crossing over

Chapter VIII

Xavier 

The white shirt clings to my body like my second skin. I was dressed up and ready to be named the new leader of the Romano mafia. Elliot had managed to sneak Julia in which was a point I was looking forward to.

The men had gathered on the open space around the mansion while Julia was watching it unfold through my office. I had a hard time keeping my smile in, knowing the fact that Julia was going to witness my father give a speech about me. I was standing in the middle and the crowd was dead silent, waiting for their Don Lucien Romano to make his grand entry.

The thing that had wrecked my nerves was that up their Julia was left alone with not even servants of the mansion keeping an eye around but Elliot did inform me that she had doors locked and her blades handy. The blade she liked was still tucked in my pocket. I got the handle re-made, adjusted to the shape of her hand and the letter 'J' carved on the metal.

The crowd parts making way for my father to walk. I kneel with one leg bent over the ground. He stands beside me and pats me on my shoulder. My head rises up to him and he nods at me.

His gaze goes to the crowd and with chin high up he begins, "Every single one of you have served me with honesty, loyalty and with faith and I extend my appreciation for the same. But every single one of you, out here or out far" -shit- "knows why are we here. I want you all to serve your new leader with the same morals and compassion with which you served me. I, Lucien Marco Romano, step down from my position and pronounce my first born son, Xavier Vincet Romano as your new leader. May the traitors be rewarded with what they deserve and the loyal knights with gratitude and prosperity."

"Xavier", he says.

I stand up and face the crowd, "I, Xavier Vincet Romano, accept the position of the new leader."

"Any one has a problem with this?" father asks to the crowd. They were neutral with their facial expression while Elliot was grinning like a pathetic idiot. They shake their heads in unison and my father nods towards me while extending a small blade. The metal of the blade glints in the day light. I flip it in my hands, face the crowd and make a small sleek cut on the palm of my left hand swiftly.

"Let this be an oath to all of us from our new leader", father announces. Cheers pour in the crowd and Elliot open fires in the air for once. Father pats me on the shoulder and says, "I am not going to tell you anything, you know more than enough on what to do and what not." I nod, "I won't fail you."

"I know son, you won't."

His words held the confidence I've always wanted him to see in me. Those weren't merely some words, he knew he can retire with the gang in safer hands and I wasn't going to back down my promise. My gaze follows to the window of my office and sees Julia peeking through the closed curtains.

"Don", a familiar voice says. I turn to see Elliot smirking, "she is safe." "better be that way", I say. The crowd was back to their work after being dismissed by me. "Do you know where Carlos is?" I ask. He shakes his head. I sigh, "Report me once someone has their eye on him."

My boots click on the floor of the hallway while I make my way to my office. My hand pushes open the door through the handle and I walk in. Julia was sitting on the desk, legs dangling. "Xavier Vincet Romano, huhh", she says exaggerating on the name 'Vincet' after a chuckle. "My mom gave me the middle name Vincet after her father."

She hums and hops down the floor. "Was that necessary?" she asks. "what?" "that" –she gestures to my left hand- "slitting your palm." "That is a traditional way to portray that a leader will also bleed for his gang." Her fingers gingerly enough run on the slit while one of her hands had held mine.