2. Regina

                        "Where are we on the shipment?"

"We're making progress, ma'am"

I throw him a dirty glare over my shoulder "Try again"

"It will be done by the end of the end day, ma'am"

"I don't need to tell you what will happen if this isn't sorted today" it's simple. Heads will roll. I am not in the mood to play games with those bastards at the port. If that shipment is a day late, I will handle it the way I normally do. By shooting first and asking questions later. I'm tired of men thinking they can get away with defying me just because I'm a woman. Dino nods. I expect him to leave but he continues to stand where he is "Anything else?"

"Mr. Gambone is waiting for you in your office"

"When did he arrive?"

"A few minutes ago, ma'am"

"You can leave" I bite out through gritted teeth. Keeping up my calm and unbothered facade when all I what I want to do is run in there and punch him for invading my privacy. He shouldn't be here, much less in my office. Who knows what he's been doing in there. For all I know, he could have installed cameras and listening devices. I wouldn't put it past that bastard. Once Dino has left, I walk leisurely, knowing if I hurry, he'll hear the click of my heels on the marble floor and know his presence has ruffled me. Schooling my expression, I push the door open and walk in "What a pleasant surprise, Federico. I don't remember you making an appointment. Unless Rita forgot to mention it"

"Regina, you look beautiful as always" he says getting up. I stand still as he holds my arms and kisses both my cheeks. There's a second where he pauses, his gaze flickering down to my lips then to my eyes. I don't know what he sees there but he sighs and drops his hands. Stepping back to put some distance between us "I wanted to make sure you remembered what day it is next week"

"You don't need to come all the way here to remind me. I have it marked on my calendar and a simple phone call would have sufficed"

"Would you have answered my call?"

"A voicemail then"

He takes the seat opposite me as I sit behind my desk "I had time and I wanted to see you"

"You mean you wanted to be seen coming here to reinforce the rumors about us being allies so my enemies wouldn't attack me?"

"If that's how you want to put it then I'm fine with it. Our supposed alliance is benefiting me. I see no reason to set the rumors straight" he leans forward, placing his elbows on top of the mahogany desk. One of his finger taps the leather top "And don't you dare pretend that you're not benefiting from it too, Regina. You've become quite the legend in the underworld"

"No thanks to you. I didn't get to where I was by relying on you or anyone"

"You're as stubborn as you are beautiful. You know that?"

"Is there anything else you wanted?"

He sighs "I hate it, Gina. This wall you've put between us despite being friends for so many years. I thought you would at least let your guard down around me but now I see how wrong I was. You have no intention of ever trusting me. Do you?"

"I learnt early what the consequences of trusting men are. Don't hold your breath, Federico"

"I refuse to believe you don't have a heart" he gets up and walks out. Immediately, I call Rita, who comes rushing.

"Ma'am?"

"Sweep the place"

"Yes ma'am" she leaves and comes back with the device we use to identify spy cams and audio recorders. I move the window as she thoroughly sweeps every corner. Twenty minutes later, she says "All clear"

"Good. Next time don't let anyone into my office without my permission. Or I'll have your head"

"Federico isn't just anyone"

"Then who is he? Would you like to go work for him?"

She grins "I was on a bathroom break. Otherwise he never would have gotten past me"

"Excuses Rita. You know what I think of them"

"I'll do better next time ma'am"

I wave her off. Rita's twenty five and has suffered more than anyone should at her age. When I found her, she was trying to kill the bastard who was responsible for her suffering. It was a suicide mission. I doubt she would have succeeded before dying. But the fact that she'd gotten so close to the man was impressive. So I asked her to work for me in exchange for my help. My only condition was that if she ever betrayed me, I would feed her intestines to the birds. She hasn't let me down since then.

She leaves and a few minutes later, comes back in with a pile of papers "More petitions from other clans"

"For what this time? Aren't those old bastards tired of this?"

"I skimmed through them and they're the same old requests. I think they want to tire you out so you'll eventually give in"

I scoff "Put them there" I point to the coffee table on my left. I will read through each and every one of them. So those bastards won't have a reason to call me out in the next meeting. It's been five years since I took over and they still blame my mistakes on the fact that I am a woman. Everyone does. Despite proving myself over and over again, they can't accept me as their leader because I don't have a penis like my predecessors. I could kill them and train the next generation to respect me but it's so much fun sticking it to those old geezers. Showing them over and over again that being a woman has nothing to do with leadership. I can do better than the bosses who came before me.

"You have a meeting with the mayor at midday. And another one with Pierre after that"

"What do you think of the mayor? Does he deserve another term?"

