Semua Bab Don’t Cross a Principessa: Bab 1 - Bab 10

I looked quietly at Declan and gave a soft, cold laugh. "What do you think?"I waited for him to make his choice.His eyes stayed on my face for three seconds before he looked away. He had clearly made up his mind."Katerina, I have to say, these numbers look bad." Declan cleared his throat and put on his boss act. "As a rising crew, we have to keep a strict eye on mob rules and our money. Rules are rules."I saw a flash of triumph in Roxy's eyes."With that in mind," Declan turned to look at the scarred accountant. "Take Katerina's keys. The armory, the hidden vault, the smuggling ledgers, and the club safe codes. Take them all."Scarface didn't even look up. He just nodded and said, "You got it, Boss.""Also," Declan continued. "Roxy, I'm officially putting you in charge of getting this half-million back. Our crew is about to take on a big contract. Every penny counts.""No problem, Boss." Roxy almost jumped to answer, unable to hide the excitement in her voice. "I'll take some boys

Early the next morning, as soon as I walked through the club's back door, Declan's right-hand man Enzo walked up to me."Katerina," his expression was a bit awkward, his eyes darting away. "I have to tell you something."He pulled a crumpled paper from the inside of his jacket."The Boss wants you demoted." He didn't dare look me in the eye. "From now on, you will collect protection money at the corner dive bars. Where you end up next will depend on your performance this month.""Collecting loose change on the street?" I let out a laugh. "You mean total exile with no way back."Enzo's face turned bright red. "Katerina, you know I didn't want to pass this message, but this is a direct order from the Boss.""I know." I cut him off. "Then who gets those core smuggling routes and the high-roller lists now?""Roxy." Enzo said quickly. "She's been officially promoted by the Boss to club manager and his second-in-command. All dealings with the big families go to her. You have to hand over wha

After hanging up, I sat in front of the floor-to-ceiling window. I opened a ledger and started doing the math.Shell casings, ledgers, and every single cash advance the crew owed me were calculated clear as day.First, the difference in the building's rent. One point five million dollars.Second, the profits from the underground casinos. A conservative estimate of one point five million dollars.Finally, the weapons costs I fronted for the crew's smuggling operations out of my own stash. This included heavy weapons, port payoffs, and armored cars. A full five million dollars.Added together, it was nearly eight million dollars.I was going to make this pack of backstabbers pay me back with interest, using their lives.Monday morning, my bulletproof Aston Martin quietly parked in the dark alley outside the Sicilian private club.Through the heavily tinted windows, I could see Declan's top guys waiting outside the club's main doors. Every one of them looked anxious.Declan was wearing hi

Looking at the speechless Declan, I turned my face away in disgust."Uncle Salvatore," I turned to my uncle, my tone calm again. "I've made up my mind. Starting today, I'm taking over this street myself. I want absolutely nothing more to do with this little crew or this man."A look of approval flashed in Salvatore's eyes, followed by a cold snort.He looked at Declan kneeling on the ground. His tone was like a death sentence. "Good. I am officially announcing that the family is pulling all muscle and smuggling deals with your crew. From this moment on, no soldier from the Five Families on this street will recognize you as a Capo."Declan's face turned completely ashen. He opened his mouth in despair, but no sound came out.Roxy was trembling next to him. She finally realized what a massive disaster she had caused.Salvatore elegantly adjusted the cuffs of his dark grey suit and held his arm out to me. "Niece, get in the car with your uncle. We'll talk on the way about how to set up yo

The next afternoon, Declan and Roxy started a stream on the dark web.Behind them was a moldy concrete wall. A bare bulb hung overhead. They sat behind a battered metal desk, having purposely rubbed some dirt on their faces.Roxy's hair was a mess, and her eyes were swollen. She sobbed at the camera, playing the victim hard."I'm just a girl who crawled out of the slums, trying to make a living on these streets. The only thing I did wrong was finding proof of that big family princess skimming, and then, you all see it. This is what happens to me today."The chat rolled by at a crazy speed."The big families are too arrogant! They don't leave people any way to live!""This is just bullying for turf!""The princesses of those big families are all vampires!""I stand with Roxy! We street crews have to unite and get justice!"I watched the screen full of hateful comments, my expression as calm as ever.Declan started his performance too, his voice full of fake grief."We just want to quiet