Page 115 of She Belongs to Me

“No bloodbath, boss. What if the bastard starts something?” Luca asked.

I took a deep breath as the brigade of soldiers I’d brought with me shifted to various locations. We were covering every route of escape. If the information supplied to me was wrong, I would go ballistic. I had no intention of being in the country but for so long.

“Then we’ll see.” The SUVs were slowed, kept as far out of sight as possible. Adonis was brazen enough that the shipment was being hijacked in the middle of the day. No one knew of my arrival. It had been a carefully kept secret, but the audacity of the man was off the charts.

He truly had begun to believe he was the master of the world and that no one could touch him.

Mattia had been an active business partner. In our effort to clean house at Mattia’s operation, we’d discovered more evidence than I hoped I’d find. My rather ridiculous thought about the attempted takeover of two major territories in two countries had been an actual plan.

The other remaining crime syndicate families within Italy had been mortified, the Russo regime blacklisted. Not that there were too many of the family members left.

Once stopped, Luca was out first, keeping the door open for me. This was about the element of surprise, but so much more as well.

I buttoned my jacket, keeping my gun close. The perks of using a private jet were many, but being able to provide my own weaponry was everything.

The intake of my shipment had been changed on purpose, the port it had arrived at far removed from most of the commercial ports. I’d found a good enough excuse. I suspected Adonis’ greed would keep him from suspecting anything.

As my group of men fanned out as discussed, I headed straight for the belly of the beast.

My patience level was all but nonexistent at this point.

But I also wasn’t interested in dying. I shifted to the corner of one of the buildings after hearing voices, carefully studying the ongoing operations.

As suspected, Adonis’ men had boarded my ship, undoubtedly attempting to pry open the crates. They certainly wouldn’t find what they were looking for.

No, I wasn’t a stupid man in any way, shape, or form.

Grinning, I gave a nod to Luca and his men carefully moving toward the ship, taking out one soldier after another. They would wake with an intense headache and nothing more. But they would be watched by my men with loaded weapons as an incentive to remain fast asleep.

I snickered as I finally walked up the plank behind several of my men, heading just inside. The shock and awe was clear, evident, and quick.

With the number of soldiers I’d brought with me and those Domino had secured from the States, the enemy soldiers were outnumbered.

Shouts were made, Adonis called.

Chaos almost ensued, some assholes attempting to reclaim the ship. They learned a valuable lesson, many slapped down with the butt of a weapon. Yes, I knew my men were eager to tear them apart, but that wasn’t going to happen.

Not unless it was necessary.

I stood in the center of where the main part of the cargo needing climate control was located. At least a hundred bottles of olive oil and several dozen cases of wine had been tossed to the floor in the search for the cocaine.

I was disgusted by the sight, but had known this would be one of the outcomes. If my family could regroup from a fire, this would mean nothing in the scheme of business.

Seconds later, the shouting died down, footsteps from someone approaching echoing. I stood with my weapon down, my arms crossed.

And a smile on my face.

“Well, well. Look what the cat dragged in,” Adonis said by way of greeting. He was with four armed guards, scanning the room and no doubt counting how many soldiers had accompanied me on this glorious little trip.

“Yes, well, I do care about my shipments and I heard there might be trouble from a low-level player. I couldn’t allow that to occur.”

He laughed and there was no sign he was anxious in any way.

“You are outnumbered in the United States, my friend. I suggest you go back to Italy where you belong.”

“Oh, I plan on returning very soon, but as I said, I don’t like anyone fucking with my product.” I glanced down at the destruction he’d created. “Looking for something?”

“I don’t allow any product from anyone outside of this country to enter my domain without being inspected.”

---