Chapter 1

For three years, I used my family's mob ties and my own money to pave the way for Declan's crew. He was the boy I survived the streets with as a kid.

But at this month's sit-down, his newly hired secretary, Roxy, tossed my casino ledgers and club records onto the table in front of all the guys. She accused me of skimming profits and slacking off.

"These underground banks, these smuggling docks," she read the numbers out loud, her voice full of fake outrage.

"Every time she bribes someone, she skims thousands of dollars! She's lining her own pockets."

"I say the Boss strips her of her club manager title right now to save our cash flow."

I glanced at Declan, the boss of the crew.

He knew better than anyone what that missing money actually paid for. He knew how much dock security it covered. He knew how many nods of approval it bought from politicians and cops.

He also knew what I was doing when I wasn't at the club. I was making deals with dangerous gun runners. I was drinking hard liquor to secure guns and ammo for his boys.

But he just stared at me coldly. "Katerina, do you have anything to say about these ledgers and the proof Roxy just showed us?"

I smiled. "I have nothing to explain."

Very soon, all of them would find out exactly what happens when you pull a stunt like this on a Principessa's turf.

Chapter 1

For three years, I used my family's mob ties and my own money to pave the way for Declan's crew. He was the boy I survived the streets with as a kid.

But at this month's sit-down, his newly hired secretary, Roxy, tossed my casino ledgers and club records onto the table in front of all the guys. She accused me of skimming profits and slacking off.

"I say we kick Katerina out of the crew. Immediately."

Roxy's voice pierced through the smoke-filled back room like a bullet.

I looked at this little secretary who had just climbed into the boss's bed. She stood at the head of the long table, clutching a stack of photos. Her young face was full of smugness.

Two dozen sets of eyes turned to me.

"Roxy, what the hell are you talking about?" I put down my glass of bourbon and frowned. What kind of game was this woman playing?

She slapped the photos down hard and spread them across the table.

Under the dim lights, she laid out pictures of me. I was walking in and out of rival turfs and underground banks for everyone to see.

"Boys, take a look at this solid proof." Roxy's voice trembled with excitement.

"For the past three months, Katerina hasn't been managing the club at all. Instead, she's been meeting with other crews constantly."

She threw down a few more receipts. They were records of massive cash payments.

A private smuggling port. A black-market boxing ring. A rival outfit's strip club.

"And here is the proof of her stealing crew money."

Roxy threw out a pile of bills.

"For security fees at the Southside docks, she pocketed a hundred grand. Her cut for laundering money downtown was a massive sixty grand. And every time she visits these rival turfs, she's just handing our cash over to them."

The room was dead silent.

It was absolutely ridiculous. She had no idea that my absence was actually me working. I used my family's deep blood ties to negotiate with cutthroat bosses for this little upstart crew.

Behind those seemingly crazy expenses were three main smuggling routes at the docks. They also secured an upcoming liquor contract worth twenty million dollars.

Every single person sitting here knew exactly what was going on.

"A total loss of half a million dollars." Roxy tapped the last ledger. "I say the Boss strips her of all power right now to save our money."

"That's the only way to show the boys that rules are rules. Otherwise, everyone will try to pull a stunt like this."

I scanned the faces around the long table.

I looked at the soldiers I had bailed out with my own cash. I looked at the ones who had borrowed personal money from me, and the ones I had promoted from street-corner grunts. Right now, they all kept their heads down and stared at their glasses.

The scarred accountant watched me use my own money to pay off his loan shark debts back then. Now, he was just pretending to clean a knife.

The head of club security stared at the floor. Just last month, he came to me to clear a murder charge.

Even my top enforcer was looking at me with judgment. He was the man I brought up from being a petty street thug.

My eyes finally landed on my childhood partner, the boss of this crew, Declan.

Three years ago, he came to me holding a rusty pistol and a dream of making a name on these streets.

He didn't know where I really came from, and I never said a word about it.

I didn't just give him the startup money to recruit muscle. I even cooked his books and sat in dark VIP rooms to keep greedy suppliers happy for him.

