“Sir, the silent alarm for one of our old warehouses just went off. We believe it is her.” Winter Dixon. Unbeknownst to her, her father and Roman’s boss, Reuben Stone is a fearsome and powerful mafia leader with the largest empire in the East coast. However, he has 2 weaknesses, his children and his love for women. Reuben has always tried to take care of whatever kids he has, however there was one exception. Winter Dixon. One of his favorite strippers, Natasha Dixon, got pregnant, but the woman never told Reuben, for whatever reason. The woman was forced to quit and began living her life on the streets with her baby, doing anything to scrape together money for them both. This lasted 5 years.
Natasha got high on the streets one cold winter night and passed out. A young Winter waited hours for her mother to wake, but to no avail. The girl left to steal a blanket for her mother so she wouldn’t freeze to death. But when Winter returned, she saw her passed out mother being put in the back of an ambulance.
Leaving Winter alone.
After a few days when her mother didn’t return, Winter assumed she was dead and began surviving on the streets alone. Sure she could’ve gone to an orphanage, been swept away by the state, however, she has the blood of a Stone. She’d be sold by the first dirty official he found out. Roman is sure her mother schooled Winter to avoid city officials at all cost.
Roman began recruiting for another assassin after Sparrow got hurt a few months ago. He was searching through the police database when he came across Winter Dixon. Her mother’s name was vaguely familiar, however it was her beauty that stood out to Roman. Much to his embarrassment, he became curious about the girl and it just happened to be Reuben’s daughter.
Roman watches the security footage of the girl breaking into one of his unused warehouses. She scopes the warehouses, sloppily but he’s impressed that she did at all. She’s cautious and smart, and harder to find than Roman ever imagined. Even with his connections, it was almost like she didn’t exist, until he got a tip by a sleazy drug dealer named Kyle Barker. He wants to sell the girl to Roman who decided to entertain the idiotic man, gaining as much information on Kyle’s operations and Winter condition. It’s better that she is sold to him, rather than one of their enemies.
She’s been alone since she was a child. Kyle found her sleeping in the park, and offered her work when she was 16. Now at 19, she’s apparently his “best worker” that he’s suddenly so eager to sell. The fiends like her and she doesn’t do anything but her job, nothing more or less. No questions asked. She even goes to the front line when Kyle asks, seemingly killing others doesn’t phase her.
She picked up guns easy enough and is a natural fighter, however, she has drug abuse problems that Kyle loves to exploit. A similarity to her mother.
“Are you sure this is her?” Roman watches in distaste as Winter begins snorting up the lines of white powder.
“Yes sir.” Roman’s jaw ticks as he watches her lull into a completely vulnerable state. Even with her weapon, what good is it if she can’t stand, let alone move? She laughs and leaning her head against her gun, closing her eyes.
This is completely unacceptable. However, he needs her, or more so his boss’s empire needs her. Reuben has mentioned retirement but there is no way that the Stone mafia would keep its power and reputation with Reggie in charge. Although he is Reuben’s eldest son, at 25 he is content spending all of his money on women and parties. He’s the epitome of irresponsible and cost the mafia a lot of money to clean up his constant messes. He can barely even kill anyone without bitching about it. Most of the time he just makes Roman take care of his dirty work.
Winter tucks her feet up to her chest, sinking into the corner of his old office, hidden behind the couch. Using it as a shield rather than a bed. A shame that such adaptable intelligence is being squandered by the drugs that are supposed to be nothing more than a money tool.
“This is the same girl that Kyle Barker swears by? She’s an addict, we’ll have a lot of work to do, Ryland. Keep tabs on her and in the meantime, tell Kyle that we accept, we’ll handle this diplomatically, and kill the bastard later.” Kyle is a simple minded boy that’d pay a cheap dollar for a priceless diamond. However, it works in Roman’s favor.
“I thought this might be what you were up to” Alan, Reuben’s right hand man walks into the room, eyeing Roman sitting at his desk. Roman doesn’t react to the judgment in the older man’s tone as he reads over the file Roman built for Winter.
This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.
“Have you considered that the boss never wanted anything to do with the girl? If he wanted to find her then he could have on his own.”
“I considered it, yes.” Roman says, turning to look at Alan as he watches the strung out girl with an unimpressed shake of his head.
“She looks to be as much trouble as Reggie, which means she isn’t worth trouble.”
“It’s better to leave her to her fates.” Roman looks at Alan consideringly, before turning back to the screen. He can’t explain it, but he knows that having Winter on their side would be beneficial. She has a potential that shouldn’t go to waste.
