His Mafia Queen

The Question

GABRIEL

My heart's pounding. There could only be three possibilities for a knock on Riley's door.

One of my bodyguards.

That little shitweasel who lives in the building.

Someone evil.

I move quietly to my pants, then my jacket and gun. Picking up the latter and taking the safety off, I make my way to the door and peer out the peephole.

It's my bodyguard, looking relaxed. I call out his name.

"Boss? Yeah, I knocked," he says. "There's something you need to know."

I flip the little lever on my gun so the safety is back on, and slide it into the back of my pants. Then I open the door.

"Sorry to bother you. But this came over from Andre. It's an alert, and he insisted I tell you."

The guy, who is easily fifty pounds heavier and six inches taller than me, thrusts his phone into my hands.

My eyes go to the headline in a national newspaper.

Russian Mafia crackdown: Florida Feds Arrest 22

"What the fuck," I mutter, then scan the story.

Twenty individuals with alleged ties to Russian organized crime were apprehended in Miami today on charges related to Mafia activities, according to authorities. The arrests were part of a joint operation between local law enforcement agencies and federal agents.

Details regarding the charges remain limited, but sources indicate that the suspects are facing accusations of racketeering, money laundering, and conspiracy. The arrests come after months of investigation into the alleged criminal activities.

The individuals taken into custody are believed to have connections to prominent Russian crime families, raising concerns about the influence of international organized crime in the city. The investigation is ongoing, and authorities are working to unravel the extent of the alleged Mafia network.

Sources say the arrests stem from the recent mass shooting in a restaurant in Tampa that killed six and wounded several others.

The case is poised to shed light on the intricate web of connections that led to these arrests and the potential impact on the business climate of several Florida cities. The matter has garnered attention from both local and national media, highlighting the broader implications of international organized crime in the urban landscape.

The article listed the names. I recognized every one. "Thank you," I say to my bodyguard, handing the phone back to him.

I shut and lock the door then put my weapon back in my jacket pocket, aware that Riley will likely lose her shit if she sees me walking around her place with a weapon.

"Everything okay?" She pokes her head out the bedroom door. There's fear in her eyes.

"Everything's perfect, Blondie. Gotta make a quick call. Give me five minutes."

She returns to the bedroom and I pull up Alessandro Bianchi's contact and tap the screen.

He answers on the first ring. "Did you hear the good news?"

I grin. "I did."

"They got what was coming to them," he says.

"Was it our friend who went to the casino?" I ask. We have two FBI agents on our payroll. Only Alessandro and I know their identities, and we have some code words for them.