Chapter 2

David

Two months before

People say I’m so gorgeous that all the women and even some men hover around me like flies hovering over cows.

They all think I like de attention, but that really pisses me off.

I have mirrors. I know I’m attractive, but the reality of being my father’s son doesn’t let me forget that my name spices their attention like a magnet.

On the plane, everything was the same. Women were giggling and hovering over me, and I kept smiling like a mother fucker spoil brat.

I am 26 now, and I spend a big part of my life abroad. My dear old father decided to ship me to a private school in Europe when my mother died. I was 16 years old, and losing a mother and be send to a place like that almost killed me, but I survived.

Returning home after ten long years should be a happy moment. I haven’t seen my father and siblings for more than four years, but the reality of knowing the truth about my family almost gives me a nervous breakdown.

Yeah, true; I have a perfect, rich life, and I’m smart and, thank god, single, but I don’t belong in my family business if we can call it “a business.”

However, my father called me back, saying, "It was time to grow up and have responsibilities." Fuck him. Responsibilities in my family represent being part of what he stands for, and I will never be a part of that.

But I need to pretend. For now, I need to be part of his life, and to be a part of Simon Campbell's life is to be under the boss of the Californian Mob.

I hate this.

My father is the most powerful man in the United States. Yeah, believe it, Simon is deep within the criminal underworld but well hidden in the legal business. In his pocket, he had the police, politicians, and the business community. Basically, everyone he wanted to control, he had under control, even the damn President of the United States.

It’s hard to keep things from him. Even harder to say no to him and keep walking. Some try and end up lying under 7 feet of dirt… well, the ones lucky enough to have a burial.

Whether from blackmail or profit, no one stood up to that man. He was untouchable, and if anyone didn't fear him, they were either crazy or had a death wish.

My father's secretary informed me that Sarah Scott, his new fiancée, and my brother Michael would pick me up at the airport because, god forbid, Simon would go to the trouble of picking up his son after forcing him to return home.

For Michael, I bet that was just a bother, as he had never liked me. Our personalities are completely incompatible. To make matters worse, the age gap meant we had nothing in common. So it wasn’t a big surprise that Michael was unhappy about me returning home. But it was our father's orders, and Michael did everything our father said with a smile. I really wished I had missed the flight, but I didn't, and I was back home to stay. Lucky me.

His new fiancée. I don't know whether to laugh or regret her fate. Was she the sixth or seventh after my mother? Who cares. His first wives loved him; at least I know my mother loved him, but all the others? Some were younger than me, just living a life of luxury without the slightest notion that any connection with that man would end in smoke or worse.

None of his ex-wives came out of the relationship rich. Yes, they all still had a good life, but it was nothing compared to the life my father gave them while he tolerated them.

At least the ones who had the good sense not to give him children were alive. All those who contributed to his offspring's increase no longer exist. Good luck, new wife.

When they arrived at the airport, the plane had just landed, and they had to wait for me to disembark.

Messing with their day was the best part of this trip, so I appeared, walking nonchalantly, surrounded by flight attendants, giggling and haply giving me their phone numbers.

Even that far away, I could see my brother's anger, like smoke from an invisible fire.

After completing formalities relating to border control, I slowly go to the carpet and pick up my bags. Then, even slowly, I push the car until I reach my brother.

- Good evening, David. – Michael says with a stoic face.

Well, people would believe we had seen each other last week. Four fucking years, and not even a head shake.

- Good evening, Michael. I see you're still as smiling as ever.

Michael ignores the comment.

- I want to introduce you to Sarah Scott, our future stepmother.

I look at the woman, and, damn, my heart skips a beat.

How could this woman be father’s fiancée? She was stunningly beautiful, with long, blonde hair and light green eyes that seemed to penetrate my soul when she looked eyes at him. She was small, no more than 5.3, with full lips, a perfect body, and a waist so narrow that I could encircle her with both hands.

- Good evening, David. – she said in the sweetest voice, sending a shiver down my spine.

She made me mesmerized. My heart beat so fast and loud that I feared my brother would hear it.

- Good evening, Miss Scott. What witchcraft did my father do to win you over?

Sarah shudders, and her eyes show pain, but she smiles.

- Don't you think you're talking nonsense? I just introduced you to your future stepmother, and you opened your mouth and showed the same old David.

I shrug, wink at Sarah, and push the car out of the airport.

The driver puts my bags in the car, and I sit in the back seat, putting on my headphones and staring at my phone screen.

Michael and Sarah enter the limousine and sit opposite me.

I see Michael picking up documents to read, completely ignoring Sarah and me. She then looks out the window as if enjoying the view.

I couldn’t take my eyes off her. She must be older than me, maybe 29 or 30 years old. Her breasts were natural and didn't have 1 mg of silicone. Her hair framed her features, making her eyes even more beautiful. That woman liking my father was something I couldn't understand, but knowing that the power of money drew her to him made my stomach turn.