Chapter Two:
Jasper Whitlock's POV
Sleep. I had a rough night of sleeping, because my head started hurting again. I guess I drank too much.
My stomach is not feeling right. I know I have some kind of meeting today, but I can't remember what it is.
I manage to get up and do my morning routines, showering and shaving included. Need to look my best for my darlin' bride. Even if I don't like it.
I find a suit and tie and put them on. It is a gray suit with a lavender shirt and a light and dark purple striped tie. Elise picked this tie for me for my birthday this past year, and it is one of my favorites.
I look in the mirror and put on a brave face. My wife must not know what is going on. I can't be weak. Not when my Father is so close to handing over the family business.
To be honest, as beautiful and loving as she is, I would prefer to not be married to her.
I make my way downstairs and see the most beautiful sight before me. Before I can comment, she turns around and smiles a sweet smile.
"Good morning, Sir. I have your coffee and breakfast ready for you. If it pleases you." My wife stands in front of me, looking like the beautiful angel that she is. I am one lucky son of a bitch.
Wait. Why am I thinking like that? I normally don't? Am I drugged?
Damn, I am horny.
That never happens with Kate.
Looking her up and down, it takes everything I have to not have my way with her on the kitchen island.
Her blonde hair is perfectly curled and hanging down her back. As always, she is dressed to the nines in a gorgeous green dress that hugs all of her beautiful curves and makes her bump more pronounced. The bump that I put there. My heir.
I hope.
"Of course, my beautiful wife. How is our little prince doing?" I ask, giving her a small kiss as she giggles.
"Our little princess is doing amazing. She let me sleep for a whole hour this morning."
I know that is a lie. Woman sleeps hard and like a rock. An earthquake couldn't wake her up.
"I am sorry, my Darlin'. If I could, I'd make our lil one listen."
She snuggles into me. "Before you leave, can I have a cuddle? That would make me feel better and able to get through the day. After you have your breakfast, of course, my handsome husband."
How can a husband say no to that?
I take her right hand in mine and see two plates on the island. "Only if we can eat together and at the table so I can hold you while we eat. Sound good?"
She smiles and nods. I kiss her quickly and grab a tray to make it easier for transfer.
"Please let me do this, Sir. It is my job as your wife to take care of you."
I love that she feels the need to take care of me. Even when she is not at her best.
"Let me take care of you, Darlin'. You are working very hard, keeping up the house and taking care of our family. Truthfully, I wish that you would let me do more to help you or hire staff to clean."
"You work hard providing for our family. Risking your life to afford our beautiful life. So our children have a future to be proud of. This child will be our blessing. I was thinking we should give our child a name that means blessing. How does that sound?"
Like I would tell her no. So close to when people are coming for breakfast.
"What are you thinking? I am sure whatever you come up with will be perfect for our little one," I say with a smile as I eat a bite of my eggs. Made perfectly. Scrambled with just the right amount of salt, pepper, and seasoning that she won't tell me what it is.
"Asher maybe? It means 'blessed and happy.' Bennett means 'little blessed one.' Maybe Abigail for a girl. That means 'joy of the father.' Esmerie maybe? That means emerald."
I pick up my napkin and wipe my mouth. "I love Asher. A good strong name for a boy. Maybe we can do Peter as his middle name. In honor of your first love and husband, my brother and best friend. Abigail would be a perfect name for our princess. But, this little one is definitely Asher. Abigail would be perfect for the next one."
She starts to tear up; I am sure thinking about the man who brought her into my life.
While I miss my brother with everything I am. He was a decent boss. Except he made many changes to our organization that cost us a ton of money.
When he decided we would not be trafficking people anymore, that cut our profits by nearly forty percent. Which the idiot was okay with.
He also started giving more money to charities to help people.
Part of me wonders if he was giving information to authorities. If that is the case, then I am happy that he is dead.
I couldn't be happier with my wife. I always wanted a wife like her, and I couldn't believe that my poor brother died in the prime of his life.
What made her such a great wife? She cooks, cleans, lets me do whatever I need to do with my side pieces. Which is often I am a very blessed man..
Not even the autopsy could determine his cause of death.
The good thing was, he was able to meet his princess before he passed away.
Little Elise Grace has her daddy and uncle's blonde hair but petite like her beautiful mama. She has many of her mama's mannerisms that make you just want to fall in love with her.
Unless it is me. She is useless to me. I keep her around because she is my brother's child, and she is well-loved by my father.
My wife, Kate, is beautiful as they come. While she is petite, the curves she has, I would think that most men would want her. I, on the other hand, am not attracted to her. Someday, I would like to get rid of her.
She comes from a powerful family. We were lucky she wanted to be a part of my family.
My beautiful Kate's father, Stephen, the Don of the Izzi Mafia Family, has been a leader in the life of crime since the early 1970s from what we gather. A hard man who's only child, a daughter, is who he lives for.
Stephen is a man who some would say is plain—brown eyes and blond hair. You can see the wrinkles starting to form around his eyes.
