Santiago: The Almeida Brothers Trilogy Book One: Social Rejects Syndicate Read online

  Book #1

  Portugal

  The

  Social Rejects Syndicate

  Text Copyright © 2021

  All Rights Reserved

  Cover by Sweet 15 Designs

  Social Rejects Syndicate

  Almeida Brothers Trilogy

  No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system without the written permission of the author, except for the use of brief quotations in a book review.

  This book is a work of fiction. Names, characters, places, and incidents either are products of the author’s imagination or are used fictitiously. Any resemblance to actual persons, living or dead, events, or locales is entirely coincidental.

  Dedication

  This book is dedicated to all the great people of Portugal. Being from this amazing country, I know the beauty it beholds. It’s one of Europe’s best-kept secrets. Every citizen and immigrant holds such a passion for its magnificence. I hope you get the pleasure of visiting this treasure one day soon and you too will fall in love.

  Table of Contents

  Dedication

  Prologue

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Rodrigo

  Other SRS Books

  Acknowledgements

  Other SRS Books

  About the Author

  Prologue

  “Pai! Father!” I call as I rush into my parent’s bedroom. My heart rapidly beats inside my chest as I come to a skidding stop in front of his open door. My father is dying, and my desperate shouts are a way to let him know I’m coming.

  My mother came searching for me with sorrowed tears in her eyes. I knew just by the solemn look on her face that the news wasn’t good. My father was requesting to see me, and that could only mean one thing…his death was looming on the horizon.

  As I approach the bed, his hand comes up and I slip my hand into his. I can feel the bones beneath his withered skin as he attempts to give it a weak squeeze. His face is an unearthly white, and his eyes have shadows that weep into his cheekbones. It shatters me to see this once strong man in this condition.

  My father was invincible. Nothing could bring him down, or so I thought. A massive heart attack took him down a month ago and he hasn’t been out of this bed since. I never imagined I would see him on his deathbed, but here he is, lying on his massive king-sized bed, his heart giving out on him.

  His eyes shine with unshed tears as they roved around the room before falling on mine. A knot forms in my throat at the sight. It’s heavy. It’s hard to take a breath. There is a pit forming deep in my stomach—a dread-filled emptiness I can’t explain. It tells me this is the end for him, but for some reason, he’s holding on and I know deep in my heart that I need to listen to whatever he has to say.

  “I’m here,” I whisper, squeezing his hand in recognition.

  “I made a promise twenty years ago that you need to know about.” He stops to take a few breaths and continues. “Leonardo and I made a pact when we started this business. The business is great, and we want to keep it within the families.” He pauses again and continues, “I promised him you would marry his first-born daughter. Please don’t hate me for planning your future. It was an irrational promise, but a promise all the same.”

  “I understand,” I say, observing him as he weakly nods his head.

  “Swear to me, you’ll hold up my end of the promise,” he pleads.

  I can’t believe he’s asking me to do this. What choice do I have? In my world, promises aren’t broken. Ever.

  “I swear,” I answer without hesitation.

  My father put me in charge of the business as soon as he became ill. I fell easily into his place and will continue to honor the empire my father built out of nothing. He brought me and my brothers into the business in our late teens, and there’s nothing we wouldn’t do to protect it.

  “Thank you, Filho.” He takes a final breath, shudders, and closes his eyes. I hear my mother wail with the realization he was no longer with us. I lay my forehead to our joined hands. My heart breaking.

  “I love you,” I whisper, as I gently place his hand on the bed. My brother Rodrigo is desperately trying to hold on to our mother as she falls apart. I can tell she needs more support, so I rush over to her and wrap her into a tight hug. For someone who just lost a husband, she seems too calm. I release my hold and grasp her hand. “Come on, Mama. It’s time to say goodbye.”

  I guide my sobbing mother to my father’s bedside, fighting to keep her upright as I help her into the chair. She’s lost the man who was her whole world—a world I am now in sole control of. My brothers take a step forward and settle on either side of me. Tears fill my eyes as I watch my mother’s final private moment with my father. For twenty-five years they’ve never been separated, but now she must live on without him. We all do.

  Chapter 1

  Santiago

  “Son of a bitch!” I yell as I throw my glass of brandy at the wall. I watch as the glass shatters into a thousand little pieces, just like my life. The promise my father made has been weighing on me. So many what ifs are crossing my mind. I feel like my whole life from this point forward is a bad novel.

  “What the fuck, Bro?” Rodrigo says after he walks in with Marco on his heels.

  I slump into my desk chair and watch my brothers make themselves comfortable on my office couch. Although my life is a mess right now, one thing remains solid; my brothers will be there with me every step of the way. I can always count on them, even when they disagree with me. We’ve always had that bond.

  “I’m dealing with a lot of shit, I never expected to have to deal with,” I tell them.

