CHAPTER 2

FIVE YEARS LATER…

I pressed my horn loudly. "Hey! That was my lane!" I yelled.

The yellow sedan swerved, overtaking my car.

"Fucking son of a bitch!" I snarled under my breath as I resigned to driving calmly behind the car that had just entered my path.

I looked at the clock on the dashboard. It was almost the school's closing time and I still had a long way to go.

Damn Olivia! When will you ever schedule your activities right? I asked myself as I stepped on the gas.

Maybe never.

Jake, my son, had just entered kindergarten class last summer and he's growing every second. I had received several warnings from his teachers about my picking habit.

Well, I agree, I tend to be late on some days. Most days. I rolled my eyes. But it was because I had a lot to do.

Being a single mom is a really hectic task, combine that with my catering business and I barely have enough time for myself, let alone to remember to pick up my toddler.

Maybe I should hire someone to pick up Jake every afternoon.

I almost laughed out at the thought. Who was I kidding?

Just as I was tight on time, I was also tight on cash.

Mom and Dad helped out when they could, but I preferred not to bother them.

So yeah, I am an almost-broke, time hassled single mom. That pretty much summed me up.

I screeched to a stop in the parking lot of the elementary school and from the silence and deserted look of the yard, I knew I was late. Again.

I hopped out of my car and hurried into the hallway.

Parking my long hair with a band, I made my way to Jake's classroom.

His teacher, Mrs. Agnes sat behind a desk filled with books. I stood at the door for a second, my son's glum figure sat at the front of the class, going through a coloring book.

They had not noticed my presence just yet. I cleared my throat lightly and Mrs. Agnes looked up from her tablet.

Jake looked up and his face brightened. My heart melted.

Mrs. Agnes gave me a stern look. I figured it was the look she gave misbehaving pupils to get them back in line. The look spoke in volumes.

"I am so sorry," I started apologizing. "I was so busy making a 6 meal dish for a client. I forgot about –"

The look she gave me made me clamp my mouth shut.

"I'll try to be earlier tomorrow," I finally said.

"Tomorrow's Saturday, mummy," Jake piped from my leg.

"On Monday then," I sighed. I didn't even know what day it was, I mentally facepalmed myself.

"Yeah yeah," Mrs Agnes said exasperatedly. "Jake, go get your bag." She said to the little boy. They both watched as he ran to his backpack.

"He's not giving you any trouble I hope," I asked.

She shook her head and said, "No, he's a sweet little thing. But he is troubled, Ms. Bennett. You should talk to him."

"Troubled?" I asked. "What do you mean?"

She did not have the chance to answer me because Jake was back and pulling my hand towards the door.

She waved us out and ignored my question, but it still lingered on my mind as I strapped Jake into his car seat.

I looked at his face carefully for any sign of trouble, but I didn't see anything strange. Just the blue eyes he got from his father and the beautiful smile.

"Is everything okay at school?" I asked as I started the engine.

He nodded energetically.

"What did you learn today?" I asked again, wanting him to talk.

I tuned out as words spewed from his mouth about his day activities. I listened absently as I merged with the traffic and headed to our apartment downtown.

After a few minutes, I noticed that Jake had stopped talking mid-sentence, and was just staring out the window.

I eased to a stop and turned to look at him. "Look at me, baby," I said gently.

His gaze met mine, and I saw at once that Mrs Agnes was right. There is something bothering my son and I want to find out what it is.

"What is wrong?" I asked. "Did you get bullied at school?" That was the first thing that came into my head. I knew bullying was running rampant in schools these days. But he shook his head. "So what is the matter? You know you can tell me anything."

"Why can't we be a normal family?" He asked abruptly.

"What do you mean?"

"Why don't I have a daddy?" He asked

That question went like a spear through my chest. I knew the question was going to pop out, but I didn't expect it at least for the next 10 years. I didn't have an answer to Jake so I faced front and started the engine without saying anything.

A TOP SECRET meeting was being held in a club. The club was a discreet building made out of bricks, set back from the street and surrounded by a wrought iron fence. It was one of the most exclusive clubs in a city filled with exclusive clubs.

Thick, burly guards stood at the entrance, arms folded and handguns in full display in the belt.

The room inside was expertly lit in a way that gave a sense of secrecy but was not so dark that you couldn't see your neighbor's face.

Some men sat, clustered lazily around the bar.

"So what do we have?" A tall man with dark hair asked. The darkness of the room did nothing to hide his clear blue eyes.

"We found the Giovanni boy. He often visits a Walmart downtown… " Another man in a blue suit said.

"Good. We take him out next week," The blue-eyed man said.

"Marcus…" The man in a blue suit said. "Do you think that's a good idea? Killing the son of the Giovanni family will only spark more anger and enmity between our two families."

Marcus took the thick Egyptian cigar that a henchman handed to him. He put it to his lips and allowed it to be lit before saying, "Julian, if any other person had said this, I would have put two bullets into their head. But you're my cousin so you are spared. I will find the Giovanni's son next week, and I will kill him."

Julian did not seem happy about this but he only nodded and backed off.

"What else do we have?" Marcus asked.

A man in a black tracksuit stepped forward and bowed. "We did as you said and used the video to blackmail the judge. Angel Mario will be set free without any time in jail."

Marcus nodded. "That is good to hear." He took a long pull of the cigar before adding, "Don't delete the video just yet, okay? I feel like we are still going to use it for more purposes."

The tracksuit man nodded, bowed, and walked away.

The meeting was unofficially dispersed and the other men wandered off, leaving only Arthur and his cousin, Julian.

Julian leaned close to Arthur, "What is all this nonsense, Marcus? You are acting like a mad bull in a China shop."

Marcus chuckled. "I don't know what you mean, cousin."

"Are you still mad at your father's treatment of that girl five years ago? What was her name? Olivia?"

Marcus turned and looked at Julian sharply. "Don't mention her name near me again." He took a glass of brandy from the counter and drank deeply. "Old Papi did what had to be done, now I'm happily married."

"Happily?" Julian chuckled dryly. "I don't think so."

Marcus joined in the laughter and stood up. "Stop by the mansion for dinner this evening."

"I will," Julian said. "My regards to Melissa."

Marcus snorted and walked out of the club and into the limousine waiting outside. When he was secure in the limousine, he pulled off his jacket and rolled his sleeve.

His mind went back 5 years ago. The last time he saw Olivia.

But that was a past life.

He sighed. This was his life now, and next week, he was going to lead a bunch of men to track down a boy from a rival family and kill him.

He sighed again and reclined back into the soft leather seat as he was driven home.