***Warning – This chapter has mature scenes which includes violence and blocked out curse words with *#@…***
Michael closed his eyes and sighed as he rubbed his eyes with his thumb and pointer finger, listening to what his wife was telling him.
“He showed me a photo of you with another woman Michael.”
He was far too angry to be listening to all the words his wife was telling him. He already knew what Tony had on him anyway. His mind was trailing to a scenario where he was beating Tony to a bloody pulp.
“Mike. Mike. Mike answer me,” his wife snapped, bringing him back down to earth.
“What?” he asked confused.
“Why are you meddling in this man’s life? Why are you putting your family at risk?”
“Shann don’t get into my business ok!” He snapped back.
“My family’s safety is my business Michael.”
Mike was in no mood to argue his rage was better served on Tony than his family, he knew that and that is why he would never lay a hand on his wife or his children.
“Look love don’t worry I’ll take care of it ok,” he calmed her down as he pulled her into him.
And take care of it I will, Mike thought to himself, nobody threatens my family and gets away with it.
He was still fuming with rage when he arrived at tony’s place. Mike clenched his fist and pounded it on the door.
“What are you doing?” Tony asked when he seen Mike.
“What do you think I’m doing here? You approach my wife, break into my home, threaten my family and try to destroy my marriage and think I won’t come to see you?”
Tony didn’t respond he simply walked back inside and left his front door open for Mike to follow.
“I’m only going to tell this once Mickey, stay away from Maria, stay away from my business and stay away from my home and you will never hear from me again Capisce?”
“Look mate I don’t want your girl or to take down your business, I have bigger fish to fry,” Michael laughed in his face.
In a split second Mike reached out his arm and grabbed Tony by the throat. His body was boiling and his eyes were glaring straight into Tony’s, “I don’t give a F@#* if you think I’m out to get you, you come to me. If you ever go near my wife, any of my children or threaten their lives or safety again I will F@#*en kill you capisce?”
Tony’s face was beginning to turn red, “capisce,” he muffled out.
Mike clenched his fist once more and launched it into Tony’s face. He felt his hand crush into Tony’s jaw and heard it snap. Mike let go of his throat and walked out of the apartment. Adrenaline was coursing through his body and his fist was throbbing but he knew he and Shannon would sleep tonight knowing that that scum would not come near the house or the kids again.
******
Nothing made Mike prouder than the day that Paul came up to him and told him that he wanted to join the family business.
Deep down he wished that it was Luke but he was grateful that at least one of his children were serious. Luke wanted to but his mother always got in the way, no one could meddle in her baby Luke’s life. While she was apprehensive about Paul going with him to the club they hung out at, Shannon couldn’t argue with him now. Not after he got rid of that creep Tony.
Paul was keen on knowing the ins and outs and Mike loved teaching him.
“Never let your enemies shake you down and never be afraid to take them out if you are threatened or if your family is in danger.”
“Dad have you had to take anyone out?”
“I have son. Many times for many different reasons that is the danger of this business.”
Mike searched his son’s face for a reaction. Paul smirked, sat back into the booth and looked straight at him, “I’m willing to do whatever it takes to be a made man even if it means smoking some peeps,” he calmly replied.
Mike didn’t know whether he should be alarmed or proud of his son’s cold demeanour. It didn’t matter he thought, Paul is the last son I have left and he wants in.
“Last chance to back out son?”
“Nope I want in dad. I want to make you and nonno proud.”
Michael’s heart filled with pride, “Good. From now on call your nonno, padrino.” He took his son in his arms, “you have made me proud figlio. You are now a soldier and I will set you up to work with your Capo tomorrow. Welcome to the family.”
___________
Following the little chat with his father Paul began to work very hard to rise to the top.
After school he would hide in his room and work his body until it was time for dinner. The exercise he didn’t mind as much. There was something about sweating until he was feeling pumped that exhilarated him. Releasing endorphins was like a drug to him. It was the studying that bothered him.
His nonno, well the padrino now as he was supposed to call him, gave Paul a large, thick book full of chapters and chapters of rules and information of how the family worked. He hated reading yet he was expected to read this thing cover to cover, his dad was quizzing him on the stuff every day.
Since when did joining the mafia mean that you had to study, he thought. He did have to admit there was a lot that he didn’t know before like the Ten Commandments not the ones he had learned at church but mafia commandments such as number 1. No one can present himself directly to another of our friends. There must be a third person to do it, and number 8. When asked for any information, the answer must be the truth. Plus there were the rules which he was only reading up on now. Why did he have to work so hard anyway? He was the padrino’s grandson it was so unfair.
I wish I could be finished with all the initiation nonsense and just me a mob boss already, Paul thought to himself, whatever for now I guess I’ll just focus on being as strong as I can be so I can be ready for busting heads.
The Ashfield Legacy 