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As Leo Giovanni sat in his father's living room, he couldn't help but feel extremely guilty. Him, along with the rest of the family, had led Kyle to believe that Michael was a horrible father, one who wanted to keep him away from his own family. BUt it was far from the truth.
He looked towards the mantle piece, and saw a picture of his parents on their wedding day. His father had told him that everything had went perfectly, but it almost didn't. Once again another secret meeting had been called, and father had been called to it a mere hour before the wedding. He regretted even going, but it was only to keep his family safe.
Leo was a very honest person when it counted. But the burden that was weighing on his conscience ever since his nephew's birth was slowly becoming heavier and heavier, to an unbearable point. He had this talk with his wife time and time again, but the family still urged to keep it a secret. They said it was 'for the best' and 'would only confuse him,' but nothing about the situation was understandable. All his life and Leo still didn't completely understand this organization.
But his surname had automatically involved him in this horrid and tragic life, always looking behind your back. He accepted it at a young age, not really thinking anything bad could happen, but with the death of his sister, it put everything into perspective. He wasn't invincible, and neither was his family. Which brought him to Kyle, his nephew, Daniella's only son. It still pained him to know that his nephew was living a lie, a secret that was kept from him ever since he was born.
When he first got word from his father that Daniella had given birth, it was his first instinct to question what would happen when the baby got older. He vaguely remembered the conversation he had with his father that night.
"Father, what's going to happen when he reaches that age? Is he going to take over or--"
"Leo no. He's not going to do anything. We have to make sure that this child is no part of this."
"So we lie to him?"
"That's right. We can't be talking about the baby in public though. The Russo's are getting a litle reckless, we don't want them getting word about this."
"But don't you think this child has a right to know?"
"Of course he does son. But we can't. Daniella doesn't want him any part of this."
"Then what happens when we visit. What then?"
"Then we do nothing and say nothing."
"And this will go on until this child's deathbed?"
"As long as we can go for son. I don't think our associates will think anything, he's taking his father's last name."
"What?!? He has Giovanni blood running in his veins! He should know what an honor this is"
"It's an honor and an unkindness. But regardless of his birthright, he will never know Leo."
"BUt what will happen? Will it just be 3 leading?"
"It looks that way, unless one of you has another male child."
"Father do you really think this will work? Can this child really go his whole life without knowing?"
"If we can help it, but Leo this child can never know the depths of this family."
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For the second time this month, Nathan found himself pacing, for the same person, but for a different reason.
The game had been a complete and utter disaster. None of the guys were at the top of their game. Some of them were too confident, and others were just nervous cause Kyle wasn't there and Lucas couldn't play. Going in Nathan felt pretty good about it, and even if they lost, he at least wanted to be a neck to neck thing. But that was far from it. Try 69 to 93.
It was probably the most embarassing game in Nathan's life, and he had played alot of games. After the second quarter, he lost focuse. Aaron was whispering smart comments, and talking about how good Brooke looked from the sidelines. He was sure he was gonna punch him, but he stopped.
And it didn't help when he got into a fight with the ref, and ended up sitting out for five minutes, enough for the Kodiaks to pick up 12 points.
So for the second time this month, Nathan found himself pacing because they had lost to Kyle's worst enemy, and he would be the one to tell him.
The phone was ringing for about three rings, then he heard KYle's tired sad voice.
"Hello?"
"Kyle, it's Nathan. Howyou holding up?"
"I'm holding up alright. The funeral wasn't that bad."
"Then what's with the gloomy voice?"
"I kind of got in a fight with my dad last night. We argued about us not being close to our family. And we have to go back to my grandfather's house and sort through everything."
"Did you get anything from his will?" Nathan asked, trying to keep Kyle talking.
"Yup. Two beach houses, one in Greece and Italy, and a house in Spain. I got some other stuff too, familt heirlooms and photo albums."
"Woahh, you got away good then," Nathan laughed.
"Nate, you can just tell me."
"Tell you what?!?!" Nathan asked nervously.
"That you guys lost, i kinda figured when you didn't call me last night," Kyle sighed.
"Man, you have no idea how bad we lost. It was so embarassing."
"It's fine Nate, we'll get them in the final game," KYle said tiredly.
"I know, it's just we were so bad, it was really, not right. That was the worst game i've ever played."
"Get the team up, practice, run drills, do whatever you can this week, because it's gonna be a showdown next week. Aaron's gonna be all on his high horse."
