Why did you call me here?" Maverick asked, his tone flat and devoid of courtesy.
Across the room, Malviero let out a low chuckle, leaning back lazily in his seat.
"Come now," he said smoothly.
The girl seated on top of him continued trying to shift, while he kept nudging her to his side, spanking her each time to assert his dominance.
"You don't really think I'd request a meeting without a good reason, do you?"
His eyes gleamed with something sharp as they settled on Maverick.
"This is business."
"Then get on with it." Maverick creased his brows, feeling his patience thin.
Gavin and his two other men, who'd come along, stood around him with their hands placed behind their backs, their senses alert.
Malviero scanned the room, his eyes darting from one person to another before landing back on Maverick.
"The Ledger–"
"What about it?" Maverick narrowed his eyes.
Malviero raised his hand up, signalling something to one of his capos who picked up a white suitcase and headed straight for Maverick but Gavin blocked him before he could step any further.
"I believe you should let your boss see it for himself," The capo spoke to Gavin who glared at him before stretching his hands forward to collect the suitcase himself.
Turning to Maverick, he dropped the case beside him, briefly scanning it before looking back at the Don for a go-ahead.
When Maverick nodded with approval, he clicked open the case and lifted it up, revealing a large sum of neatly arranged cash spread all over the case.
Maverick and Gavin exchanged glances before turning to Malviero who was back to messing with the scared girl.
"What is this?" Maverick wasn't amused.
"You might want to look underneath it." He said, this time, much more seriously.
Maverick could immediately recognise the suitcase as something that belonged to Don Santiano as the man had an affinity for such precise brandings.
He could guess it had been stolen when Malviero's men attacked Santiano's mansion, thinking this was where the Ledger was.
Maverick, on the other hand, having dealt with the man, knew this was only a sham.
"Take it out."
Gavin stared at Maverick before he began removing the stacks of fresh cash, revealing a false bottom fitted into the suitcase. The lining had been sliced cleanly around the edges. The person who had done it knew exactly what they were looking for.
All eyes shifted toward Malviero.
"I believe the ledger was kept here," Malviero said, steepling his fingers. "And removed the moment we attacked Alexandro."
There was smug satisfaction in his tone, at the feeling of having greater proximity to the truth than Maverick.
"This doesn't help us find it," Maverick replied evenly.
Malviero inclined his head. "No. But we both know the unspoken rule."
He continued, "No one has access to a Don's suitcase carrying sensitive information... except his underboss,"
Maverick resisted the urge to roll his eyes at this waste of time. This felt like elementary deduction but he didn't want to give off any clue that he had a head start on this issue.
These were things he had carved out in a second, even without the help of any investigation from his men.
"Don Santiano's underboss," Malviero went on, "Meshach, must have the ledger." He smiled thinly.
"Quite unfortunate, though, that no one has been able to locate him." His gaze sharpened.
"Especially considering he was shot badly at the mansion on the night of my attack." He made up a sad expression.
Maverick remained expressionless.
"What are you suggesting?" He asked, somehow understanding that this wasn't the point.
Malviero didn't hesitate now that Maverick seemed to take the hint.
He sat up, finally pushing the trembling girl away from his lap as she scurried far from him, clinging to the armrest of the couch.
He leaned forward, with his elbows on his knees.
"The Ledger contains names. Accounts. Secrets Santiano trusted to very few."
Maverick said nothing.
"But there's one person," Malviero continued, "who would know where he kept it. One person he would never shut out of his confidence."
His words sank for a moment before the room turned tense.
Gavin stiffened slightly from where he stood, noticing Maverick's expression turn ice and this made Malviero smile, as if his bullet had finally hit its target.
"Lucrezia."
Her name landed like a gunshot.
"She grew up in that house," Malviero went on. "Even if she was never part of his world, she knew Santiano's routines. His safes. His paranoia. If anyone can tell where the Ledger was taken before the attack… it is her."
Maverick's voice dropped, dangerous and quiet. "Choose your next words carefully."
Malviero smiled widened.
"I'm not accusing her," he said lightly. "I'm simply suggesting she might know something."
"And what does that have to do with you?" Maverick asked, feeling his blood boil.
Knowing Malviero, he could tell this was not just about the Ledger.
Malviero leaned back again, spreading his arms along the couch like a king in his court.
"I want her."
The room went still.
Even the girl in the corner stopped trembling when a suffocatingaura filled the room.
Malviero continued, unbothered.
"Give her to me...temporarily. I'll question her. If she knows where the Ledger is, we recover it together. If she doesn't…" He shrugged. "You get her back."
The audacity of his statement was beyond unbelievable, like he had just spoken over tea and biscuits.
Maverick's expression didn't change, but something lethal settled behind his eyes as he held his gaze,
"You think," he said slowly, sitting upright, "that I would hand Lucrezia over to you?"
Malviero tilted his head, raising his brows slightly,
"You bought her, didn't you?" he said softly. "Property can be transferred." he shrugged, like it was the most obvious thing.
Maverick stepped forward just a little but it was enough for Gavin and his other men to follow suit, moving instinctively.
"You will never...go anywhere close to her." He said calmly even with the storm that was at the edge of his words.
"I just needed her for-"
"If you so much as speak about her again...or even come near..."
He stood up, "Then we might have more than just the Ledger to deal with," He held his gun in a threatening mode, pinching his brows from anger.
Malviero studied him for a long moment, then he laughed.
"Ah," he murmured. "So it's true." His gaze sharpened.
"Careful, Maverick." His voice suddenly came out like a warning.
"Attachment is a crazy liability for you, especially as a new kingpin." He closed the suitcase he'd earlier given him before handing it back to the capo.
Maverick didn't listen to any more crap from him and simply walked to the exit, having Gavin and the others follow him almost immediately.
His jaw hardened the further he came out, the certainty of everything now dawning on him as they mounted the car and drove away.
Malviero never truly cared about the Ledger.
He was after Lucrezia.
And he knew with cold clarity he wouldn't easily give up.
To their world, she was no longer just a woman. She was leverage. Legacy. The last living thread tying power to Don Santiano's fallen empire.
Every Don watching from afar would recognise her value and want her for every reason.
Even on their beds.
Opportunities in the underworld were never wasted.
If even a whisper spread that she was reachable, or worse, unguarded...
Maverick's jaw tightened almost imperceptibly.
This was no longer just about the ledger but about power and control which every underworld dealer craved.
But if they thought for any reason they could reach for what was under his protection, they were gravely mistaken.
He would burn down Montoverra before letting any soul touch her.