Dominic’s POV
When I walked into the Zenith Systems offices Friday morning, Mia intercepted before I could even reach my door. My secretary had been with our money laundering operation for many years and earned the right to speak her mind about family business. At nearly retirent age with a solid marriage and steel-gray hair pulled into a tight bun, she was immune to my usual charm and kept our relationship strictly professional, even when bullets were flying.
"Mr. Frost, your desk is drowning in urgent family matters and these coded ssages ca in this morning." She thrust a stack of encrypted communications held together with a paper clip into my hands.
"Christ, do these soldiers start working at dawn?" I muttered, already feeling the familiar weight of territorial disputes settling on my shoulders.
"They start early, but you rolled in running late, so the calls from the street piled up." Mia’s tone carried just enough disapproval to make feel like a scolded child facing the Don. "Handle your business!"
Ever since my last liaison officer Carla stord out recently, my operations had descended into complete chaos. I desperately needed to find a replacent and get my territory back under control. Sleeping with my intelligence contact after hours on my desk had been monuntally stupid. Again.
The next morning she had sauntered in with bedroom eyes and sultry smiles, clearly expecting our arrangent to continue beyond information gathering. I had to shut that down imdiately, explaining we needed to maintain operational security. She went ballistic, hurled my crystal paperweight against the wall, and quit on the spot, threatening to expose family business to rival crews.
I was seriously contemplating hiring a male coordinator like Xavier did with Jude. It would eliminate complications and maybe I could keep soone for longer periods without worrying about pillow talk reaching enemy ears. The constant cycle of vetting and training new people was killing my efficiency in managing street operations.
By mid-afternoon I had returned dozens of calls from lieutenants and cleared half my intelligence reports, but my desk still looked like a turf war had exploded across it. I had skipped lunch and my stomach was growling in protest while I reviewed territory disputes and collection numbers.
My encrypted phone buzzed with a ssage from Heidi thanking for recomnding Ivy Brooks, who had just been hired as Caleb’s new operational coordinator. I was curious about what kind of woman could handle my workaholic friend, but I followed Xavier’s advice and simply replied that I was glad our family network worked out.
Mia appeared in my doorway carrying a plate with a turkey sandwich and a glass of fresh waterlon juice. She set both down with the authority of soone who had survived many years in our world.
"Eat this right now. You have a mountain of territorial business left and I refuse to visit you in the morgue because you collapsed from hunger." Her tone brooked no argunt, showing the steel that kept her alive in this business.
"Mia, you are an absolute lifesaver," I said gratefully as she headed back to her desk with a satisfied smile, knowing she was one of the few people who could order around a Capo.
The secure line rang and Mia announced it was Robert Miller. No matter how deep I was in family business, I always took Robert’s calls imdiately.
"Robert, you old wolf! How have you been? You still owe that round at the private club we talked about," I greeted him warmly.
Robert had been my father’s closest associate in the organization and beca my ntor when I inherited my position at a young age after the old man’s exile. His guidance had been the difference between success and complete destruction during those early years when I was drowning in blood money and barely out of high school.
"I’m doing excellent, son. I’ll be in Port Serenity soon and we’ll finally have that eting." His voice carried its usual warmth and calculated caution. Unlike my father, Robert had always been devoted to family honor with an unshakeable moral code within our world.
"I heard Caleb hired the woman you recomnded. Heidi says she’s incredibly qualified and already streamlining operations," I ntioned, rembering how Robert had asked to help place soone during our last clandestine eting.
"Caleb won’t regret that decision for a second. Ivy is driven, professional, and absolutely brilliant at managing sensitive information," Robert confird with obvious pride in his network placent.
"Please tell she’s completely unattractive," I said with a laugh.
"Actually quite the opposite, son. She’s probably one of the most stunning won I’ve ever encountered." Robert chuckled heartily. "But she’s definitely not your type. Or Xavier’s either. She takes family business seriously."
"Robert, why didn’t you ntion she was gorgeous when you asked to find her a position in our organization?" I asked, genuinely curious.
"Because I know exactly how you operate, Dominic. Ivy needs job security that lasts for extended periods without complications. And even though she would never fall for your usual tactics, she would shut you down so hard you’d never recover from the humiliation."
"So she’s perfect for Caleb then. Two workaholics who live and breathe family business." I grinned at the thought. "But now I need you to find a coordinator too, since mine just imploded spectacularly."
"Seriously? For the reason I’m imagining?" His tone suggested he already knew about my operational weakness.
"Exactly. I’m honestly considering hiring a man this ti to avoid complications."
"Actually Dominic, I called to ask another favor, but this might solve both our problems. My daughter is Ivy’s closest friend, practically sisters. She decided to move there with Ivy and needs placent in our network."
"Is your daughter unattractive?" I hadn’t seen Robert’s daughter Zoe in many years, not since she was a gangly teenager with tal braces covering her teeth. Robert burst into laughter.
"She looks exactly like her mother did at that age." That information made my stomach drop because Robert’s wife was absolutely breathtaking.
"Robert, I value our partnership too much to risk destroying it with personal complications," I said carefully.
"And you won’t destroy anything! Zoe doesn’t fall for smooth-talking players like you. She’s too independent and stubborn." Robert sounded completely confident. "She has a serious boyfriend back ho, so civilian she’s crazy about. According to her, he’s basically perfect. You wouldn’t stand a chance, but she’ll keep your operations organized and secure."
I leaned back in my chair, considering the proposition. Running money laundering operations for one of the most powerful cri families on the coast was overwhelming enough. Our territory had expanded exponentially since I took control, and managing the flow of dirty money was becoming unmanageable without proper support.
"Will she actually stay for extended periods without creating security risks?" I asked skeptically.
"And I promise not to interfere with your working relationship whatsoever," Robert assured with the gravity of a blood oath.
"Have her send her background information. You know my secure address. I’ll arrange a eting and see if this arrangent could work for family business."
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