The Godfather's Lost Son

Chapter 3

“No, it can’t be.” Alex’s eyes flashed with rage as he stared at the photo in Cyrus’s office.

The sounds of the party thumped through the wall from the next room. The photo featured Alex’s father, Samuel, standing between a younger version of Cyrus and another man with a large scar on his face.

The man with the scar looked exactly like one of the men in his recurring nightmare, the one who killed his father. Alex’s dream was beginning to seem more and more real.

“What’s wrong? You look angry,” Cyrus asked Alex.

Play it cool, Alex told himself, if you want to avenge your father.

You have to wait until the time is right to strike. “This man in the photo… I recognize him. Who is he?”

“That’s Raymond Caster. He was a business partner of mine and your father’s. Together, the three of us ran the Tiger Group,” Cyrus explained.

“What’s the Tiger Group?”

“The Tiger Group is the most powerful mafia syndicate in Chicago, a vast network of businesses and mob activity that spans across dozens of industries throughout the world.”

“And it all belongs to you now. It’s your father’s legacy and your inheritance.”

Alex was unable to believe what he was hearing. “My father ran the mafia?”

Cyrus nodded. “The Tiger Group made Chicago what it is. We’re the ones who control this city behind the scenes—the politicians, the police, the newspapers, all of it. Sure, we may use some less-than-desirable means from time to time, but only because we need to. Chicago is built on corruption. If we weren’t running things, some other gang would be.”

“Ultimately, we run this town and we make it better, and we have a duty to keep it that way.”

“It’s up to you now.”

“Me? How can I run a mafia empire?” Alex stammered. “I’m just a delivery boy, an orphan.”

Cyrus clutched Alex by the shoulders. “Wrong. You’re the son of a mafia kingpin, one of the greatest that ever lived. It’s in your blood.”

“Listen to me closely, Alex. We can’t let the Tiger Group fall into the wrong hands. We’ll lose everything your father worked so hard for.”

Alex exhaled sharply. “What do you mean by falling into the wrong hands?”

Cyrus released his grip on Alex, pacing back and forth. “I’m the last living member of the founders of Tiger Group. Both your father and Raymond are dead.”

Damn. I guess that bastard died before I had a chance to kill him, Alex thought.

“So if they’re both dead, are you running the Tiger Group?”

“No.” Cyrus shook his head. “When your father died, Raymond took over operations. Then before he passed away, he handed control down to his son, Maximilian Caster. Max is running things now, but you should be in control. It was your father’s last wish that you take over for him.”

Alex sat down on a nearby chair, his mind racing. “So let me get this straight. My father ran a gang called the Tiger Group, and then he—”

“Yes,” Cyrus interrupted him. “He was murdered. We’re not sure who did it, but one day we’ll find out.”

I know it.

Alex looked into Cyrus’s eyes. “Do you have any idea who killed my father?”

“No. Sadly, I don’t. Not definitively.”

Alex’s mind began to race.

If my dream is actually a real memory, then Raymond could have killed my father to seize control.

He began to wonder if he should tell Cyrus about this.

No. I just met this Cyrus guy. Who knows if I can trust him?

He decided to hold back and keep his dreams a secret for now.

Cyrus interrupted Alex’s train of thought. “Frankly, the culprit behind your father’s murder is only one of our problems. There’s also Dominic Grayson, the boss of a rival mafia organization that’s as powerful as we are. We also believe there’s a spy lurking within the Tiger Group.”

Alex furrowed his brow. “A spy?”

Cyrus nodded. “We’re working on trying to figure out who it is, but in the meantime, you need to watch out for Dominic and his men. Chances are he’s hunting you down. If you’re alive, that’s a threat to Dominic and his organization.”

Alex stood up once again, pacing the room. “But I don’t understand. If my father left me the Tiger Group and you want me to take control, why didn’t you come look for me? After my father’s death, I was raised all alone in an orphanage. I had to make my own way in the world. You could have saved me. You could have raised me.”

As Alex’s temper flared, Cyrus tried to calm him down. “Look, Alex, we tried. Really. But when your father died, there was so much fallout about who would control the company. I was busy trying to preserve your legacy. By the time I was actually able to start looking for you, you had already grown up so much.”

“We didn’t know where you would end up or what you might look like.”

