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“I know there’s a reason why you wanted me to marry him, Lucca,” she hinted, knowing full well he didn’t do things out of the kindness of his black heart. Everything he did, every move the boogieman made, was for a reason.

His blue-green eyes glowed. “Do you remember what I told you?”

“You’ve told me many things, brother. You might need to be specific.”

“I told you two people could take this city from me—” Lucca drew hard on his cigarette, the orange glow on the end turning a bright red as the smoke escaped his lips with his words. “—you and Dominic.”

Maria hadn’t forgotten. She just hadn’t entertained the idea. Luckily for him, she had been born a woman and, at the time he had told her that, there was no relationship between her and Dom. However, it still didn’t make sense ….

“If you truly believe that, why would you want us together?”

“I made Dominic a deal.” Flicking his long ashes that were about to fall into the glass ashtray, he continued, “When I take Dante’s place, I will restore the balance between the two families and give him fifty percent of the city.”

She could see the truth in his eyes, while he saw the shock in hers.

Lucca smiled. “He didn’t tell you?”

She shook her head. She had known they were working together and had made some deal, but she hadn’t expected the underboss, who had dreamed of his crowning moment since birth, to give up half of what was already his—

“Chloe,” she said the name of the sole reason he had done it. The last thing Lucca would want was a war that could end with his scarred beauty in the crosshairs.

Nodding slowly, he confirmed her exact thoughts.

“And this is supposed to excite me because I’m his wife?” She raised a non-impressed brow.

Lucca stood, walking over to the floor to ceiling window that were behind him.

Knowing what he wanted, she got up and followed him to the window.

“The first time I went to Blue Park … I liked it,” Lucca admitted. “I kept going, and each time I went, the more addicted I got. It wasn’t until I saw Dominic murder a man on the street and watched the body get picked up a moment later—as if nothing even happened—did I know what I was going to do.” His cold voice somehow went darker. “I planned to take it.”

Maria didn’t doubt it. Each time she had gone, she found herself going back for more, whether it was to see Dominic or not.

She enjoyed being there. Blue Park had a raw, rough quality that made it addicting to their dark natures.

“Just the littlest taste of power will make you crave more, Maria,” he told her the truth of basic human nature. “I know because that’s exactly what happened to me and what I know will happen to him. A man like Dominic may be satiated for a bit with half, but he would never fully be satisfied. One day, he would come for more.”

Turning from the view of the city, Maria’s cold heart revealed itself. “Maybe I’d want him to ….”

“I wouldn’t doubt it.” Lucca didn’t seem surprised. “But I know you’re not changing your last name for a reason, Maria. You love this family and this city just as much as me, and even when it turned against you”—he mentioned not only his heinous act of murdering Kayne, but her father and the mafia for not accepting her because of what was not between her legs—“you still didn’t give it up.”

Maria’s gut told her something big was coming, that all of Lucca’s chess moves were about to come to fruition.

“And now”—turning from the window, Lucca faced her—“I’d like to reward you.”

“You’re going to let me become made …,” she whispered as her breath hitched in her throat.

The boogieman’s haunting eyes glowed. “How does consigliere sound to you?”

“You want to make me your equal?” Maria couldn’t believe it. As if having a woman become made wasn’t ridiculous enough for his men to get behind, placing her beside him would cause an uproar. Her brain couldn’t even begin to comprehend it … until it did.

Sitting beside Lucca would ensure one thing—Dominic would never, ever have the taste for more.

Maria couldn’t help but smile. “You’re smart, brother, but even I didn’t expect that.”

Not trying to deny it, he raised a brow. “Do you blame me?”

“No,” she simply said, going back to looking at the city. “I can understand.”

Everything he did was for Chloe, and this was the smartest move he could make. It solidified Dominic and Lucca’s reign together as one. Even the smallest threat was gone. Dom would never go after the Carusos if she was consigliere, nor would any other Luciano, while Lucca wouldn’t risk it for Chloe, but his consigliere would also be married to the Luciano boss.