“She has potential.” Alan knows that the assassin’s are Roman’s personal pet project. The idea was one he didn’t see the purpose in. But even Alan can’t deny that an assassin like Sparrow comes in handy for some assignments.
“I suppose that’s not something you say often, some would even consider it high praise coming from you. She doesn’t look like much, how much for her?”
“Only 50 thousand.”
“If she’s that cheap I assume that nobody knows she’s a Stone.” Roman nods as Alan stands to his full height, lighting a cigar.
“That’s right and I intend on keeping it that way, at least for now.”
“It’s for the best. If Reggie finds out that there’s a threat to his future position he’ll pitch a fit. Tell the boss before you buy anything, understand?” Roman nods but he knows that Alan intends on telling Reuben as soon as he leaves his room. Regardless, Roman had no intention of keeping it a secret.
So, after watching Winter sleep on and off for the next few hours, he finishes his report and gathers his files. Roman sent Ryland to watch Winter and in the meantime, he will tell his boss about his intentions to train Winter. At the very least she will be a second strong assassin for the mafia.
Roman finishes his brief workout in his room, before eating, showering and dressing for the day. When he’s done and he is sure that Reuben is done having breakfast with his family, he goes downstairs, where his boss is seeing his daughters off for school.
“Good morning, Roman, would you care for breakfast?” Delilah Stone, second wife to his boss and a lot nicer than the first, greets him warmly. Despite being adopted by Reuben before they were married, Delilah regards Roman as a son and not just a worker.
“I have already eaten, but thank you Mrs. Stone.”
“What have I told you about that nonsense? If you refuse to call me mom then call me Delilah, do you understand?” Roman smiles at the insistent woman, she has been saying this since he was a boy.
“Yes ma’am” his response only has Delilah huffind and lightly hitting his arm.
“Baby leave the boy alone. Is there a problem, Roman?” Reuben closes the door, turning to his assistant and his fussing wife. Reuben noticed Roman waiting the second he stepped into the room, his silence letting him know that there is something they need to discuss. Despite adopting the boy, Roman has always been Reuben’s hardest and most dedicated worker.
At times he considers passing the family to Roman rather than his biological son, Reggie. Reggie’s immaturity is the reason he hasn’t been able to retire like he wants. Delilah is tired of worrying over him and Reuben is tired of getting his hands dirty. Roman declined, feeling that it wouldn’t be right since he is not a Stone by blood. Despite Reuben’s reassurance the boy cannot be swayed. Until Reggie grows up, Reuben has little choice but to continue to be in charge.
“There is something that I would like to discuss with you, sir.” Reuben knows what this is about. Alan informed him last night that Roman has found one of his supposed children and intends to train her to either be an assassin or take Reggie’s place. Reuben knows that it could cause a potential tantrum from his son. Regardless, he at least wants to meet the child. It might be the push his son needs to grow up.
“What is it, Roman?” He glances at Delilah before looking at his boss again.
“It is best discussed in private sir.” Reuben nods although he already received his lecture from his dear wife last night. Alan is nowhere as discreet as Roman. With final instructions to “take care of it” by his wife, Reuben and Roman disappear to Reuben’s office. Reuben sits at his desk and lights a cigar, urging Roman to continue.
“Sir, I have located who I believe is your and one, Natasha Dixon, now Natasha Bailey’s daughter Winter Dixon. I have worked out a deal to purchase her from her boss for 50 thousand dollars. I would like your permission to purchase and train her as an assassin.”
“Just an assassin?” Reuben voices his suspicions and Roman can only sheepishly nod.
“For now, sir. Depending on her abilities and progress, I may suggest a more…fitting position.” Always professional and careful, Roman definitely has a way with words. He knows better than to come out and argue against Reggie’s leadership, so he’s being diplomatic and building a contingency plan.
“Tell me Roman, how’d you come to find that I potentially had another daughter in the first place?” Roman hesitates before answering, sheepishly rubbing his head, his face growing red.
Reuben understands the boy better than anyone else and notices the embarrassment shining in Roman’s cold eyes.
“I was searching for recruits and came across her record. Her mother’s name sounded familiar so I did some research.” Reuben smirks at his adopted son’s embarrassment, knowing there’s more to it than that.
“Alright, but I have no intention of hiding that she is my daughter. If she agrees and survives your training, then we will welcome her as part of the family. If she refuses, I trust you’ll treat her accordingly.” Daughter or not, Reuben can’t risk any jeopardy to his empire or the family that he has built.