2. Elio

2

Determination fills me as I march through the halls of our mansion, my briefcase clutched tightly in my hand. We will be leaving shortly for Crystal Lake University and I'm on my way to say goodbye to my father.

Tomorrow marks the start of my senior year. My younger brother, Renzo, along with our closest friend and future capo, Dante, will begin their junior year.

As I approach Father's office, I pause outside the door and knock, waiting for his response.

"Come in," he drones, his voice carrying a hint of impatience.

I open the door and clear my throat, announcing my presence. "I'm merely coming to say goodbye before I leave for Crystal Lake."

A smile appears on his face but doesn't quite reach his eyes. "Good, as I've got a job for you."

Great. Just what I need.

Whenever my father has a job for me, it's never a good sign. It always involves something challenging, dangerous, or morally questionable. "What kind of job?" I ask, bracing myself for his response.

"Take a seat," he instructs, gesturing toward the chair before his desk.

This can't be good. Father rarely asks me to sit with him, which only heightens my apprehension. Nevertheless, I comply and sit, waiting for him to continue.

"Have you heard of the Aguilar Cartel?" he inquires, his gaze intense and unwavering.

I sit up straighter, my attention fully captured by the mention of the notorious cartel. "Of course. What of them?"

Father's gaze pins me to my seat, a glint of steel in his eyes that always signals trouble brewing on the horizon. "The Aguilars are making moves on our turf, Elio. They're branching out into New York, seeking to establish a foothold in our city."

My heart sinks like a stone plunging into the depths of a murky lake. New York is our domain, our kingdom built on a foundation of loyalty and fear. The Aguilar Cartel is a formidable giant from Mexico, its tendrils reaching out to grasp our city with an insatiable hunger that I know all too well.

"We need to nip this in the bud," he continues, his voice as cold as the grave. "They've got a daughter, Camila. She's starting at Crystal Lake as a freshman this year."

I clench my jaw, an uncomfortable heat flaring in my chest as I realize exactly where he's going with this. The girl is our link to the cartel and their plans, which means he'll want me to seduce her, to use her as a pawn in our game of power and control. Using the girl feels dirty, a stain on my already tarnished soul, but the end always justifies the means in our world.

"You want me to get close to her?" I ask, already knowing the answer but needing to hear it from his lips.

"Yes. She's your way in. Find out what her father is planning." His eyes flash with a dangerous intensity. "And I hear she's quite the beauty, so fucking her shouldn't be too much of a chore for you." He smirks.

It may not be a chore physically, but the real problem lies with Renzo. He always wants a piece of whatever girl I pursue. We've often shared girls, a twisted game of dominance and control. Our bond as brothers is strong, unbreakable even. Still, Renzo's lack of gentleness and restraint with the girls we've been involved with has always been a point of contention between us.

"I don't expect fucking her would be a chore, the chore will be keeping Renzo away from her," I respond.

Father's eyes flash with a mixture of annoyance and understanding.

Suddenly, Renzo barges into the room, his usual chaos trailing behind him like a dark cloud, a force of nature that cannot be contained. "Did I hear you say my name? What's this about a job?" he asks, his voice laced with excitement.

Father eyes Renzo with a look that could quell any man's madness – any man but Renzo, who seems to thrive on the chaos and disorder he brings wherever he goes.

"Elio was just leaving," Father says calmly, his voice even and controlled. "Discuss it with him outside."

Renzo shoots me a wild grin that doesn't quite reach his eyes and jerks his head toward the door, urging me to follow him. I rise from my seat without another word, tucking away the concern that claws at my insides like a restless beast. If I'm going to get the information Father wants, Renzo needs to stay the fuck out of this and let me handle it my way.

Once we're clear of Father's suffocating office, Renzo slings an arm around my shoulder. His energy is infectious despite the uncertainty of my task and the weight of responsibility that rests upon my shoulders.

"So? Spill it," he demands, his eyes gleaming with anticipation.

I shake off his arm and walk down the hall toward my room. "He wants me to cozy up to Camila Aguilar at Crystal Lake," I mutter.

Renzo whistles appreciatively. "The cartel princess herself? This should be fun."

His excitement starkly contrasts the dread in the pit of my stomach. It's not the task that worries me, but rather the challenge of keeping Renzo from scaring the girl off with his impulsive and often reckless behavior.

"Fun isn't the word I'd use." I pause at my door and face him squarely. "Keep your head on straight with this one, Renzo. We can't afford your usual antics, not when so much is at stake."

His smirk doesn't falter as he taps his temple mockingly, a gesture that only fuels my growing frustration. "All part of the charm, brother," he says, his voice dripping with confidence and self-assurance.

"It's best if you keep your hands to yourself and let me get close to her." I push open my bedroom door, eager to escape the tension that hangs heavy in the air between us.

Renzo lingers in the hallway, a frown deeply furrowing his brows."What's with the tight leash, Elio? Since when do you call the shots on who I can and can't touch?"

