Broken Promises

prologue

|Twenty Five Years Ago|

A storm raged through the skies, dark and ominous— drenching everything in its path while rendering the lands barren of life.

In the middle of a lush island, built by the sea side, was an elaborate mansion that was lit up from inside like the stars themselves had come down to decorate it.

And even through the tough storm that threatened to cause such hikes in the sea level that the whole island could be engulfed easily, the men inside the mansion could not care less.

At the moment, a deal was being brokered — one which would forever change the face of the New York mafia.

"Alistair, I told you that Xavier would never agree to this when he grows up. The boy is hardly four years old and he is showing signs of becoming the true heir of my empire." A man tried to convince the one sitting in front of him, his white-knuckled grip tightening on the papers in his hand.

He had black eyes, and an equally dark beard covering his jaw. The lines underneath his eyes showed just how tirelessly he had suffered at the hands of life, and even then, his shoulders clad in his black suit were strong enough to take over any enemy daring to come at him.

The man sitting in front of him was equally lethal and dangerous. Ginger haired, his eye's represented the colour of the waters surrounding the island.

At the moment, they were in one of the safe and neutral places where both the rulers of New York Mafia could talk without worrying about betraying or being betrayed.

This manor was situated on a private island off the shores of Corsica and had been used by their ancestors for many years in order to come to mutually beneficial decisions.

With the manor being so heavily armed and with mercenaries protecting both parties, they could neither try to kill each other, nor could any outside party try to execute them.

Not only were the decisions for their mafia businesses made in this place, but also the decisions related to their legal companies were also brought into light since the last few years.

The ginger haired man smiled, his lips turning upwards in mirth, "now now, Declan, do not tell me that uniting the two ruling families of New York would be a power move. It will shut all our enemies, even the ones that we are yet to make— in the business world, as well as the bloodier side of things." Alistair stated with a shrug, taking a deep puff from the Cuban stuck between his fingers.

At the moment, they were sitting facing each other while the sea roared to life just outside of the glass wall beside them. The room they were in was built in a classical decor, all browns and regal golds, matching the luxury and status of the two men sitting inside.

Their respective families were still back in New York and right after this deal was done, both of them were to return to their own homes.

Declan seemed to be deep in thought as he stared at the contract in front of his eyes. The ivory paper felt heavier than the weighted boulders sitting at the sea bed under the ocean outside.

His brooding eyes were going over the words inked in the contract— words which he had already read over and over again.

"Think about it, Declan," Alistair spoke, "our great grandfathers were mortal enemies, the generations after them tried to lessen this animosity so that we can both survive the attacks from the rest of the world, and now, as their successors, it is our responsibility to make our families the strongest ones. We cannot allow anyone to take the New York throne, especially now that the Irish are starting to cause trouble again. Not to mention the Albanians." He said with logic and reasoning both glimmering through his voice. "You know this is the best decision."

Declan knew that. He knew that uniting their families would be the best deal for them both, especially now that they had the perfect means to do it.

"What if your daughter backs out from it when she grows up?" Declan asked the ginger haired man sitting in front of him. "I mean, she is only a new born baby right now, what if she doesn't want to marry my son?"

Alistair shook his head, "she will do whatever I ask her to. I will make sure of that. She will grow up knowing one truth and one truth only— that Xavier Genovese will be her husband one day."

Declan stared at Alistair long and hard, before a question popped up on the tip of his tongue and he asked, "you will willingly send your daughter as pawn into my home?"

Now, many who knew Declan Genovese knew that the man was always on high alert, always ten steps ahead of his enemies, always a poisonous serpent just waiting to pounce at anyone who decided to betray him. But what they did not know was the soft side he held for his wife and his son, the love he held for his family. He could do anything for the two of them and nothing would stop him from making blood rain, if ever someone decided to come after the ones he loves.

And what many who knew Alistair Princeton was that he was the head of the second ruling mafia family of New York while also owning the Princeton business empire to keep his side of the street clean. However, everyone also knew that underneath this calm and poised facade was a ruthless and cruel man, for whom the only thing that mattered was money, and for that, he would gladly sell anyone— even his own family. The man did not care about anyone and that is what made him so reckless and dangerous.

Alistair smirked, his blue eyes darkening with lethal poison as he dipped his chin in a nod, "what good are children if they aren't used for the happiness and fulfilment of the parents?"

Declan stared at the man, almost feeling pity for him in his heart, considering that he would never experience real emotion in his entire life. But that wasn't something that Alistair was at all concerned about.

And so, realising that this would forever change the fate of both their families, Declan brought his hand to the inside breast pocket of his suit and took out a jade bodied pen.

He met Alistair's gaze once and found the man grinning, "your daughter and my son will marry right after your daughter turns twenty five. And then, I will hand over my entire business to her, and you will do the same to my son." He repeated the terms of the contract.

Alistair smiled, "and no one will be stronger in New York than us."

And so, the deal was signed, the glasses clinking in celebration— all the while neither of them were aware of the storm that was about to unleash in the coming years.