Page 128 of Mafie Queen

“What do we need to do first?” I ask and he rolls his eyes.

“There is no ‘first’. My father had four meetings scheduled tonight as well as a very complex energy deal to discuss in the morning. All of it needs to be taken care of now.”

“Rome wasn’t built in a day, Batman.”

His chest heaves as if what I just said only triggered him more. “It may not have been built in one, but it was destroyed in one.”

“Alexi,” I say, pushing a firm hand on his chest. “Go take a shower. I will figure out what The Society needed from him and take over those projects. Then, I’ll divide the work from there.”

“It is not that simple, Evie. This is all a huge fucking mess. It does not just get sorted in a day.”

I know he’s lashing out because he’s hurting, so I just point at the door. Before he leaves, I let him know what his one and only job is right now.

“You can set up arrangements for the funeral. Until that takes place, we will handle it. And it’s Princess to you, by the way.”

He stares at me for a moment before leaving the room, slamming the door behind him. I shake my head but quickly get to work. It’s a lot, and I could see how easily he would get buried in the to-do list. But I’m a woman, and the reason we make good leaders is because multitasking is so deeply ingrained in us. It’s a wonder we haven’t taken over the world.

I text Nessa and Laney for additional support while Alexi starts on dinner. Once Damien and Lev finish showering, they show a solemn Laney and an even more quiet Nessa inside.

Cami joins us in the office once the three of us girls are set up. Nessa is at Boris’ desk while I am at hers, and Laney is working from two laptops on the table by the window.

“How can I help?” Cami asks, her eyes rimmed with red.

I know she and Nessa have had their differences, but I really hope Ness lets her help us.

“Are you really here to help?” Nessa asks.

Cami sighs and leans against the wall. She’s in a gray pencil skirt with an ivory top, her hair pinned in a perfect bun. But then, she cracks.

“Listen, I need to apologize to you,” she says to Nessa, but the redhead doesn’t make a move. I kick her under the desk, silently telling her that we need this woman.

“Okay, fine. Yes, you do owe me an apology.”

“I was not flirting with Boris because I liked him. He and I only have professional history. I was flirting with him to test you. I needed to know if what you seemed to have was real.” She chuckles, sitting in the chair in front of Nessa’s desk.

“In all the years I have worked here, never once have I seen that man in love.”

“So you thought you would just toss it in our faces then?”

I see Nessa’s lip tremble slightly. She doesn't know what to do here. All she knows is things are about to change, and she doesn’t want to be reminded of that every day. She plans to leave after all of this, to get some distance. I don’t blame her.

“I thought I would make sure you weren’t playing games. I had hoped you would approach me, try to come at me so I could challenge your love for him. He deserves to be protected, that is all I was trying to do. Not because I love him, but because I respected him. I love this job, and I do it well. If you let me, I can be an asset here.”

Nessa folds her arms over her chest and leans back, thinking. We all look like utter shit from today’s events, but that doesn’t seem to deter Cami. I just need Nessa to say yes so we can actually start moving forward.

“Fine,” she relents eventually. “Help us sort this out. We need to know what was Society related and get that all sent to Evie and set up a server for her, then we need to start dividing duties. Boris did way too much, and we both know it. Help me sort it between the three leaders now with Laney, Evie, and myself as backup.”

I guess that means she’s not leaving then. I breathe a little easier. I didn’t know how I was going to be able to say goodbye to her. She’s become as important to me as Laney is.

“You got it. I already had a lot of things set up for Alexi in case something were to happen. Let me bring that in, and one of you can work out how to divide their tasks.”

Cami stands then moves over to my desk. Her eyes and cheeks are puffy, but her makeup conceals any further emotion. She squares her shoulders with a new resolve.

“I will get everything you need to know to you via encrypted email, then I will need Lev’s help to set up a secure place for you to work. If he allows it, the quickest way would be for you to take over his office on the floor you currently live on.”

“Got it, I’m sure he won’t mind.”

“Great. Laney, I will forward you the next month's schedule. You can help create a new calendar for the boys with their tasks divided on there. I’d say we can have this all up and running in about four hours.”

---