206 Having Fun
The ceremony didnât end there, the recruits were transferred from the safe houses and driven to a private club where they were to have fun.
This batch of recruits was considered lucky because Lance was the one who sponsored the after-party. He wanted them to have the best of fun tonight before they resumed their duties tomorrow.
The club was spacious, luxurious, and exclusively reserved for them tonight. Hence, there was no one around aside from members of the Luciano family and their acquaintances. Party numbers blasted from the speakers as the recruits got wasted and as expected in that setting, there were more than enough women to keep them company.
If only they knew Lance specifically organized this for Aziz but because he didnât want to create a misunderstanding, he extended the invitation to everyone. As a caporegime, it canât be found out that he was partial to a member â especially a newbie.
The Mafia was not exactly in support of gay relationships for reasons best known to whoever invented that rule. Once caught, it would result in demotion â or even death. In one word, Lance simply liked Aziz, there was just this aura about him that he couldnât resist.
âWhat are you up to?â Someone said from behind and Lance was startled only for a moment because it was no one else but his annoying brother.
His lips formed a thin line and his brows furrowed together knowing his brother was nothing else but trouble.
âNone of your business!â He shot back.
âOh come on,â Arthur draped his arm around his shoulder, a drink in his other hand.
.....
âI said let me go!â Lance went red in the face trying to pull out of his brotherâs grasp but the asshole wouldnât let go of him.
He was intentionally bullying him as usual and Lance was somehow glad the club was lit with led lights and no one was looking their way.
âIs it that newbie?â Arthur smirked cockily, gesturing in Azizâs direction with the glass in his hand.
Lance looked in his brotherâs direction, it seems he wasnât the one drawn to his graceful and esthetic Aziz.
Even amongst the other recruits, the ladies swarmed around Aziz as if the other recruits â that tried hard to gain their attention â didnât exist. He didnât even have to try hard, he naturally commanded attention wherever he went.
Surprisingly, even as they threw themselves on him, Aziz was not even bothered by their actions and seemed to focus on his drink instead. When the ladies had enough of his silence, they either huffed and left or moved on to their next target.
âI have to admit,â Arthur continued, âHeâs quite good looking but whatâs the worth of a gorgeous face without power in this organization?â
Lance didnât say anything knowing his brother was right. Elijah might be good-looking but the Mafia was all about brains and brawns and not physical appearance. He might as well go become a superstar or something because he would only remain at the bottom of this food chain in this organization.
Arthur went on when his brother wouldnât say a word, âBut then, if thatâs your type, who am I to put asunder?â
At once, Lance pushed him away, red in the face at that controversial statement and his brother laughed hard, finding amusement in his predicament.
Meanwhile, Aziz wasnât exactly trouble-free either. While he drank all by himself, he couldnât help but notice the hostile looks on him. Aziz sighed, he hadnât even done anything and he was already hated.
This should be entertaining.
It wasnât that Aziz provoked his fellow recruits but human nature was envious so some of them couldnât stand the fact that he seem to garner more attention than them.
They had witnessed Lance talking to him after the ceremony. If Aziz managed to get in the good grace of the capogrime, that meant his stay was going to be much smoother than theirs and he was likely to get promoted anytime soon.
Although the Luciano family was pretty much impartial and promotion was based on your ability, just like in the outside world, things would work much faster and easier with the right connection.
Knowing his alcohol limit and feeling a bit pressed, Aziz stood up to his feet to go find the restroom when one of the recruits bumped into him.
âWatch it!â He snarled at him.
âYou should learn how to walk first!â Aziz retorted.
âWhat did you just say?â The man turned with a furious face.
But Aziz said with no ounce of fear, âDid you lose your sense of hearing as well?ân/o/vel/b//in dot c//om
âOoh!â There were some exclamations and jeering from the audience. One didnât need to be told they were intentionally instigating a fight.
âI see your favorite is about to get his ass handed down to him,â Said Arthur who had been observing the scene.
Lance had his brows furrowed, unsure of what to do. Aziz should have just walked away the first time but here he was provoking the other party. He was more than worried for Aziz because that other opponent, John by name, was taller than him and a brawny fellow.
While Aziz was not lanky and had muscles on him as well, John had a threatening air of menace around him. With the hostility in his eyes, Lance was sure that if they were to engage in a fight, the man would leave him â Aziz- in a near-death condition.
He had to stop this.
Newbies werenât of much value, they were more like puppets until their worths were proven and the useful ones selected and separated from their pals. Nonetheless, they were resources and he couldnât afford to lose one of them â especially Aziz.
But as Lance made to take a step, his brother stopped him by grabbing onto his arm.
âWhere do you think youâre going?â
âLet go!â He growled at him.
âYou of all people should know interfering between them wouldnât help him at all. How is he going to grow up in this tough place then?â Robert squeezed his brotherâs shoulder with a dubious smile, âYou wanted them to have fun? This is fun.â