"What he deserves is to be sent home empty handed. Humiliating him at the polls isn't a bad idea. I suggest we pick a candidate that would wipe the floor with him"

"Who do you have in mind?" Something else I like about Rita is that she's always keeping track of current politics. I don't have to research any politician or what I need to make them bend to me.

"Marcelo Bianchi. He's young, driven and calculating"

"Do you have a crush on him?"

Rita's face turns red "Every woman in this city has a crush on him. Have you seen the man?"

"I think his looks are average. Nothing special"

"Of course, ma'am. Compared to Mr. Gambone, he is indeed average"

"Federico? Why? Do you also have a crush on him?"

"No. Anyway, as I was saying, Bianchi is the next generation. It's time to kick out those old foxes and replace them with the young energetic ones"

She's not wrong. Bianchi is young albeit stubborn but if we come to an agreement, it would benefit us immensely. The current mayor, Rizzo, is cunning. He asked my father to fund his campaign, then went to Federico and did the same. After he'd won, he pretended to be neutral. Now he's back again, hoping to get more money from Vincellis. What he doesn't know is that I'm not my father. He will never get a penny from me. I spend the morning reading through applications. More and more people want to be a part of Vincelli organization. I meet with them every Saturday before they go through initiation but I like to know their backgrounds first since only a handful make it to the end. A lot of people can't make it halfway through the tests they're given. Some even give up before they start.

This is among the petitions they send everyday. The way I conduct the initiation. The elders and their pussy relatives are always complaining about how hard I go on them. As if the organization would survive if I didn't have the best men. Sometimes I think they're willing to destroy everything just to see me gone. But that will never happen. Even if I lost it all today, I would build everything from the ground up again. Surviving five years as a mafia boss hasn't been easy. In a world dominated by ruthless men, I had to work twice as hard for them to just know my name. I had to be vicious and make decisions at the drop of a hat. To kill or not kill a man. Especially those in power who thought they could walk all over me. Every decision I've made hasn't been easy. Starting from the day I decided to forcefully take this position from my father. I knew what I was getting myself into.

And fear? It has no place in this world. The moment those animals smell it, they'll pounce.

~~~~~~~~~

"How should I address you? Miss Vincelli? Or Mrs. Santoro?" Rizzo asks grinning from ear to ear. Leaning on the table, he whispers "I heard you'll be Mrs. Gambone soon. Congratulations"

"Twenty minutes"

"What?"

"You have twenty minutes. After that, I will be meeting with Pierre. I assume you've heard of him"

"He's the self proclaimed leader of the street gangs. Why would meet with that thug?"

"Because he wants to talk business. That leaves you with fifteen minutes, Rizzo. Either get to the point or fuck off. I don't have time for chitchat when I could be making money"

"For a woman, you sure are..."

"Thirteen minutes" Rita was right about him. He needs to go. This is his third term in office and you'd think he would aim higher but no. He wants to continue being the mayor. Because he's not qualified for any position that's higher than that.

"Your father has been funding my career. I expect you will continue where he left off"

This motherfucker. Is he ordering me around?

"You expect wrong. I have better use for that money"

"You can't cut me off. We had an agreement"

"With my father. Not me. I'm not obligated to follow through with that agreement"

"Mrs. Santoro..."

"It's Madam Vincelli" I cut him off placing a well manicured hand on the table. If he knew me, he'd know that is a sign of me running out of patience. But he doesn't. Which is why he keeps pushing.

"Madam Vincelli" he says with a sneer "There's a reason women haven't made it in this business. You think with your heart and not your head. If your father was here, there would be no need to ask. He knew his place"

Threats. I like those. I resonate well with them.

"And I know mine, Rizzo. It's definitely not in the kitchen or spreading my legs for the likes of you. I am not afraid of anyone, much less you. If you want my help, you will beg for it or go elsewhere. I doubt anyone in this city will agree to fund your campaign without my approval"

"If it wasn't for Mr. Gambone, you wouldn't dare speak to me like this, Regina" he snaps, raising his voice so that the people on nearby tables turn to look at us.

Before I can tell him to go fuck himself, someone else says, "Ah, but that's where you're wrong, Mayor. Madam Vincelli here has nothing to do with me"

I'm just as surprised as he his to see this bastard here.

"Mr. Gambone, pleasure to see-" he goes to stand up but Federico places a hand on his shoulder to keep him down.

"The next time you insinuate I'm in league with the black queen, your body will be found in a ditch somewhere in the city" patting him in the back, he adds "See you around mayor" then he's gone. Rizzo has lost all color from his face. The entire city knows Federico doesn't make empty threats. Neither do I. Why does he keep on popping up everywhere I go? How will anyone believe he's not my backer when he goes around threatening the people I meet with?

This has to stop. Right now or I'll put a bullet between his eyes. Taking my handbag, I get up and go after him.

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