The Heiress

"We're here, missy." The car stopped. The man got out and waited. "Well?"

"Well, what?"

"Either get out of the vehicle and follow me on your own two feet, or I'll carry you over my shoulder again."

"Ugh... Do you have to be such a thug?" Grace shimmied over and exited the vehicle on her own. She finally got a look at the surroundings as a few other vehicles pulled up behind theirs. The residence was massive, even for a mansion, and included its own fountain at the roundabout they parked in.

"I could be worse if you wanted me to. Trust me, it'd be easy."

He gripped her shoulder and walked her into the mansion, where two men with sunglasses in suits guarded the entrance.

Most well dressed mafia I've seen... if you discount the grungy gang that chased me the first night. I guess there are all kinds here.

Their footsteps echoed down the halls as he escorted her to a large double-door in the left wing of the mansion.

Knock, knock. "Boss, I've brought the girl," the purple-suited man said.

"Come in," a deep, growly voice invited them.

Grace took a deep breath, bracing herself as he pushed her into the huge office with a desk the size of a bed at the back of the room.

Overboard much?

An older, gruff man with white hair and a scowl swivelled in his chair to face them. Grace glared at him, but an odd sensation took over. He seemed familiar and looked at her with soft eyes.

"My, how you've grown." His eyes practically sparkled as he looked at her.

"Excuse me?"

"I haven't officially seen you since you were a baby and fit so comfortably in my arms." He chuckled.

We've met before? Grace frowned and tried to back away, but she bumped into the purple-suited man behind her.

"Where do you think you're going, missy?" he scoffed.

The older man got up, grabbed his dragon-headed cane, and approached. "Why are her wrists bound? How dare you do that to my granddaughter?!"

"I'm sorry, Boss, but she's not an easy woman to capture." He bowed to him.

"Did you not explain the situation to her? Did you not want to come?" He turned his attention to Grace, who froze with eyes wide after he said granddaughter.

"What are you talking about? My grandparents are dead, and so are my parents, for that matter."

"Your grandparents on your mother's side might be dead, but I'm alive and well." He reached out to ruffle her hair, and she flinched. "I am Pablo's father, Raymond Bertolottis, but you can call me Ray or preferably grandpa."

Grace frowned as she tried to think back. She didn't remember meeting him, but if she was as young as he made it seem, then it made sense she didn't.

"Why haven't you taken the restraints off her, Zain?" He glared at the man behind her.

"As I was saying before, she's quite dangerous, and unless her attitude has completely changed, we're all safer with her like this."

"She's my granddaughter; I won't have her tied up like a hostage."

Even though I am one...

Zain sighed and moved in front of her. He pulled a switchblade knife from his pocket, and she inched away from him. "It's for that." He pointed at the zip tie on her wrist. "Don't try anything." He leaned in close and cut the zip tie off her.

Ray pushed him aside right away and took her hands to look at her wrists. He lightly touched the red marks on her wrists and frowned.

"I'm fine." She pulled away from him. "And I don't... I don't know if you're telling the truth, but if you really are my grandpa, where have you been these past few decades? Why reach out now?"

"I can give you a DNA test to prove we're related if you want, or I can show you pictures of your father when he was younger. I also have a photo of the one time I was allowed to meet you."

"Allowed to meet me?"

"Zain, leave; I wish to talk to her alone."

"But—"

"Zain, go."

"Yes, Boss." He bowed his head, glanced at Grace and left, the door clicking shut behind him.

Grace looked up at Ray.

"You look so much like your mother. Here, I'll get out the photo album." He hustled back over to his desk and pulled out an album from a drawer. "Come, come." He urged her over to him.

With no real options, she went over to him and looked at where he opened the album to. There was a photo of her parents, along with Ray.

"This was before they ran away," he said.

"Ran away?"

Ray cleared his throat. "Your father was to take over the business, but he wanted a normal life for you and your mother, so he ended up running away. He wanted to stay far away from me and even took your mother's last name as his own. They hid from me. They hid you from me. I missed all your important events in life because he ran away."

I can't tell if he's feeling regret or anger.

He turned the page to a picture of him holding a baby, smiling gently as he stared at her. "It's the one time I got to hold you, my precious granddaughter."

"If I'm so precious, why did you order me here?"

"I... I don't know how much time I have left, and in that case, I need an heir. Your father was supposed to be that, but..."

