Page 49 of Crimson Vows

Murmurs ripple across the room. Pens scratch against paper as they scramble to jot down notes. Good. They’re taking me seriously.

“Second,” I continue, my voice firm. “There’s a shipment request under the auto division. If we are not filling these orders, it won’t be long until our overseas clients turn elsewhere to have their requests taken care of.”

“Is it smart to boost luxury cars when the cops were sniffing around so recently? I’m guessing they’re keeping an eye on most of your father’s operations, trying to discern who took over for him,” Peter, one of the more senior of my father’s soldiers, asks, glancing back and forth between Marco and me.

I lean forward, meeting each manager’s gaze with unwavering determination. “Did any of you ever let cops scare you from doing what my father asked of you? No, I don’t think so. We can’t afford to lose that business, so I don’t care how you do it, but get it done.”

They nod in unison, the air thick with a newfound sense of urgency. I glance at Marco, his expression proud but guarded. He knows this is only the beginning of a long road ahead if we want these men to accept my direction as if it were his.

Their pens pause and hover. “Any objections?” I ask.

They shake their heads in a collective surrender.

“Great, then I want the entire order filled in a week,” I state. The room erupts with arguments about why that is impossible and how my expectations are ridiculous.

Marco steps forward, filling the space behind me. He has been so absent lately, filling in for Vincent during his trip, so having him in the same room with me feels comforting. His voice cuts through the tension. “You heard her, gentlemen. Let’s make it happen.” His authority is unquestioned. “Also, going forward, you should all be aware I am relying on Gia to stand in and run all of her father’s operations. Not one among us knows the ins and outs of these businesses better than she does. Treat her with the respect you would show me.”

The room falls silent, the weight of Marco’s words sinking in. I see the subtle shift in their expressions, a mix of surprise and begrudging acceptance. My heart swells with gratitude toward Marco as he stands beside me, another instance of him showing me he means what he says.

Marco turns to me as the men begin to file out of the room, his gaze softening. When the last one leaves, he says, “You handled that well.”

I exhale, feeling the tension drain from my shoulders. “Thanks. I appreciate you being here. It’s pretty clear they wouldn’t have listened to me without you.”

Marco steps forward, his touch light as he brushes a strand of hair behind my ear. “Just remember this will take time. They won’t all be as easy to convince. You have to be careful how hard you push them and be patient.”

I nod, knowing the challenges that lie ahead. The Mafia world is unforgiving, especially for a woman trying to assert her authority. “I know. I just want to make sure they don’t view me as weak.”

Marco chuckles. “I don’t think anyone who has ever met you would view you as weak,” he says before pressing his lips to my forehead.

He glances down at his watch, and his smile is replaced by a frown.

“Gotta go?” I ask.

“Unfortunately, I have a meeting back at the penthouse with Bobby,” he explains.

“I’m glad you were finally able to get him out,” I reply.

His brow stitches together with concern. “Vincent was right to be upset. It shouldn’t have taken as much effort as it did. I wonder if more is happening than we’re aware of.”

“What do you mean?”

“We have people in place to... prevent these kinds of issues from being a problem,” Marco answers cryptically, but I know he’s referring to the cops on the King payroll. “The fact that it took the levels I had to go in order to have him released makes me wonder if the network that existed to protect us when Edward was alive has started to crumble.”

“What are you going to do?” I frown, my mind racing with the implications of Marco’s words. If we’re losing our grasp on our protection within the police force, it will only be a matter of time before that ripples throughout the organization.

Marco shrugs. “For now, I’ll talk to Bobby and find out what they questioned him about. Maybe that will help me determine if they were just fishing or if the NYPD has plans we should worry about.”

“You think it’s that bad?”

“Honestly, I have no clue, but someone has to look out for this family,” Marco growls as he stiffens. He doesn’t need to say anymore. I can see the anger radiating from him about Vincent. Marco’s eyes have been opened. Vincent didn’t only hurt me; he is certain destruction for the King’s empire if he remains in control. Marco may not be ready to see we have no choice but to remove him, but time will show him how right we are.

I nod, silently acknowledging the gravity of the situation. “Be careful,” I murmur, a hint of worry seeping into my tone.

Marco’s eyes lock with mine, a silent promise in his gaze. “I always am.”

“Are you free after?” I ask as he turns to leave, desperate to spend a little more time with him. “For lunch?”

He considers my request before replying, “I’m probably going to have a working lunch at the penthouse.”

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