Chapter 4 A Funeral then a Wedding

Five years later

Dominic Montego's jaw tightened as he looked at the layout of his family estate from the air. From up here he could make out every inch of land and most importantly, he could see that damned cottage, its coming to view only added to the burning hatred he felt for the place.

Coming back home brought nothing but memories he would rather forget.

He hadn't been home in over four years. Running a business abroad and conveniently burying himself in work, had been a good excuse not to come home until now.

What made matters more pressing was that his father had been murdered in cold blood, but

such was the fate of many mafia men. A fate he vowed not to be part of.

No matter how painful coming back home was, he needed to get over it and forget everything that had happened in that cottage. The only thing that should be at the forefront of his mind now was his father's legacy, taking the Montego empire to soaring heights. And finishing what the old man had started.

He blinked the pain away. To think that he had chosen that cottage to be their love cave. He sighed loudly. He'd been a damn fool.

From a young age, Dominic had been groomed into being the mafia don he needed to be and run the family business when the time came. And that time was right now.

He couldn't help but shake his head at the thought that he'd once been willing to give his birthright away and start a new life with her, away from the only world he had ever known, and start somewhere new.

How could he have been so blind not to see past that facade of the girl playing a scared little maid? Truth be told. She was good. He will give her that.

One night with her she had not only successfully managed to blackmail his mother with their affair, but walked away with more money than she had ever made during her time as a maid.

As the helicopter descended towards the M-marked roof. He took one last look at the wretched cottage before it disappeared out of sight and clicked his tongue.

Before the helicopter blades could fully stop roaring, he opened his door and jumped out.

"Welcome home Sir." One of the men said,

He nodded his head slightly and took a brisk walk down the stairs that would lead him to the main house. Soon they would be his men. In these already his.

The servants gave a slight bow as he passed in search of his mother, they were all wearing black to symbolize the mourning period.

He still couldn't believe that his jovial father was gone. A man like Frank shouldn't have gotten such a cruel exit. Men like him were meant to grow old and sleep halfway through the Christmas lunches surrounded by a dozen grandkids. Not this.

He stopped short of the sunroom door, clenching and unclenching his fists. When he was finally calm, he stood in the doorway of the room and watched the frail figure lying on the day bed. His mother looked like she had aged since the last time he had seen her.

"Mother." he walked into the room as his mother turned and faced him. She had dark circles around her eyes. Which made her look more fragile. 'Pain did that to a person. ' He knew it all too well.

"Son. You came with that hideous thing. I've been watching for your arrival. That's why I'm sitting here." From her daybed, Rosetta could see below into the mansion's driveway.

"I promise you, there is nothing hideous about helicopters, they save time. Every second wasted in traffic was a second away from you." he kissed her cheek.

"Sweet-talking me will not get you very far." she gave a little laugh. "Yuri is coming over to talk to you." She tilted her head to the side.

Yuri was the family's advisor. He had been his father's advisor and as of now, he was already his.

"Already?" he let go of her hands and walked to the window. It seemed he had just moved from the heat and fell straight into the fire.

"Yes. Someone needs to lead this family forward, Dominic. And you don't want me pointing out how much time has been wasted as is." trust his mother to point out the obvious.

"No Mother," he sighed loudly.

"I know I have taken too much time but I'm back now and will-"

The doorbell rang cutting him off and they both turned their heads in the direction of the door, only to hear hushed whispers.

Talking to his mother always made him feel edgy, she had a way of pressing at his sore spots. She knew his time away from home was one of those sore spots because it always managed to raise the issue behind his leaving.

He shoved his hands into his pockets and waited for the firm footsteps they could hear walking on the marble tile.

He knew what she wanted and he was not ready for that talk. At least not until he had avenged his father and made all their enemies pay for their sins.

Yuri appeared at the door of the sunroom. He was carrying his brown briefcase.

"It's good to see you back, Sir," Yuri said to Dominic as he eased into the room.

"Good to be back Yuri." the man was not as young as he'd been four years ago, but under his guidance, the family had continued to gain more power and money.

"Any place where we could talk?" Yuri looked around the room. Dominic looked at his mother, who only shrugged at him.

He hadn't been back for more than an hour and he was already diving in head-first into the family business.

"The office." Yuri tilted his hat to Rosetta and backed out of the room. Dominic led the way to his father's study. As the soon-to-be head of the family, he knew that everything was now his.

He pushed open the heavy door and the smell of stale cigars clinged in the air. His father had been a big fan of them.

Dominic half expected to see him standing next to the shabby bookshelf with a lit cigar dangling between his lips.

Once on his birthday, he had shared the ritual with him but Dominic had found that he didn't like the ashly taste it left on his tongue. But right now he would do anything to get a chance to share another cigar with him.

He moved behind the mahogany desk and sank into the leather chair. By the time Yuri sat on the chair opposite him, Dominic had gained his confidence back.

He was ready to take over and fulfill his duty as the Mafia lord and take the Montego empire to dizzying heights as his father would have wanted. And everything else would stay where it was, in the past. Except for one...

"The Funeral..." Yuri started. once again cutting his trail of thought.

"What about it, Yuri." He felt annoyed.

"I was thinking we should add more men. whoever took Frank out might not be happy that you running the business," Yuri stated, calm as always. If he was aware of Dominic's sour mood, he did a good job of playing it cool.

"What is the word on the street?" The Mafia community was a tight-knit community, everyone knew when to look the other way and shut their mouth. but there was always the fool that ran his mouth. And that fool was their best bet at getting any leads about who shot Frank.

"Nothing yet, but the council is panicking. I had a meeting with old Enzo this morning. We have most of the member's full support, they loved Frank." Yuri locked his beefy fingers together on his chest.

"For now," Dominic said.

"Yes, for Now." Yuri echoed.

It was no secret that should the family ever lose their wealth and power, they would lose their standing. Their enemies would close in on them, but for now, they ruled the underworld.

Dominic opened the top drawer on the desk, seemingly looking for something. He pulled out a pen and a writing pad.

"Yuri?" Dominic cleared his throat.

"Yes Sir," Yuri answered exuberantly, ready to serve.

"After the funeral is over, I want to take a wife."

"You want to fix things with Kate?" Yuri raised an eyebrow, he was smiling. Pleased by the news.

"No. Kate was my father's choice, and since things didn't work out, her father was kind enough to dissolve the agreement. But I have someone else in mind." Dominic said.

"Is it someone from one of the other families?" maybe that was the solution they all needed to end the cold war that was brewing beneath the surface.

"No." He slid a paper across the desk. Yuri looked at the name written on it and frowned.

"Is this the same girl...?" he didn't know how to finish before he leaned against his chair and rubbed his mustache.

"Yes, and I want her as my wife. After the funeral, we having a wedding, I will need your help in getting the word around." Dominic said with an air of finality.