he was the Don of the family.
Damn.
While Daniel was always protesting that he was teaching him to be better, he was merely projecting his inadequacy onto him? Lukas’s jaw nearly dropped to the ground at the realization. Was he fucking kidding him?
While Lukas was lost in his train of thought, Daniel used that opportunity to get close to him and roused him from his thoughts, saying,
“I had high hopes for you, Lukas. You were supposed to be my perfect legacy, but instead, you became this…” He gestured at him, the disappointment on his face was obvious, “You don’t know what you have done today and you are going to regret it.”
“No,” Lukas retorted, “I did the right thing and you don’t have the right to tell me otherwise. And just to remind you, just because I’m your son, related only by the sperm you donated, doesn’t make me your legacy. I’m my person, not your fucking shadow or clone and it’s high time you got that into your head, father.” He called him with great distaste in his mouth
Daniel was dumbfounded. He has been receiving too many surprises since today.
And with that being said, Lukas walked past him, shoving him on the shoulder rudely. Since Daniel called him a disappointment, he was going to show him real disappointment.
Lukas stopped, “Also….”
Daniel turned to look at him.
“Jealousy doesn’t suit you, hypocrite!”
Having said those words, Lukas gave him the middle finger before turning to join his cousin in the car. Victor was the best because he already started the car and together, they left Daniel all by himself.
They drove off with Lukas screaming at the top of his lungs. He couldn’t believe what he just did and he felt so free. Free from the bondage of his father.
“What the hell was that?” Victor finally asked him after they had given Daniel a good distance. What if the man gets mad at Lukas for giving him the middle finger, and he then loses his mind and chases after them? Who knows? It might happen.
“I don’t know,” Lukas breathed, genuine happiness on his face, “I just feel free, you know.”
“Yeah, I get the feeling. But I hope you know what you’re doing because it’s Daniel we’re talking about here. While others would be crushed by today’s event and would give up. Your father is the opposite and I can only imagine what wicked plans he has in his head already.”
The Heat Of What She Saw