The Godfather's Lost Son

Chapter 4

“How did I get into Anna’s bed that night?” Alex blinked as he sat in the back seat of Anna’s car. He had absolutely no idea how to respond to her question.

After all, he didn’t even remember going into the hotel. “Look, I know this is hard to believe, but I really don’t know how I ended up in your bed. One minute, I was out in the street drunk, and the next I was waking up next to you.”

Anna rolled her eyes. “That is such a pathetic excuse. You men always lie to protect yourselves. Do you have any idea how much you’ve ruined my life?”

Alex arched an eyebrow. “And how have I ruined your life exactly?”

“Excuse me, Anna bolted. Did you ever think for one moment that maybe, just maybe, I didn’t want to marry a delivery boy who I’ve never met before? Or maybe that I’d want to actually be in love with the person I marry? No, you only think about yourself, don’t you?”

Alex sighed.

If only I could tell her who I really am, but I promised Cyrus I would keep it a secret. And besides, I have no idea if I can trust her.

Alex turned to face Anna, placing a hand on her shoulder. As he did, she turned to face him as well. They met each other’s eyes for a moment.

“Look, Anna, I’m really sorry that this isn’t the marriage you always hoped for, but if you let me try, I’d like to find a way to make it up to you.”

She blinked at him. “Really? You’re being serious?”

“Yes, of course.”

Anna bit her lip, staring at Alex thoughtfully for a moment. Then she turned to her chauffeur. “Driver, take us back to my place instead.”

The car sped off again.

“So we’re going to yours?” Alex asked.

“Yes.” Anna pulled away from him, folding her arms. “You can sleep in the staff quarters at my place, at least until I figure out a way out of this predicament. And don’t let anyone see you. You can go in and out through the staff entrance until I introduce you to my parents.”

Alex nodded. “Okay… I guess that’s a start.”

Anna raised an eyebrow. “What do you mean, a start? This isn’t going to end the way you’re hoping.”

Alex raised his hands in mock surrender. “If you say so.”

But when he flashed her a smile, she smiled back.

“No, Dad, I’m not leaving you here.”

That night, Alex found himself back in the dark alley where his father, Samuel, was killed. He watched as his father pulled himself to his feet, raising his gun to fire at the men standing by his car.

As Alex watched his dad limp away, the faces of the men attacking his father grew clearer, though they were still distorted and blurred.

Suddenly, Alex’s vision came into sharp focus. A man with a big scar running down the center of his face fired a gun right at Samuel.

“Go!” Alex cried out.

Alex woke up once again, drenched in sweat.

It was the same dream he always had, although this time he knew the name of the man with the scar—Raymond Caster.

Just a dream… or was it a memory?

Could Raymond really be the one who killed my father?

Alex wiped the sweat from his brow. He looked around and remembered he was in the staff quarters of the Stone mansion—Anna’s family home.

Then it dawned on him that he had to go to work today.

“Oh shit. I’m totally screwed.”

In the chaos of the previous day, Alex had completely forgotten about his normal delivery job. Everything Cyrus had told him about the Tiger Group and his father’s legacy had completely consumed his thoughts.

He quickly threw on his clothes, checking to make sure the large stack of bills Cyrus had given him was still there, and headed off to work.

“Sorry I’m late! I’m here, though, and ready to make some deliveries!” Alex called out as he hurried through the front door of the restaurant.

Before he could even take two steps inside, Eric, Alex’s coworker, blocked his path.

“Hey there, Alex. Looks like somebody had a little trouble getting into work on time today.”

“Sorry, I overslept.”

“Oh, don’t worry. I already took the liberty of telling the boss for you. He wants to see you in his office.”

Alex groaned. “Thanks a lot, Eric.”

He slumped his shoulders and headed to the back room.

When Alex walked in, his boss, a large, imposing man with a thick beard, leaned back in his chair, grimacing.

“Where have you been?” he grumbled.

“I’m sorry, sir. I got caught up in something.” Alex couldn’t tell his boss the truth. He had to keep his identity a secret. Cyrus told him as much.

“That’s your best excuse?” Alex’s boss folded his arms. “Do you have any idea how behind we are on deliveries because of you? We lost hundreds of dollars’ worth of business already, and now you have the nerve to just walk in here like nothing happened?”

