Page 98 of Coerced Queen

“Later, then,” Dante says, quickly retreating.“It’s about a new supplier, and your Lady Luck should be present.She can give us her take on their terms.”

I groan when he closes the door.“They’re all calling me that now.”

“I heard,” Saverio drawls.He leans closer, stealing a kiss before breathing over my lips, “Lady Luck.”

“It’s Benson’s fault.He started it with his ladybug that someone mistakenly took for Lady Luck, and now everyone has gotten it into their heads that I’m lucky.”

Saverio holds my gaze in that intense way that makes heat bloom under my skin.“It’s an honor.”

“Mm.That’s what Roy and Dante said.So, what’s your nickname?How come I’ve never heard it?”

A soft smile plays on his face as he takes me in, as if the sight in front of him pleases him immensely.“I haven’t deserved that honor yet.”

“You’re joking.”

“Not at all.To the men, I’m simply Sav.”

“Mr.De Luca, you mean.Only Dante calls you Sav.”

“It depends on how close we are.”

Yep.Like Nicole said, he’s not close to many people.

“I guess it’s official then.”I’m half frightened, half resigned.“I’m a proper mobster.”

Saverio cups my cheek.“No,tesoro, you’re not a mobster.”The pride and affection of earlier is nothing compared to the possessiveness that gleams darkly in his gaze now.“You, my love, are a queen.”He stares at me as if I’m a rare and precious object.“And a dangerous one at that.”

ChapterThirty-One

Saverio

There’s no sign of Mary and nothing about her whereabouts from my informants on the street.Either she’s hiding, or she’s dead.With the lifestyle she’s been leading up to now, I put my money on the latter.However, I continue the search.I won’t sleep easily until I see her body with my own eyes.

While the search for Mary and the preparations for war continue, Rachele gets word to Anya that Elena left.Raphael’s wife packed a suitcase and sneaked out of the house, and no one knows where she’s gone.Raphael is having the airports, bus depots, and trains stations searched as we speak.

Gossip like that spreads fast in our circles, and the talk is that Raphael has lost his shit.As he should.

His pregnant wife is missing.

She humiliated and defied him, dealing him the ultimate blow by not honoring her vow and by disrespecting a marriage contract and her father’s wishes.It’s only a matter of time before he blows up.He’ll tear down the country to find her, but Elena is cleverer than he gives her credit for.She’s been born and raised in our world.Before her father became ill, he was the master of helping men disappear so well not a soul ever found them.She knows how to stay invisible.And Raphael is the poor fool who didn’t see it coming.It’s a pity he didn’t take better care of his wife.Everyone knows what a cruel bastard he is, and although no one will say it to his face, they’re all relieved for her sake that she got away.That’s to say everyone except for the Morelli family who are left with egg on their ugly faces.

We struck right when Raphael discovered his wife was missing.We ambushed a money collection operation and pushed them into a corner, depleting their ammunition while saving ours.The cocky bastards didn’t even see us coming.We’re hitting Raphael’s collection teams relentlessly.They stocked up on weapons since the first attacks and changed their pick-up points, but I have eyes and ears everywhere in the city.We hit time and again, using the very tactic he employed when he sneaked up on my guards and killed every single man outside the church on the day of my wedding.

In the meantime, Obsidian lost its liquor license due to numerous bar fights and disruptions of peace, which Roy told me was the doing of my industrious wife.The loss crippled Raphael.A big portion of his profits came from Obsidian.Those profits as well as the venue were used to move the drugs through his territory.The disgruntled cartels are pulling out one after the other, leaving Raphael Morelli in the lurch.He’s the laughingstock of New York City.Not being able to serve alcohol not only means the club isn’t making money but also that his suppliers are taking losses, which means they have to turn to other clients.

With Raphael weakened financially as well as in manpower and weapons, not to mention the knock his image took with his wife on the run, we’re fast gaining ground, and he knows it.He can’t retaliate, because I sent him a copy of that video Elena made.If he touches any one of us, that video goes viral.It’ll cause even more havoc in his world, something he can’t afford.The humiliation of not only losing his wife but losing her to his enemy no less will certainly ruin him.He’ll lose the respect of the men who back him.His father will disown him for disgracing their family.Michele Morelli has never tolerated being made to look like a fool.

If that doesn’t destroy Raphael, Elena’s testimony that he was behind the attack on our wedding day definitely will.The cops will be on him before he can blink.They’re just waiting for something they can use to make an example of one of us.

I can bring Raphael down with that video and let justice run its course, but that’s not how our vengeance works.We take care of our own judgment.I want to see the look in Raphael’s eyes when he blows out his last breath.I want my face to be the last thing he sees.

As I knew he would, Raphael kept the video a secret.If not, his family wouldn’t be helping him.The Morellis are gathering their forces, harnessing the remaining cartels to fight on their side with promises of deals and big money while I’m biding my time and getting ready for the final battle that will take them all out.

We’ve done the almost impossible, turning the tables on Morelli, and none of this would’ve been possible without Anya.She’s so much more than the woman I always wanted.She’s my partner in every way.Like I told her, she’s my beautiful, generous, frighteningly clever, and revered queen.My men love her.Dante loves her.My suppliers love her.Hell, every single man with a dick in New York City loves her.Benson fucking Bennett, the most hardened criminal in the state, loves her.He sent her flowers, and he only sends flowers for funerals, mostly to the families of the victims he killed.

For now, I push my jealousy away.We’re too close to our objective.Until I’ve put Raphael six feet under, this war requires all my focus.I’m going to put the Morellis out of business before Anya’s party.We’ll celebrate more than her birthday.We’ll celebrate our victory.

These days, I’m eating dinner with Anya and Livy in the dining room while Claire practices rolling over on her play mat next to us.On Saturday, Anya is making garlic bread when I walk into the kitchen to get the cutlery for setting the table.Livy tosses lettuce in vinaigrette at the island counter.The garden table on the covered side of the terrace that’s visible through the window is set with plates, glasses, and eating utensils.Yellow flowers in a vase stand in the middle.With the lanterns and fairy lights lit, it makes a pretty scene.

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