A Love Story Written in Blood

SHILOH THOUGHT HE might be sick.

This wasn't what he had been expecting, at all. On some level, he wondered if the sweet, kind-hearted man who giggled watching Disney movies and had a soft spot for kids was all a lie because that couldn't be the same, Lucian. No, this Lucian had to be his twin, separated at birth, or some crazy unbelievably shit like that, because this defiantly wasn't the same person. Even if Lucian had an evil twin Shiloh wouldn't judge. Shiloh wasn't in the last bit judgemental; sure, he could be overtly opinionated, and so what if he happened to have certain fixed views that wouldn't change no matter how much people around him cautioned that they should?

If he was being completely honest, he liked his simple life.

Going shopping, talking to his friends, and occasionally speaking to his family. That life was safe, honest, and secure. He never had to look over his shoulder or fear that something dangerous was lurking in the shadows. Yet, standing here in Lucian's enormous office surrounded by lethal killers whom he thought were Lucian's bodyguards made his stomach turn. Swallowing thickly, he felt out of place in the large room, with his designer silk scarf around his neck, navy blue coat, and tight black skinny jeans. His hand fell delicately over his chest as he gazed at the large wooden cabinet left open for display. With wide distrusting eyes, he stared at it, his stomach doing flips and he turned away quickly to stop the bile from rising to his throat.

Nestled casually in the cabinet were 25 caliber pistols and handguns, automatic weapons, AK 47s, various swords and every type of weapon ever made. The mafia lair was a dimly lit room, with rows of guns lining the walls. The weapons glinted in the low light, a silent testament to the power and ruthlessness of the organization. The room was large and opulent, with expensive furniture and luxurious decor.

A grand fireplace stood at one end of the room, its flames casting a warm glow over the space. The floors were made of gleaming marble, and the walls were adorned with expensive works of art. In the center of the room stood a large, imposing desk, where the head of the organization would conduct his business. The desk was made of rich mahogany, and it was adorned with intricate carvings and gold inlays. Behind the desk, a large, leather armchair sat, and it was clear that this was the seat of power.

Shiloh could sense the room a sense of danger and threat, yet it was also a symbol of wealth and success, a representation of the organization's power and influence. It wafted with a sense of mystery and intrigue, it was a place where deals were made, lives were changed and power was consolidated.

No, he was defiantly going to be sick.

Inside Lucian's office men—who looked more like ex-soldiers—casually walked around with black armor, combat boots, and carrying automatic weapons making it look like it was normal. Even Lucian sat casually at his large mahogany desk with his silver handgun lying right in front of him while smoking a cigar and talking animatedly to Chris.

Since when did Lucian smoke?

Anger spiked through his body, deep to his core, and he wondered if all of this was just some huge joke. It seems that being in the Mafia was only half of the lies Lucian ever told him. Grinding his teeth together he stood off to the side, fighting the urge to storm out of there, but of course, he didn't. Instead, he stood there, eyes slowly narrowing into slits as he glared at everyone else around him.

He needed to be stronger than this.

If the mere sight of weapons made him want to run to the toilet, spilling his guts out, then maybe he shouldn't have agreed to come today.

Hell, he shouldn't have agreed to stay engaged to Lucian.

In the end, that's what it all boiled down to. If he planned to be a part of the family he needed to know everything.

"It's a lot to take in."

Startled, Shiloh whirled around and was a little displeased to find Kyle smiling sympathetically at him. Crossing his arms over his chest stubbornly, he stared coldly at him.

"Yeah," Shiloh replied dryly. "I guess it would have been a lot easier to take in if my so-called friends decided to keep me in the loop."

Kyle shrugged. "You know why we couldn't tell you. It wasn't anything personal Lucian swore us all to secrecy."

"Cut the shit," Shiloh said through gritted teeth. "You were just saving your ass. Now it doesn't matter, because I know the truth, and I'm not going anywhere."

"Good," Kyle said nodding slowly. "Secretes are important in this line of work so you better get over it."

Shiloh was just about to spit out a venomous response when he heard his name being called. Without sparing Kyle a glance, he trotted over to Lucian, who had stubbed his cigar out and was leaning casually back in his chair. Motioning his hand forward, Shiloh grabbed it and let his fiancé pull him into his lap.

"Are you okay?" Lucian asked, his hand coming to rest on Shiloh's thigh.

"Fine," Shiloh replied. "Just a little overwhelmed, that's all."

"You'll get used to it," Lucian answered, planting a light kiss on his cheek. "Ask me anything you want. Don't be afraid, love."

Shiloh nodded. "This office is huge."

"It's a warehouse, actually," Lucian said smoothly. "We have several near the docks, and right now we are underground." Shiloh made a face. "Don't worry, we are perfectly safe down here. This way I can keep an eye on our imports and exports. The men that work for me are very good at their job."

"Why…why do you need so many weapons?"

"Because beautiful, there are some people who want to take over our business," Lucian responded. "We have a lot of enemies."

"Are you sure this is…are you being safe?" Shiloh said, feeling uneasy.

"I'm always safe," Lucian smiled. "And I want you to be safe, too. That's why I got you this." The gun he mistakenly thought was his fiancé was pushed towards him. "It's light and not too heavy, so you can carry it whenever I'm not around. Of course, Kyle and Chris will be watching you like a hawk, but in case something were to happen, I want you to be safe."

Shiloh stared at the piece of metal horrified. "Lucian—what? No, I can't have a...gun."

"Safety precaution, babe. You probably won't ever use it, but just in case, please, take it. And maybe one day I'll take you to the firing range."

His stomach wrenched, twisting painfully, and all he could do was nod.

Lucian went back to talking business with his co-workers, occasionally squeezing him on the thigh or kissing his cheek. Shiloh completely spaced out, his mind going a mile a minute as he thought about what owning a gun would mean for him. Was he ready for all of this? It was one thing knowing that his fiancé was in the Mafia, and another thing seeing it. Could he watch Lucian kill people? Could he kill people himself?

This wasn't the time to doubt.

If he was ever going to be Mr. Botticelli then he couldn't be scared. Lucian had enough things to worry about.

Straightening his back, he leaned forward on Lucian's lap, listening intently to the conversation around him. Alberto, Chris, and Kyle were all trying to figure out the best possible way to hide the imports and exports most legally.

"A Casino."

Four sets of heads turned to look at him.

"What?" Chris asked.

"You should build a casino," Shiloh continued, his face growing hot with all the attention on him.

"Why would we do that?" Kyle said.

"Think about it," Shiloh replied. "That way you can push all the drugs you want to the people who have the most money, you won't have to worry about shady partners, people who won't pay you back, and of course druggies. We'll be dealing with people who are too rich for their good and spend way too much money, to begin with. Eventually, we won't have to muscle people into paying us; they'll owe us anyway through their gambling debts."

Alberto's jaw dropped. "The boy's a genius!"

"Excellent, that's an excellent idea," Lucian said his face lightening up like a thousand lights. "Fuck small-time businesses and crooks, we can take it to the big league. You are a genius!" Lucian started peppering his face with kisses. "Kyle, I want to get started on this right away, and it can be a hotel Casino!"

Kyle nodded, grabbing his notepad, and the men all began brainstorming.

"I love you, did I tell you how much I love you?" Lucian whispered hotly in his ear.

Shiloh smiled, a blush covering his cheeks.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad after all.