Chapter 18 – The Norfolk Street punks & their Allies

Selena

"Well... there's been some loud-mouth kids from the Norfolk Street Crew running their traps," he responded carefully. "Talking about taking' more action for themselves, mordida be damned."

I frowned at the references to the small-time street gang that basically survived by paying our organization's mordida fees for the privilege of operating in our territory.

"They think they got the juice to take on a real family? Or were they just flapping their gums trying to act mor' tougher than they are?"

Paulie made a wheezy sound of consideration. "Hard to say for sure, bella. But those idiots did get a nice cash infusion from somewhere apparently. They've been splashing it around pretty flagrant-like the past week or so."

My eyes narrowed at this key piece of information. A lower-level crew getting delusions of grandeur and access to serious money around the same time our shipment went missing? That raised my threat assessment significantly.

"Keep your ears to the ground on that, Paulie," I instructed grimly. "And let me know if you hear anything else even remotely eyebrow-raising from them or anyone else."

"You got it, Selena. I'm on the case like a goddamn bloodhound for you, bella."

Rolling my eyes at his transparent attempt to regain my favor, I simply disconnected the call without further reply. Paulie may be a weasel, but he knew better than to withhold pertinent information from me for long.

As I made a few more calls to other connections, Enzo appeared behind me, draping his arms around my shoulders and nuzzling into my neck.

"Making progress, consigliere?" he rumbled in that deliciously husky tone. "Or do you need me to loosen a few more tongues around here?"

I couldn't help but shiver at the undeniable dominance and lethal edge in his words. My alpha was clearly getting riled for the hunt now that there was a distinct scent to follow.

"The Norfolk Street punks might be involved somehow," I replied, covering his big hands with my own. "Apparently they came into a good bit of money recently and have been running their traps."

One of Enzo's hands slid up to grip my neck firmly, exerting just a hint of constricting pressure that had arousal blooming in my core. "Then we pay them a little visit and make an example of putting their place."

His breath scorched the sensitive skin below my ear as he growled, "No one shows us disrespect like that and walks away unscathed."

A shiver of excitement raced through me at his words and the undisguised promise of savagery in his touch. This was the true essence of my mate - a lethal bruiser with implacable sadism for any who dared defy his dominion.

"Down, boy," I chided with a smirk, turning in his arms to face him properly. "Let's not go barreling in with half-cocked bravado just yet. For all we know, the asante are being bankrolled by someone else trying to sandbag us."

Enzo growled again, caging me against the desk with corded forearms on either side. The cerulean depths of his eyes blazed with simmering menace. "I don't tolerate being played for a parnece, Selena. Not by no one."

"I know, amore," I murmured, purposefully allowing some softness and reassurance to bleed into my tone as I reached up to cup his jaw. "Which is why we need to follow the trail all the way to the source before you lay down the law. I won't let them get away with disrespecting what's ours."

My fingers traced over the harsh line of his cheekbone and stubbled jaw in a soothing caress. Gradually, I felt the tension bleeding out of Enzo's frame as his lids hooded, the dominance momentarily banked by my anchoring touch.

"You always did know how to reel me back in," he husked thickly. One big hand slid into my hair to grip possessively. "My brilliant consigliere...seeing this strategic side of you in action is always such a turn on."

I smirked again, nerves thrilling at his undisguised desire. As much as Enzo reveled in publicly exerting his dominance and commanding respect, in private he cherished the balancing perspectives I provided. My cunning and discernment aroused him every bit as intensely as my submission in the bedroom.

"Down, boy," I purred, leaning up to feather a kiss over the blade of his jaw. "Save that energy for when we actually have scalps to collect later."

Enzo groaned, the sound almost feral, and crushed me even tighter against his powerful frame. The possessive undercurrent in his touch ignited sparks of pure sin all through my body.

"You're playing with fire, my queen," he growled against my lips before melding his mouth to mine in a searing, demanding kiss.