I turn to face him. "This isn't a game. Father wants us to stop the Aguilars, not start a war because you couldn't keep her in one piece or control your impulses."

Renzo's eyes narrow, a flicker of anger passing through them like lightning in a storm, a warning of the tempest that lurks beneath the surface. "And you think sweet-talking their princess will keep us out of a war? Come on, Elio. You're smarter than that."

"It's about information, not indulgence," I counter. "I'll handle Camila. You back me up and keep your distance. Let me do what needs to be done."

The standoff stretches between us, two predators sizing each other up, each unwilling to back down. Finally, Renzo scoffs and takes a step back, a small concession. "Fine, but I'm not your lapdog. If I get bored, I find my own fun and distractions."

"Find it away from Camila," I snap, my patience wearing thin.

The tension is still thick, a palpable force that threatens to suffocate us both, when Dante's voice cuts through it like a knife, sharp and precise. "You two ready to leave yet?" he asks.

Renzo turns to Dante as he approaches, his smirk returning as if our confrontation had been a brotherly spat.

Renzo leans against the wall, arms crossed, a smug look on his face that I know all too well. "Pops handed us a job. We're supposed to get cozy with the Aguilar princess and work our magic to extract the information we need."

I roll my eyes, annoyance prickling under my skin like a rash. "Father gave me the job. Not us. I'm the one who's supposed to handle this, to get close to Camila and gain her trust."

Dante's dark eyes flick between us, unphased by our back-and-forth. He's always a mediator between us. "I know about it. My father mentioned your new assignment last night and wanted me to be aware of the situation."

I glance at Dante, grateful for his steady presence and the way he always seems to know what to say to diffuse Renzo's reckless energy without much effort.

"So you're in on this too?" Renzo asks, pushing off the wall and stepping toward Dante.

Dante shakes his head, a lock of dark hair falling into his eyes. "Not directly. My old man wants me to watch things from a distance. Make sure you two don't screw this up, don't let your egos get in the way of what needs to be done."

I nod, trusting Dante's judgment far more than Renzo's impulsiveness. I know he has our best interests at heart.

Renzo snorts and shoves his hands into his pockets, a picture of nonchalance. "As if we need a babysitter, someone to hold our hands and make sure we play nice."

"Think of me more as backup," Dante replies with a half-smile, a gesture of his unwavering loyalty and support. "Someone to watch your backs and make sure things go smoothly."

Backup sounds about right—someone to fall back on when Renzo inevitably tries to light the fuse too early. My brother's impulsiveness is both his strength and weakness, but I won't allow him to derail this mission.

"So what's the play?" Dante asks, directing the question at me.

I straighten my jacket and clear my throat. "We approach this delicately," I begin. "Camila Aguilar is our in, but we can't spook her or let her suspect our true motives. I'll get close to her under the guise of helping her adjust to college life and offer her a friendly face in a sea of unfamiliarity. Ask her on a date, make her feel special and wanted."

"And what? We just chat her up about her family's criminal empire over coffee?" Renzo scoffs.

"No," I shoot back, my eyes narrowing. "it's about building trust, establishing a connection beyond the surface level, and gaining the girl's confidence so she'll let me get close enough to steal information about their operations."

Renzo looks like he wants to argue further, but he holds his tongue, which is a small miracle in itself.

Dante nods thoughtfully. "Subtle is better in this case. We can't afford an all-out war with the Aguilars—not on our turf, not when we have so much to lose."

"Exactly," I say, meeting Dante's gaze. "That's why we must play this smart and not let our emotions get the best of us."

"Don't tell me you're going to say I can't have my way with her too, Dante," Renzo whines, his voice taking on a petulant tone.

Dante raises an eyebrow at me before addressing Renzo. "You can't. The only way to get what we need from her is to keep her close—not scare her off or, worse."

The or worse means he might kill her. Unfortunately, Renzo has little self-control and has gone too far with girls a few times.

Renzo rolls his eyes, a gesture of defiance that speaks volumes about his disregard for authority. "Both of you are being killjoys, sucking the fun out of what could be a wild ride."

Dante claps his hands together, his eyes flicking to his watch in a silent reminder of the time slipping away. "Enough chitchat, let's hit the road."

It may only be an hour car journey to Crystal Lake, but we are all eager to get settled in.

I sigh and step out of my room ready to start my last year at Crystal Lake University—a year that now promises far more than academic challenges and social distractions. It's a chance to prove myself to Father, to show him that I'm ready to take a bigger role in the family business once I've graduated, that I have what it takes to lead and succeed in this world.

All I can hope is that Renzo doesn't fuck it all up for me, that he can keep his impulses in check long enough for us to get what we need and secure our family's legacy. But only time will tell, and the road ahead will surely be bumpy, filled with twists and turns that we can't even begin to anticipate. All we can do is hold on tight and hope for the best, knowing that failure is not an option, not when the stakes are this high.