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Carlos didn’t have to ask if he had taken care of the other robber trying to steal from him. “I called my brothers. They’ll help me clean the mess up. You go. We’ll take care of them.”

Dom nodded, already seeing the body being lifted off the sidewalk sown the street and shoved into the trunk of a car. His ass wouldn’t be back in Lucifer’s car before he would receive a call, asking for payment for hiding the body. This side of the tracks, you had to make money anyway you could, and hiding one of the Lucianos’ victims was easy money.

Dominic buttoned the cheap jacket he wore, unconcerned that he had just taken two lives or that the cops would show up any minute. What cops the Carusos didn’t own, the Lucianos did.

Lucca intently watched the interaction between the two men, his face a blank mask. Taking out his wallet, he then gave Carlos a wad of bills before going back to his Cadillac without a word.

“You need me to take a look at your arm?” Carlos offered.

“It’s just a graze,” Dom said, aware of the stinging pain for the first time.

About to return to his father’s car, he stopped when he heard Marco call out. The boy was coming out of the store, carrying two grocery bags filled with candy and chips.

“For you. Thank you.”

Taking the bags, Dominic gave the teenager a curt nod as Lucca pulled away from the pumps. Curiosity about what the Caruso boss’s son was doing on their side of town gave him a brief spurt of worry, but then Dominic dismissed the thought. There was nothing here that the Carusos would want. Hell, even the Lucianos didn’t want to be here.

Holding the bags in one hand, he used his other to take out another gun, giving the untraceable gun to Carlos.

“I don’t even know how …,” Carlos started to protest.

Dom gave the father a telling look at Marco. The owner was just fucking lucky he wouldn’t have to plan a burial for his son.

“Then fucking learn.”

Stepping out of the car, Lucca entered the back of the funeral home, scaring the lone night shift worker almost to death.

“Do you know who I am?” he asked, taking a hit of his cigarette.

The worker swallowed hard before slowly nodding.

“The body that was brought in discreetly earlier, where is it?”

It was like you could see the wheels turning in his head, trying to figure out who he was scared of more, the man before him or the devil. Making the decision that was going to, at least, let him live five minutes longer, he gave in. “I-I was just about to throw him in.”

Smoke poured from his mouth with each word. “Let me see it.”

Quickly, the worker took him to the room; it felt like entering hell. Stepping inside, he went up to the dead body that was laying on the gurney in the middle of the room.

“Is there anything else I can do for you, Mr. Caruso?” the guard asked nervously.

“No.” Lucca grabbed the cigarette from between his lips and extinguished it in the bullet hole that was right between the robber’s eyes. Watching the little puff of smoke float up, he took a step back. “Throw him in.”

The worker hurriedly went to the head of the table, then slid the body into the waiting fire.

Pulling out the almost empty pack of cigarettes from his back jean pocket, Lucca reminded himself that he needed to get more since his first run to the gas station hadn’t ended so well. Holding his last one with his lips, he took out the little pack of matches from his front pocket that had Kansas City Casino Hotel written on it. Flicking the little stick, it caught fire instantly, making a large flame that died down as he held it to the end of his cigarette. Lucca killed the match with a shake of his wrist as he watched the flesh in the kiln light up, burn, then slowly fall to ash.

“Our little secret?” he told the guard, taking out his wallet and handing him some cash.

“Yes!” The worker seemed so relieved, he looked like he was about to cry. “Please, no cash necessary.”

Snapping his wallet closed, Lucca smiled with a little tilt of his lips. He couldn’t help but think how easily it was for Dominic to get rid of the body without even trying.

Blue Park definitely has its perks.

Fifteen

You’re Next

Dominic, Age 26

Dominic kicked in the heavy metal door, even with the heavy package he was carrying on his shoulder.

The men had all been lined up in their spots but didn’t dare look away from Lucifer, who sat on his throne behind his wooden desk.

“You’re late! Where the hell hav—”

His father’s voice had boomed through the warehouse, but stopped the second he saw what his son was carrying. As Dominic strode in, the line of men gasped and whispered throughout the space while their jaws dropped.