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“Then I guess we’ll give her a task.” Reggie smirked. “And when she fails, you can give us your real choice.”
My father rose to his feet and slowly crossed the room to Reggie, his face contorting into something evil. He stopped right before Reggie and looked down his nose at him. “Be very careful, Reggie. I’m still the Boss. Got it?”
Reggie’s eyes grew wide and then he nodded once. “Yes, sir. Of course.”
As the thought of strangling Reggie floated around my head, my father dismissed them.
“Congratulations, Addie,” Kent said, his voice low as he walked past and then disappeared out the door with the rest of the men.
When the men were gone, Father sat in Reggie’s chair. “Damn prick.” Although I hated to even think it, I knew my father’s days were numbered. Although he had fought several foes, it appeared that cancer would be the one to take him in the final battle.
While I understood what he was trying to do, I hated that he had to do it. He wanted to ease the men into this new transition. I doubted any male head of the family had to go through what was expected of me, but I didn’t care. I would do it for my father, so he could rest assured that the family would be safe and that his legacy would be carried on.
Father looked up at me and laughed. “You handled that better than I thought you would.” He started to get up, but I stopped him.
“No, Padre.” I said, jumping to my feet. “I’ll come to you.”
But he stood and waved his hand dismissively as he walked over to the bar, grabbed a decanter of bourbon and two glasses, and poured us a drink.
“Let me walk while I still can.” He handed me one of the glasses as chills washed over my body. This was a right of passage, more than just a drink. This was a drink between what was and what was to come. “To the Kingsley Family Empire and it’s new Don.”
A smile lit my lips as tears filled my eyes, threatening to spill over. But I would not cry before my father. I was a Kingsly, after all. “To the current Don and King. May he forever reign.”
We touched glasses as the sound of glass clinking filled the air and we both drank together.
I sighed and sat back in my chair. My father, Harrison Kingsley, had been the head of the Kingsley family since before I was born. He took his place as the head of the family the day after his father was killed in a shootout against a rival family. The first thing my father did after he took over was to take out the rival family. Needless to say, they’re no longer in business. While my grandfather went out in a blaze of glory as my father called it, he would be afforded no such luck. Lung cancer would be my father’s deadly foe.
My father had always been a big man, six-two. But he was a nice-looking man and woman always pissed me off by throwing themselves at him. Even as an older man, he could keep up with any of the younger men half his age and was always the life of the party. But now, things were different. He didn’t want the men to know, and I protected his secret.
“I’ve got this/” I smiled as I took the decanter and my glass, waiting for him to walk back to the table.
Father nodded, taking his time as he carried his glass to the table and pulling out a chair, taking a seat. Although he was older and his age was starting to show, his good looks were still there.
“Hit me.” He waved his hand for me to pour another for him. I poured a hefty amount for us both. He smiled as he held his glass up to me again. “You earned this, sweetheart, for—"
“Biting my tongue?”
Father laughed, touching his glass to mine. “For not killing anyone. You have to earn respect. If you would have killed anyone, you would have lost all hope of gaining their respect.”
I nodded, looking down into my glass. “Padre, between us, are you sure this is what you want?”
He smiled as he gently squeezed my arm, claiming my attention. “You can do this.” Even though his voice was quiet, it held all the strength he had. “I know it. After all, you are my daughter, Adrienne fucking Kingsley. Never forget it.” He winked at me and then downed the rest of his drink.
“They don’t think so.” I downed the contents of my glass, too, and poured us another, knowing this may be the last time I had the opportunity to spend time with him.
“Does it matter?” He raised an eyebrow, smiling as he looked into his drink. “They’re men and men can be stupid. Being ruled by a woman will take some getting used to but you are the best person in the family for the job.” He smirked. “Or else, I wouldn’t have chosen you.”
“You’re not just picking me because you don’t have any sons?” I smirked.
My mother had died shortly after giving birth to me. While no one ever told me why or how, I always felt as if it had something to do with me. It would explain why I had never met my mother’s side of the family.
My father flinched, staring into my eyes. “I never needed a son. I got you.” He sighed into his glass and took a big swig of the amber liquid. “If that were the case, I could have just given the position to Kent.”
“Reggie was pushing for it, too.” I sighed, looking into my glass.
“You caught that huh?” He chuckled, shaking his head. “And that’s the problem. Kent is too easily ruled by others. Always has been. I don’t think I’ve ever heard him express his own opinion the whole time I’ve known him. He has always been too concerned about what others think rather than what he thinks. That’s a good trait for a pawn but not a king… or a queen.”
“Fuck being a queen, I’d rather be king.”
