#mikolaj wilk | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

xxmyhomexx · 10 months

Text

BRUTAL BIRTHRIGHT: Phone Call

I am re-reading a couple of books in the Brutal Birthright series, and it gave me this idea about a phone call between Nessa and Riona Griffin. They're some of the characters I really like!

I picture Riona working in her Tennesee home one Friday night, sitting in the dining room with doors connected to the wrap around porch of their five-bedroom home. The patio is huge, and Teddy, Cole, Creed and Marshall are with Raylan on the backporch with their Bernese mountain dog Sasha.

Teddy plays a guitar, and all three of his brothers are singing while their father sits in a chair with a smile on his face. Riona is relaxed as she hums to the song her sons sing, her gaze scanning the papers until her phone rings. Picking it up, she sees it's her sister Nessa.

Riona is delighted and she asks how Anna, Cara and Whelan are doing.

"Amazing," Nessa is happy. "I called because I have some big news."

Her voice is careful, aware of her sister's reaction. "Anna just received an acceptance letter to Kingmakers."

Kingmakers, the school where the children from some of the deadliest mafia families go to take their place in the underworld. You can't call, email, or text your child because of their strict rules, including no internet, only letters. You can't leave the island with the exception of going to the city, and you cannot return home for holidays like Christmas. The only time you can leave is during the summer.

"She did?" Riona turns to the patio and sees her sons still immersed in their guitar sessions, closing the door behind her with the phone close to her ear and a hand over her chest.

"Yes," Nessa nodded. "And she's adamant on attending. She was accepted into the Heirs division."

"An heir?" Riona's eyes widen. "So Mikolaj is going to make her his successor?"

"That was always the plan," Nessa's tone doesn't change.

Riona hisses through her teeth when she thinks of her eldest niece. Anna Wilk was Nessa and Mikolaj's eldest, a stark contrast to her mother and a twin of her father. She shared Nessa's love for dance while she bonded more with Mikolaj's emotional appeal, but they both loved her just like she did her own sons.

"Riona," Nessa catches her attention. "Did...did the boys get any letters?"

Riona sucks in a breath and shakes her head. "No, and they don't know about th school."

If there was one thing that she vowed as a mom, Riona kept her children away from the mafia life. They were more well aware of went on between their families, the history of the Griffin and Gallo feud up until their current alliance. They understood their families had enemies, but they could hold their own and her boys were strong fighters and protectors.

A part of her was relieved that her redheaded boys had no knowledge of Kingmakers, and she wanted to make sure it stayed that way.

"Now I know why Dante moved to Paris with Simone," Riona inhales. "He wants to keep his family safe."

"Riona..."

"My decision is final, Nessa," Riona's voice is calm, not offending or clipped. "My boys will never know about that school, and I don't want them to be in danger and away from us on some island with kids from the most dangerous families."

She is unaware that a familiar face enters through the living room, her sister-in-law Bo. She has blossomed into a taught, strong but graceful lady, her long black curls pulled up in a bun as she crosses her arms and leans against the door frame. She watches as Riona smiles, nodding while Nessa talks on the phone.

"Thanks for calling, Nessa," she smiles. "Talk to you soon."

As she hangs up, she jumps when she sees Bo standing there. The woman is wearing a black tank, withered jeans and socks. She lives with her husband Duke at Silver Run, the ranch owned by the Boone family, but drives out on weekends to see her nephews and older brother. She has her arms crossed as she smiles at Riona.

"That phone call sounded serious. Was it about that school again?"

"Yes," Riona stretches. "My niece was accepted as an Heir."

Bo stays silent before speaking. "You lied, though. Creed also get accepted."

Riona shook her head. "It was a recommendation letter, and Raylan tore it up and threw it away. I'd rather die than have any of my boys at Kingmakers."

Bo sighs and uncrosses her arms, walking toward the patio doors and seeing them still on their guitar. The muffled hollers and laughters flit across the evening, and she hears Raylan telling them to quiet down. Riona looks out the windows as well.

"Y'know they'll be eighteen soon," Bo reminds her. "What if...they want to be more involved with the other side?"

"That's their choice," Riona agrees. "But they can from family. They'll be safer if they're close to allies instead of unknown families."

"What if they're safer at Kingmakers?" Bo asks. "Isn't there some sacred rule about no killing?"

"I tell you too much," Riona narrows her eyes. "And stop listening to my phone calls."

Bo holds her hands up in surrender. "Ok, got me there."

Riona rolls her eyes. "Maybe you should let Waya go."

Waya is Bo and Duke's son, and the look she gives her is exactly the same one Riona had when Bo mentioned Kingmakers.

"You have a death wish if you think I'm letting him attend mafia school."

Both women giggle as they watch the men still strumming along the guitar. Riona smiles as she watched Teddy pluck the strings, each brother singing their own country rendition of "Sharp Dressed Man" by ZZ Top. She places a hand over her heart as Bo wraps an arm around her shoulder.

"For a woman who never wanted children, you did good raising them."

"Yeah...I did." Riona admits.

#sophie lark #broken vow #riona griffin #raylan boone

1 note · View note