  Rodrigo nods his head in agreement. “How the hell am I supposed to marry a woman I barely know and take over the business at the same time? That’s disastrous. What if she’s awful? I can’t have stupid distractions.”

  “Leonardo was here yesterday for a visit with Pai. They didn’t speak of any promise. Maybe Leonardo doesn’t want the marriage? You don’t have to go through with it. No one would blame you if you don’t follow through,” Marco interjects. I glare at my youngest brother and he shrugs. “It’s a possibility.”

  “Let’s get real. Those two don’t make promises they don’t intend to keep.” I run a hand through my hair. “I’m not the most romantic person, but I always thought I would marry someone I was in love with. I never thought I would be set up the old-fashioned way. I don’t even know if we’ll get along. Now, I have to maneuver all of that and take over the business. Shit.” I run my hands through my hair in frustration. This situation has me so stressed and my temper is hanging on by a thread.

  “It’s bullshit. What can we do to help?” Rodrigo asks.

  “Right now, we need to call a meeting with all our colleagues and let them know I’m in charge now. After the meeting, we’ll pay our respects to Pai.” I stand and walk around the desk. “I’ll deal with the rest later
.”

  “Mama is preparing all the funeral arrangements,” Marco says before standing. He walks over to me and extends his hand. “No one deserves to take Pai’s place more than you.”

  I reluctantly nod and shake his hand. “Thanks.”

  “It’s fucked up. Pai made this promise and laid it on you while on his death bed. No one would blame you if you decided not to honor the promise,” Rodrigo encourages as they walk out the door.

  I pour myself another brandy from the small bar and walk to the floor-to-ceiling windows adorning the back half of my office. I pour myself another brandy from the small bar and walk to the floor-to-ceiling windows adorning the back half of my office.

  Outside, the sun creates sparkling crystals on the surface of my pool. Beside it, the plush garden is alive with beautiful arrays of daffodils, thyme, laurels, and clematis flowers, lush green grass, and an abundance of delicious fruit hanging off the beautiful persimmon and orange trees. There’s nothing I love more than walking through the gardens, picking a fresh persimmon off the trees, and enjoying it while taking in all the greenery. Portugal is beautiful for most of the year, but summertime is when it’s at its best, which is why it’s my favorite season.

  Our compound sits at the top of a mountain in Campanhã, a small town in Porto. My father purchased this old castle once he made his first fortune.He updated the inside and gave the outside a little love. It’s an amazing property and one he spent countless hours working on. My father believed in hard work. He never handed us anything. You want respect, you earn it. You want to be a part of the business; you work to be a part of it. That’s the one thing I respected most about him. He never sugar-coated anything and made us work for everything we got.

  A knock breaks me out of my trance, and I look behind me to see Mama walking in. I immediately leave the windows and go to her. I take her in my arms, hugging her tightly. I can’t imagine how she’s feeling. We all knew this was coming, but she still lost the love of her life.

  “I’m so sorry for your loss.”

  “I’m sorry for yours as well,” she whispers. That’s just like Mama. She’s never selfish.

  I let her go, watching as a tear falls down her cheek before guiding her to sit on the couch. I join her. Mama is one of the strongest women I know. No one pushes her around. You have to be that kind of woman to put up with this business. She’s fierce.

  “I came here to discuss your father’s promise,” Mama says while wiping at her nose. I start to speak, but she puts her hand up. “I need you to listen to me.”

  I nod so she can continue.

  “I want you to know I didn’t know about your father’s promise. I would’ve fought Vasco tooth and nail about it. But it’s done, and there’s nothing I can do about it now. As you know, Vasco and I spent a lot of time at the Fonseca home. Leonardo’s daughter is beautiful and will make someone a great wife. I just don’t know if she’s cut out to be your wife.” She stands and walks to the windows. “I’m not happy my baby boy is going to run the business and marry someone he doesn’t love.” Her heartbreak is evident on her face by the hollow stare.

  “Mama, I understand.” I stand to join her at the windows.

  “No, you don’t. You won’t understand until you have children of your own. A mother has dreams for her children. Some of those dreams aren’t reasonable, but we still dream. I prayed you wouldn’t want to be a part of your father’s business. In fact, I begged your father not to get into this business in the first place. I fought him tooth and nail, even threatening to leave him. I didn’t because my love for him was just too strong.” She’s distraught. Tears are falling from her eyes. She’s blaming herself for how my life is playing out.

  “So, I stayed. He was a wonderful husband. He provided for me and the three of you boys without hesitation. But every day I feared it would be the last time I saw him. When I saw you boys take to the business, it broke my heart. I knew you would take over it someday. I hated it, but I knew it would happen.”

  She turned to look at me. “I’m sorry I wasn’t strong enough to leave your father. I’m sorry I set you up to have this life.” Tears fall down her face. I never knew she felt this way. She always supported my father in front of us. Her words go through me like a current of electricity, shocking me to the core.

