Page 4 of Karrington

Pops’brothers, Johnny and Pete, stood at my sides. Because I was Pops enforcer and second in command as the underboss, Uncle Pete was capo. He might not have liked answering to his younger brother, but Uncle Pete was damn good at what he did. He was ruthless, able to control and take charge, and assertive—which made him the perfect man to lead our soldiers. The trio of brothers were the perfect dynamic for the past three and a half decades. I grew in age as my father grew in power and status. He started in this shit as a soldier and I was damn proud when he became capo, underboss, and eventually boss of all bosses. Now, he was gone, and I was going to have to fill his shoes.

It didn’t matter how much my father prepared me for this moment. Preparing to speak those words to his men had my throat clogged. I wasn’t simply about to tell these men their boss was dead. I was about to tell them my father was. He’d tell me to show no emotion, no weakness. He’d tell me in the front of them was not the place to break down. He’d tell me death wasthe only thing guaranteed in life and he’d lived well, so there was no reason to mourn him. The one thing he hadn’t told me was how much I would miss him, and he hadn’t even been gone for a full day.

“Do you want me to tell them? We need to get this over with,” Pete said, to which I shook my head.

“Nah. I got it.”

“Just give ’im some time,” Johnny added.

They were always like that—always on different pages, always having different perspectives. Always providing balance.

After clearing my throat, I looked around the warehouse. It was one of three the Lowe Mafia used for meetings. In attendance was every member of the council and every leader of our ten teams. They would pass word down to their soldiers.

“I’m sure you all are aware of the shooting that took place earlier this evening,” I started, looking at no one in particular. “My father…” My Adam’s apple bobbed repeatedly as I swallowed back my tears. “He didn’t make it.” A beat of silence passed. “There will be some changes after I officially take over but—”

“I’m sorry.” Kendrick stood and buttoned the top button of his suit jacket. “You can’t officially take your father’s place until you are married.”

“You think I don’t fucking know that?” I replied quicker and with more bite in my tone than intended. “As the underboss, I am in control temporarily for the next sixty days. If I am not married by then, a new boss will be voted in. I know the rules of the organization my father and his three best friends built.”

With a bob of his head, Kendrick conceded and sat back down.

I gave myself a few seconds to calm down before telling them business would continue as usual and that they’d receive invitations to my wedding soon. Getting married to a completestranger was the last thing I wanted to do, but I had no choice. I wouldn’t be able to fully grieve my father until business was running smoothly with the new changes, and before I could change anything, I’d have to take a wife.

This lifestyle was the reason I didn’t have my art or Luna Ray. My child and the generations to come wouldn’t have to suffer the way I did. Knowing she was leaving the restaurant just minutes before everything went down felt like some kind of twisted lesson from the universe. A twisted lesson to remind me she deserved better than this lifestyle. She deserved better thanme. And no matter how trained or lethal I was, no one was invincible. As much as I didn’t want to accept it, I had no choice but to surrender to the fact that the best choice Luna Ray could have made was getting the hell out of my life.

Three Days Later

I couldn’t cry.I wanted to but I couldn’t. The funeral would be a show of strength and power, not just for me as Pops’ replacement but for the mafia. That wouldn’t be the place to shed tears, so I’d been trying to release them now, but I couldn’t. It felt like a failure. I kept telling myself it was because Pops had prepared me for this moment, but that wasn’t true. Regardless of how prepared I was, my father was gone, I missed him, and I should have been able to cry.

I’d come to the home he once shared with my mother to see if that would cause my feelings to erupt. Unsuccessful. Ma must have pitied me, because she came into his office and laid on the thick carpeted floor next to me.

“You need to get it out before the funeral,” she said, as if I didn’t already know.

“I know, Ma, but that’s easier said than done.”

“Maybe it’s because your brain thinks this isn’t the time or space for that. Maybe it won’t let your heart rule because you’re about to be the new boss. If you could just find a way to turn your mind off and focus on your heart, I’m sure you’ll be able to process how you feel.”

That made sense, but I didn’t know how to cut my mind off. It was swarmed by a million things I needed to do. Even with me being in his office, I was thinking about the meeting I needed to have later today, getting security in place for the funeral, and being strong for my mother.

The downside of killing the men that assassinated my father was we had no leads on who sent them. We were unable to trace the calls they made on their burner phones. The payments for two of them had been made from untraceable offshore accounts and the other was paid in cash. Because of that, I didn’t know if they’d strike again.

What was the point of the hit? Was it just to take my father down, or the organization as a whole? Would they come after me or his brothers next?

“Lulu has been calling me every day,” Ma continued. “She said she’s been calling you too.” I didn’t respond. “You should answer, Kare. She’s worried about you.”

“I’ll text her and tell her I’m fine. She’s not coming to the funeral, is she?”

“Of course she is.”

My head shook as I sat up. “I don’t want her there, Ma.”

“It’ll be safe. You’ve made sure of that by not sending out the location until the family is there. No outsiders will know where it will be held.”

“Still. I don’t want her there.”

“Well I do.” Sucking my teeth, I stood as she sat up. “I um… I wanted to let you know I’ll be leaving after the funeral.”

My head jerked in her direction. “Why? Where are you going? And for how long?”

---