Prologue

Riccardo's POV.

"You might want to go straight to the point, Massimo. I do not have time to play these games with you right now." It wasn't hard to tell that I was already getting pissed off. It was only a matter of time before burst out in anger and just so you know, it is not always a pretty sight. We have been in this meeting for more than fifty minutes now if my time is accurate and these people have been saying the same thing over and over again in twisted words. None of them has gone straight to the point.

"What we are trying to say, Riccardo is that you need an heir and you need it fast." That was Roberto, the eldest man in the entire Italian mafia and my late father's trusted advisor. He has always been and will always remain that one person that doesn't cower in my presence.

"Correct me if I am wrong, Roberto, you want me to get a heir?" I asked softly. I couldn't raise my voice at him now, could I?

"Yes." He answered.

I nodded slowly pretending like I was interested in this topic when in fact I wasn't the least bit interested.

"So what? Do I just go on the streets and grab a baby and declare him as my heir?"

Roberto chuckled. "I see you are not taking this seriously, Don."

"Was I supposed to?"

"We got words from the Spanish mafia, Don. The leader there already has two sons and one daughter..."

"What does that have to do with me?"

"Children means he has an heir, his line is secured. It means the Spanish mafia won't just go under when he dies because he has someone to succeed him..."

"Well...." I attempted to interrupt.

"You will let me finish, boy," Roberto said in that no-nonsense voice of his that he has always used since I was a kid.

"SÌ" I answered

"I know how hard you have worked to make the Italian mafia what it is today. I have lived through it and I witnessed it all and that is why I won't sit here and watch it all fade away just like that. You need to secure the line. It doesn't matter just how strong we might be, it will all come to an end if anything happens to you. The minute something happens to you, the Italian mafia dies. Is that what you want?"

"No, but that is not going to happen anytime soon. I am hale and healthy and..."

"You talk as if you haven't been in this mafia business since birth. Nobody's life is guaranteed here, anything could go wrong at any fucking time." He interrupted.

I could feel my jaw twitching from being interrupted so much. If it were someone else interrupting me I would have blasted his head off by now but I respect Roberto a lot and him being the eldest gives him almost as much authority as I do...almost.

"I get it, I get it....and I will work on it," I said in dismissal trying to move to another topic but Roberto was not having it.

"Oh no boy, I don't think you get just how important this is. You need an heir and you need it fast."

"And I already said I would work on it, what more do you want me to say?" I exploded and I could see the other members flinch and recoil through my periphery eyes.

"That is the problem, Riccardo. We both know you only said that to put an end to the conversation."

"You are going to have to take my word for it then. I am going to work on it and that is it."

"You have two weeks." He said.

"Excuse me?" I asked.

"Two weeks is more than enough time for you to get an heir." He said.

"What? Two weeks? Do I just go out there and pick the most suitable baby to become the next Italian Don?" I asked. This is getting more amusing than annoying.

"Do whatever you see fit. I expect you to find someone to impregnate before the two weeks is over. You are a young and active man. I am sure putting a baby in a woman's stomach is not going to be a difficult task...unless you are dealing with some issues I am not aware of." He said the last part slowly while trailing his eyes in the direction of my manhood.

"I am perfectly fine, Roberto. Thanks for your concern."

"That's reassuring. You have to weeks to provide us with an heir..."

"Or else? What will happen if I fail to provide an heir?" I asked maintaining eye contact with him.

"You will have to step down as the Don." He said plainly and with so much seriousness that I burst into laughter. It took me a while to recover from it.

"You still tell great jokes, Roberto," I said.

"This is no joke, Don. I already had this conversation with the other members and we have all come to the conclusion that you either give up an heir or step down from your position as the Don."

"I do not think any of you have a say on whether I step down or not. I am the Don, I make the decision, I decide who stays and who leaves and this title has been in my family since forever. I grew up preparing to play this role, it was the only thing I was allowed to do, I have lived my entire life being the Don of the Italian mafia and just so you know nobody and I mean nobody, not even you Roberto, have the right to take it away from me. Are we clear?" My voice was so loud that I could...quite literally, feel and see it bouncing off the walls.

"Very clear but I also feel the need to make it clear to you, Riccardo that it really doesn't matter how long or how well you have led the Italian mafia. You either give us an heir or you step down from your position as the Don. You choose, Don. Keep in mind that whatever decision you make will affect us either positively or negatively. The moment you chose to give us an heir, you have successfully secured the future of the Italian mafia but if you choose to do otherwise and step down from your position, you will make up vulnerable to attacks from our enemies, we both know nobody is as capable as you are when it comes to leading us so I suggest you choose wisely." He said.

"Roberto..."

"For the love of God, Riccardo De Luca. This thing is not that hard. I want a grandchild and you need an heir...pity this old man, will you? I want to see you happy before I die and we both know I won't be living for much longer." He said. He had to do that. He had to play the pity card...not that that shit works on me but Roberto has been through a lot and I...

"I see what you are doing here," I told him.

The sly old man had the nerve to smirk at me knowingly. "It is working then. You will give me a grandbaby?" He asked.

I sighed and ran my fingers through my hair. "I don't know, Roberto. I can't make any promises."

He nodded and stood up gently from his seat while leaning heavily on his walking stick and the other members followed suit. "That means you will try then. This is not me trying to force things on you, my boy. I just want what is best for you and there is the fact that I want a grand baby too." He said.

"I get it," I answered.

"See you in two weeks then. I will be looking forward to a piece of good news from you." He said before leaving the hall with the rest of the members following him until it was just me and Enzo left in the hall.

"So..." Enzo started when the hall got empty.

"Don't even get me started." I interrupted him and he chuckled.

Enzo has been my friend for as long as I can remember. We grew up together and literally did everything together. He is happily married with two beautiful children— a boy and a girl. He has never been interested in the whole mafia lifestyle even though he was born into it. He tried as much as possible to not get involved in this hell of a life but he got dragged in when we lost our...

"You know I see Roberto's point," Enzo said snapping me out of my thoughts.

"I won't pretend like I don't see it either. I know just how dangerous our line of work is. I know that every single day of our lives is like a ticking time bomb waiting to explode. We don't know when things will get messy or when we will die and I know getting married and securing the line is my duty...I have just..." I trailed off

"Never actually thought of it before?" He filled in.

I nodded. "And now I have two weeks to find a girl and knock her up."

"You don't have to put it that way."

I smiled at him...it was not exactly a smile but it would have to count as a smile. "That is exactly what it is going to be and you know what..."

"I don't like that look on your face, Don." He commented.

"That's okay, you don't have to. You are going to find me a girl." I said.

"Sorry?"

"You are the computer guru amongst us, Enzo. Type away on that system of yours and find me a girl who will be willing to live this kind of life."

"I don't see why I should be doing the searching for you, you are the one that is going to sleep with her for fuck sake." He exclaimed.

"It doesn't matter. I have other important things to handle. Any girl will do but she has to be pretty and maybe look into her family history too. Our child is going to be the next Don, he must be of good health and smart too." I told him.

"But..."

"End of discussion, Enzo. I will see you again when you find a girl." I said in that authoritative voice I always adopt when I am being serious.

He hesitated "Very well then, Don. Have a good day."  He said before exiting the hall leaving me alone with my thoughts.

How hard can it be to impregnate a woman? It can't be that hard.