When my great-grandfather, Giovani Cullizio came to America to start planting an organization here, he did so with the blessing of Kate's great-grandfather, Alfredo, with the understanding that someday down the line, one of Alfredo's daughters would marry one of Giovani's sons.
Nonno Giovanni welcomed the idea for his sons since he was already married to Nonna Elisabetta. The Izzi's came to us and asked for an arranged marriage with their Kate. After the wedding and honeymoon, the two families would be joined forever as one.
It was not something my father could refuse. Our family would be running not only the Whitlock empire, but the Izzi empire as well.
It helped that Peter, who was the heir to the family, was in love with her already and eager to marry her.
They had a beautiful and quick wedding, and they conceived little Elise on their honeymoon. My brother was over the moon when she told him she was pregnant. He was determined that she was having his princess and wouldn't waver.
After Elise's birth, he was a doting husband and father. Every single feeding and diaper change, he did without complaint.
"You never know how many chances you have to be with your family. Every chance I get, I want to make sure that my beautiful wife and daughter know that I loved them with everything I had while I was alive. Especially with how dangerous our job is." He told me with a smile as he cooed at three-month-old Elise.
He sadly died the next morning in his sleep.
Now that I am married to Kate and the father figure to Elise, who just had her second birthday, I understand.
I might not be the man who made Elise, but I will do everything I can for her. Because I have to. Not because I want to.
Elise comes running into the room, giggling the whole way. She is being chased by her Nonnos Stephen and Marcus, both who have been staying with us to be closer to Kate while she is pregnant and to spend time with Elise while helping with the transition. I am sure Stephen missed out on a lot of Kate's childhood and doesn't want to miss his grandchildren's. My father, Marcus, is enjoying being able to reprimand me more.
Her first pregnancy wasn't fun. She barely gained weight and had many of us worried. This pregnancy, while she is tired, she seems much better now than she was with Elise.
"Nonno! EKKKK!" Little giggles fill the air.
Stephen runs around the table making roaring noises. The scene is a loving one.
My father, however, is barely able to stand; he is breathing so hard. I am looking at him in worry.
I get Kate off my lap carefully and go stand next to him.
"Pa, you alright? Let me help you sit."
I grab him, and he leans over me. I am scared.
"Mama! Up!' Elise says in between giggles.
Kate picks her up with a smile. "My sweet Princess. Mama loves you."
While the family wants Elise and all the other children to learn Italian, Kate made it clear she would only speak English to them. 'So there was a constant language for them and no confusion.'
I talk in Italian with her when I am around, when I think about it. Which is not right now.
"My girl, is a dragon trying to get you? Shall we hide you?" Kate asks her.
"Yes, Mama! HIDE!" Elise says.
"After breakfast we will hide, my Princess. Dragon, be gone! Nonnos Stephen and Marcus need to come back! Time to eat." Kate says with love and conviction.
Stephen stops and sits on the table, breathing hard, but is in better shape than my father. Kate looks over at my father and gasps.
"Nonno! You need to be careful! You know you aren't supposed to work your heart like that. We need you here." Kate scolds my father.
Anyone else did that—they would have a bullet between the eyes.
Me included.
"Daughter, it's all Elise's fault. She begged me to chase her and as her Nonno, how could I say no?" He states with a pout.
"Well, you know that Doctor Snow will likely be here any minute to see why your heart rate is elevated. I give him til I finish this bite." She puts some toast in her mouth and chews it.
"I really hate this new heart monitor! Leaves me with no privacy! What if I want to have some company over? I can't without someone bursting into my room. I loathe it."
It takes everything I have to not roll my eyes.
"But that technology will help you see your newest grandchild, Pa. You would have been gone a long time ago without it. I am happy you have that device. It lets me take care of you for longer, Pa Marcus." Kate says with a smile.
She's right, the good doctor and his nurse practitioner come running in like the house is on fire.
"Mister Whitlock! Are you okay?" Doctor Snow's nurse practitioner, Angela asks father.
The woman has warm brown hair that hits just past her shoulders and looks sweet and kind. Almost loving and maternal.
"I am fine. Just chased my Elise around the house playing dragons and princess."
Elise giggles, and Kate rolls her eyes.
"Mister Whitlock, you know that you need to be careful with your heart. You were close to having a heart attack!"
I am in shock. Normally the doctors don't say anything like that. This must be serious…
"Should we take him to the hospital?" Kate asks with concern, holding a glass of ice water in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.
"Mrs. Whitlock! Let me get you some water! You should really drink the water!" Angela says.
"NO! Papa Marcus needs it more. I have my water and tea next to my food. Thank you, Angela." Kate says, looking at my father.
"Darlin', everything will be alright. Are you sure you're OK? Do you want me to help you make breakfast, wife?" I asked her with a smile.
"As much as I love you, husband, you make a mess of my kitchen!" Kate says with a laugh.
