My Ungrateful Sister Tried To Steal My Mafia Empire

"You get the notice from the Commission, sister?"

It was a hot, humid July night. The rain coming off the Brooklyn docks tasted like salt and grime as it hit my face.

I was checking a new shipment of hardware and didn't catch what she said at first.

Her flight from Rome was supposed to land today.

"What are you talking about, Anna?"

Her voice was cold, unfamiliar. "I've filed a formal complaint. You've been sitting on my inheritance, and I have the right to reclaim it. The summons will be at your door tonight. My boyfriend, Victor, says my chances are good."

My ears started ringing. The world tilted in a way it hadn't even when our parents died six years ago.

Victor.

Heir to the Falcone family. A snake who's been drooling over my territory for years.

The little sister I’d protected with my life wasn't just sleeping with the enemy—she was helping him sink his teeth into me.

"Anna, have you lost your goddamn mind?" I threw a pistol back in its crate, my voice dropping low and hard. "He's using you."

"Don't paint everyone with your own filthy brush!" She shrieked like I’d struck a nerve. "Victor's not like that. He cares about me. He said the Commission will give me justice."

I squeezed the phone, my knuckles turning white.

Six years ago, a hit took our parents. It left me and Anna alone with the smoking ruins of the Blackthorne family.

They weren't even cold in the ground before our own uncle had a gun to our heads, while rival families circled our businesses like hyenas.

Everyone turned on us. If I hadn't been watching, the chef who’d worked on the estate for twenty years would've poisoned us with a bowl of macaroni.

It was the darkest time of my life.

And that's when Anna said she wanted to go to college.

She'd grabbed my hand, tears streaming down her face. "Sister, I'm so scared. I can't stay here anymore…"

I thought it was for the best. At least she'd be safe.

So I gave her all the clean cash we had left. $8.7 million. Every last dime.

For six years, she lived a worry-free life in her ivory tower across the ocean. Me? I stayed in New York, surrounded by assassins, bombs, and traitors, clawing my way back to the top of the food chain, piling up bodies to rebuild the Blackthorne family's empire.

And every dollar I made, every drop of blood money I earned, I had it laundered, cleaned, and sent to her. Over ten million dollars in total.

I gave her the cleanest money, the purest protection.

And her thanks was to accuse me of stealing from her.

A screech of tires tore through the rain. My right-hand, Rosa, stumbled out of the car, not even bothering with an umbrella.

She was soaked to the bone, her hands trembling as she held out an envelope.

"Boss," she said through gritted teeth, her eyes burning with rage. "It's from the Commission."

Anna must have heard Rosa's voice on the phone.

"Looks like you got it," she sighed, her tone shifting to sound all noble and righteous. "Don't blame me, sister. I didn't want it to come to this. I'm just taking back what's mine."

"Victor has already arranged everything. You can't win. But if you step down willingly, hand over the power, I'll make sure you get a generous monthly stipend. Enough to live comfortably. We're sisters, after all. Because if this goes to a hearing, the punishment for you could be… severe."

Sisters?

My blood ran cold. I almost laughed.

This was her sisterly love? Forcing me to step down.

I clutched the envelope, forcing my voice to stay level.

"We'll see about that, Anna."

I couldn't stand the sound of her voice for another second. I hung up.

Sliding into the car, I pulled up my tablet and opened my transaction history.

The screen filled with an endless scroll of wire transfers, every single one made out to Anna Blackthorne.

The most recent was just three months ago. Half a million dollars.

The note read: Happy graduation trip, little sister.

I remember that day. I'd just lost a massive international deal. The losses were crippling. The family elders were already calling for my head.

But when she'd called, whining and begging in that little-girl voice, I didn't hesitate. "Sister, can you send me another half a mil? Rome is so expensive, and all my friends are going on a graduation trip. I don't want to be the odd one out."

"I promise this is the last time I'll ask for money! When I get back, I'll help you double the Blackthorne empire, I swear!"