He knew the whole truth.

He knew what deals I made every time I supposedly abandoned my post. He knew what those bills paid for.

That dirty money won the crew a monopoly on the city's underground casinos. It locked down the upcoming massive smuggling contract.

Declan slowly looked up. There wasn't a single trace of guilt in his eyes.

Instead, his eyes were full of coldness, and even a twisted sense of pride.

"Katerina," he started in a cold tone. "Do you have anything to say about these ledgers and the proof of you breaking the rules?"

Chapter 2

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 to secure her spots right now."

She shot me a nasty glare, making no secret of her hostility. "This kind of betrayal has to be handled strictly. We can't give you a pass just because you two grew up together."

Declan nodded with satisfaction. "Good. Also, put the word out to all our turfs as a warning to the boys."

I finally saw through their game.

This wasn't about enforcing rules at all. It was a pre-rehearsed power grab.

Declan wanted my underworld connections. He wanted the high-roller contacts and the supply networks of the arms dealers.

And Roxy wanted my spot.

This stupid girl thought that if she kicked me down, she could naturally take over the club. She thought she would become the rightful queen of the crew next to Declan.

What a joke.

After announcing the punishment, Declan looked at me and put on an earnest face. "Don't worry, Katerina. Once you pay the money back, I'll make sure you are safe. Everything will go back to the way it was."

"By the way," Declan added, pretending to sound casual. "Since you can't run things for a while, we can't lose contact with those suppliers. You need to hand over your little black book too."

I stood up slowly, pulled a small black leather book from my purse, and placed it gently on the table.

"All the clients' contacts, codes, and meeting points are in here." I kept my voice calm.

A greedy light flashed in Declan's eyes. He could barely wait to reach out and snatch it.

"I just hope," I took a step back and gave him a small smile. "That you can actually handle them."

Thirty minutes later, I was sitting in the spacious club manager's office. I listened to the constant whistling coming from the lobby downstairs.

The word had just been sent to all our turfs. The message read: Club Manager Katerina Breaks Mob Rules and Steals Money.

The message listed my crimes in detail. Working with rivals behind the boss's back, using crew money for personal luxury, stealing smuggling profits, and setting a bad example.

I could already hear the street grunts whispering right outside the door.

"Damn, I can't believe Katerina was actually stealing right under the boss's nose."

"Half a million dollars? Her appetite is way too fucking big."

"I always knew those sports cars she drove came from dirty money."

"Roxy did a great job. Let's see how Katerina acts all high and mighty now."

The boys who used to line up in the VIP rooms to toast me were now enjoying my downfall. The dealers who used to bow and kiss up to me in the casino were thrilled.

I looked at the bouquet of lily of the valley on my desk. It was fresh from this morning, with water drops still hanging on the petals.

I was really too naive. I actually thought that on these streets, true loyalty could be bought with a real heart.

Just then, the office door was kicked open.

Roxy strutted in, followed by two thugs with holstered guns.

She walked straight up to my desk and slammed a stack of receipts down.

"Katerina," she looked at me with the attitude of a new boss. "These are the cooked books. It totals five hundred and six thousand dollars. The boss has given the order."

"You have exactly three days to pay the money back. Otherwise, we handle this the hard way. I'll personally have someone chop off your fingers."

Chapter 3

I picked up the stack of bills and slowly flipped through them.

"This is interesting."

"Roxy, do you know what these numbers represent?"

She frowned, clearly not expecting me to be this calm. "What do you mean?"

"These are standard street prices." I threw the bills back on the desk. "But at those places, my name alone gets thirty percent off the mob protection fees."

The corners of Roxy's mouth stiffened for a second, but she quickly recovered. "So what? You still broke the rules."

"So," I kept staring into her eyes and continued. "For a fee priced at six hundred grand, I only paid four hundred to smooth things over. And now you want me to cough up the full amount?"

The big guy holding the submachine gun next to her couldn't help but mutter. "That's true. If the fee was waived just out of respect for her..."

