“What do you mean I can’t get a meeting with him?” Lima’s voice was sharp, almost a snarl, as she hurled her glass at the mirror. The glass shattered on impact, fragments scattering across the floor like the pieces of her temper. She hadn’t lost control like this in a long time, but the Don was pushing her to the edge.

Rupert stood beside her, tense but silent, carefully measuring his next move. He knew better than to speak when Lima was like this, aware that anything he said could set her off even more.

“Try harder or I’ll show up with men and guns blazing”, she said and ended...