Page 3 of Enforce This

“You ready to do this, brother?” Big Vick asked, stepping from behind the counter.

He clapped Mark on the shoulder and was met with a slow nod.

Though the president had said he was ready, he wasn’t moving, and neither was anyone else. He surveyed the room, like he was taking inventory of each and every one of us. I couldn’t help but feel like something heavy was being silently conveyed when he locked eyes with Big Vick and a few of the older brothers.

I sucked in a startled breath when he turned his gaze at me and pointedly stared into my eyes. I felt like he was charging me with some unspoken tasks, and I wasn’t sure I liked it, even if I didn’t know what the fuck he was asking of me.

“Listen…” Mark cleared his throat and did his best to sound sure of himself, “Only necessary members and a handful of backups will be present for the graveside service. Everyone else, hunker down and celebrate her memory here at the compound.”

“What?” Anthony quietly asked.

“Have the keg on standby when I get back.” Mark nodded, confirming his order. “Hear me… I’m going to a funeral, but I’m not coming home to one. Fix your faces, pour the liquor, let’s get ready to honor my wife.”

Makaveli gave a slow, pointed nod and stepped forward, clearly prepared to follow his father.

“No,” Mark froze, placing a hand on his son's chest. “Mak, you stay here with Eric and Anthony. Big Vick, George, you two, with me.”

“What the fuck…” Makaveli spat, prompting his wife, Sasha to place a cautionary hand on his forearm.

He slung it off and faced his father, his expression contorting with confusion and disbelief.

“The fucking Val–” Makaveli loudly started, apparently no longer giving a shit about the witnesses that were standing around us.

“That’s just it, son.” Mark spoke over him before Makaveli could say something he shouldn’t. “You’re hot headed. That temper and mouth of yours will get us into an unfortunate situation. It isn’t the time for conflict and hostility.”

“Do you hear yourself?” Makaveli whispered, tipping his chin so no one could see his lips move as he quietly questioned the president. “The boss of the Valentino Crime Family made you promise to keep his sister safe. You swore that she wouldn’t be involved in business, and now she is dead.”

No one else would have kept their teeth in such circumstances, he was damn lucky Mark was his old man.

I took a deep breath and looked around the room, trying to discern how many people had heard what he had said. No one seemed shocked if they had.

“Yeah. I got the memo.” Mark grunted, before shrugging and started toward the door.

“They’re gonna fucking kill you,” Mak bluntly stated, no longer trying to conceal his words.

Mak paused, and for a moment, I wasn’t sure what he was going to do, but in the end, he took a deep breath, and nodded. “Guess that means you’ll have your chance at the gavel, huh? Remember how you used to play with it when you were a boy?”

“Fuck you!” Mak roared, stomping off toward the stairs.

Mark snorted and shook his head.

“Babe,” Sasha stressed, following after him.

She was usually fairly good at calming his demons, so I left her to it and poured myself a shot of whiskey. It was eight-thirty in the morning, but if I had to deal with this shit all day, I was going to need it.

Anthony grabbed Mark's shoulder and jerked, forcing him to face him.

“Take him with you, Pres, come on…” He pressured Mark, I’d never seen so much concern in my brother’s eyes, it moved me enough to distract me from my drink for a moment.

Mark lowered his chin ever so subtly and said something I couldn’t hear.

“Then fucking take me with you! Goddamn it, Mark…” Anthony exploded, much as Makaveli had before him.

“You’re the only one that can keep Mak level if shit goes wrong, Ant,” Mark quietly and calmly explained, “And besides, your brother thinks he is your keeper. If I assign you to watch my son, then I know that E here is watching over you both. Huh, huh? Tell me I ain’t a man with a plan, would ya?”

He turned, took a few steps toward me, and clasped my shoulder. His haunted eyes met mine and he swallowed hard. I had to force myself to be still as a shiver ran down my spine and my mouth went dry.

It was like he had silently charged me with watching over his son.