Suddenly, Cyrus checked the time on his watch. “We’re running out of time. It’s dangerous for us to keep talking for much longer.”

He pulled out a thick stack of bills, forcing them into Alex’s hand. “Take this. You’ll need it. Maximilian is out of town right now, but once he’s back, we can discuss how to get you back in charge where you belong.”

“For now, you should keep your identity a secret until we decide on our next move.”

Alex looked down at the money in his hand and felt doubt creeping in. “Look, Cyrus, I don’t think I’m cut out for this. I mean, how am I supposed to run a group like the Tiger Group? I don’t know anything about organized crime.”

Cyrus placed his hands on Alex’s shoulders. “Alex, you can run the Tiger Group because you are the Tiger. This is your legacy. It’s time to take back what’s yours.”

As Cyrus spoke these words, Alex felt a new confidence building inside him.

Cyrus is right.

I was born for this, and this is what my father would have wanted.

The corners of Cyrus’s mouth curled into a smile. “Don’t be afraid. I’ll be here to help you. You can do it. Your father believed in you, and I do too.”

“Now let’s go.”

Cyrus ushered him to the door of the office. “Promise me, for now, you’ll lay low.”

Alex nodded.

“Good. I’ll be in contact soon. Let’s head back to the party.”

Without saying another word, Cyrus opened the door, pushed Alex out, and followed him into the crowd.

Alex’s mind was still racing as he weaved his way through the packed room, his face completely flushed.

What the hell just happened? Tiger Group… Dominic Grayson…

What am I supposed to do now?

Before he could answer that question, Derek and Anna raced back over to him. Derek was practically grinning from ear to ear, eager to delight in his pain.

“Well, let’s see what the damage is. Did Cyrus give you the famous Shaw family greeting?” he said, making a punching motion with his fist.

“Wait, you don’t even have so much as a scratch on you.”

Derek crossed his arms. “Cyrus, do you know this guy? What gives?”

Cyrus locked eyes with Alex, signaling him to play along. He clapped his hand on Alex’s shoulder.

“I didn’t have a chance to mention this before. Alex here is the son of one of my drivers, so we go way back. His father has always served me well.”

Alex’s face grew bright red.

Derek started snickering under his breath. “A chauffeur’s son? That’s too much. Great catch, Anna.”

Anna buried her face in her palms, beyond embarrassed.

“Anyway, I’m afraid I haven’t been a very good host to my other guests, so please excuse me.”

Cyrus stepped away from the group.

A few seconds later, Derek wandered off after him.

As soon as Anna and Alex were alone, she sighed and pulled him toward the exit. “Come on. Let’s get out of here before you find another way to embarrass me.”

Anna and Alex sat in the backseat of the car, completely silent.

Alex could feel just how angry Anna was at the prospect of being married to him.

Anna called to the driver in the front seat, “Head back to his place first, then we’ll go back to mine.”

“Yes, Miss.”

Alex arched his eyebrows in surprise. “So how long do you plan on us living separately?”

Anna crossed her arms over her chest. “Forever. Is that a problem?”

“No, no, I just thought… you know, if we’re supposed to be engaged—”

“Let’s get one thing straight here,” Anna interrupted him, glaring at him with venomous eyes. “I don’t like you. But for better or for worse, we’re stuck together, at least until I figure out a way out of this, so we’re just going to have to deal with it. Until this all blows over. Got it?”

“Hey, I have a great idea. These could be our wedding vows,” Alex chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. “I hate you, you hate me, but for better or worse, we’re stuck together until death do us part.”

Anna frowned, but Alex thought he could detect a slight smirk at the corner of her mouth, though it disappeared as they pulled up to his apartment.

Her eyes widened at the sight of Alex’s building. “This is where you live?”

“Yep. It’s not much, but it’s home.”

Anna looked visibly disgusted. “Now I get it. So when you saw me, you thought, ‘Hey, here’s some rich girl I can use to get ahead in life.’”

“No, no, that is not it at all. I’m not trying to use you or anything. Believe me, I feel just as confused as you do about what happened.”

Anna scoffed. “Oh, really? Then how did you get into my bed last night?”

Alex froze.

How did I end up in her bed?

He had no idea how to answer that question.

Will Alex be able to take back the Tiger Group for himself? Who really killed Alex’s father? Will Alex and Anna figure out how they ended up together?