Page 5 of Promised at Birth

“Gwendolyn is a smart girl. She just graduated from St. Marten’s Academy – an all-girl’s college preparatory high school. She plans to go to Chicago University in the fall.”

Who cares? What the fuck!

“How did you get Fielding to give me his daughter? He is not one of us.”

“I made Zach Fielding the man he is today. He owes me. We agreed when Gwendolyn was a baby that one of my sons would marry her when she became of age. Zach approves of the marriage. He believes she is too young and immature to marry the right person. She needs someone strong and powerful to protect her. Zach needs a smart businessman to run his real estate empire. They need you.”

I raise my eyebrows.

“Zach is worried about his daughter. She has been sheltered and overprotected by her father her entire life. She has never even had a boyfriend. She will be starting college in the fall, and he is worried she will fall in love with someone not right for her. She is naïve. No common sense. He is worried about her future. He worries that the wrong man will sweep her off her feet and leave her penniless”

“I see.”

Shit!

“Bobby, after the marriage, Zach will add your name to all the Fielding’s real estate holdings. His properties are worth billions. Zach was just diagnosed with heart disease. He is worried about the time he has left. He doesn’t want Gwendolyn to know. Zach doesn’t need the stress of running his real estate empire. He is going to retire after you marry Gwendolyn. He wants to enjoy the time he has left.”

Well. Well. Well. I will control the Fielding real estate empire!Is it Christmas?

“Wow.”

“Wow indeed. After you marry Gwendolyn, you will be the most powerful man in Chicago and one of the wealthiest. New York will have to respect you. You won’t need to be capo any longer – Paul Jr. can take over.”

“I’m not ready to retire as capo.”

“The New York families are pressuring me to make Paul Jr. Capo. His new wife, Gia, wants him to be capo and so does her father. New York is old-fashioned, they want Paul Jr. in charge because they think he is tougher than you and he is married to one of the families’ daughters. The families feel you are too young and progressive. They are old-fashioned – old school - they do not understand the Internet.”

“When have we ever listened to the New York families? Paul Jr. is not ready to be capo. He is too headstrong and violent. He does not have a head for business. I have made billions of dollars for the Outfit! My bosses respect me. I have kept the feds off our backs.”

“Yes, and I am proud of you. New York isn’t the only problem. The Bratva is getting more powerful and want to expand into legitimate businesses and real estate. The Antonovich brothers have been pressuring Zack Fielding to sell some of his properties to them. My friendship with him has protected him – they won’t make a move on him because of us. But his daughter is another story. He is worried they will go after her. She needs protection. When she marries you, the Bratva can’t touch her. You will become one of the most powerful men in Chicago. Nobody will be able to touch you, not New York, not the Bratva or the Columbians.”

My father hands me a business card.

“From now on if you get an itch that your wife can’t scratch, call this number, and arrange for a call girl. The outfit runs some extremely high priced and talented call girls. I have used this service for years. You will not embarrass Gwen. You will be discreet.”

I look at the card. I throw it on the kitchen table. I do not fuck whores. I do not pay for sex.

“Bobby, your business in LA is over. You will stay here from now on.”

My father opens the manilla folder in front of him. He hands me an eight-by-ten photograph. The photo is of a cute young girl walking down Michigan Avenue. She wears blue jeans, a sweatshirt, and sneakers. A baseball cap is on her head. A blonde ponytail sticking out of the back of her cap.

“She is a child.” I say as I look at the photograph.

“She will be easy to control.”

I shrug my shoulders.

“You will not beat her or force yourself on her.”

“Of course not. I have never laid hands on a woman.”

“Gwendolyn has a mind of her own. She doesn’t lay down and spread her legs for men like your whores. You must respect her. Treat her like a queen. Give her whatever she wants. Protect her. Mold her into the perfect mafia wife.”

“I will marry her.”

I cannot refuse my father. I respect him too much. But I am only marrying her for the Fielding real estate empire. I need a drink. I stand up from the table and walk over to the cabinet with the bottles of booze. I open a bottle of whiskey and drink right from the bottle. My father relaxes. The meeting is over. I unbutton my suit coat.

“Glad to hear it son.”

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