Meant for me

When I first met Pete, at an event in the Main Family compound, he looked as bland as any other bodyguard, just another lapdog for my dear cousin to boss around.

When I saw him for the second time, in a meeting with Kinn, he looked terrified of me his dark eyes were bulging like he was seeing the devil himself which was exactly the reaction I always looked for in the Main Family pets.

Pete never stood out before, it was like he just wanted to blend in the background and not get any attention to himself, his desire to hide in plain sight was what got me looking for him every time I had to face the Main Family bastards, he was a nice distraction for when I needed to pretend to be civil with my lovely family.

He always seemed shy and polite, and I thought I knew him enough to predict his actions and his tastes, I was sure he was the type of person who would never fit in the mafia world as more than someone's shadow. I couldn't be more wrong.

After my - way too long - stay at the hospital it took a while before things started to go back to their original places, a few months after I recovered we started getting invited to mafia-related events, and Pete was no longer a bodyguard, now he was my partner.

I have to confess, I was worried this change of positions might be too much for him, and I was afraid he would have second thoughts about being with me. It wasn't because I doubted his feelings for me, but from being a bodyguard who was supposed to be invisible to being the partner of someone like me - that was expected to be under the spotlight - it was quite a change.

As always he surprised me as he took the role of being one of the most important members of the Minor Family as second nature, it was like he was born for this, it was like he was born to be mine.

I wasn't the only one who had doubts about Pete feeling comfortable by my side, members of the Main Family were expecting him to go back as soon as I was out of the hospital, but my Pete surprised them all when not only he didn't go back, but he also had my back and defended me anytime someone badmouthed me, not even Macau could get away from his fury, as every time my brother started to nag and complain Pete would put him on his place just like a parent would.

In many opportunities, Pete proved wrong those that thought he wasn't meant to be with me, but there was a specific day that showed me there wasn't a better person to be leading the Minor Family with me. From the view of an outsider, it was just an ordinary meeting with some mafia men who hated and disapproved of how I ran the business after my father was killed, but for me, it was much more than this.

It was a rainy Wednesday morning and I had a meeting I wish I could avoid, I told Pete he didn't have to attend it with me since he was still tired and sore from last night, but as I imagined he refused to sleep in.

-'' This will be a meeting with the Orekhov and Yakuza, right? This has all the right ingredients for a disaster, so I am not letting you go on your own.'' Said Pete while looking for the right clothes that fit this pitiful day.

-'' That's the reason why I don't want you to go, I prefer not worrying about you getting hurt.'' I tried to convince him one more time to stay and be safe, even though I knew it was a lost cause.

-'' I'm not a damsel in distress, Vegas. I served the Main Family for years, I know how to take care of myself and your lack of trust in my skills offends me.'' Pete finished speaking in a tone that left no room for discussion, so I stopped arguing.

That day we were only meeting two representatives from the Russian and Japanese mafia and even though there were few people, the fact that they were rivals, was enough to make us worry about a bloodbath.

We were sitting in what used to be my father's office, and I was already losing patience with the men arguing in front of me, It had been almost half an hour, and we weren't getting any closer to finishing the deal that would allow our drugs to be smuggled to Russia and Japan.

-'' I want twenty percent of your drug profit in my country.'' Said the Japanese man and agreed the Russian mob.

-'' All we are able to offer is five percent of our profit.'' I said, already losing my cool, ''You guys are just low-class gangsters, but you think you own the deal.''

-'' If that is what you think, you can try to smuggle your product without our help, can't you?.'' Said the Russian man while getting up from his seat and preparing to leave. I knew we would lose this deal, and I couldn't see a way out that wouldn't be bad for us.

That was when Pete - who up until now was only watching - picked his Glock from the holster and pointed it at them '' You two sit down, you're only leaving when we allow you to. The deal is we are offering you five percent of our profit, no more than this.''

The men were about to complain when Pete continued -'' You have two options, you either accept, and we all continue with our lives as usual, or you decline our offer knowing that the Theerapanyakun Family will stop providing you cover to smuggle weapons, and we will no longer take any deals with your countries, and do you know what will happen then?'' Spoke Pete with a small smile that could only mean trouble.

The two gangsters stopped to think, and my love said the sentence that sealed the deal ''You will lose all influence in Thailand, and without our support, you will have to go back running to your countries, don't forget who actually runs this game.''

Soon after he stopped talking, the men took the deal, afraid that without our help their enemies would want to slaughter them all.

After that day the word spread that Pete was not my bodyguard or my boy toy, he was my partner, he knew what he was doing, and he wasn't afraid to face anyone to make sure our family got only the best.

Even with all my doubts, it was easy for me to realize that Pete's talents were wasted when he was a bodyguard - he was meant to be under the spotlight, he was meant to be a leader.

He was meant to be by my side