Cruel Heir : An Enemies to Lovers Mafia Romance (Ruthless Legacy Book 1) Read online

  Cruel Heir

  Part One

  Ruthless Legacy

  Scarlett Winters

  Copyright 2020 Scarlett Winters

  All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any way or by any means. Including but not limited to recording, photocopying, any electronic methods, without the prior written consent of the publisher. This book is strictly a work of fiction, any references to persons, places or things are all completely fictional.

  Warning: This book is for adult audiences.

  Contents

  CHAPTER ONE

  CHAPTER TWO

  CHAPTER THREE

  CHAPTER FOUR

  CHAPTER FIVE

  CHAPTER SIX

  CHAPTER SEVEN

  CHAPTER EIGHT

  CHAPTER NINE

  CHAPTER TEN

  CHAPTER ELEVEN

  CHAPTER TWELVE

  CHAPTER THIRTEEN

  CHAPTER FOURTEEN

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  CHAPTER SIXTEEN

  CHAPTER SEVENTEEN

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  CHAPTER ONE

  Eloisa

  The faint smell of cigarettes was the first thing that hit my nose as I made my way down the corridor to my father's study. He had called upon a meeting, and I knew I was late. The smell of cigarettes was a clear indication that even Nick had gone to the meeting earlier than me. Nick is my third eldest sibling, the younger of the two infamous Castillo twins.

  "I hope we didn't disturb you; I'm sure you had a pleasant slumber." These were the first words I heard from my brother when I pushed open the large doors. No matter how many times Father tried to fix it, they were still loud and distracting. My mother used to joke that everything in this manor was similar to the men who lived in it – bull-headed and rigid.

  “Why don't you put your wits and brains to some good use, like, wait— fix the goddamn door?" I shot back at Nick, who stood there with a smug smile on his face. No matter how much he loved me, he was the only family member who still treated me as if I were a little girl. I went up to my father at the head of the table, placing a quick kiss on his cheek. Then, I took my place next to Aiden, my eldest brother, who a subtle smile across his face. I'm sure he enjoyed watching me bicker with Nick.

  "Well, as you know, the profits have taken a toll. People are getting used to guns, not fearing them. " Will, my second eldest brother and the elder twin, began. Father had chosen him to supervise the trade and transport of heat. In a town like Bilbao, well-known for the crime families that ruled and fought over it, they had been going at it for years, since before this place was even named what it is today.

  A history of feudal drug lords, dons, and murders made Bilbao the greatest supplier for arms, drugs, prostitution, and everything else that criminals would ever need. My father, however, liked to think of the town as a corporation where he was nothing but a man making and marking his way in the world of "business." Different people in this town took ownership of various rackets, and that’s how the collusion between the leading families had been for at least a hundred years. Our family, the Castillos, earned the right to lead the cartel that functioned throughout Bilbao. Most of our family businesses were based on the manufacture and supply of guns – illegal, of course. They were made for those who needed ammunitions to stay protected from their enemies. I had always been a part of meetings because my father believes that I might just be what the family needs to seize further control in Bilbao in the future. In not-so-kind words, he doesn't want to leave control in the hands of either of my brothers.

  "The name we have is not out of the respect that people have for us. They are just afraid of what we can do to them. But if that fear is lost, then it's over," Father stated in his usual calm and composite manner. That was a significant difference between my father and my brothers. Whereas the three often got emotional, furious, and needy when it came to any sort of stressful situation, Alesso Castillo remained smooth in his business dealings.

  "What do you suggest?" Will asked, crossing his arms behind his back. His raven curls that were usually kept slicked back were unruly, exhaustion, and disappointment evident on his face. It was his responsibility, after all.

  "I think we should—”

  Before I could complete my sentence, there was a knock on the door.

  "What is it, Sam?" Father asked, his eyebrows rising at our butler's son, who had just started working for us. Well, I appointed him because our butler, Anders, had really wanted his son to be here rather than working at some shady place that the Carsons owned.

  "Sorry to interrupt, b-but t-t-there’s a message f-for you," the boy stuttered, and I felt for him. He was young and inexperienced; being around men in my family was quite a stressful job within itself.

  "You can place it right here, Sam. Thank you," I interjected, earning a funny look from Nick. I repressed the urge to flip him off.

  Sam quickly placed the note that he held on the table and scurried out of the room, the door creaking and clicking shut behind him. Father took the paper at once.

  "What does it say?" Aiden tensed up next to me. He sat up straight, and I knew exactly what he felt.

  "It looks like we lost our deal with the Blackthorns. They refused to provide a buyer, as well as our 40% cut on transportation and trucks." Father dropped the note, his hand instantly reaching out for a bottle of bourbon.

  "This has to be the fucking Carsons, right?" Aiden snapped.

  I reached out for the note. The signature at the bottom that used to be signed just by our now ex-buyer also had the initials that I was not sure Father had noticed. This greedy asshole, I thought.

  "It has the initials of Keith Carson. They've joined their businesses." I could feel my blood boiling. However, if I couldn’t stay calm and think things through, the situation would be worse than this.