"On that thought, where were you when they died? Did you go to the funeral? I have trouble imagining someone as powerful as you wouldn't have been able to find them and know what happened."

His expression darkened. "You're right. I eventually found out where they were hiding, and the accident happened not too long after that. I was at a loss as to what to do..." He gripped his chest over his heart. "It hurt so much... to end up losing both sons at such young ages. Since you're a cop, I'll be honest with you; it wasn't an accident. His link to the mafia is what ended up killing him. They killed him to hurt me."

Both sons? I had an uncle?

"But if you two weren't talking, then why?" Grace fought back her tears. She thought she was over their deaths, considering it was decades ago, but it hurt to think about. She was only a child when they died, and her mother's parents ended up taking her in.

"It doesn't matter the distance, or if we were in contact; we're blood. We value blood the most, so it didn't matter where he was, he was still a part of this."

"Once in the mafia, always in the mafia..."

"Yes."

"I went to the funeral, by the way. I wanted to approach you, but I didn't know how to. You were still so young, but had grown so much. You were being comforted by your grandmother."

"I have to ask, do I have another grandmother, too?"

"No, not anymore. She would've loved to see you again, though." A tinge of sadness touched his eyes.

"Oh, I see. I'm sorry."

"Don't be." He shook his head. "She was an amazingly strong woman, much like you."

Grace sighed. "Okay, fine, I buy that you're my grandfather and whatnot, but what do you want from me? I'm a cop; this can't be good for you, since I'll never turn into a dirty one."

"I wouldn't ask you to. You are my rightful heir—"

"But I'm not a part of the mafia; I have nothing to do with this, so you should find someone who's already in this business. How about your underboss?"

"You will be my heir, and you won't take over alone. You will marry into one of the mafia families to choose our next leader. You can choose Zain to be the next leader beside you if you wish, or you can connect with some of the other families. Either way, it's you who will be the next boss's wife."

All this mafia stuff is so confusing. "Why would you need me when you have that right-hand man of yours? Let him take over and find his own wife—"

"No!" his voice boomed, and Grace flinched back, her heart racing. "Our family, our blood, built this empire, and our blood will continue it." A vein popped out of his temple as he spoke.

"Let me get this straight. You're popping up out of nowhere, and you're trying to force me to marry some mobster? Who do you think you are to have that right?"

"I am your grandfather. I am your blood. I am the boss, and I choose you, my blood, as my heir. I don't care if you're a cop; you will be at the top of this family."

He's delusional. "You can't force me to be here. Didn't you learn from your son who ran away?"

"If he had stayed, he might still be alive."

"You don't know that."

"I would've done everything in my power to protect him. I couldn't do that since he was too busy running away from me. And I suppose I can't force you to be here, but I can persuade you, and use whoever I must, to make you see things my way."

"Careful, grandpa; you're letting your mobster side show."

"Because I am one, through and through."

"I guess I don't have a choice since you have Roger, right?" That means I'll have to get him out of here, so he's safe. Well, even if I can get him out, their reach is too big; they can go after him again even if he runs. She gritted her teeth. I'm... trapped.

"I can see you're still struggling to come to terms with your situation. I'll give you some time to think things over in your room. I'll talk to you again soon. Zain," Ray called out, and the door opened. "Take her to her room."

"Yes, Boss." Zain's dark eyes turned to her. "Let's go."

Grace rolled her eyes and left. There's no way he'd listen to me, anyway.

"So, copper, how's it feel to suddenly be a mafia princess?" Zain asked as he escorted her through the mansion, upstairs to the fancy bedroom they had set up for her. She kept looking around on her way there, trying to learn the layout and look for anyone who could help her later.

Once they opened the door to her room, she froze. Damn... is this really a bedroom and not a living room? Under different circumstances, I'd probably be able to enjoy it.

"Coming around to our side yet?" Zain smirked.

"No, I'm just a bit overwhelmed."

Zain shrugged and nudged her inside. "If you need food or anything." He pointed at the intercom on the side and then explained the buttons. "Just call for it."

"How about a way out of here?" Or my phone. I wonder if anyone found it.

"Not going to happen, missy."

Grace cringed. "Stop calling me that."

"Whatever. Be a good girl and think over your new situation. Whether you like it or not, you're a part of this family. I'll see you soon." Zain closed the door and locked it from the outside.

"Prick," Grace mumbled and kicked the door. "Ha... How is any of this real?"