Prologue
Killian
Age Fourteen
My dad saidin order for people to be afraid of you, you always have to appear bigger. Only way to do that is to become stronger, have more money, become more powerful.
But the most important thing that Ace De Luca ever taught me was you have to not care.
If you don't care, then there is no point for anyone to try and piss you off. One of the main things you have to have to not care is no feelings or strings.
My dad fucked up there because he has my mom, who he would die for.
He said that mom helped him stay alive in a way, which I don't understand and never will because love is something I never understood in general. Watching my dad be a man who has no remorse for those who are not blood made me vow to never have any strings, and if I fuck up like him, to keep those strings close so no one will be able to cut them.
As my family and I walk towards the ball room, cameras flash our way which makes it blinding for us to see where thefuck we're going. People are telling us to look in all kinds of directions, but we don't pay any attention.
My mom is smiling at my dad while Thalia just has that resting bitch face that she always has. I’m observing because that's the best thing I can do.
"Welcoming, Ace De Luca and Aria De Luca," the announcer says in the mic. As we walk closer towards the ballroom, I see small groups of people from various crime organizations.
There is the Yakuza; Japanese organization, Clanuri Interlope; Romanian organization, Chicago Outfit, which is the American organization led by my uncle, La eMe, the Mexican organization, and many more that are just too much to list.
I know a lot about the business side of what my dad does because he taught me young, and I'm still learning. I need to learn if I want to be on top someday.
At a young age, I already know exactly what I want. I've always been a needy kid but living in this kind of world, the dark and ugly, how else are you supposed to be?
"I'm going to go find Jane," Thalia says before walking away without another word.
"Thalia!" my dad yells, his jaw clenching while my mom calms him or at least tries to ease him by resting her hand on his chest and whispering in his ear. "She always does this and if she doesn't want to get fucking killed, she needs to stop and listen."
"She's a teenager, Ace. They don't care and won't listen. You'll just end up arguing with her like you always do in front of everyone," my mom explains, which sort of eases my dad even though I know he wants to say something back to her. "Let's go sit down. I'll text Layna that Thalia is looking for Jane."
My mom and dad walk towards our assigned table while I follow behind them.
This suit I'm wearing is itchy and I'm close to ripping the thing off. My dad always makes me wear a suit, whenever I am inmeetings with him, observing, or at events like this. He tells me it's because I need to get used to it and when I told him, "When I rule the world, I won't need to wear suits." He replied with, "Well if you want people to respect you or be afraid, then you must listen and do as I say.”
Arguing with my dad is like arguing with the wall. In his mind, his word is law. That goes for everyone except my mom.
She is the only one who can do whatever she wants without getting my dad’s wrath.
I sometimes think that he might love her more than anything else in the world whether that be him or even Thalia and I. I try not to think of it because it hurts.
"Ladies and gentlemen, please take your seats," a man says, getting everyone in the room's attention. "Tonight, we are here . . . "
His words drift off as I scan the room, seeing who's here and who needs to be looked out for.
When my eyes catch bright blue ones, I feel like I'm at a beach with deep, vivid blue water. The sun shines down on the water, creating a glow and sparkly blue color.
And when she smiles it feels like everything seems like it's actually okay. Like the world isn't falling apart around her.
Why is a girl like that at an event full of people with guns in their pockets and blood on their hands?
She seems like the type to ignore everything around her as she dances around murderers and on pools of blood with a smile on her face.
I keep staring at her, confused but also enchanted. She looks at me with a smile that makes my chest ache.
They say the eyes are the window to a person's soul. They tell you whether that person is kind and has a good heart or if there is darkness and fire in them.