Malicious Romance

Chapter 85

"Since everyone is here, why don't we get started?" The oldest mafia man in the meeting room spoke loudly, breaking the tense atmosphere.

The huge room caused the man's hoarse voice to echo. The twenty men in blacks were seated in the chair in such a posture that depicted their dark aura. The various colored tattoos and marks on their body contrasted the mafia men from one another. The tattoos covered them beautifully with unique curvatures on every inch and curve of their arms and necks. 

The guards surrounded the room, stood still as statues. The guns and knives were securely hooked to their waist holster. Their eyes inspected the room cautiously without the need of command from their superiors. Their hands were holding the rifles firmly, but their muscle memories know where to aim those rifles if the situation ever turned down south.

Aaron and Dean sat silently next to each other, meanwhile, their gaze held sharply fixed at the oldest man across the table who seemed to be unsettled compared to everyone else.

One of the guards, who stood by the door, hurried to pull the door close as promptly as he heard the beginning of the conference.

"I know it's just the twenty of us today, but shit is soon getting out of hand if we don't meet up. Others are overseas. They will be joining virtually shortly." The man said before he turned slightly to signal one of his men to turn on the projector. "While he is getting that ready, why don't we start with something good to light up the mood?"

"Well, if we want to start by sharing how our days have been, that will be great. Recently, my trading has been going fairly smoothly. I didn't have to face any problems, really. We didn't have to get any blood on our hands, which was great, I guess. I just hope that everyone respects my territory when coming over. You are not forbidden to cross the boundary, but keeping your head a bit lower in other people's territory would be great. I don't want any issues. And, I hope I don't have to mention who it is." The Russian man with a thick accent spoke briefly while glazing his sights over to another man, whose head was bald but glowed with the reflection of the ceiling light.

The British man straightened his back a bit before replying in a grave voice. "You can talk, but better keep your eyes elsewhere."

"Come on, gentlemen. This is supposed to be a formal meeting. Keep the heat down if you can please. We've just lost two of our members recently. Don't you feel the need to pay them some respect?"

Aaron chuckled a bit as he was about to take a sip of his wine.

"What's with that giggling, son? It seems like this is your first conference after your father's death, isn't it?"

Dean's brows tightened when the voice of the oldest man didn't seem to please his ears. Especially the word father's death. He clenched his teeth a bit before he said, "First or not, why should you care? It doesn't really seem to bother anyone else."

"Ah, I totally forgot that both of you are the Cobra's brothers. Why are you so sensitive? Was it because of the truth that came out of my mouth? If it didn't please your hearing, then it's my apology. But, don't take it wrong from me though. Just because I am the oldest here, it doesn't mean I am the kindest... Especially for the fact that I am not used to setting myself low to just anyone in this organization."

Aaron swirled the wine in his glass briefly before he heaved out a loud sigh. "I am here for the conference. I don't want to let myself lose and start using my language that will offend people later. If you can hurry up with those virtual people, that will be excellent."

"Well, not for me," Dean said sternly. "If people can't respect each other in this room, then I am afraid that I will lose my formality soon. Don't test my patience. If you are mocking my father's death, then I am not here to take your damn craps. Nobody is given the right to speak about my family issues. We are here for the damn business, aren't we? Because if we are not discussing the business, then might as well end this already."