by Sara V. Zook
EPILOGUE
It looked like it would rain any second as thick gray clouds moved in. The wind was cold and chilling as I stood there looking down at Carmine’s casket. I was at the graveyard, at the site where he would be buried next to his father and brother. My expensive shoes were sinking in the mud. Lilah stood next to me in a long fur coat and black hat. Despite the heavy attire, she still looked like she was freezing as her nose and cheeks were turning bright red. No one really cried for Carmine, but everyone was genuinely sad just the same.
I looked around at all the people. There were so many there. Most of them weren’t even able to see the casket or hear the words coming from the preacher’s mouth as he read from the Bible. They were lined up as far as the eye could see. It was like the entire city was attending this thing, like Carmine was royalty. He had gained a lot of respect during his time here. If he wasn’t loved, he was certainly respected. I had no doubt that if you treated him right, he took care of you. When it came down to it, he was a good man. He had made Haven what it was today.
Both of my parents gone within a short time of one another. My mother’s funeral was small, my father’s huge. They couldn’t be together while alive, so I could only hope that they could find happiness together in the afterlife. I respected their decision to keep me away from all this, but now I was so deep in this shit that I wondered if I wouldn’t have been better off growing up in it. At least then I’d have a clue as to what I was doing.
Lilah put her hand on my back and smiled. The wind was making her hat bend like crazy. I was surprised it was staying on her head. I hadn’t told her yet about being Carmine’s son or being the new boss. I hadn’t found the right moment. I’d tell her soon. Part of me was afraid she’d leave, but the other half knew she was as in love with me as I was her, so that meant she’d stay.
All of the guys from Six Guns surrounded the casket. We were all there together. Carmine had made us all rich and given us a taste of the good life. We were brothers, and even though I knew someone was a guilty party in all this, I relished in the brotherhood right now. Everything would be figured out in due time.
The preacher finished what he was saying. The funeral was over. The men who were standing closest to me approached me. They shook my hand and spoke condolences in my ear. Then they hugged me and stuffed an envelope of money in my pocket. I wasn’t sure what to make of it, but I thanked them and watched as the next group of people came up to me and did virtually the same exact thing. They stuffed envelopes and wads of cash in my pocket.
“I’m so sorry for your loss, Nicky,” they’d whisper, their eyes looking full of pity toward me as politicians, policeman, restaurant owners, store owners, all kinds of people from the city each came up to me and repeated the process.
I met Lilah’s questioning stare. She didn’t understand why they were doing what they were doing. I couldn’t believe it though—they knew. All of them fucking knew I was Carmine’s son. They were treating me as if he raised me, as if they’d known me their whole life. I was getting a little piece of the respect simply because I was his kid. Had someone put an article in the newspaper announcing it? This was how they showed Carmine admiration, by shoving money my way. My pockets were bulging. I stood up straight and tall, feeling this amazing authority rising from within me. I relished in all this respect, in all this money, and I knew I could be the new boss just basing my motives off of those two things right there. These were important people showing me honor, and damn, I’d be lying if I said it didn’t feel great.
“Here,” Remmy said, coming up from behind me. He stood on my other side with a suitcase in his hand. He opened it up so they could put their cash and envelopes in that since there was no more room in my pockets.
I had everything at my fingertips, the whole fucking city of Haven in the palms of my hands. I could mold it and make it whatever I wanted. Everyone was going to listen to me now. Everyone saw my face today. They knew who I was, Carmine’s son. I was Nicky Cain, and I’d finally get the acknowledgement I had always dreamed of getting. A car and house were only the beginning. Now I could have the mansion if I wanted it. I could afford a vacation home anywhere in the world if I wanted it. Hell, I could buy an entire island. I could give Lilah the things that she deserved. She was going to open that shop now, there was no doubt about that. If anyone tried to disrespect me or not listen to what I told them, I had a crew backing me up that would kill them if I told them to. It was as if I could feel myself transforming into the position that I’d always belonged in.
“Your father was a great man,” an old guy whispered in my ear.
“Thank you,” I replied.
He placed his money in the suitcase and the next person stepped forward.
Hell, I had money coming out of my ears. I wouldn’t even know what to do with it all. I was going to build myself an indestructible empire in Haven. There was a lot of work to be done, but I had no doubt that Six Guns would grow and expand. We’d spread our wings even further and go beyond Haven if we wanted to.
“God rest Carmine’s soul,” a woman said, gripping onto her husband’s arm as she kissed me on both cheeks.
I thanked her.
“Nicky, what’s going on?” Lilah hissed in my ear. “Why are all these people giving you money?”
“You need another suitcase, boss?” Augie asked. “That one’s almost full.”
“Yeah, sure. Bring another one up,” I told him.
“Boss?” Lilah repeated as she stared at me in surprise. “Nicky?”
I smiled at her. “We have a lot of things to discuss, you and me. Let’s go have dinner tonight and talk. Pick anywhere you want to go. I’ll make reservations.”
“Anywhere?” she asked, any questions that had been in her eyes seconds ago vanishing.
“Anywhere,” I repeated.
A politician gripped my hand and shook it vigorously. I nodded my head in his direction.
Good things were ahead for me and Lilah. I would give her everything she’d ever dreamed of and more. I could do whatever I wanted. I was Carmine’s son, I was the boss of Six Guns and no one was going to stand in my way. I was Nicky fucking Cain.
I hope that you enjoyed Six Guns as much as I did writing it. There will be more in this series coming in 2015. If you get a chance, I would appreciate it if you could leave a short review on Amazon as reviews are very important.
Thank you so much!
Sara V. Zook
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