Next in Line (Monarch of the Kohler Mafia) Book 5 of the Köhler Series

𝕋𝕙𝕣𝕖𝕖

Xerxes was cutting it close. He had only gotten Riley's gifts and has yet to talk to his mother like he should.

Each time he tried, his father was present, and he knew that it would have been an automatic no from him.

It was three days away from Riley's birthday, and if he didn't talk his mother into this, it meant he had to get a hotel room, something he didn't want to do.

Still, for the fourth day in a row, his father was up his mother's ass. It was like he knew he was up to something.

"Just go asked both of them."

"Heav, have you lost your fucking mind? Dad is going to scream no before I can even breathe the words. You know how he is always talking that shit about me being his Co-Don, and I need to start acting like it."

"He's telling you to stop being a whore and get your life together. Not that you can spend time with Riley. Hell, that is what they want. He didn't do what he did for nothing," She said, making Xerxes nod his head. Still, he wasn't asking their dad shit.

"X, I know you are only eighteen, but in a few months, you be nineteen. You have to remember you are next in line. Dad picked you because he knew you could handle it. The thing is, you can't with the wrong woman by your side. Plus, Mom will kill everyone until you see who is the right one," Heaven said, patting his shoulder, whispering talk to them before walking away, making him sigh going into the office with them.

His father looked up first, then his mother, both pointing at the seat in front of the desk for him to sit.

"A-am I in trouble?"

"No, should you be?" His father asked, making Xerxes shake his head. "No, sir," Luca nodded, turning the laptop around to him.

"I need you to go to the warehouse and handle this," He said, showing him one of their men in their North Carolina warehouse stealing guns and drugs.

"I--"

"Nope," He said, holding up his hand. "Do that. Then we will talk."

Xerxes sighed, knowing that his dad was testing him. So, he replied, 'yes sir,' and left, calling his sibling and some guards.

"Luca, was that really necessary? You know damn Ethan and Toni could have taken care of that."

"True, but Xerxes needs to learn that he will be Don one day, and the way it's looking, it's going to be one day soon. The two of them are going to slip up. If not, he will soon realize that he loves her. No man cuts off another man's arm for touching a woman he swears he don't love."

Luca was right. He has threatened men for looking at the girl and cut off one man's arm.

If it weren't for Riley, it would have killed him, and in the past four months, Adele has seen a big change in Xerxes.

.

.

.

After a whole day, Xerxes and his siblings were back in D.C. His parents were sitting and eating in the kitchen, pushing plates over to them as they walked in.

"It's handled. I killed everyone involved," Xerxes said, grabbing his plate about to walking away when his father called him.

"X."

"Yeah?"

Luca raised a brow, making him realize what he said, turning his yeah to a 'yes sir,' and giving him his full attention.

"You can have the house by the lake for whatever you are doing for Riley. Don't fuck it up."

"Wait, what? I mean, thank you," He said, bowing to his dad then hugging his mom speed walking to the dining area with his sibling.