  “There’s nothing to apologize for. You and Pai gave me a good life,” I assure her.

  “I’m here for you always. Please be gentle and kind to the girl promised to you. Remember, she’s in the same position you’re in. She didn’t ask for this and she doesn’t know the business. Her father sheltered her and her sisters from it all. They have no idea what happens in this world. She’ll need a lot of patience and guidance.” She reaches up and places her hands on my cheeks.

  “Yes, Mama. I understand. I promise to be sympathetic to her and I will. She’s doesn’t deserve a jerk.”

  “You’re a puzzle, my Santiago. You’re tough enough to handle this business and get respect, yet you have a heart of gold. I love you, my son, I always will. I’ll be here to help with whatever you need.”

  “Thank you, Mama. I love you, too.”

  I watch her walk out and ponder her words. I didn’t consider that the woman promised to me could be completely in the dark about all of this as well.

  I rub my forehead and run a hand down my face. This fucking situation is ridiculous. I need to deal with it head on and treat my future wife with dignity and respect. It’s the least I can do since she’s about to walk into a major shit show. I pray she doesn’t fight me and this whole situation. The business has all eyes on me. Any wrong move will make the whole thing crumble. I have all of our futures resting on my shoulders. My chest tightens at the thought. I take a deep breath and pull out my phone. It’s time to deal with this head on.

  Chapter 2

  Santiago

  The Fonseca home sits ten miles away from the Almeida compound. It’s a beautiful home with large cement walls surrounding it. The main house, an ancient castle, is made of stone. Its unique architecture is a work of art.

  Leonardo made sure his family was safe while keeping a foot in the business. He made enough money to make sure his family had everything they needed. At the back of the Fonseca property, Leonardo farmed and grew marijuana plants. We always had a fresh supply of the drug for distribution, and it’s always in demand. His family knew of the farm but never worked it, and they didn’t know what was being grown there. Leonardo hired men to care of the farm. He clearly worked very hard to keep the business away from his family.

  Now I’m sitting in Leonardo’s office. It’s a little surreal being here without my father. This man was my father’s best friend and business partner, now he was mine. My eyes watched him attentively as he took a phone call and asked me to give him a few minutes. I take those few minutes to look around. All over the office are photos. Some date back to when Leonardo was a kid, others are more recent and are of his family. I stop when I find a photo of a beautiful young woman. She has brown hair. Her green eyes are like emeralds. She’s thin and her clothing is modest. There is an innocence to her. She’s beautiful. I can’t take my eyes off her. Something about her captivates me.

  “My apologies, Santiago,” Leonardo says as he walks in. “I got caught up with some business.”

  “I understand, Sir.” I extend my hand to his and we shake.

  “Vasco’s funeral was beautiful. I miss my friend terribly,” he says as he takes a seat in one of the lounge chairs sitting in front of his desk. He waves me toward the other and I sit.

  “We all miss him, but he’s in a better place. He was suffering,” I tell him.

  “This is true.” He takes a moment and asks, “Would you like something to drink?”

  “No, Sir. Thank you.”

  “Well, what can I do for you?” His eyes are on me and it feels like he has no idea why I’m here. I’m a little confused. How can he not know why I’m here?

  “My father revealed the promise yo
u two made with each other to me on his death bed.”

  Leonardo stares at me for a moment. He has a blank look in his eye, almost as if he’s trying to process what I’m saying. He stands and walks across the room.

  “That promise hasn’t been spoken about since it was made. I thought he had forgotten about it.” Leonardo picks up the photo I was admiring earlier. His thumb lightly traces the beautiful face of the girl in the photo before he places it down and turns back towards me. “Are you here to tell me that you aren’t going to go through with it?”

  “No. I will honor my father’s promise.”

  He has a blank look in his eye, almost as if he’s trying to process what I’m saying. He stands and walks across the room. “Why? Why would you do that?”

  “My father was a proud man. Everything he did, he did for a reason. I understand he made this promise to join our families. He loved you like a brother, and I know he wanted this, so I’ll join the families.” I watch his reaction. I see the emotion in his eyes and give him a moment to reflect.

  “Santiago, I respect you and would be very proud to have you as a son-in-law, but I have to be honest. I never thought the promise would ever hold up. We’re in a different time. You could easily say to hell with it.” Leonardo turned back to the photo. “We may a have a bigger problem on our hands.”

  “What’s that?”

  “Amelia doesn’t know about the promise.”

  I stare at Leonardo’s back for a moment and then chuckle.

  Leonardo turns around abruptly. “Why are you laughing?”

  I compose myself to look up at the man. “No disrespect, Sir, but the whole situation is a shit show.” The stress of the situation is making me crazy.

  “You’re right about that.” We sit quietly for a few moments, contemplating on how this is going to work. “I think it’s time for you to meet your future wife.”