"Well, I plan on making a huge mess in our bed later if you are up for it," I say in her ear, just loud enough for her to hear.
She lightly smacks me, and I kiss her cheek.
"Can I get anyone anything to drink or eat? Papa? Doctor Snow? Angela? Can Papa Marcus eat, Doctor Snow? Elise, I have pancakes nearly ready for you, my beautiful daughter." Kate says with a smile on her face, going to the kitchen and taking the batter for pancakes she must have already made.
"I would love tea and pancakes, my Princess. If I may." Stephen says.
Kate nods as she heats the griddle. "Coming right up, Nonno! Can Nonno Marcus eat, Dr. Snow?"
"That is up to him. I think that he needs something light though. Pancakes would be perfect. Light on the butter and syrup please, Mrs. Whitlock," Doctor Snow suggests.
"Of course! Papa Marcus needs to live another thousand years!"
A smile comes to my father's face, and it makes me happy.
"I am so blessed to have you for a daughter, Kate. You make my heart happy that you are here. Even through the pain." His eyes are sad.
"Of course, Papa Marcus! I will cook your breakfast after I cook Elise's." She flips the pancakes that she is working on and looks at the doctor. "I found these heart-healthy pancakes I want to try for him. Can you look at them and make sure they'll be healthier than normal ones, please, Doctor Snow? I need to go shopping; I found several healthy pancake recipes, but none of the ingredients are here. At least not enough to make them right now. I am useless as a daughter-in-law!"
I love that about Kate. While she likes to make everything by hand, she knows sometimes it's not possible.
I walk up to her and take the spatula from her hand and pull her into a hug. "Darlin', the fact that you bought the mix for him means more than you know. I can go to the store later and get whatever you need."
She nods her head into my chest and I look to Stephen. He comes over to finish the pancakes she has started.
"My Bel… beautiful… Princess, you want me to start the second batch for you? I remember how to do that," Stephen asks.
She shakes her head and hugs me, then walks back towards the griddle.
"Thank you, Papa. I will finish these and start on Papa Marcus's batch. I am sorry to keep you waiting, Papa!" She said, handing me a plate with Elise's food, which I gladly take, kissing her forehead.
"I will cut Princess's and put syrup on hers, Darlin'."
Kate hands me a new jug of syrup and I cut and pour syrup on the pancakes.
My phone rings and I answer it. "Speak."
"I am sorry to call you, Boss. But you have an appointment in twenty minutes, with Sargent Jane Winters and Police Chief Alec Mathews, at the station."
Shit. I forgot about that.
"On my way. Call them and inform them there was a medical issue with my father. You meeting me there, Alistair?" I ask my second in command and cousin, Alistair Whitlock.
"I am already here and will let them know you are on the way."
I hang up. Angry that I forgot about this important meeting.
"Kate, my Darlin', I hate to run, but I have a meeting with Police Chief Mathews and Sergeant Winters. I will be home as soon as I can. Love you." I give her a little hug and kiss her check.
"I love you too. Be safe." She kisses my check, and I go to give my daughter a kiss.
"I need you to be a big girl for Mama and Nonnos Marcus and Stephen, sweetie. Can you do that while Papa is at work?" Elise smiles. "I love you, Princess."
I kiss her cheek, and she gives me a syrup-laced kiss.
"Love it. Something to take with me when I go. Nonno Marcus, I will call you later to check in. Please let me know if we need to do anything for him, Doctor Snow."
Doctor Snow looks at me and nods.
"I am thinking that whatever it is, it has passed. I will stay another hour or so and go from there." He said. "And while it might be best for a full heart-healthy meal plan for him, I understand Kate's way of doing it so he can get used to it."
"Old man is stubborn!" I say with a laugh. "Call me if I am needed and I will be right back."
I leave my house and see my car in the driveway without a driver. This does not sit well with me—until I hear a voice behind me.
I turn to look and see a man. His hair is a mess, and he is running his hands through his hair like a madman, and when he is not doing that he is pinching the bridge of his nose. I never understood him. The suit he's wearing today: gray with a white shirt and yellow tie. If I didn't know better, I would say that he had sex recently. His normal scent was more feminine than normal today.
"I got what you asked for, Sir… I understand… Boss and I are leaving once I get into the car… Thank you." He hangs up and I put my hand out to see his phone. Smart boy unlocks it and shows me the last call was a duel call from Stephen and Alistair.
He is safe, for now…
"I was getting pissed off and ready to end our working relationship, Mister Andrews. If you were not talking to Mister Whitlock and Mister Izzi. It would not have ended well. To the station." I get into the car, dismissing him.
I don't know why we hired him. He is just about useless.
Oh yeah, he has been with the Izzi's since he was about four when his parents died in a car accident. Or so the story goes.
But something tells me it's not, and worse yet, he's some kind of Fed
...
"Stay here. When we are done here, I want to go to the office and sort something out."
"Yes, Boss." Garrett says. "I will let you know if I hear word about your father, Sir."
I nod and go into the station.
