Chapter 6 - Shadows on the Waterfront
""Enter,"" Roman commanded, his demeanor shifting back to stone-cold authority in a heartbeat, though he kept one hand resting reassuringly on Norah's hip.
Dante stepped inside, his expression grim. He held a secure tablet in his hands. ""Boss, we have a problem at Pier 42. Two of our cargo containers were seized an hour ago by the Federal Port Authority. But it wasn't a standard inspection.""
Roman’s eyes narrowed into slits of ice. ""Who tipped them off?""
""The tip came from an anonymous burner phone traced to an IP inside our own financial network,"" Dante said tightly. ""There's a mole. And worse—Helena Moretti was spotted meeting with Marcus Thorne at an uptown restaurant two hours before the raid.""
Norah watched Roman's jaw clench so hard a muscle twitched violently in his cheek. ""Marcus?"" she asked tentatively. ""Your cousin?""
Roman stood up, smoothing his shirt. ""Marcus has been waiting for an opportunity to challenge my leadership ever since my father passed. He thinks aligning with the Morettis will give him the leverage to push me out."" He turned to Dante. ""Lock down all internal communications. Freeze Marcus's accounts within the trust. I'll deal with him personally tonight.""
""Wait,"" Norah said, stepping forward. ""Roman, let me see that tablet.""
Dante looked at Roman, who nodded once. Norah took the tablet, her eyes rapidly scanning the digital manifest and shipping codes. Because of her years translating customs declarations and maritime contracts for German and Italian logistics firms, the confusing alphanumeric sequences made perfect sense to her.
""This wasn't just a tip about contraband,"" Norah pointed out, tapping a specific column of code. ""Look at the routing numbers. They didn't target your weapons or luxury shipments. They targeted your grain and medical supply routes—the legal humanitarian contracts your family runs through the city.""
Roman walked over, staring over her shoulder. ""Why target the clean supplies?""
""Because if federal agents seize your humanitarian shipments, the city revokes your port operating license automatically under maritime civil code,"" Norah explained, her mind working at lightning speed. ""Marcus doesn't want to kill you in a street fight, Roman. He wants to strip your legal business legitimacy so the syndicate board has an excuse to vote you out for financial negligence.""
Roman stared at her, genuine awe flashing across his features. Dante let out a low whistle of disbelief.
""She’s right,"" Dante breathed. ""If we lose the harbor license, the Morettis take over the commercial docks by default tomorrow morning.""
A slow, terrifying smile spread across Roman's lips. ""They underestimated my wife. They thought you were just an ornament to keep me distracted."" He looked down at Norah, his grey eyes blazing with admiration. ""Can you draft a counter-manifest using your diplomatic clearance protocols?""
""Give me three hours, access to the port authority’s German registry, and a secure terminal,"" Norah replied, feeling a surge of adrenaline. ""I can reroute the cargo under the consular protection act before Marcus's lawyers can file the injunction.""
Roman leaned down, cupping her face in both hands, and pressed a hard, passionate kiss to her mouth right in front of Dante. ""You are brilliant, my sweet Norah. Dante, get her whatever she needs. Set up three guards at the door.""
He pulled on his coat, his lethal energy returning full force. ""I have a family meeting to attend. It's time Marcus learned what happens to traitors who threaten my home.""
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""Roman,"" Norah caught his sleeve, her heart catching in her throat. ""Be careful. Don't do anything that takes you away from us.""
Roman paused, looking down at her hand on his coat. He gently covered her fingers with his own. ""I have a family to come home to now, Norah. Nothing in this world will stop me from walking back through that door.""
