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Without another word, both Angel and Matthias grabbed the guns that had yet to be cleaned off the table before going to where they kept the bullets. They were now in their early twenties and had become made.

Dominic threw on his brown leather jacket that he still wore every day. It was old and worn but, somehow, the huge collar made it look regal on him.

Adjusting the sheepskin collar, he said a silent prayer for him and his siblings.

May God have mercy on their souls.

Over the years, he had known his father was slowly losing his grip with reality. His hunger to control the whole city ate Lucifer alive with every passing year. Both death and his son, who he had ironically created to be stronger and smarter than him, shortened his time on the throne.

Once Dom rose the ranks to underboss, he’d slowly taken control over Lucifer’s men, one by one, until over half of them secretly followed his commands exclusively.

The last few months, Dominic had known his father had completely lost it, and he’d been preparing for this day since. Today was either going to end with him on the Luciano throne or dead from the possible war that was coming.

When he walked into the warehouse where the meetings of both families were held, he found out just how badly his father had lost it.

A girl was tied to the chair. She looked young, far too young for his father to have here.

When Dante had taken over the Caruso family, he’d made a rule that was supposed to be enforced by the Lucianos as well—children were not allowed to be touched. Mafias around the world not only killed men and women, but children if they had to. In Kansas City, you weren’t up for grabs unless you were over eighteen.

Seeing the old scars that the terrified girl carried on her face, it looked like Lucifer had broken that rule years ago. It was especially obvious by the look in her light gray eyes that she had been marked by the devil.

He took a step, watching her tremble harder as he walked around her. Taking off his leather jacket, he put it around the terrified girl’s shoulders, unable to watch her freeze to death in the cold warehouse for a moment longer.

Giving his brothers a knowing look, Angel and Matthias continued to guard the scarred girl from their father by walking around her in circles, while Dominic went back to the front of the warehouse, prepared to protect his men for what was coming through that door.

Every Luciano man held up their guns as the door was being beaten.

“You will await my orders. I have waited many years for this moment,” Lucifer manically ordered them. “Today is the day we take back our city.”

Once the door opened, Carusos came filing in, making every Luciano man behind him shake in fear and confusion that Lucifer was throwing them into an unknown war that they couldn’t win.

“The Carusos! You didn’t tell us it would be them!” the Lucianos backed up, whispering as the opposing family began to surround them, outnumbering them.

Dominic could hear the rattling of a chain before Sal appeared. Following the chain that Sal held in his hands, he found it connected to his father’s most loyal capo, Giovanni, who no longer looked the same. The man looked like he had been tortured beyond recognition. Dominic didn’t have to know by who; he knew before Sal kicked Giovanni down to his knees and revealed his oppressor, dressed in black from head to toe.

The boogieman.

The last time he had seen the Caruso underboss in a suit was at his mother’s funeral, but since then, he had created his own legend throughout the years. Lucca had outgrown even his own father as the most feared man in the city.

And he was … for now.

As the drama unfolded, Dominic found out all the things his father had kept hidden from him, especially over the last few months. The only sad thing was he had to hear it from his enemy’s mouth as it played out in front of him. Just like the rest of his men, he had been blindsided too.

The girl who sat tied in the chair behind him was Chloe, and by the sound of it, Lucifer had developed a sick obsession with her. Dominic had never seen his father look at a woman like he did Chloe, nor speak about one like when he claimed her as his.

In disbelief, Dom didn’t understand until Lucca said the words, “Chloe is mine.”

Lucifer’s sick mind must’ve developed feelings for her out of jealousy. His father wanted everything and everyone who belonged to the Carusos, and this time, his obsession had gone too far.

When a fair trade was made—Giovanni for Chloe—Lucifer turned it down with laughter.