I surrendered to the carnal onslaught with a shameless moan, reveling in the exhilarating duality of thriving in my mate's sensual embrace while plotting vengeful machinations against our enemies at the same time. This was the life I had been born for - both peerless indulgence and supreme ruling force in equal, intoxicating measure.

After leaving us both delirious and panting, Enzo pulled back with molten eyes. "That's just a taste of what's waiting once you take down whoever dared put a riola on us, Isabella."

Flames licked through me at the heated endearment, his use of my full given name in the bedroom always driving me wild. I felt almost drunk on the potent combination of Enzo's passionate ardor blending seamlessly with his lupine menace and protectiveness.

"I'll hold you to that, Don Cerravi," I rasped with a slow, filthy smile.

As much as I ached to drag him off to a horizontal surface and demand he make good on that ravenous promise right then, I had enough wits still about me to turn business-like once more.

"For now, we still have work to do dismantling whatever upstart idiots have,stepped on our turf." I drew a steadying breath, feeling almost giddy with anticipation of the hunt ahead.

Just like that, we flipped the switch back to full tactical mode - two supremely lethal titans preparing to shred any foolish rat who dared violate the sacred order of the underworld.

Keeping my hands locked on Enzo's powerful biceps, I met his raptor gaze steadily. "Time to set the board and execute the some strategic Burns, amore. Once we cut the ground out from under their feet, we-"

Whatever I was about to say next died on my lips as my cell phone began buzzing urgently with an incoming call from outside our personal circle. Enzo raised an eyebrow at the interruption but made no move to hinder me as I checked the caller ID.

I glanced at the caller ID and felt a surge of anticipation. Paulie was calling back already - which meant he must have uncovered something significant. I shot Enzo a meaningful look before answering.

"Talk to me, Paulie."

The grizzled informant's voice came through, laced with a sense of urgency. "Selena, you were right to be sniffing around those Norfolk punks. Word is they're getting bankrolled by one of the big players."

My eyes narrowed. "Which family?"

"Not one of the usual suspects," Paulie replied carefully. "From what I could piece together, it's coming from that Russian crew ....

He was silent for a while.

"Who Paulie?" I asked impatient.

"You know this kind of information required..." Paulie started but I cut him off.

"I know Paulie, I'll give you whatever you want!" I uttered. "Just tell me who?"

"The Zhorovs." He uttered.

A tense silence fell over the room as I processed this disturbing information.

The Zhorovs were a rising force in the criminal underworld, building a multi-million dollar empire through narcotics, extortion, and other ruthless enterprises. For them to be making moves against our operations was an unacceptable violation.

"Keep digging," I said in a low tone. "I want to know exactly what kind of play they're trying to make and who's involved."

"You got it, bella. Oh, and one more thing..." Paulie's voice took on a more careful edge. "You might want to try tracking down that driver who was handlin' your shipment. Word is he got a bit sloppy with his tippling lately, could be a weak link worth leanin' on."

My jaw clenched. Yuri - the gruff Russian ex-military type we used for sensitive transportation jobs. If he had compromised operations through drunken indiscretion...

"Understood. Take care of yourself, Paulie. We'll be handling things from here."

Disconnecting the call, I turned back to find Enzo's eyes boring into me - cold, calculating intensity simmering in those blue depths.

"The Zhorovs," he stated flatly, uttering the name like a curse.

I gave a tight nod. "It would appear they've allowed their ambitions to outgrow their grasp of the natural order."

A muscle ticked in Enzo's powerful jaw as he processed the implication - that an outside faction had so brazenly encroached on our territory in a bid to undermine our operations. For a criminal king like my mate, few insults cut deeper than such a betrayal.

"Marco!" he suddenly barked.

Our most loyal capo appeared like a ghost in the doorway, awaiting orders.

"Find Yuri," Enzo bit out in a tone that brooked no argument. "I want that sleazy rat kebab'd and served to me on a skewer if he had anything to do with this." He shouted!