"Shut up!" Roxy cut him off sharply, then turned to glare at me. "Katerina, don't play those games with me. The fact is you pocketed the crew's money. All that talk about your family's respect is your own business. It has nothing to do with us."

I looked up at her, my eyes turning cold.

"You mean to say that me saving the crew cold hard cash is now a death sentence?"

"Exactly!" Roxy said smugly. "And since you admitted to using your connections, it proves those routes belong to the crew now. You have to hand over these routes too, to pay off your debt."

"Also, all your smuggling shipments and turf patrols must be approved by me, the new club manager. After all, the crew needs someone to keep a close eye on you."

New manager?

I almost laughed out loud.

Putting a little secretary who had only been around for three months into the club manager seat. Declan really went all out just to kick me down.

"Fine." I picked up a pen and signed my name at the bottom of the ledger. "As you wish."

Roxy clearly didn't expect me to be so easygoing.

She froze for half a second, then snatched the book away. "Good. Seems like you still know what's good for you."

She looked around my office. Her eyes lingered on my black Italian leather sofa and the antique hunting rifle on the wall.

"Oh, one more thing," she said smugly. "You need to get the hell out of this office."

"What did you say?"

"Declan just decided to give this room to me. After all, as the new manager of the club, I deserve a proper workspace."

"As for you, you're just a washed-up nobody waiting for your punishment. Go collect protection money at that broken-down corner pub downstairs. That's good enough for you."

I couldn't be bothered to argue with her over something so petty. I would just let her enjoy her fantasy for a few more days.

I swept a few personal items into my handbag and walked out without looking back.

Then, I dialed my family consigliere Vincenzo on a secure line.

"Vincenzo, get the original deed to the club building ready. I want to claim my ownership and take it back. If the thugs inside refuse to leave, how fast can the family lawyers and fixers clear the place out?"

"Proof? I have it all. Every mob contract, the trail of every dirty dollar, and the recording of them plotting to seize power. I kept copies of everything."

Vincenzo's voice was calm and certain. "Principessa, the deed to this building is fully protected by the family's lawyers. If anyone dares to occupy it, the family can clear them out within three hours."

After hanging up, I pulled a yellowing manila folder out of my bag.

It was the deed to the club building. Under the owner section, my name was written plain as day.

Three years ago, I used my family's influence to buy this building. I did it to protect Declan's pathetic street ego and ease his money problems while he expanded his turf. Then I rented it to him as his crew's headquarters for a steal at thirty grand a month.

But for this block and a spot this size, the real rent would be at least three hundred grand a month.

I still remember the day we signed the lease. Declan held up a glass of bourbon, smiling like a kid who just got candy. "Katerina, we got so fucking lucky to score this building on this street."

I just smiled back then, raised my glass, and clinked it against his. "Yeah, pretty lucky."

Looking back now, I was pitifully stupid.

Roxy's excited voice came from behind me. She was calling a construction crew, demanding that the whole office be renovated tonight.

Not long after, a few movers came out. They were carrying my custom Italian leather sofa and some decor.

"Just throw it in the alley! Nobody wants this junk anyway!"

I watched those carefully selected items get tossed carelessly at the end of the hallway.

Forget it. It didn't matter. I had no use for things that had been touched by dirty hands anyway.

Ten minutes later, my phone buzzed.

It was a new post from Roxy on the crew's chat.

I clicked on it. It was a selfie of her in my old office.

In the picture, she was holding a glass of pink champagne in one hand. Her other hand hooked around a brand-new diamond necklace.

The caption read, "New turf, new rules! Thanks to the Boss for the trust. Finally sitting in the big chair! #TasteOfPower #NewQueen #SmartPlay"

There were already a dozen likes below it. They were all kissing up to her from the same boys who were toasting me just last night.

I hit like with a blank face.

I hoped she liked that leather sofa. I really wanted to see how many days she could sit on it.

Chapter 4

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 whatever you have left to her."

Club manager and second-in-command.

It seemed Declan gave her more than just my office. He gave her the power to boss the whole crew around.

When I walked back into the office that used to belong to me, I almost didn't recognize it.

