“The Vona,” Luca answered. “There was a large increase of immigrants over the past few years, and they took over the South Wharf. I didn’t pay attention to them until about a year ago because they use smaller boats to take their goods up and down the major rivers instead of the ocean. They can’t handle big loads or deal with people overseas, but they are running ships down to the gulf of Apria and getting their international load off and bringing it back up.”
“I can see why you didn’t watch them that closely. It’s a foolish mission. We used to do the same thing back in the day, but the Apria border patrol kept stopping the ships. How are they getting around that?” Astin pondered aloud, tapping her chin as she moved. “Unless they have someone who’s paid off the right people. That wouldn’t work either, though, since the Apria keep changing their people in charge every two years to different locations so that doesn’t happen.”
“That’s simple,” I commented.
Astin paused and looked at me. “What’s simple?”
“If you want to know and prepare for the changes, you buy off the person who makes that call. It could even be to the point where that specific person in charge changes every place but along the rivers and gulf,” I explained. “You just have to look for the constant instead of always dealing with the variable.”
“Simple,” Astin murmured.
She glanced down at her watch and sighed. “Okay, I need a workout and sleep. We’ve been at this all day and only coming up with more problems to deal with. Finish up what you’re working on then call it a night. Breakfast at seven thirty, and we’ll be right back here. We need to get to the bottom of this quicksand before we sink further into it.”
Grabbing her plate, she started to head out, then paused to look at Braxton. “When am I meeting with your people?”
“If you don’t mind taking a tour of a newly renovated club tomorrow afternoon, that’s when I have it set up,” Braxton answered.
“Good, and remember, if any of you are going to wake me up later or in the morning, do it loudly and from far away. Ask Braxton if you have any further questions,” she commented and left us to our work.
Ryker pushed back his chair and slouched now that he didn’t need to posture for Astin’s attention. “Let me guess… you almost got gutted?”
“Fuck off,” Braxton shot back. “It was terrifying and hot as all sin. Jace just decided to stand there and watch like the asshole he is.”
“Nah, if I thought you were in any danger, I’d have done something,” Jace argued. “Besides, you looked like you were enjoying it, and I didn’t want to spoil your fun.”
This had me intrigued for a whole other reason. “Does she always sleep with a weapon?”
“Yeah, that’s how they trained her since she was thirteen, I think. They would surprise attack her at night just to make sure she reacted the way she was supposed to,” Ryker explained. “Back then, she’d be awake and ready in about a minute or two. Something tells me she’s probably faster now.”
“Why would they need to train her to do that?” I questioned. “It seems to reason if the security was good enough, she wouldn’t need to be so hypervigilant.”
Ryker turned to look at me, his expression closed off. “No matter how good we are at our job, if someone wants to take someone out, they’ll find a way eventually. It’s smart to make sure that whoever the target might be can defend themselves. Astin is probably the best-trained person in this whole house. The training they put her through would have broken even the strongest of men, but that’s what they wanted so they could rebuild her into the woman she is now.”
I frowned, trying to wrap my head around how that made any sense at all.
Ryker clapped me on the shoulder, making me flinch at the contact. Most of the time, I could handle people touching me if I was ready for it, but the casual nature some of these men had with touch caught me off guard.
“Don’t stress about it too much. Just know that if we ever get into a fight, she’s the one you want on your side,” Ryker said before he rose from his seat and headed out.
Looking at the others, they didn’t seem bothered by this information either, it was just me. “Am I that wrong for thinking no one should have to be trained like that to survive?”
Luca rose and pulled on his suit jacket, fixing his cuffs as he answered, “She isn’t just anyone, Atticus. She’s the first woman to rule over the Caprioni Family, and that paints a big-ass target right on the back of her head. If they can’t control her, which we’re all finding out isn’t gonna happen, then they’ll try to take her out.”
“Now it’s our job to make sure we know what the fuck is going on around us so we can be prepared for the worst. What this whole situation has just shown me is that we’ve been far too trusting. No one but those of us in this room or related to our boss are who we can trust. Everyone else can be bought or manipulated,” Jace pointed out. “I need to make the rounds but reach out if you guys need anything.”
Luca and Jace left, leaving me with Braxton and Gunner, who had just finished his call.
“I’ve got someone who’s going to go by the property first thing in the morning since it’s getting too dark right now to do any good,” Gunner informed us. “We calling it a night?”
“Yeah, I have to check in on some of the clubs,” Braxton answered, getting up. “We have some new girls being brought in, so I need to do the final approval and placement.”
“Are these new girls voluntary or those you’ve taken as payment?” Gunner challenged.
Braxton whirled on the man grabbing him by the shirt. “What the fuck difference does it make to you? I don’t hear you busting Luca’s balls for bringing the drugs we sell or the guns we distribute. What about Jace who gives people credit he knows they’ll struggle to pay and then sends his people to beat it out of them? This isn’t the world for the weak and faint of heart. Most of those girls, regardless of how they ended up in my clubs or service, have a better life than they would have on the streets. I make sure they’re fed, clothed, and looked after, so I don’t want to hear a fucking self-righteous word out of your mouth.” Braxton shoved Gunner, stumbling away from him and stalked out of the room.
Standing, I let out a heavy sigh. “You know I’m not skilled in interacting with people, but even I know that was a stupid thing to say. None of us are good people, and it’s wrong to point out the sins of others when we have our own to deal with.” Grabbing my laptop, I headed to my room to work on my daily tasks for the Caprioni business in peace.
twenty-three