Running with His Child

Chapter 22

Kyle strode into the living room about an hour after I dragged Owen out. His face was stern, but anyone could see the hint of guilt he held.

Owen and I have been watching The Little Mermaid for the past hour out of pure boredom- well, technically I am the one watching it, seeing as Owen passed out five minutes in- but that's not important.

Kyle remained silent for a few minutes as he sat down in the arm chair to the left of us. He even watched the animated film in the awkward silence. Though, soon after, he finally spoke. "Listen- I'm sorry. I should have told you that he would be here. But this meeting was important."

My eyes held a hard gaze on him as I spoke in a low tone, not wanting to wake Owen. "He shouldn't be here. You shouldn't waste your time on him. And yes, you should've told me. Did you even even think about it? Your bringing a druggie into the home that your son is currently in. Do you really want him around that shit?"

"Robyn- half of the fucking men around here are druggies." Kyle tries to reason, inevitably making it worse for him.

"You know this, and you still want our son around it? This is bullshit. Before we were taken here, Owen was safe from this shit. We were fine how we were living and this influence wasn't around him!" My voice raises only slightly as I try to contain my anger.

"You were broke, Robyn." Kyle scoffs, "You couldn't even afford preschool. Think of all the opportunities he has here that he doesn't in Florida. He will be given the best education, healthcare, and anything else he could ever need."

"I won't allow my child to grow up around guns, alcohol, and drugs. He has too much potential, and he shouldn't waste it on all of these useless criminal activities! Yes, he deserves to be given all you've listed, but he does not deserve to be thrown into such a hectic and deadly life like yours!" I whisper-shout at him, running my right hand through Owen's floppy hair.

"Robyn, it is in his blood. He has potential in my business, that is how it should be. He was born to continue what I do, and he will do just that." Kyle's voice remains stern and angry as he speaks.

"He was not born for your gruesome form of income. You didn't even fucking know that we conceived him! If he was born to be you, you would have tried to impregnate me. But you didn't. Hell, you didn't even want me, let alone my son. He was born to be what he wanted. He was born because of my idiotic fantasies of you being the one. He was born for me to love, and raise happily." My rant comes to an end, and my glare never leaves his eyes.

Sometimes I forget that I'm arguing with a mafia leader.

"You can be happy. Owen is most certainly happy here! Just look at him!" Kyle speaks exasperatedly. "He was born to be here, he was born to be near his blood and people like him. And MY son deserves to have a proper family, and all the opportunities I can afford to give him! With what I have, he may pursue whatever his heart desires! But at the end of the day, the price is his role in my company. Which, he will most definitely come to like. Like I've said, it is in his blood after all."

My blood continues to boil at his reasons.  He could never justify wanting Owen to commit such cruel acts as he does. "We will never be a proper family, Kyle." I spit. "Proper families do not groom their children to murder. Proper families consist of a mother and father who love each other very much, which clearly- we do not. Proper families don't run a fucking mafia." My voice sneers, the venom clear to all around us- and somehow, Owen still slept peacefully through it all.

"What you say is true, yes. But it does not take away the duty of Owen. The first born of our family for generations have taken up the head of the company. There is no way in hell I'll let this precedent come to a close because of your fantasies of a normal life." Kyle nearly barks, his face contorting with anger. A shiver runs down my spine as the reality sets in. There really is no way out of this. "Owen will  take over when I step down. There is no argument. Now, you will marry me, and make our son legitimate, or, I'll throw you out, and you'll never see Owen again. I've tried to be kind, and I've tried to let you choose, but you are just so damn stubborn."

As he speaks his threat, my face pales, and I can feel the rush of water traveling up into my eyes. Not in a million years would they drop for him to see though, I am a woman of dignity, not pity-seeking. Now, I must accept my defeat with pride, there is no way that I'll risk Owen being left here alone for his father to teach him all these unspeakable things. Perhaps with me here, guiding Owen, he'll turn to be a better man and refuse his father's company.

I can only hope.

"Fine. I'll do it. I'll marry you. But I'll make one thing clear. You will have no rule over me. I won't become a defenseless toy that you pawn in your sick game. If we are to marry, you will not be the only one making decisions. Equal power for both of us is what I suggest." The terms roll off my tongue easily, and my face keeps it's stern nature. "And Owen will be given a choice whether to take over or not. I will not allow him to be forced into a cruel world if he does not want to be there."

Kyle takes a moment to think of my terms, nodding his head soon after. "I can agree to that. But I've got a condition of my own. If I am to give you this power, and Owen a choice. You must give as well. I'll lay it out simple for you. You will give me a second child."