  "They've lowered the costs and increased their share of the profit from the forty that we gave them to forty-seven," Will uttered.

  Father looked up at him. "You knew about this?"

  Uh-oh, he looks angry now. Will needs to stop talking. There was no doubt that the same thing went through all our minds as Aiden and Nick both looked at me.

  "I thought it was a rumor—"

  That was all the confirmation that Father needed before concluding that my brother was to blame for our misfortune and that his very incompetence led to this. "They were our oldest buyers. My father – your fucking grandfather – went into business with them," Father said, his grip tightening on the glass of bourbon. The next thing we knew, the glass flew across the room, hitting the vase sitting peacefully under the family portrait with a loud crash.

  "For an old buyer, all it took was crumbs for them to switch sides," Nick commented, falling victim to Father's icy glare.

  "He's got a point. We now know how loyal they were. Look at the bright side of this," I spoke, standing up. "We can still turn this situation around, especially if we stop swinging glasses at each other's heads,” I added, ignoring my father's eyes on me. "May we discuss it?”

  Father let out a sigh and nodded his head. I couldn't help but smile.

  "We cut down Blackthorn from the entire scenario," William said.

  I agreed with him. "We cut the middleman and go straight to the ones who challenged us."

  "Eloisa, I know that Will has been out of his mind, but I do not expect you to come up with these stupid solutions," Aiden uttered.


  "As much as it affects our name, we won't really be left with much if we continue to think like this. If people have an image in front of them, it doesn't have to be true. But if it seems like the two supposedly feuding suppliers have combined their powers, snakes like the Blackthorns will have nowhere else to go." I hurried to add, "Only if you want to – it's just a suggestion."

  Father looked at me as if thinking about the possibilities.

  "Perhaps we should write to them,” Nick interjected.

  "Look at you, acting all grown up.” Will smirked at his twin brother, earning a sour look from the latter.

  "Aiden, pen it down,” Father said, ignoring his sons’ ribbing. “Request a meeting with the Carsons. Be polite, but don't make it seem like we are bending over.” He stood up from his chair, buttoning his coat as he moved past Will and walked towards the door. He looked back to say, "Direct it to Keith, not his father. Give the boy a sense of achievement and let Nate worry about his throne and power. Even the slightest bow is enough to drive a wedge between the two, and that’s where we start.”

  I turned to my father. "We need to make sure the response is positive."

  Father nodded in approval before exiting the room.

  "How old is this boy anyway?" my brother asked.

  "Old enough for his old man to start seeing the victory days go away.”

  CHAPTER TWO

  Keith

  "What do you mean that the Castillos have written to you? Are they really that desperate?"

  It was only seven in the morning, and a few days had passed since the Blackthorn family decided to switch alliances from the Castillos to the Carsons. Considering the drug business was more in order now than ever in Bilbao, it was easy for us to move power across the town. The profits we gained also made it easier for us to start our own arms and guns manufacturing business with people waiting like starved dogs to be fed even the slightest amounts of money. Once it became clear to them that the other clan was making a fool of them by only shedding a few cents of the millions they are continuing to generate, they all turned their backs. Money is where all loyalty truly lies, after all.

  Right now, I was seated right across the patio table of Theodore Blackthorn, mostly known as Tony Blackthorn in the cartel. He was one of those starved dogs dumb enough to make a new enemy in the face of Castillos just for a few extra grand.

  "Well, Tony, believe it or not, I can be very persuasive. You won't even see it coming,” I joked, and the fat man laughed, completely oblivious to the fact that he was the laughingstock in my mind.

  I looked to my right; I could tell that my father wanted to pull out his gun and shoot either Tony or me, depending upon what had kept him up at night. It could be the addition to the business, but Father happened to be a dumb fuck. It could also be the fact that he dreamed of me stepping on his throat and sitting on the cold throne that he cherished more than the entirety of his entire pathetic, sad existence.

  I'm quite certain it was the latter. When the letter arrived two days back, he was furious, calling the Castillos all sorts of names for addressing me instead of him. I could not help but secretly applaud the cunning fuckers who knew damn well how to mess with the old Carson.

  "Well, I'm sure the offer they have – or whatever they think they have to offer – won't be so bad in itself,” Pete, Tony’s son, spoke. He took a sip of coffee.

  "So do I,” I replied. “Maybe they'd just poison the two of you, you know, to send a message to rest. It would be quite classic, don't you think?" I nudged my father, who was grumbling to himself.

  Nate shed me a nasty look before turning to Tony. "I will make sure none of the fuckery that my son thinks about will actually happen."

  CHAPTER THREE

  Eloisa

  "Why are you all dressed up? Are you planning on other ways to get Keith Carson to listen to you?" Nick sassed as I quickly rushed down the stairs, clipping on my heels on the way down.

  "Oh, don't worry, I'll tell him how much my brother would be more than happy to let him take turns—"

  Before I could finish my sentence, I heard my father make his way down the stairs. Aiden was next to him, holding a file. I had no idea why it’s essential during a business meeting with another crime lord, but well, when did anything ever make sense in this town?

