Calloused

43

We stood on the dock, preparing to leave. The seagulls cried above us as the ocean lapped at the rocks along the shoreline. 

"I want you to have this." Nonna smiled as she held out on of my mother's paintings. It was the one of the farm she had grown up on. I looked at the back of it to see her signature and the date. I traced it with my fingers. 

"Thank you Nonna." I smiled as tears threatened to spill.

"She is always with you." She smiled, teary eyed. She gave me a hug, kissing my cheeks one last time before saying her goodbyes to my father and the others. 

Everyone started to board as H came running down the path. He had a flower in his hand. 

He handed it to me, a grin spreading across his face. It was a beautiful red rose. Just like the ones my father used to give my mom. 

"This was the secret mission?" I laughed, smelling the rose.

"I told him where to go, now hurry up." My father called to us. I looked at H, feeling my chest ache with happiness.

"Keep her safe for me." Nonna smiled, reaching up to give H a hug. 

"Till my last breath." He promised her. 

We waved from the boat as the shore grew smaller and smaller. Fiero and the rest of the men waved to us alongside my Nonna. I hadn't said a word to Fiero since H and him had gotten into it. Even after he had helped us destroy Vincent. I couldn't bring myself to even approach him. He had gotten out of line. Even if he thought I should be with him, I would never see him in that way. 

My soul belonged to H, my heart and being was his. We would be together through Heaven and Hell. Nothing would change that. 

"We will start with rebuilding our home, then recruit more men. We will start moving our products and goods through our clubs." My father spoke, coming up with our game plan. 

"We need to figure out who we can trust again, so we can continue making profit." I agreed.

"I want you and H with me when we start rebuilding. I need you to start preparing to take my place. Once you are married, you will claim your seat at the table." My father stated. 

I exchanged a look with H.

"Yes sir." H nodded.

The next few years would be crucial for us. We needed to absorb and learn as much as we could. But we were ready for the challenge. 

We arrived at the same dock that we had the first time we got off of the plane. My father led us back to the airport, this time we were less on edge. Once we boarded the plane, we took off within a half hour. 

We drank and played cards together. We knew once we landed back in America, the real work would start. My father put Niall in charge of the clubs. Liam would be in charge of security. Lou would be helping Niall and Liam with both. 

"You're bluffing. No way you your hand is higher than mine." Niall denied Liam.

"You want to bet?" Liam smirked, raising and eyebrow at him. 

"On the count of three, everyone show your cards." I said, breaking their stare off.

"One... Two... Three!" I said laying my cards down, face up in front of me.

"Who has the highest?" My father asked, adjusting his reading glasses on the bridge of his nose.

"I have 18." Niall shrugged.

"Shit, I got 16." Lou groaned. 

"I have 19." Liam smirked proudly.

"20." My father laughed.