Never Judge

"Sorry about ruining your heart to heart talk, kids, but we need the room, and you two, stay." Ray said in a stern tone as his son and nephew stood up and moved to their proper seats.

"Uncle."

"Father."

Al and Emilio both greeted as Cedric Reyes entered the room with his best friend and brother-in-law.

"You should have told me you were coming here." Cedric said with a chuckle. "That way we wouldn't have needed two cars."

Hendrick's jaw dropped when he realized that the other man with them was the famous Cedric Reyes, CEO of the Reyes Group, Head of the Reyes family, and the most  powerful man in the capital.

"The matter hadn't been settled, I thought you would stay at home till the traitor was found." Emilio told his dad in a more serious tone.

"You will head to work on Monday as usual, as if nothing had happened." Cedric told his son.

"And I can return to the apartment?" Emilio already knew that this would be impossible. He had actually enjoyed his freedom while under poverty training and understood why his father missed the simpler days.

"Packed up, you're moving back home." Cedric flatly told his son, much to Emilio's dislike.

"What if I got a place and moved into an apartment. Somewhere close to R Tower?" Emilio suggested.

"Have you saved enough to live in a secure building that can fend off paparazzi and assassins?" Cedric questioned as he narrowed his eyes at his son.

"No, but-"

"You aren't just anyone Yoyo." Cedric reminded him. "There will always be people after you."

"Don't be too harsh on him, Cedric." Ray said, taking Emilio's side. "I can give him an apartment. Couldn't give him a lavish gift on his birthday so this could be it. He is my godson after all."

"You spoil him." Cedric told Ray, rolling his eyes.

"He's old enough, Cedric. At his age you were already married." Ray reminded his friend as he laughed. "And Emilio has more hidden undertakings than you do."

Emilio looked at his uncle in shock.

He had established a few small companies for the future, but he didn't know that his uncle was aware of them.

"There is very little that escapes me." Ray reminded everyone in the room.

"Except your son joining the Mafia." Ian coughed making everyone but Ray and Hendrick laugh.

The poor young man was so confused by the interaction. He thought the King of the Underworld would be furious when he returned, but now they were laughing and teasing one another as if they were normal people.

"You're scaring Hendrick." Al pointed out as he grinned at Emilio's friend.

"Right, right, on to business." Ray said as he sat behind his desk.

Cedric chose to remain standing as he leaned against the wall.

"You are lucky." Ray said as he looked at Hendrick, who straightened himself as soon as he noticed Ray Laurence's attention on him. "You are not just my nephew's friend, but also quite an asset for the mafia, if I'm not mistaken."

"Thank you, sir." Hendrick said as he bowed his head slightly.

"Relax, Hendrick. You're not in any trouble." Seth chuckled.

Hendrick didn't quite believe the older man since just a few moments ago he was bowing too.

Sensing Hendrick's hesitation, Al spoke to him.

"Relax, my dad isn't mad. If he were truly mad at you, he would have you jailed and tortured by now." Al said with a smile.

Hendrick slowly nodded. Hearing that the man before him could quickly shift from kind fatherly figure to murderous king of the Underworld was still unsettling.

"Seth has confirmed that it has been a practice for many Mafia Families to hire young men to do menial tasks and that this was the first where a big mission was given to someone so young." Ray said in the hopes that Hendrick's fear will be eased.

"You have to admit, dad, my actions still saved us a lot of time and resources." Al pointed out as he crossed his arms on his chest. There was no way he was going to let his dad forget that what he did was a big help.

"It still placed you in danger and crossed a bottom line, we never go after minors." Ray told his son. His tone was dangerous, as if sending a warning to young Al.

"Fine. Yeah it did." Al admitted.

"But yes, it also probably saved a lot of lives, but from now on no missions until you are eighteen. For now you can help with administrative work and sit in on meetings, when the time comes I will give you the freedom to join a mafia or a gang if you choose to do so." Ray said, admitting that what his son had done had helped them a lot.

"But dad, I've shown that I'm capable-"

Aldrich was stopped mid sentence when his father glared at him and raised his hand, telling him to stop speaking.

"Alrdich Perseus Lawrence, you will listen to me and you will follow what I say." Ray practicaly shouted at his son, much to everyone's surprise. "This mission might have been a success but if they found out who you are you weren't capable of defending yourself or escaping."

Al bowed his head and nodded.

"Yes, dad."

"And you made the biggest mistake of getting attached to your target, you know that is wrong." Ray told his son.

Al had nothing to say in his own defense.

All he could do was nod and agree with his father's words.

"Unfortunately we need to use that attachment of yours now." Ray said with a sigh as he looked at Ian and nodded for him to explain further.

"We've taken Cara and her father into custody, they will be moved here tomorrow." Ian informed Al.

"Here?! Are you serious?!" Al asked, shocked that his father would let a possible spy into their home.

"I want to show them that we aren't the enemies, Al, that we can help them." Ray said in a much kinder voice.

"You do know that when Cara finds out that I used her, that our friendship was all a lie, she will hate me? Right?" Al asked.

"She doesn't have to know that you're the reason they got found out." Ray told his son. "And really Al, we all know it wasn't fake."