Chapter 7

THE THREE-WAY TURF SUMMIT

The Harbor Club sat on the top floor of the city's oldest granite monolith, overlooking the ink-black expanse of the northern docks. High above the rain-slicked container yards, the private dining vault was reinforced with soundproof acoustic glass, lead-lined walls, and a dedicated signal jammer humming softly in the ceiling.

Outside the heavy mahogany double doors, the hallway was lined with armed men from all three families-a tense, motionless standoff where every hand rested within inches of a concealed holster.

Inside, the atmosphere was suffocating.

At the head of the polished obsidian table sat Valeria Castellano, her posture erect, her diamond rings catching the low chandelier light. To her left sat Seraphina, wearing a tailored slate-gray suit, her laptop open before her with real-time shipping manifests.

Across from them sat Antonio Moretti, radiating the calm, lethal authority of a veteran patriarch. Beside him, Valentine leaned back in his leather chair with a lazy, bored expression, swirling a tumbler of sparkling water while his dark eyes drifted continuously across the table-and over to the doorway where Dante Hayes stood post, stiff as a marble statue.

And at the far end sat Leo Sterling, representing his family's interests in his father's absence. Beside him, Evelyn Sterling adjusted her gold rimless glasses, her notebook opened to the financial splits of the northern harbor.

"We are missing Richard," Antonio opened, his deep voice carrying through the quiet room. He tilted his head toward Leo. "Though I suppose the young Sterling enforcer thinks he can speak for an empire while his father lies plugged into machines."

Leo's expression didn't shift by a fraction. He offered Antonio a polite, razor-sharp smile. "My father's condition is stable, Mr. Moretti. And as CEO pro tempore, my signature carries the full legal and physical weight of the Sterling Group. We don't need my father awake to sign off on territorial splits."

"Let's get straight to the point," Valeria interrupted, her tone cold and devoid of small talk. She gestured to Seraphina. "The northern dock expansions. The Castellano shipping line has finalized the customs clearance contracts for Dock 14. We require forty percent of the dry-cargo revenue."

"Forty percent?" Antonio let out a low, gravelly chuckle. "You provide the boats, Valeria. The Moretti family provides the political umbrella that keeps federal agents from searching your cargo. We take fifty percent of the gross margin, or those ships don't unload a single crate."

"And what about the Sterling share?" Evelyn cut in smoothly, her voice crisp and uncompromising. "The Sterling Group owns the physical rail lines connected to Dock 14. You can bring all the cargo you want through the harbor, Antonio, but without our trains, your product rots in the warehouses. We demand twenty-five percent, split evenly from both your margins."

The table descended into a quiet, brutal silence.

Valentine let out a soft, amused scoff, breaking the tension. He rested his chin in his hand, looking directly at Seraphina. "Look at us, fiancée. Our mothers and brothers squabbling over freight trains and dock fees while we sit here pretending this alliance is solid."

Seraphina didn't look up from her screen. "If you paid attention to the numbers instead of playing the bored prince, Valentine, you'd realize those 'dock fees' fund your lifestyle."

"I pay attention to what matters," Valentine murmured softly, his dark eyes flicking past Seraphina to lock onto Dante, who remained standing by the entrance. Dante's gaze remained fixed straight ahead, completely ignoring the heir's subtle provocation, though the vein along his temple pulsed once.

Antonio noticed the shift. His dark eyes flicked from Valentine to Dante, a sudden, dangerous shadow crossing his face. Antonio cleared his throat, the sound sharp as a whip.

"Valentine," Antonio warned low. "Focus on the table."

"I am focused, Father," Valentine replied smoothly, though his smile turned wicked. "I'm just admiring how well-guarded we are today."

Across from them, Leo watched the silent, toxic triangle between Antonio, Valentine, and Dante with quiet fascination. Deep inside his chest, Leo felt a dark surge of satisfaction. Let them distract themselves with their internal rot, Leo thought calmly.

Every second they spend squabbling over Dante Hayes is a second they aren't looking at who sabotaged my father.

"We have a compromise," Seraphina announced, turning her screen toward the center of the table. "The Castellanos take thirty-five percent. The Morettis take forty-five percent. The Sterlings take twenty percent-plus exclusive transit rights on the eastern rail corridor for the next three years."

Valeria studied her daughter's proposal, giving a single, subtle nod of approval.

Antonio stroked his jaw, his eyes narrowing as he calculated the long-term yield. "Twenty percent on the rail lines... provided the Sterling family guarantees no law enforcement interference on the night shifts."

"Guaranteed," Leo said instantly, his voice smooth as glass. "The precinct commander on that route answers directly to me."

"Then we have an agreement," Valeria stated, raising her crystal glass. "To the northern territory."

The four principals raised their glasses, the quiet clinking of crystal marking the formal redistribution of the city's underbelly power.

As the meeting adjourned and the leaders stood up to retrieve their coats, Valentine slipped away from the table, stepping directly into Dante's path before the bodyguard could fall in behind Antonio.

"A successful summit, don't you think, Dante?" Valentine whispered, stepping close enough that their shoulders brushed in the narrow doorway. "Everyone got a piece of the pie. What about you? What do you get out of this?"

Dante stopped, his imposing frame blocking the doorway. He looked down at Valentine with cold, unyielding steel. "I get to do my job, sir. Which is making sure you reach your vehicle alive."

"Always so dutiful," Valentine purred softly, leaning in until his lips almost touched Dante's ear as he passed into the hallway. "

We'll see how long that duty holds when the war starts."