"Yea, and i think i should let you know he had eyes all over Brooke at the game, Lucas was about ready to kill him."
"Oooh yeaa, Brooke. How is she?"
"Umm she's pissed. She's angry that you didn't tell her you were leaving."
"Well if we were still talking at the time, then i would've. But whatever," KYle dismissed.
"What's wrong with you? Are you gonna work it out with Brooke?"
"I don't know Nate. We fight like every week, apologize, and be close. Then the same thing happens the next week, and i'm tired of it."
"YOu guys probably wouldn't even be arguinng if you would just--"
"Nathan no, don't even say it. I don't really care anymore, Brooke can be mad at me, that's her prerogative. But i'm just tired of fighting with her, i came here to help her."
"Alright, let me talk to Brooke, and when you get back, you guys will be okay."
"Do whatever you want. But i got to go, we're fixing to leave."
"Ok man, talk to you later." Nathan said and hung up.
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There were only his closest aunts, uncles, and cousins there when him and his dad had arrived. The ride had been somewhat awkward, but they silently established to not talk about it.
It would be weird, going through his grandfather's things, and sorting it all out to family members. The things that he had been awed at when he was a kid, would be in the hands of someone else, and he may never see it again.
All the uncles decided to clean out the attic, and the aunts were gonna go through all the rooms. The kids were dividing the photo albums and cleaning out the kitchen. The study was the only room that no one had claimed, and Kyle volunteered to do it. His dad had left, saying he needed to take care of some things, meaning work.
After his dad had left, the tension seemed to dissipate and everyone was cheery. Besides Leo and Vivienne, he had three other aunts and uncles. Leo and Vivienne had 3 kids, one boy and two girls, Manny, Theresa, and Natalia. Then came uncle Dominic and aunt Rosa with only one son, Anthony. There was uncle Luis and aunt Pilar, with their girl and boy, Alicia and Miguel. And last was uncle Thomas and aunt Maria, with three kids and there were also one boy and three girls, Raymond, Monica, and Isabella. For the most part he got along with all of them, but it was rare that he saw them often. He was the same age as all the boys, and the girls were either younger or older.
Kyle prepared himself as he entered his grandfather's study. His study was the place his grandfather had spent the most time in. There were maps, years old, expanding to all over the country, old globes, books on just about everything. Old books were placed on old shelves. Antique furniture was everywhere, even the desk where his very paperwork and files splattered across. In the earlier days, Andrew Giovanni was a very good businessman, he had stocks, and made alot of money. He even invested in the coffe business, and later made it his own, running shipments of Italian coffee beans to the states to be sold. To say his grandfather was loaded was an understatement.
First he decided to clean up the desk. There were still paperwork and other things sprawled across the desk, it was like he never left. There were some contracts drawn up and other stuff that Kyle didn't understand. One of them that caught his attention was an application of some kind. The guy's name was Milo Fererra. It had his exact weight, height, and description. What really freaked him out was the guy's gun skills. In the notes it said he had a Beretta M92F, and worked as a security guard in the Louvie in Paris France. But why would his grandfather have this guy fill out an application. And why would he need someone who was good with guns?
He pulled the drawers out and threw out pens and useless paperclips. In the back corner of the drawerm he found a key hanging from a chain. Kyle turned around, looking for anything that had a lockpad attached to it. There might be something important that everyone needed to know about or something. He saw a medium sized closet with a padlock on it. Kyle bent down and examined the key, it looked like it would fit. He inserted it into the padlock and turned it to the right and back again.
He pulled open the closet, and nearly had a heart attack at what he saw. Inside the door of the closet there were pouches with bullets inside then hanging from the door. There was a black padded vest hanging inside, and there were guns of every kind sprawled inside the closet. Kyle had never seen so many types before. There were even really little ones that you could stuff into your pocket. There was also different holsters, and one for your leg.
If it had been anyone else he wouldn't have been that freaked out, but this was his grandfather for crying out loud. His 57 year old grandfather, who just passed away.
Before he could close the closet he heard footsteps enter the study. All his uncles were in the room, and were looking at him scared, worriedly.
"I'm sorry, i didn't mean to open it," Kyle stammered.
Leo sighed, "I knew this was coming. It's alright KYle, you didn't know. But you should."
"Leo! What do you think you're doing?" Dominic hissed.
"What we should've already done."
"Umm, what's going on? There's a huge staash of guns in grandfather's closet, an application from some dude who knows how to handle guns, and you guys are looking at me like you're hiding something," Kyle said.
