Welcome to the Mafia Family

Chapter 10 - 8 o'clock appointment

Natsu's POV

As soon as the elevators closed, my smile ceased and my face became emotionless. Erza whispered into my ear earlier that Jose from the Phantom Lord mafia was waiting for me in my office. He must be my 8 o'clock appointment. 'What does he want?' I wondered as the elevator ascended. The elevator dinged when we arrived at my office floor and I saw Jose relaxing on one of the lounges.

"Good to see you Dragneel" he greeted sarcastically. "Why are you here?" I asked in a calm tone as I walked over and sat down on the lounge across from him. Erza stood next to the elevator in case anything happens. "Lets get straight down to business. I know you've been investigating my drug business so all I ask is for your mafia to keep your noses out of it" he said. "I wouldn't need to stick my nose into your business if you weren't selling your drugs on my turf" I replied. He gritted his teeth showing his frustration.

Our attention moved when the elevator dinged and Gray walked out. He walked over to stand behind me. 'Lucy must be with Levy right now' I thought and then brought my attention back on Jose. "You know, it's unfair. Oak Town doesn't have the business like Magnolia does, and besides, your mafia isn't selling drugs here so I don't understand why mine can't" he said. He was starting to get me angry but I didn't let it show on my face. Only my family aka my mafia can see my emotions.

"Drugs ruin lives and I don't want any of that shit on my turf. We may be a mafia but we care about innocent lives. If you can't understand that then get out" I replied harshly and motioned my head towards the elevator. He growled angrily and stood up. "Mark my words Dragneel. You'll regret this" he said as he stomped over to the elevator.

After the elevator closed, I sighed. "Like I've never heard that before" I said sarcastically to myself. When you're a mafia boss you heard that phase quite a lot. "Don't let him ruffle your scales" Gray said as he flopped down onto the lounge Jose was just on. "The saying is 'don't let him ruffle your feathers'" Erza corrected as she walked towards us. "Not when you're the Fire Dragon of Fairy Tail" he chuckled and I smirked.

I looked over my shoulder at my desk, wondering how much paper work I will need to do today, and saw a single white envelope on my desk. My eyes narrowed at it and then stood up. "What's that?" I asked without looking at either Gray or Erza. "A letter from Ivan addressed to you arrived this morning" Erza replied. "Shit" Gray muttered and then leaned his arms on his knees. My anger rose, first Jose with his drug business crap and now a letter from Ivan.

I stomped over to my desk and quickly snatched the envelope. I quickly ripped it open and pulled out the letter as I leant against my desk. It read:

Dragneel,

Hand over my daughter to me by midnight tonight or prepare for a mafia war.

I await your decision at Sweet Devils strip club. Don't keep me waiting.

Ivan Dreyar

Raven Tail Mafia

I crushed the letter in my hand. "Like hell I'll ever hand Lucy over to you!" I shouted towards the letter to release my anger. "What does it say?" Erza asked. "Ivan demands we hand over Lucy by midnight tonight or else Raven Tail will start a mafia war with Fairy Tail" I replied and slapped the crushed letter onto my desk. "I'll check our weapon inventory and plan some training sessions" she said. "Training sessions?" I questioned. "For Lucy. A war is coming and she will need to learn how to defend herself" she replied and I looked down to the floor in thought. She had a point, Lucy's a part of the mafia now so she will need to learn how to fight plus, I don't think Lucy would be happy hiding while the rest of us fight. "Alright, give her a weapon and teach her how to use it. I'll be in charge of teaching her hand-to-hand combat" I said. It'll give me an excuse to hang out with her more. Plus, I am one of the best in Fairy Tail in hand-to-hand combat so it makes sense for me to be the one to teach her.

"Hold on why do you get to personally train her?" Gray asked with a smirk. Oh great, here we go with the teasing again. "Because I'm one of the best in hand-to-hand combat" I replied. "Why not let Erza train her in that? She's a much better teacher and fighter than you" he said. "What did you say Frosty?!" I shouted, "ya heard me Flame for Brains!" he challenged back. "Enough you two" Erza intervened as she stood in between us and then she turned to Gray. "I don't mind Natsu training Lucy in hand-to-hand combat but Natsu-" she then turned to me. "If you do anything inappropriate to her then you will have to answer to me and Laxus" she continued and a cold shiver ran down my spine. "A-Aye" I replied.

"Anyway Natsu, care to explain why your penthouse suite was clean according to Lucy? I've been up there many times and I've never seen it clean" Gray said, suddenly only in his boxers. "Gray, clothes" Erza and I said in unison. He exclaimed as he noticed his missing clothing and then quickly gathered his clothes from the floor. "So, are you going to explain?" he asked as he put his clothes back on. 'How am I going to make up an excuse without them getting suspicious? Think Natsu, think!' I thought.

Suddenly my office phone beeped, "Boss, your 9 o'clock appointment, Mr Kisaki is here to see you" Mira said through the phone's intercom. Phew, saved by my busy schedule. I pushed the intercom button to reply. "Send him in" then I turned to Gray and Erza. "Oh is that the time? Well you two have some work to do" I said as I started pushing them towards the elevator. "We are going to meet Ivan at the meeting place tonight. Erza, I want you to check all the escape routes in the area. Gray, I want you to assign the team and choose someone to protect Lucy while we're gone" I ordered as I pushed them inside the elevator. "This discussion isn't over Natsu" Gray said while pointing at me before the elevator doors close. I turned around and leant against the wall beside the elevator. 'It's going to be hard to keep my feelings in check at this rate' I thought as I combed back through my spiky salmon hair.