  "Where do you think you're going? Father and I will take care of this," Aiden uttered, and I rolled my eyes.

  I was about to snap at him when Father interrupted me by raising a hand. To Aiden, he said, "I asked Eloisa to come along. She's young and more likely to understand the mind of a college boy than any of us."

  "Really?" I scoffed. "Well, if you're wondering, I don't think any man’s brain is capable of growing after the age of ten. Perhaps all of you will get along," I added sarcastically. I moved past them and their stupid remarks and judgments, grabbing my coat from Francine, who stood there timidly in the corner. She was a scrawny lady who wore dresses like someone straight out of a period piece. She had been with the family since I was 15.

  "How many times have I told you that you do not need to wait up for me like this? You could've left the coat in my room, my dear," I told her.

  "Please, Miss Castillo, you know I like to," she replied, smiling kindly.

  After thanking her, I made my way out to the car, followed closely by my father and Aiden. As we got in, my brother began talking about the dos and don'ts to make sure that I understood everything.

  "Do you have any idea how tired I am of being mansplained about everything? I'm the one who came up with this entire idea, in case you've forgotten, and there is no way I'm gonna sit there, looking pretty, while you men negotiate. Am I right, Father?"

  My father had a half-smile forming on his lips as he looked at me and then at Aiden, who looked more annoyed than proud. "She knows what she's doing. Besides, what are our guns for if not to be used if things go wrong?"

  CHAPTER FOUR

  Keith

  "Tony, if you don't shut up and let me do the talking, I'm gonna put these bullets so far up your ass before the Castillos have a chance to do a fucking thing, alright?" Nate Carson, all sober and in his glory, said at the head of the table. I sat right next to him. The security details that the Carsons and the Castillos brought had already lined up and stood at their respective places, alert for any suspicious activity.

  "I don't think old men will be doing the talking today, don't you?" I spoke, my question directed more to my own father, but I made sure to make it sound like it was for the other man on Nate's other side.

  "They're here,” Tony announced, unable to answer me.

  The Castillos had shown up in a rather smaller amount. Their eldest son, Aiden, was the first to walk over and greet us. I shook his hand, but my father completely ignored him. He did not give a second glance towards either of the Blackthorn men on the same table. I almost liked the tall noodlehead for that.

  Alesso Castillo came next, accompanied by a girl I had never met before. At first, I hoped she was a secretary or something because, boy, was she beautiful. However, based on her smugness when she took a seat right in front of me, I understood that she was Eloisa, Don Castillo’s daughter.

  She glanced back and forth between my father and me, eventually sparing a nasty look at the Blackthorns. Her green eyes were bright, and her slightly wavy hair complemented her face. She tilted her head to whisper something in Alesso's ear, to which he looked at me and nodded. "So, Keith, I see you've decided to take the initiative now," he uttered in greeting.

  I couldn't help but smirk. Alesso knew what fumes he was igniting within my father. Schooling my expression, I replied, "Just where I feel like, Don Castillo. My man is still quite fit to be here.” I turned to my father, but he spoke nothing. He was just glaring at me, and I chose to ignore that.

  "No offense, but that is quite a shitty initiative."

  I was a bit taken back by the way the Castillo girl confidently – and bitterly – interrupted the conversation. If i
t weren't for the clan Eloisa belonged to, I would totally be turned on right now.

  "Is that what this has come down to, kids deciding what's good or not? Might as well put a bullet between my eyes," my father snapped.

  "Maybe if we increase the profits by two percent and let Blackthorn here play fetch, he might do that for you with a complimentary wag at the end," Aiden retorted.

  "What the fuck did you—" Pete started.

  "Shut up and sit down," I told the younger Blackthorn sternly. He growled a little but settled back into his seat. I faced the Castillos’ eldest son. "You see, that's the thing – you didn't do that. Not only that, but the quality is extremely—"

  "And what do you know about quality until it's on a line on a table?" Eloisa again. Now, I'm starting to think that she has some personal bone to pick with me, and this shit is not very sexy anymore.

  "Has no one ever told you not to interrupt people? It's considered rude."

  Eloisa only rolled her eyes in response. "Just didn't realize I'd be getting ethics lessons from a Carson."

  "Alright, El, enough," Alesso interrupted. The annoyed look on her face only deepened, but she did not say another word. "The offer we have includes a fifty-fifty deal, no middleman or suppliers. You sell the drugs and guns; we manufacture the heat and let you have our cable,” the old Castillo said, looking at me directly.

  My father scoffed. "This is generous. What does it have for you then?"

  "Our position in the cartel remains where it is, the profits increase—"

  " And why is that?" I asked, taking a cigarette out of my wallet.

  As I dug in for a lighter, the Castillo girl commented, "We get to kill them.”

  I chuckled. The fact that Eloisa tried to sound threatening was so funny.

  "What the fuck—” the Blackthorns started in unison, but my father was quick to shush them.

  "What makes you think we will agree to this?" my father asked.