Page 131 of Isabella

They nod, curiosity shining through their eyes as they wait to see where I’m going with this.

“Well, he promised them he would get access back to the ports. They partnered with my dad a few years ago because of the access NYC has to various parts of the country. They’re not exactly thrilled to find out that partnership is now null and void.”

Interlacing his fingers, Teo sets them on the desk before him. “Okay, who’s this contact? Maybe we can work out an arrangement if they’re so desperate for port access. What do they need it for? Drugs and weapons?”

The air in the room suddenly becomes thick as I prepare to tell him the rest.

Letting out a rugged breath, I push forward. “Drugs and weapons, yes… but also sex trafficking.”

Tension immediately fills the air. “We don’t fuck around with that shit,” Teo growls out.

Holding up my hands, I say, “I know, neither do I, which is why I didn’t give a shit when I told them the deal they made was with my dad and with him out of the picture, that meant the deal was off.”

Teo leans forward. “Who’s this contact?”

“I’m sure you’ve heard of the Velasco Cartel?”

Teo closes his eyes for a moment and sucks in a deep breath before letting it out. He opens his eyes and pins them on me. “Yes,” he grumbles out.

“Well, it looks like they’ve decided to set up shop in the city.”

“The fucking Velasco Cartel is here?” Enzo asks.

“Whose territory are they in?” Teo asks.

“Mine, of course. I haven’t kicked them out because let’s be fucking real, guys. The Velasco Cartel is a whole different ball game. They’ll start a war on someone else’s turf without batting a damn eye, and I’m not trying to have the entire fucking cartel rain down on the city. No matter what, blood will be shed on both sides if that were to happen. We need to go about this strategically. Think with our brains, not our fucking weapons.”

Teo lets out a loud, dismayed sigh. “What are our options?”

“I have Leo and Dante keeping eyes on them right now. So far, there’s only two of them: one woman and one man. They’re staying at one of my hotels in Hudson Yards.”

“What the fuck is their game plan with that?” Enzo asks, sitting up taller in his seat.

I shake my head. “I have no idea, but I think we can all assume it has something to do with those stupid ports. They want them, and from what I’ve heard, when the Velasco Cartel wants something, they typically get it.”

“Not this time,” Teo says. “I’m in charge of the ports now, and I’m not working with fucking sex traffickers.”

Dropping his hands on the desk, he continues. “I apologize that it’s come to this, Nicco, but this is not your problem.” Nodding to his brother, he says, “We’ll take it from here.”

“You sure?” I ask, even though I know there isn’t anything I can do other than starting a war with the cartel. “You have the support of the Silvestri family, Teo. Anything you need, don’t hesitate to ask.”

Teo gives me a respectful nod. “For now, let’s get Leo and Dante to give us any information they were able to obtain while surveilling them. We’ll take over from here.”

My phone vibrates in my pocket, so I pull it out and find a message from Dante. I had him and Leo look into who the man and woman are.

“Perfect timing,” I mutter as I swipe through the two files he sent me. “Dante just sent me the files on both members. There’s not much information, but I’m forwarding them to you both now,” I say to Teo and Enzo.

“The woman is Amalia Velasco, niece of Manuel Velasco. And the man is a guard, Carlos Montoya.”

“Damn, she’s hot,” Enzo mumbles under his breath as he stares at his phone. He clears his throat. “You want me to get a couple of our guys on it?” he says to Teo, whose gaze is still narrowed in on the files I sent him.

With a small shake of his head, he says, “No, there’s only one person I want for this job. Discretion is key right now, and I need the best that I have on it.”

“Alright, so who am I dispatching over there?” Enzo asks, cocking his brow at his brother.

Sitting back in his chair, Teo folds his arms across his chest, delaying the confirmation of my suspicions. He finally brings his attention up to Enzo, gives him a crooked smile, and says, “You.”

The End

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