Thomas finally spoke up, "There's something you need to know Kyle. But i think we should downstairs."
They all slowly made their way downstairs. Kyle sat down on the couch, still trying to process everything. He heard his uncles talking to the kids and their wives, explaining something to them. He heard protests, but were silenced by something that KYle couldn't make out. His aunts and cousins passed him, giving him encouraging smiled and nodding towards him.
After the door closed his three uncles sat across from him on the opposite couch. At first Kyle thought it was for something stupid, but he realized how serious it was.
"Alright Kyle, before we tell you, we just wanna tell you that you don't have to do anything you don't wanna do..." Leo began.
"And that we're not asking you of anything, you can walk away if you want to," Thomas added.
"And we don't want you to think any different of us Kyle. We're still your family," Luis said.
"Alright i get it. There's some secret that you guys wanna tell me. So go on," KYle said.
"Ahem, Leo you wanna explain this?" Dominic asked.
Leo sighed, "Well this whole thing is a long story, so im just gonna try to be as breif as i can. You see The Giovanni's have existed for many many years Kyle. When your great great grandfather got into the coffee business, he came across some enemies, ones that wanted to harm him and his family, so he got out of it. Then your grandfather settled in the cofee industry and was very successful, but he came across the same problem. But this time, grandfather didn't back out. He fought back, with body guards, his own guns, and with everything. Your grandfather wasn't about to give up his money to people that didn't deserve it. At the time, we were all in our teens, and we understood what our father was doing, and we accepted it, but knowing that we would soon take over. There was a shoot out, and our mother was killed in the line of fire. Kyle they meant to kill your grandmother. They did it to scare your grandfather, but that didn't make him stop shipments. Shipments were being ambushed by enemies, but grandfather had the best men guarding it, and everything was well for awhile."
"So you're saying that grandfather was in a dangerous business, one that you run now?"
"Not just me, all of us. Grandfather wanted us four to take over together. It was smarter and easier. That way more could get done, and it all didn't rest on one pair of shoulders. And we did for a few months, until your mother died," Leo said, the room suddenly becoming quiet.
"Okayy i get that, but what does that have to do with..." KYle started but stopped. It was all making sense! His mother got in a car accident, but he had never found out how, and his father never liked to talk about it, keeping him away from his mother's family for all these years.
"Kyle before you say anything..." Thomas began.
"So you're telling me that becuase of grandfather's stubborness my mother is dead?!?!" KYle shouted.
His uncles just looked at him apologetically.
"Kyle that's not fair, your grandfather--"
"No it's perfectly fair!! I've been holding his huge grudge against my dad for years, because i thought he just wanted to keep me away from my family, when all the while he was trying to protect me!! He wanted me nowhere near this family because he was afraid i would get hurt like my mother did. And you all made me believe otherwise." Kyle said angrily.
"Your grandfather ordered us to. That was the reason no one ever told you anything Kyle. He didn't want you finding out and wanting to take over alongside your cousins. Your grandfather blamed himself until his death that we was the reason why you didn't have a mother anymore. That's why he always visited you, gave you presents, became the dad you never had. To make up for it. He never did it to hurt you. He loved you more than probably this whole family. BUt when he died, we talked and thought it was best if you found out," Luis said.
"Why would you wanna tell me?" Kyle whispered, "do you think i should take over alongside my cousins?"
"Kyle that is completely your choice. We discussed it with your father years ago but he wouldn't have it. That's why we never really kept in touch. Your father wanted you as far away from this family. The only reason he let your grandfather near you was because he told your dad that you would never have to take over this business. We've been running it for a decade now, and you and your cousins can take over as soon as you reach eighteen, if you want. Or you can go to college but train and learn about the business, and work alongside us." Thomas said.
"Besides grandmother and my mom, had anyone else ever gotten hurt?"
"No, only guards on the job. Some have died, but not all of them."
"So you're family hasn't been hurt or tailed before?"
Leo answered, "It happens sometimes, being followed, that's why we have guards around them at all times. They never really go anywhere unless they absolutely need to."
"Who would want that kind of life? Always looking behind your back?" Kyle asked disbelievingly.
"No one ever wants that life. But this comes along with our last name. Anyone by the last name of Giovanni is a target, whether they like it or not. That's exactly why you don't have our last name," Dominic explained.
"What if i wanted to take over, what would happen?"
