Mafia Dreamer

Chapter 1

Val huffed through his nostrils and panted as he lifted the heavy barbell over his head and brought it down on his chest, only to lift it once more.

He did this several more times before placing the barbell back onto its wrack and staring, from his spot on the cushioned work out bench, up at the far off ceiling of the gym he was in.

His eyes narrowed up at the ceiling and his stare turned into a glare as he played the previous conversation, with his dad in his head.

"Valentin you've got to learn to control your temper." Sasha Chmerkovskiy told his second eldest son, leaning over the large cherry wood desk before him and eyeing Val.

Val looked back at his father, jaw clenched and a defiant look on his face. He'd known right away as soon as he got the phone call from his father, what their conversation would consist of but he wasn't going to get into trouble for something that wasn't his fault!

"If he hadn't been running his damn mouth so much, things wouldn't have gotten out of hand." The dark haired man argued.

"Valentin this is the fifth guy, of mine, you've sent to the hospital since you've been with us! The fifth guy! Anyone else would've been dismissed and sent away a long time ago for this kind of violent behavior!" He explained in anger. "Maksim never had this problem-"

"Papa, he was making jokes about-"

"Dostatochno, I know you care about her!" Sasha interrupted. "And I know it wasn't right but five guys, Valentin?! This has got to stop! The fighting has got to stop!" he finished.

"Well if you didn't hire such low lives-"

"It's got to stop!" Sasha roared, voice seemingly echoing throughout the office.

Val sighed loudly and his jaw clenched tightly as he quickly leaned up to the front of his seat. He looked very much like he wanted to say something, but he soon threw himself back into the back of his seat and was quiet. He could tell from the tone of his father's voice that his words were negotiable.

"Now..." Sasha sighed, sensing that his son was finally ready to listen. "You're good at what you do. You're one of the best guys I have, not to mention you're my son... I don't want to do this, but if you let this happen again... I'm going to have to relive you of your duties-"

"What?! Leave the business?! You can't do that!" Val objected, looking both surprised and outraged at his father's words.

"I can, and I will." Sasha spoke with finality." I will not show favoritism just because you're my son, Valentin." He informed the young man before him. "Now I don't want it to come to that though, so don't let it happen again." He firmly told Val. "No more fighting." He finished, a stern look on his face.

Val didn't answer. He just sat there, his face the epitome of the word 'agitated.' He was never one to let anyone speak to him any kind of way, his brother and father knew this, heck everyone knew it. The thought of not being able to do anything about people who crossed the line, people who disrespected him or his family, or people he just did not like, was not a comfortable thought.

"Understand, Valentin?" Sasha spoke, loud and strict.

Val didn't say anything. His jaw clenched tightly and he balled his hands into fists, still livid at the ultimatum his dad had presented to him.

"Understand?" He repeated, voice louder than before.

"Yeah, alright. Whatever, no fighting. Got it." Val spoke before angrily rising from his seat.