Chapter 14 - Coronation of the Underworld King and Queen
Forty-eight hours later.
The Grand Council Chamber of the Continental Commission sat deep beneath the historic Chicago Loop. The room was a fortress of dark mahogany, velvet curtains, and twelve massive leather chairs occupied by the most powerful crime lords in North America.
Whispers of the bloody massacre at the Waldorf and the destruction of the Russian fleet had thrown the Commission into absolute panic.
At the head of the table sat Don Moretti, his hands shaking as he adjusted his spectacles. "We have no word from Khnets. Gregory Harrison is missing. If Romano survived, he will burn every dock from here to New York—"
The heavy iron doors of the Council Chamber were kicked off their latches with an explosive crash.
The room fell into stunned, terrified silence.
Vincent Romano walked into the chamber. He was dressed in an immaculate, triple-piece black Brioni suit, exuding raw power, absolute dominance, and unyielding authority.
And walking beside him, arm in arm, was Elena Volkova.
She wore a breathtaking, blood-red velvet evening gown that trailed across the marble floor. Her chestnut hair was pinned up in an intricate crown, her face radiant and lethal, wearing the ten-million-dollar Volkov emeralds proudly around her throat.
Behind them, two Romano enforcers dragged a battered, zip-tied Gregory Harrison into the room and threw him onto the center of the council table like a sack of garbage.
"Gentlemen," Vincent said, his voice ringing through the chamber like an iron bell. "I believe you were discussing the future of the shipping routes."
Don Moretti jumped to his feet, his face pale. "Romano! What is the meaning of this? Who is this woman?!"
Elena stepped forward, her heels clicking rhythmically against the stone floor. She pulled a thick, encrypted ledger from her clutch and slammed it onto the table in front of Moretti.
"I am Elena Volkova," she declared, her voice ringing with undisputed aristocratic dominance. "Sole heir to the Volkov Syndicate. This ledger contains the records of every bribe, every betrayal, and every off-shore account held by Roman Khnets and Gregory Harrison."
She leaned over the table, her hazel eyes locking onto every terrified Don in the room.
"Khnets is dead. His fleet has been seized. Gregory Harrison has been stripped of his rank and sentenced to death for treason. As of this moment, the Volkov empire and the Romano Syndicate are officially merged."
The Dons looked at each other in sheer disbelief and rising panic.
"You can't just merge two sovereign syndicates without a Commission vote!" an old boss from Detroit yelled.
Vincent stepped beside Elena, resting his hand possessively on the curve of her waist, his eyes sweeping over the table with lethal finality.
"We aren't asking for a vote," Vincent said coldly. "We are telling you how it is. You either swear fealty to the Romano-Volkov alliance tonight... or Miss Volkova will release the financial manifests to the Federal Bureau of Investigation before sunrise and let the government dismantle your families one by one."
Don Moretti looked at the ledger, looked at the body of Gregory on the table, and looked at the two apex predators standing before him.
May you like
Slowly, trembling with fear and awe, Don Moretti bent his knee.
One by one, all twelve members of the Grand Commission stood up and bowed their heads in total submission to the new King and Queen of the American underworld.
