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Chapter 1
Yiorgos Kourakos
Frère Yiorgos, il faitplus froid ici que pendant nos hivers en Grèce. Soit tuez ce connard, soit retournons à l’intérieur. (Yiorgos, brother it's colder out here than it is in our winters in Greece. Either kill this asshole or bring his ass back inside.),” Basil states as the brisk winds of the Windy City nips at our skin while we stand close to the ledge on top of the twelfth floor of Kourakos Enterprises.
The unlucky asshole begging for his life, Colin Baros. He was a Captain from the Westside who got a little too greedy for his own good. I’m all for making your money but you never bite the hand that feeds you. Yiannis may have let them get away with a warning, but that is something I never will do. If someone under you thinks they can take what belongs to you, then they will eventually think they can take your seat and I for one will never let another motherfucker take the seat my family has fought so hard to keep.
“Please, if you let me go, I will never do anything like this again. I’ve learned my lesson. I was just trying to look out for my family,” Colin pleads as my men hold his arms while hanging his upper body over the ledge.
Taking a long pull from my cigar, I leaned forward so he could see my face. I smirk, blowing the smoke in his direction before asking, “Colin do you think of me as a cold-hearted son of a bitch? I understand all about looking out for family. Did you know Basil and I had a brother that was older than me?”
Colin rapidly shakes his head from side to side as he cranes his neck to look up at me.
“Of course, you wouldn’t. You see, I am the second oldest. My oldest brother Jerome, who I looked up to was everything I wanted to be. He was disciplined and always put family first, that is until someone got in his head and convinced Jerome, he could be greater than our father. So, instead of biding his time until our father made him head of the family, Jerome plotted to have him assassinated in order to take over.”
My breaths begin to increase as I drop my cigar, then take hold of Colin’s shirt, hoisting him up.
Drawing Colin’s face closer to mine, I grit out, “My father, our father, Linus Kourakos when he learned of my brother’s deception, do you know what he did?”
“No, no,” Colin stutters as he visibly shakes with fear.
“He wept as he took the life of his oldest child. That moment made me realize if your own family can betray you, then who’s to stop others from doing the same as well?”
Pulling my barber’s razor from the inner pocket of my suit jack, I whip it open, then slice it across Colin’s neck. He stares at me for help as his blood drains. I had no sympathy for him. Colin chose to steal from my family, so I chose to steal his life.
This an example of the shit I’ve had to deal with since taking over from Yiannis. These jackals think because I’m the new kid on the block, they can take from my family without me knowing but fuck that. I learned from the best. My Father taught me to always keep an eye on all who work for you and that meant everyone from Captains down to the soldiers. It didn’t matter if they were the most loyal, never fully trust them.
My men look down at Colin’s lifeless body then back at me.
Using Colin’s suit jacket to clean my blade, I order, “Get rid of him and call the cleanup crew.”
“I already did,” Basil responds. “I knew this was going to get messy, so their waiting downstairs.”
The men nod, then drag Colin towards the large black tarp that’s laid out on the ground.
“Thanks for thinking ahead, little brother,” I tell him as I put the knife back into my pocket.
“No, problem. Now, can we get the hell out of here. The jet is waiting for us,” He returns as we make our way to the elevator.
As he presses the down button, I chuckle. “At least we’ll get away from this chilly weather for a few days. I’m excited to meet the new member of the Kourakos family. Knowing Balthazar, he’ll probably rub it in my face that he has an heir before me, but I’ll let it slide. I’d do the same thing to him if I was in his shoes.”
The door slides open, and we step in.
Basil hits ‘F1’ for the first floor. “You two need counseling. Does everything have to be a competition?”
I chuckle louder. “It’s all in fun. That’s how we’ve always been, why stop now?”
Basil smirks, saying, “If you say so. I’m just glad there’s no more animosity between the two of you. Now we all can be together without either of you trying to rip the other’s head off. That shit was getting old.”
We both laugh as the elevator door reopens. Stepping out, move through the lobby to the front double doors. The doorman opens one for us. Outside, two of our men are standing outside the black Yukon, waiting for us. Our luggage is already loaded for our trip.
Once inside, the men get in. The driver pulls out of the driveway, heading to the airport. Staring out the window, I think about how far in a short span of time Balthazar and I have become close. I can’t say I hated him in the past, but I couldn’t stand his ass and to think it was all over a girl. Yiannis knew what he was doing when he sent for me and Basil. He and Uncle Sebastian were uniting the family by having Balthazar and I work together, and it succeeded. We’ve worked out our differences and have each other’s backs at all costs. I was honored when he called a few days ago to let us know Nina had the baby. A healthy baby boy they named Balthazar Sebastian Kourakos, Jr. I told him once I finished my business with Colin, Basil and I would be there to help celebrate the birth of young Balthazar.
Not going to lie, I missed being in my homeland of Greece. The authentic foods and not having to think before I reacted, that’s what I really missed. I wasn’t going to change how I handled business whether it was in the States or somewhere else. People needed to know if they fucked with the Kourakos, they would have to pay with their lives.
Since being here, Father has asked if I was ready to come home but I felt like Iwasat home. Chicago is my domain now and I’m ready to prove to all the naysayers, especially Balthazar that I can run shit. I know Father wants me to take over once he steps down, but I would fully back Basil, or even my sister Selene, who is under me if either of them showed interest. Honestly, Selene is my female counterpart. If she sensed negativity from someone, it’s a good chance they wouldn’t see the sun rise the next day.
As soon as we made it to the jet, we boarded. It was close to ten at night, so by the time we make it to Dallas, then to Balthazar’s, everyone should be asleep. He gave us clearance into his gated community, but I told him it was going to be too late when we arrived, so Basil and I will stay at one of the condo’s downtown.
