A moral decision to make

Babysitting the Mafia’s Heir

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Chapter 4: A moral decision to make 

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Later that night, Joaquin comes and picks him up for a meeting, which sounds so ominous that it makes Jesse’s skin crawl.

There's still a chance that the big boss man might decide he doesn't like him, and Jesse knows he wouldn't feel too bad.

He's stayed clear of his brother's line of work for the last three years. Though it's not like Wallace’s ever been too keen on him being a part of it, either. He's never best pleased when Joaquin brings up anything involving work. Jesse doesn't want to know. He saw his brother come over with blood on his clothes one night and no scratches and he vowed never to ask about it.

See no evil, hear no evil.

"My brother is gonna kick your ass," Jesse sighs as they drive through the city, scrolling through his texts.

"He'll get over it," Joaquin waves off with a shake of his head, and the younger turns to look at him with a raise of eyebrows.

"Do you even know Wallace? Like, at all? I accidentally rolled onto a pair of his sunglasses one time and he's never let me live it down. That was fifteen years ago."

Joaquin inhales deeply and drums his thumb against the steering wheel. "It'll be fine. Maybe we don't even have to tell him."

"Yeah. Because that always works. Let's definitely do that." Jesse shakes his head, going back to his phone and replying back to Momo with the G****e Drive presentation from class today. He eventually heaves a deep breath and tucks his phone away, looking out of the window. "Are we in the fucking city?"

Joaquin hums. "Predictable?"

"Pretty much." He pauses. "You know there's a chance I could get turned away, right? I have no experience in caring for a kid that isn't one of my siblings. Wouldn't it be better to hire someone who, I don't know, actually knows what they're doing?"

Joaquin pulls a face. "Tried that in the pass. Never went well. It's too risky."

Jesse doesn't even want to know what the means. "Aren't I risky? He doesn't know me."

"No, but he knows you're Wallace’s brother. I know you. I trust you. That's the important thing."

It makes sense. But still, this guy only knows of him, doesn't actually know him as a person.

The drive is a little ways out, away from the district area, going up through a couple of back roads and up an incline and it makes Jesse feel a little uneasy at the fact that the cities lights get further and further away the longer they drive.

Joaquin must pick up on his unease. "Getting spooked?" And the smirk on his face has Jesse swatting at his ribs. "Driving here. A gentle reminder."

"Don't pick fun. Why is the place so far out?"

The elder sighs, settling a look on his face that says that the answer should be obvious. "Don't be dense, Jesse. I know you know just how high ranked Ivanov is."

"Ivanov?"

"The boss."

Jesse nods. "Well, I don't, actually. Me and Wallace don't talk about it, you know that. The less I know, the better I sleep at night."

Joaquin chuckles, taking one last turn and Jesse sees the faint shine of a house in the distance. "Never been curious?"

"It's bad enough knowing that you guys aren't being good citizens and abiding the law. That's enough for me."

It seems to trigger something in Joaquin, his face settling into something more serious. "I know I probably don't have to say it, but - but you know whatever you hear or see, you can't mention it to anyone. Right?"

Jesse rolls his eyes, scratching under his chin. "I'm not that ignorant, please. The less I know, the better," he repeats to get his point across.

"Good. Keep it that way."

He shoots a look over at Joaquin at the portentous tone, reaching over and nudging him until his face splits into a grin.

They slow at the approaching gates, and Jesse watches with attentive anticipation realizing the place looked somewhat familiar as Joaquin leans out of the window and thumbs at a button.

"It's me," he says before anyone even says anything on the other side.

There's a muted buzz and the gates creak with the sound of a locking mechanism being unlatched before they're parting and exposing a long driveway, leading up to a house that's all glass and dim neon lighting around the borders.

It's a pretty sight, soft glows of blue lighting up the immaculately trimmed bushes lining the driveway, and greens and purples hitting the sides of the house, bouncing off the white plaster and grey stone. It's definitely an ultra modern house, parts elevated up higher, formed in blocks, all sharp edges.

Cars litter around the garage, all sleek and expensive looking.

It makes something unpleasant settle in Jesse’s stomach, realizing that this was the house of this morning.

The house of Ivanov. The man he had a one night stand with. It aches him that he really is stepping into the lions den.

He feels a nervous itch at his skin, having been preventing moments like this for the last few years, but now he's being pulled right into the middle of it.

Even if nothing comes from tonight, he's getting another insight of his brother's line of work. One way or the other, Ivanov is going to meet him again.

And he'd rather not. He'd really rather not.

"Hey," Joaquin speaks up, pulling him out of his daze. There's a line between his eyebrows, hesitance behind his eyes. "Listen, Jesse. I know I said you'd be doing me a favour, but I don't want you to be uncomfortable. I can take you home if you want, no harm."

Jesse seriously considers it, thinks about how he could agree and after this make even more of an effort to block out this side of Wallace.

But he really could use the money and he hates - hates with a capital H - relying on his brother for income. Not that he's not grateful, but he's a grown man. He should be able to fend for himself, be able to pay his own rent like every other kid his age attending uni. Jesse knows Wallace has more money than he knows what to do with, and he already feels guilty enough that he let him get him an apartment in the nicer part of town, closer to campus.

Wallace knows better than anyone that he doesn't like being indebted to anyone, doesn't like feeling like he owes anyone anything - his brother is the same. But it always seems to be a double standard when it comes to him.

"No, no. It's fine," Jesse decides with a nod, shooting a smile over to Joaquin, giving his knee a pat before he climbs out of the car. He takes a deep breath, the air seemingly cleaner and thicker up here, away from the city and closer to the hills.

Less pollution, he supposes.

His eyes scan the cars parked up around Joaquin’s and he clicks his tongue at the familiar license plate. "Ruh roh," he mocks, twisting to look at the older. When Joaquin gives him a look of confusion, Jesse points over his shoulder with a thumb and a phony look of sympathy.

Joaquin groans upon spotting Wallace’s car, head dropping back as he rests his arm up on the roof of his car, seemingly debating with himself. All the while Jesse rocks on his heels, eyes filled with mirth.

Buckets of mirth. "Shit."

"Maybe you wanna go home now."

Jesse really considers it.

His best friend is on the hospital bed fighting for her life because of the man whose house he's standing in front of now. 

Although it isn't confirmed if Ivanov is the prime suspect but still... 

He doesn’t want to babysit the kid of the man he almost slept with.

He doesn’t want to babysit his brother’s boss’s child.

He doesn’t want to be dragged into the criminal world all because he’s babysitting the Mafia’s heir.

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TBC