"Like we said. You make the decision when you reach eitghteen. If you decide not to, you go to college and change your last name. If you decide to go along, then you go to college, take some business marketing classes, get your degree and graduate, but everyday after classes you learn all about guns and fast reflexes, to defend yourself. You're also gonna learn skills in making agreements, calling truces, and starting wars."
"I guess that's why you taught me self defense," Kyle said quietly to Leo.
"Kyle, you don't have to do this. You can back out, the choice is yours," Leo said gently.
The four brothers watched as Kyle took a minute for it to sink in.
Kyle already had alot on his mind already, now this? Things were happening too fast. It was all surreal. SUre he thought the Giovanni family had a few skeletons in thier closet, but it was much bigger than what he thought. If he didn't do this, his cousins would be one person short, which would mess up the system his grandfather had established. If he went with it, he could actually make it work. But that would taint his dreams of playing for the NBA, maybe even having a family. But when Kyle thought about it, his grandfather and his uncles had managed to make it, why couldn't he? If KYle knew anything, it was that sometimes you gotta give up something you love for something that needs to be done. And this needed to be done.
"I'll do it," Kyle declared.
"Kyle.."
"No, you guys aren't pressuring me or anything. You said it was my choice, and this is my choice."
Leo sighed, "Alright, but you're gonna have to talk to your dad."
"I know, but i turn eighteen next month, so i have my decision."
"Alright," the uncles said in unison.
"So, now what?"
"Well, we think you should change your last name, just so the next bosses will be in order. But we want to assure you that you'll be safe until you take over completely. YOu can still go to whatever college you want and play college ball, going pro, well that's naother story, but i'm sure you already considered that. We'll have a meeting with the family, and annouce your decision, and hopedully more visits?" Dominic suggested.
"Yeaa, that sounds good."
Luis asked, "Kyle, not to be nosy or anything, but why did you decide to do this?"
Kyle crossed his arms over his chest, "I don't know, i just felt like this was what i needed to do, where i need to be. Despite trying to keep me safe, i know grandfather would've wanted me to do it. I don't know, i think i might be good at it," he smirked.
"You know it's not all fun and games though," Luis warned.
"I know, we're talking about real bad people. Ones that can harm that people we care about if they don't get what they want. But i think i can handle it, i just need training."
"Well it's settled then." Leo stated.
"Yea it is," KYle replied.
"You might wanna head out Kyle, i think your dad left the car here for you, go back to the hotel and get some rest," Dominic said.
"So, what happens now?"
"We tell our families, and wait until you turn eighteen. Your cousins will be excited that you're ruling alongside them," Luis added.
"Yeaa me too. Maybe this will bring all of us closer," KYle suggested.
"I think it already has," Leo smiled as Kyle left.
"Do you think he'll be alright?" Dominic asked.
"I'm not sure, he looks a little too confident," Thomas answered.
"Maybe, but what do you think Leo?" Luis asked.
Leo smiled, "He's gonna be fine. He'll come to some bumps, and things will get hard, but he'll be great."
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Despite his agreement and it's finality, Kyle didn't feel any different.
He had the same emotions he had as he left. He was still confused, it hadn't quite hit him yet.
Kyle knew he was probably in way over his head, but it is the way it is. He agreed to it because he wanted to, not because he felt obligated to do it. When he thought about it, it was kinda cool. Having nice suits with a gun holster to your hip. having guards all around you. But that was the only thing you saw in the movies.
Kyle knew there were risks that came along with this kind of thing. People could get hurt, people he loved. WHich was all the more reason to close himself off from Brooke. She just couldn't get hurt, she couldn't. And Kyle was gonna make sure it was kept that way. Althougth his uncles said nothing would happen while he was in college and in training, he knew there were still some risks. But he needed this, and even more he actually wanted it. When he really thought about it, if he'd said no, it probably wouldn't do much good. He had been openly seen at the funeral, and the church doors were wide open. Someone could've seen him right?
Kyle made his way to his room and slide the key card and opened the door. The bed was made and everything was neater. He didn't even bother to check on his dad next door, they might start arguing again.
He plopped down on his bed and stared at the ceiling, going through everything that happened today when it hit him.
"I'm part of a mob family."
and even more strange.
"i'm gonna be a mob boss."
He was gonna have guards following him. The danger, the money, the power. Not too mention he would learn how to handle a gun.
Kyle's proverbial worry wart had gone from big, to the size of Texas.
Guns scared the crap out of Kyle.
But that was the least of his problems.
Kyle Sammet was gonna become a mobster.
Or maybe now known as Kyle Giovanni.