The antique hunting rifle on the wall was replaced by a cheap painting of a naked woman.

The dark furniture I had picked out was all thrown away. It was replaced by a bunch of flashy, gold-rimmed decor.

The whole space looked like a cheap brothel for rich wannabes.

Roxy sat in the large boss's chair in a red silk dress, flipping through the black code book I left behind.

"You're here?" She didn't even look up. "Sit."

I sat down in the chair across from her. This little act of hers was quite entertaining.

"I need you to give me the rundown on how to deal with these top bosses." Roxy opened a page of the book and said. "Especially this one, Don Salvatore. Tell me what he actually likes."

Don Salvatore. Hearing that name, I smiled to myself.

Exactly what I wanted.

"Salvatore is the biggest fish you can catch on this street." I nodded.

"He loves the traditional Sicilian style. He only talks big business at that exclusive private club run by Sicilians on the west side of town."

Roxy's eyes lit up. She hurried to copy this information word for word into her notepad.

I was telling the absolute truth. Salvatore really only met guests there.

I just didn't tell her that Don Salvatore was my own uncle. The only reason he was willing to give this street crew a chance was purely out of respect for me.

And of course, I didn't tell her the truth about that Sicilian private club. From the second floor down to the third hidden basement, it was entirely owned by my family.

Roxy closed her book, looking completely determined to win. "Perfect. This deal is in the bag."

"Seeing as you actually understand the rules today," she looked up and gave me a patronizing smile. "I'm in a good mood. Maybe I'll put in a good word for you with the Boss later."

I couldn't be bothered with her childish gloating. I went straight downstairs and drove to that Sicilian private club.

Marco, the head of security at the club, saw me and quickly walked up. He placed his right hand over his heart and bowed slightly. "Principessa, what are your orders for today?"

"Marco, help me change a rule." I got straight to the point. "Starting today, unless I'm here in person, anyone who drops my name is not allowed in. Anyone."

Marco nodded. "Understood. I'll inform the boys at the door and on the lower levels right now."

"Also," I added. "If anyone from that little crew tries to sneak in using another name, disarm them and throw them out."

"Yes, Principessa. Don't worry. We will execute it down to the letter."

After handling things here, I stood on the curb outside the club waiting for my driver.

The late autumn wind was a little cold. Sycamore leaves drifted down and landed on the shoulders of my leather jacket.

Occasionally, men in trench coats walked quickly down the street. No one dared to take a second look at this club.

Right then, a black sports car whipped around the corner and slammed on the brakes next to me.

I recognized it as Declan's sports car, the one bought with my money.

The passenger window rolled down, revealing Roxy's face.

She had changed into a brand-new mink coat and was touching up her lipstick in the vanity mirror.

From the driver's seat, Declan smiled past her at me. His expression was dark and hard to read.

"Oh my, if it isn't Katerina!" Roxy purposely leaned out and raised her voice. "What are you doing standing on a dirty corner like this? Working the corner?"

Declan played along with a dry laugh. "Roxy, don't make jokes like that. Katerina is probably just getting familiar with her future work environment."

"We're just heading out to celebrate." Roxy reached out, purposely flashing her new Cartier watch in my face. "Tomorrow Salvatore is going to sign a contract with me. A twenty-million-dollar deal! Underground casinos plus high-end smuggled booze. The whole block is going to be ours."

"Right," just a second before the window rolled up, Roxy stuck her head out again. "Don't forget to get that half-million dollars together in three days! Otherwise, we'll just take it from your corpse!"

The sports car roared, leaving behind a cloud of exhaust. It sped away, splashing up a puddle of dirty mud.

I watched the car disappear around the corner, my eyes growing colder by the inch.

Chapter 5

Over the following week, I strictly followed every single rule of a bottom-tier street soldier.

Every night I showed up at the dirty blocks on time and left at dawn.

I never collected an extra cent. I never drew my gun or poked my nose into anyone's business.

I didn't set foot in the club, nor did I contact a single gambler or supplier.

