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“Have you seen the bride’s dress? She’s Luciano trash, for sure.”

It hadn’t been the first time Dominic had heard that, and he’d bet every penny he had that it wouldn’t be his last. Hell, he’d heard it about five times since the wedding reception had started, from every rich asshole and bitch in here, but by the look on Maria’s pretty face, she hadn’t experienced it yet.

“I thought she’d get more use out of a black dress, Luisa.” Maria’s green eyes glowered at the old woman, who clearly came from the Caruso side of the family based on the diamond broach she wore. “I’ll tell her to wear it to your funeral.”

By the look of the old bitch’s face and her equally old friend, they were about to let Maria have it—until Dom let his presence known by coming up to stand behind her. Needless to say, the old bitches moved away in a hurry.

“I have to say that was better than anything I could’ve come up with, princess,” Dominic said with a smile. It had been the first time he’d heard anyone stick up for a Luciano who didn’t bear the name, and it only made him like her that much more.

Maria spun on her heels, seeing why the old women had left in a hurry.

Noticing the glass in her hand was empty, he took it, repaying the favor she had given him at the bridal boutique by placing a filled glass in her hand from the tray a waiter was carrying. He raised a brow, still smiling at the clever but ruthless words she spouted off to the women. Everyone wanted to tell off old folks who thought they could say whatever they wanted and get away with it because they were old … but no one actually did it—except Maria.

“You really are as cold as I think you are, aren’t you?”

Maria looked at her newly filled champagne glass. “What makes you think that?”

“Do you remember the last time we saw each other before all this?” Dom waved his hands around him at the extravagant reception held in the Casino Hotel that he was sure she was responsible for. And before you walked through my front door.

The blonde’s perfect brows drew together, clearly trying to remember.

“Wow. You don’t remember, do you?” Dominic had to laugh, picking up a glass of champagne for himself.

He must’ve been sickly in love with her at twenty. Not even amnesia could have let him forget the first time he had thought he saw an angel walking the earth.

Confusion still marring her face, she lifted the glass to her lips. “When was it?”

Dominic was captivated by her jeweled eyes. “Dance with me, princess, and I’ll tell you.”

“I …” Maria’s eyes and body told him that she wanted nothing more, but her words said otherwise. “We can’t. Not here in front of everyone. Our blood only mixed a few hours ago, and I think it’s probably too soon for the Luciano boss to dance with the Carusos’ boss’s daughter.”

Giving her a sinister lift of his lips, he walked off with some parting words. “Well, who said I wanted to dance with you in front everyone, anyway?”

Leaving her with a new look of confusion, he kept the smile on his face, glad he had already worked out a plan B.

He searched for Cassius, who was staring at the ice sculpture when he found him.

“So, they really are as rich as our father was telling us, aren’t they?”

“Yes,” Dominic told him with a solemn nod. It was the first time his youngest brother had been introduced to the other crime family. From here on out, it would be up to him to form his own opinion upon the Carusos.

Yes, Cassius might be young, but the thoughts that went on in his mind were far beyond that of a fifteen-year-old. It was the reason why he had let Cass join the first family meeting that he called once Dom had taken the Luciano throne after Angel had been taken.

Even though he hadn’t spoken the Omertà, and still had yet to, Cassius was just as much made as the rest of them. Dominic had decided it was better to accept his nature and try to mold the darkness in him for the benefit of the family, because excluding Cassius from the family business would have caused his younger brother to begrudge him, not only as a brother but as the Luciano boss.

Cassius turned from the sculpture, letting the thoughts he had swirling in his mind disappear, as his face want back to his normal blank stare. “I take it she turned you down?”

“Yep,” Dominic said with a laugh, having expected no less from the mafia princess. “You know where to find me.”

The youngest Luciano nodded before Dominic walked off, going to the back of the reception area and to a black sheer curtain that was covering the door to the kitchen. None of the Carusos would have thought twice about young Cassius leading her here.