“Look, I’m sorry, okay? It won’t happen again.”

His boss stood up and pointed at the door. “Oh, I know it won’t happen again, because you’re fired. Pack your things and get out.”

Alex’s jaw dropped. “Fired? I can’t be fired. I need this job.”

“Well, you should have thought of that before. Now, are you going to leave quietly, or do I need to ask my friends here to help?”

Alex spotted two tough-looking guys standing outside of his boss’s office, presumably there to make sure he left without causing a scene.

“Okay, fine, I’ll go. But you owe me the rest of my pay for last week. I’m not leaving until you pay me.”

Alex’s boss laughed. “Oh, is that so?”

He snapped his fingers. “Guys, show Alex here to the door.”

Without hesitating, the two hired thugs started for Alex.

As they approached him, Alex’s instincts took over. He grabbed one of the thug’s arms and pulled it toward the ground, throwing him off balance and causing him to trip over his own body weight.

Seeing this, the other thug charged at Alex, but Alex threw a punch, knocking the other thug’s teeth out.

The thug fell straight back, landing on the ground with a solid thud.

In the blink of an eye, both thugs were lying unconscious on the ground.

Alex’s boss sat down in his chair, trembling in fear.

“Okay, fine, fine!” Alex’s boss scribbled on a check on his desk. “Here’s what I owe you for last week. Now will you just get out of here?”

Alex smirked as he took the check. “Sure thing. No problem, boss. Thanks for everything.”

My father always said, when one door closes, another one opens, Alex thought to himself as he strutted out of the restaurant.

Looks like my days as a delivery boy are over.

Later that night, Alex was at his old apartment collecting some of his things when the doorbell rang.

“That must be the pizza I ordered.”

He hurried to the door to pay for his food.

When it swung open, a scrawny, acne-ridden teen stood in the doorway.

“That’ll be $15.90 for the pizza,” the delivery boy said.

Alex smiled to himself.

He sort of reminds me of me… the old me.

He took the stack of cash Cyrus had given him out of his pocket, pulled out a $20 and then another $100 bill.

“Here’s $20 for the pizza. Keep the change.” He placed both bills in the delivery boy’s shirt pocket. “And here’s a little something extra for you.”

The delivery boy’s eyes looked like they were about to pop out of their sockets.

“A hundred bucks? Wow… thanks!”

Without saying another word, he handed the pizza to Alex and scampered off.

Alex grinned. I can’t remember the last time I ordered a pizza for myself. Probably before I met Vanessa. The whole time we were together, she never let us order out. She would always insist we had to save money for a house.

Maybe I’m better off without her after all.

Suddenly, Alex’s phone rang.

He placed the pizza down on his kitchen counter to take the call. The words “Unknown Number” flashed across the screen.

“Hello?”

“Alex, it’s me.”

“Cyrus?”

The corners of Alex’s mouth curled into a smile. “Cyrus, it’s good to hear from you. I was beginning to think last night was just a dream.”

“I assure you, Alex, this is no dream. But it’s up to us now to make sure it doesn’t become a nightmare.”

“A nightmare? What do you mean?”

“There’s someone I want you to meet. He’s going to help you become the Tiger,” Cyrus explained. “His name is Ben Jamieson.”

“Ben Jamieson?”

Alex’s breath caught in his throat.

“Yes. Do you know him?”

Alex scoffed. “Know him? Everybody in Chicago knows him. He’s one of the most successful entrepreneurs of the last decade.”

“Well, now he works for you.”

“What? Ben Jamieson works for me?”

“That’s right. Jamieson is one of our key contacts in the Tiger Group, and he can help you take back what’s rightfully yours. But heads up—Ben won’t take orders from you without a little persuading.”

“How can someone like me persuade Ben Jamieson of anything?” Alex wondered aloud.

“Because you’re the Tiger,” Cyrus replied.

“Does he know that?”

“Not yet. But he will when you tell him who you are.”

Alex’s breathing quickened as he gathered his resolve.

“Okay. Where and when am I meeting you?”

“Meet us at the Sapphire Club tonight,” Cyrus replied.

Will Alex be able to prove himself to Ben Jamieson, or will his chance of joining the Tiger Group disappear before it begins?

What will happen when they meet at the Sapphire Club? Will Alex ever find out who killed his father?