I was tossed into that run-down Irish pub on the corner. I sat behind the bar, collecting crumpled protection bills from small shops, occasionally dealing with a few drunk bums.

Meanwhile, on Roxy's end, it was like putting on a grand show.

She changed into a different mink or leather coat every day. The diamonds on her neck got bigger by the day. She walked up and down the street arm in arm with Declan, showing off.

What was even funnier was that she posted an update on the crew's network almost every two hours.

"A new day begins! Martini in hand, conquering this street! #Queen #SecondInCommand"

"Private meeting with the dock freight boss. Always expanding the turf, always getting stronger! #TopPlayer #WinningAtLife"

Every post came with photos of her posing with a pistol in the luxury office, or staged shots at mob banquets.

But what was the actual situation?

Through my own informants, I could clearly see every single time she hit a brick wall.

She spent most of her time at the club flirting with the boys, touching up her lipstick in the mirror, or bragging online.

The few times she took men to negotiate at the docks, they all ended up getting thrown out.

"What? You won't release the goods? But our crew is about to take over this whole block..."

"Wait, wait, we can discuss the cut on the protection money again..."

"Hello? Hello? Fuck, they hung up again!"

I listened to my boys report on her hitting dead ends over and over again. I just kept counting the coins in my hand with a blank face.

By Wednesday, things at the docks had gotten ugly.

Three shipments of the crew's smuggled goods were seized back-to-back by the port security team.

Declan came to me furiously.

"Katerina, you know all the crew's goods are being held at the docks right now, right?"

I looked up and blinked at him with an innocent face. "The goods got seized? That really is a shame."

"Don't play dumb with me!" Declan slammed his hand on the bar and snarled.

"Why didn't you pay off the port boss this week? You're just watching the crew's money line get cut off!"

"Declan," I put down the rag in my hand and looked at him seriously. "I'm just strictly following crew rules. You gave the order yourself. I lost my power and I'm reflecting on my mistakes."

"If I went over Roxy's head right now to negotiate with the docks, wouldn't that be openly defying the boss's orders?"

Declan's face got uglier by the second. "You..."

"Besides," I continued with a smile. "Didn't you make Roxy the club manager and your second-in-command? Paying off the docks, clearing up the suppliers, that's all her job now. I'm just a punished soldier working a street corner collecting loose change. How could I possibly steal the new manager's credit?"

Declan clenched his fists. I could even see the veins bulging on his neck.

"Are you fucking threatening me?" he said through gritted teeth.

"Threatening you?" I chuckled. "I'm just a bottom-tier street soldier doing my job."

Declan glared at me hard for a long time. Then he suddenly forced out a cold laugh.

"Fine, very good."

"You think this crew can't run without you? Fine. Just watch. I'm about to sign Don Salvatore's deal and lock down the smuggling monopoly for the whole city. I don't need a single finger from you!"

With that, he spun around and yelled at the top of his lungs to the crew boys out on the street.

"From this moment on, as the Capo of this street, I officially announce that Katerina is out of this crew!"

All movement on the street stopped. Everyone stared over in shock.

I slowly walked out from behind the bar, took off my apron, and just nodded calmly. No anger, no excuses.

"Understood."

Declan clearly didn't expect me to be so calm. He frowned. "You don't have anything to say?"

"No." I picked up my leather jacket hanging on the wall and buttoned it up one by one. "You're the Capo, your word is the rule. Of course, I will comply."

My straightforwardness seemed to creep him out a little.

And in that moment, every single piece of my next move was already on the board.

Back at my apartment, I took a manila folder out of my safe.

Declan had probably forgotten long ago that the lease for this club building expired tomorrow.

I called my family's muscle, Rocco.

"The lease on my building is up tomorrow. I'm getting ready to clear it out."

"Understood, Principessa. What time do we move?"

Rocco let out a deep laugh on the other end. "How many men? How much heat?"

"Enough to kick the doors in. Enough so nobody inside dares to speak."

I stared at the night sky outside my window, saying every word slowly. "Tomorrow morning at ten. Bring enough men and guns, and empty out my building."