Subtle Endearment

19. No More Secrets

Ian

Friday approaches quicker than I want it to and before I know it I'm seated in the small company on the other side of New York as Madam Melanie glares at me. The meeting ended several minutes ago. It was the usual, detailing progress of the several companies Stubborn Elites had managed to get a hold of, assigning new missions, and collecting funds. Madam Melanie seemed to be satisfied with everyone's progress during the meeting but the second she told Landon and I to stay back I knew I was screwed.

"What do you think you're doing hanging around women? You know you have better things to do," Madam Melanie screams as the clack of the door closing sounds. I'm sure that everyone can still hear her.

"You're lucky I didn't have the girl killed altogether. You need to direct your priorities back to Stubborn Elites. You've been out of it ever since you returned," she says, crossing her arms as she sits in the seat beside me.

"Don't get me started on you, Landon," she says, waving her hand in his direction.

"What do you mean? I've been good all this time," he says clearly enjoying her stressful state.

"You sent Jamal to Rochester and it was coincidentally the day after that I sent him to deal with Ian's little girlfriend," she spells out for him.

"I had an assignment for him there," Landon shrugs.

"In Rochester? That was your mission, you know he can't handle being in their territory. That's the whole reason you were going and now he's dead," she says now tapping her fingers against the table. Rochester is run by The Mob as they call themselves. They don't associate much with organizations and mainly concern themselves with loansharking. Despite this, they're pretty wealthy and have managed complete control over the area of New York for decades.

"Listen Ian, I'm doing this for you. If you really want a wife I have someone in mind that would advance the organization," Madam Melanie informs me.

"I'm not interested, if you really want to do something for me you can cut me loose from this whole thing," I say more to myself than her. The grin she'd had is quickly replaced with a frown and she walks around to me squeezing my cheeks as she speaks.

"You know I can't do that. When you two joined me you made a promise to stay till the end and I plan on getting every ounce of work out of you until that day does come. I wouldn't have made it this far without my number one assassin and businessman now would I?" she says leaving a scratch on my cheek as she moves her hands off my face.

"We know, Madam Melanie," Landon says kicking me under the table.

"Yeah, we know. I was only kidding, I know we can't leave," I joke.

Madam Melanie gives a sigh, relieved to have us back at the palm of her hands where she wants us.

"But about what you said, I think I'll wait a while longer before settling down with someone," I say hoping to get her off my chest.

"Okay, if you insist. She's quite the beauty though. Just call me when you're ready but don't wait too long, I need you both wedded before I'm gone," she says. "What do you mean?" I ask.

"I'm not doing too well and it's not like I have my own..." she remarks. "So you want us to carry on the Stubborn Elites," Landon finishes.

"And what if we don't?" Landon challenges. "Then everything we've worked for up until this point goes to the ground and it's not like you two exactly have the best track record. It'll be hard for either of you to make a living out here without the Stubborn Elites," she says matter-of-factually. I hate to admit it but she's right.