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Chapter 4
Addie
I dreaded the next morning. Not because I didn’t want to learn the ropes of the business, I did. But because I’d be surrounded by men that felt like I had no right to take over. I knew these men. They watched me grow up…and that’s how they would always see me. I would forever be the little girl running around the house looking for my father. No matter what I did. No matter how I old I got, I would forever be known as Little Addie. Unless I proved them differently.
I pulled an already rolled joint out of my nightstand and found the old lighter Eli had given me a few years ago behind a jasmine and vanilla candle. As I blew the smoke into the air, I remembered why I stopped smoking. Well, I didn’t stop completely. As much as the smoke irritated my allergies, I needed it. I didn’t know exactly what I was in for the next day, but I knew it would be more bullshit. I knew I had to do something that would prove my worth to them. Not as daddy’s little girl, but as a crime boss.
I smoked half the joint, thinking, and then jumped into the shower. Usually in the shower I got my best ideas and the only thing on my mind was what to wear. I was a firm believer in first impressions. A person’s first impression of you goes a long way and is difficult to change.
I thought about how I wanted them to view me and the only word that came to mind was “boss”. Which to me meant that I should just be myself because that’s what I was, the boss. I opted for my black suit. I had worn it before but this time I wore a black bra underneath and heels I could run in. Just in case.
I kept my auburn curls wild and free and my makeup minimal. My gun was always with me, tucked into the shoulder holster under my arm. My father had taught me that. I was never supposed to keep it in my purse. It had to be on my body.
“If someone gets you away from that handbag you love so much, what then?” he asked me one day when I was fifteen. It was a good question and one I didn’t have an answer for. I had never even thought about it.
Now, depending on what I was wearing, my gun was either strapped to the inside of my thigh, on my hip, or in my shoulder holster, like today. I took one last look in the mirror. Satisfied, I headed downstairs for breakfast.
“You’re awake.” My father sat at the head of the dining room table in front of a plate brimming with scrambled eggs, toast, and bacon.
“I am.” I sat in one of the chairs next to him. A few seconds later our cook, Martha, emerged from the kitchen with a plate of eggs, cooked over easy, bacon, and avocado toast.
“Thanks, Martha.”
“You’re welcome, miss.” She smiled as she refilled my father’s coffee cup.
“Are you ready for today?” he asked as he stole a strip of bacon from my plate and stuffed it into his mouth.
“Really?” I laughed, shaking my head. Some things never changed.
“What? Afraid I might die of a heart attack?” He smiled as he finished chewing the bacon and swallowed. “So, are you ready?”
I took a bite of my toast and chewed it slowly. “I guess.”
“Show them you can do this.” He reached for my bacon but I playfully smacked his hand and he laughed. “Show them what you show me.”
Martha came out with more bacon and he took a piece and shoved it into his mouth.
“Permission to kill Reggie?” I arched an eyebrow, only half teasing.
He burst out laughing. “It’s not a great way to win over the rest of the family. But it would take him by surprise.” He shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth and started chewing. “I’d like to see that bastard’s face if you capped him.”
I chuckled, knowing he was only half serious. “Don’t worry, Padre. I’ll try to make you proud.”
He smiled as he patted my hand. “I know you will.” He stole another piece of bacon from my plate for fun and popped it into his mouth. “You’re my daughter.”
Nate and Joe showed up as I was finishing my breakfast. just when I was about to ask my father why the Sky family didn’t like us. Of course, I had heard the rumors, but I wanted to be sure before I spoke with them. I noticed a while ago that the answers my father gave me largely depended on who was in the room when I asked the question. I didn’t know Nate or Joe very well, so I decided to wait until we were alone before I asked him anything.
“Are you ready?” Joe was a couple of years older than me, a distant cousin. He was nice enough but not very smart. To me, it always seemed like he couldn’t form a thought on his own accord. I guess that is what made him such a good soldier.
Nate, on the other hand, was a cousin by marriage. Between the two, he was the smart one. He had worked his way up in the family and became someone that my father confided in.
“Yeah, I’m ready.” I rose from my seat and kissed the top of my father’s head. “Love you, Padre.”
“Love you, too.” Then he looked up, arching an eyebrow. “Boys? Keep her safe.”
“Will do, Boss.”
Joe headed to the car while Nate waited for me to get my things. When I came down the stairs, I found my father and Nate talking in the foyer. As soon as Nate saw me, he stopped talking. He glanced from me to my father and then back to me.
