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Father turned to face us. I noticed then he had a brandy glass in his other hand as well.
“Κ?τσε κ?τω (Sit down),” he instructed, pointing to the chairs. He watched us closely as we took our seats.
I knew by the way he is staring at us, this meeting had nothing to do with the boys.
“Πατ?ρα, τι συμβα?νει. Συν?βη κ?τι; (Father, what’s going on? Did something happen?)” I questioned, my eyes moving from him to Darius. They both held unreadable expressions that made me start to worry.
Father took another drag from his cigar before he held his hand up. Exhaling the smoke, he replied in English, “No, nothing like that.” He sat his glass on the coaster on the desk, then lowered into his high back-office chair.
“Then what is it?” Basil asked.
Father sighed as he replied, “I got a call from your Uncle Sebastian earlier. We all know I run things over here and he runs things in the States, but as far as the Kourakos family, Sebastian is the head of the entire family because he is the oldest. I have much respect and appreciation for my brother. He could’ve stayed here and ran the family but after our uncle was murdered, he chose to keep the family going over there, leaving me to head things here. He didn’t have to do that, but he believed and trusted me to take on such a big role.
Me being the youngest, his decision didn’t go over well with our other two middle brothers. I couldn’t blame him for not choosing Peter who had a drug problem or Jonas who gambled his inheritance away and who always begged Sebastian for money. Because of their addictions, look where they are now...six feet underground but unlike those two, I was by Sebastian’s side, building the Kourakos name. So, I owe him a great deal for the opportunity he bestowed upon me.” Father took one last pull from his cigar before resting it in the ashtray. “Sebastian’s call earlier was about you, Yiorgos.”
I frowned. Why would Uncle Sebastian have called regarding me other than to see how I was doing. Basil and I have visited him and our other family in the States a few times and we got along well but now I’m wondering what he did he have to say about me?
“What about me?”
“It seems Sebastian, Yiannis, and Althaia will be relocating to Texas to be closer to your cousins Balthazar and Alistair. In doing so it will leave Chicago without someone to run it,” Father informed us.
What?? Was he getting ready to say what I’m thinking?
“Sebastian wants you to take over Chicago and be the head of that region. I told him I would talk to you and see what you had to say about it.” Father lifted his glass and took a sip with his eyes locked with mine.
I sat there shocked. I didn’t know what to say, I mean I had often thought about what it would be like to live in the states but to be given the opportunity to run my own region there, I never imagined.
Running my fingers through my hair, I asked Father, “What do you think?”
He smirked. “It’s not about what I think, Yiorgos. You are old enough to make your own decisions, but I will say this; I think it’s an excellent opportunity for you. You know how we run things over here, and now you can see how they do things over there. You’ll have knowledge of both worlds. Plus, I still have quite a few years left before I’m ready to step down.”
Thousands of questions ran through my head at once. Could I do this? How will I manage being in a different territory, hell a different country and state? What if something happens and Father needs me, I’ll be thousands of miles away from him? How would Mother and my siblings handle me leaving? There was a lot for me to take into consideration before I could make my final decision.
Father must’ve sensed my mental turmoil because he stated, “You have some time to think about it, son. I have faith in you going over there and showing our American side of the family how ruthless we are. You have my blessing if you choose to go. I know Sebastian will look out for you like he does for your cousins and if doesn’t work out, you can always come back home.”
I don’t know if Father said last part as a challenge, but that’s how I took it. I was never one to run from a task and he knew that. I meet shit head on and made sure it went my fucking way or there would be consequences. I knew I could run Chicago without a problem. They might’ve called it the Windy City, but they had no idea about the whirlwind that was about arrive.
Sitting up straight in my chair, I confidently declared, “I’ll go, but under one condition.”
Father’s eyebrow rose as he queried, “And what is that?”
“Basil comes with me.”
Basil whipped his head in my direction, stunned.
Darius took this time to finally speak. “Linus, we need Basil here.”
I ignored him as I told Father, “I will need a Second in Command and I want it to be Basil. He knows me better than anyone else. I won’t know the men Uncle Sebastian and Yiannis have under them, so I’m going to need someone I know and trust to be by my side. You know as well as I do Father, some of those men are going to try and test me. Basil has always been able sense shit when I can’t. I’m going to need him.”
Father pondered over my request, then spoke, “I agree. I will allow Basil to accompany you. With the two of you there your mother and I won’t worry as much.”
“Thank you, Father,” I obliged, bowing my head in respect.
“Is anyone going to ask me if Iwantto go?” Basil chimed in as his eyes darted from Father and me.
Damn, I didn’t think about asking how he felt about it. My mistake for assuming he’d automatically be on board with going.
“I’m sorry, Basil. I should have asked you. Do you want to come to Chicago with me?”
