Page 135 of Vicious Little Princess

“All good,” Milo responded, sending relief through me. “On schedule. No interference thanks to the families being distracted by the raids and the Marchettis trying to carry out their attacks against Benzino business interests. Nico’s in the thick of organizing everything, making one of his morale-boosting speeches too.”

Oh, good, that was the only reason he wasn’t answering.

My earpiece buzzed. “Keep me posted,” I told Milo.

“Will do, beauty.”

I answered the incoming contact, and Julian’s voice came down the line.

“I tell you something, darlin’, these fuckers are shit-scared after that evidence you collected against them. It didn’t take much to get them to remove their support from the Leone Family. They were tripping over themselves to sign on the proverbial dotted line.”

Julian was with a unit of Nico’s soldiers down in the financial district wherein we’d set up a meeting with various power players who my father had in his pocket.

“Did Victoria Munsen show up?”

“No. You were right about her thinking she’s untouchable. Foolish, considering you already sent her to jail once.”

She wasn’t the only one who’d been stubborn. The politicians and city officials that Julian was dealing with right now had more to lose, their positions complicated, and with people to answer to, to be accountable to. But the stockbrokers involved, as well as some high-flying hedge fund managers, had required some hefty bribes that had eclipsed Santino’s compensation, in order to break their connection to the Leone Family.

Victoria would require more than that.

“We’ll see to her soon enough. This is already a win, though, even without her.” She’d be about the only person left who Santino had in his pocket by the time we were done.

“Perfect. Just finishing up, then I’m gonna swing byLusterand your lounges for you. I know you’ve been concerned that you haven’t been able to be there in person.”

“That would be amazing. Thank you, Julian.”

“It’s a far cry from a few months back where you couldn’t even entertain the notion of my help, huh?”

I chuckled. “Times have certainly changed.”

“And they’ll change more. I want us to get down to working on our expansion plans once the scales tip in our favor with this war after tonight. The hit it’ll be for the Leones and Marchettis should give us some calm as they’re forced to fall back and retreat with their tails between their legs.”

“Here’s hoping.”

I was cycling between feeds as I spoke with him and I picked up on the two delivery trucks carrying the coke shipments for the Flower Market—Gio’s territory—crossing the border into the city.

“Gotta go, shipments are here.”

“Love you.”

“Love you too.”

I tapped my earpiece, then snatched up my phone, putting it on speakerphone mode the moment Carlo picked up.

“Caterina, what’s the word?”

“The shipments have passed over the northeast border.”

“Right on schedule. We’re moving in. Is Nico done at the warehouses?”

“He’s on schedule, too. He’ll meet you at the apartment.”

“Roger.”

We disconnected, and I made an attempt to connect with Nico again via my earpiece.

“Sorry about that earlier,” his voice came down the line.

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