Seeking Answers

The warning had been delivered, and now, the silence that followed was the loudest confirmation that something bigger was coming. Whoever was behind this believed patience was their weapon, that lurking in the shadows would give them the upper hand.

They had underestimated us.

Leonardo and I weren’t the type to wait for a strike. We would deliver it first.

The study smelled of aged leather and whiskey, the faint crackle of burning wood filling the otherwise quiet space. Leonardo sat near the fireplace, glass in hand, the dim light casting sharp shadows along his jaw.

I stood near the window, watching the city lights flicker in the distance. Something about the silence felt unnerving—it wasn’t peace, it was anticipation.

“You’re restless,” Leonardo observed, sipping his drink.

I turned slightly, arms crossed. “I don’t like waiting for a war. I prefer delivering it.”

His smirk was faint, but there. “I thought marriage would teach you patience.”

I arched a brow. “You should have known better.”

He chuckled, swirling the amber liquid in his glass. “Then tell me, Xena—how do we force their hand?”

I stepped toward him, taking the glass from his hand before sinking into the chair opposite him. “We disrupt their confidence. Whoever is behind this believes they can hide until the perfect moment. We take that moment away.”

Leonardo leaned forward slightly, watching me closely. “And how do you suggest we do that?”

I met his gaze without hesitation. “We cut off their resources before they even realize we’ve traced them.”

His fingers tapped against the armrest, considering. “So we start with Naples?”

I nodded. “It’s where the first hesitation came from. If we trace that hesitation back to its source, we’ll find the weakness they don’t want us to see.”

Leonardo’s smirk deepened. “You’re ruthless.”

I took a sip of his whiskey before answering. “You wouldn’t have married me if I wasn’t.”

Two days later, Naples felt our presence. Not directly—not yet. But in the shipments that never arrived, the deals that suddenly failed, the subtle shifts in power they hadn’t anticipated.

We didn’t need to declare war outright. We made them feel it.

Leonardo and I sat in the back of an exclusive lounge that night, reviewing every reaction, every ripple caused by the sudden disruption.

“Vitale says they’ve started asking questions,” I murmured, setting down my glass. “No direct accusations. Just unease.”

Leonardo exhaled, stretching his arm along the back of the booth. “They’re waiting for confirmation. They want to know if this is intentional.”

I smirked, tilting my head. “They’ll know soon enough.”

Leonardo chuckled, reaching for his drink. “Remind me never to be on your bad side.”

I leaned in slightly, voice just above a whisper. “You already married me. It’s too late for that.”

His blue eyes flickered with amusement, but there was something sharper beneath it—recognition. He knew what we were walking into.

And he knew I wasn’t about to let anyone take control of it.

Naples wasn’t foolish enough to send an official request for answers—not directly. But they sent a message. An invitation to “clarify misunderstandings.”

Leonardo and I arrived together, the atmosphere thick with expectation. The men seated before us weren’t enemies—not yet. They were the cautious players, the ones uncertain if their loyalty had been misplaced.

“There seems to be confusion,” one of the men began, voice measured. “Shipments have stalled. Deals have been unexpectedly delayed. We assume this isn’t… intentional?”

Leonardo smirked, exhaling slowly before responding. “We don’t assume in this business. We confirm.”

The man hesitated. Just for a second. But we caught it.

“So, you’re confirming this was deliberate?”

I smiled, slow. “We’re confirming that Naples hesitated first. We simply followed through.”

Silence.

Leonardo leaned forward slightly, gaze sharp. “Who told you to hesitate?”

The man didn’t answer immediately. That was enough.

There was someone above them. Someone orchestrating this.

And now, we had our next target.

That evening, Leonardo and I sat in his private study again, the weight of the discovery settling in.

“Naples isn’t the one pulling the strings,” I murmured, tracing my fingers over the reports in front of me. “They were warned. Advised to slow their dealings with us.”

Leonardo poured himself another drink, silent for a moment. “The Cambinos?”

I shook my head. “It’s bigger than them. This isn’t about one family trying to challenge us. It’s a coordinated movement.”

His jaw tightened slightly. “Someone wants to reshape the hierarchy.”

I met his gaze, unwavering. “And they thought they could start by testing us.”

Leonardo chuckled darkly, setting his glass down. “Then let’s make sure they regret it.”

There was no hesitation now. Whoever was orchestrating this had underestimated how quickly we could trace their movements.

Now, it was our turn to disrupt their plans.

The war had truly begun.

And we intended to win.