Page 58 of His Broken Queen

“That goes two ways.” She rested her hand on my chest. “I want to take care of you as much as you want to take care of me. We’re in this together.”

I hope you mean that.

“Let’s get that bath started,” I said. “I’ll get the champagne once you’re in the tub.”

“Can we stay like this for a few more minutes?” She hugged me. “This moment is perfect, and I don’t ever want to forget it.”

“Neither do I.”

As much as I wanted it to always be like this, once we got home real life would get in the way. If Gio and I were going to take over the city, the next few months of transition would be uncertain. New alliances would need to be formed. There would be a power struggle. More violence would occur. Our lives might not ever be the same, but everything I did was to protect her.

If I was on top, I had a better chance of keeping her safe. And that was my main goal.

Chapter 17

Luciana

Coming back from Italy was difficult. I loved spending time with Romero. We connected and spent so much uninterrupted time together. For the first time in our relationship, we were a married couple. Being back at the penthouse had its challenges. It wasn’t as big as our house and there were times when there was no privacy. Between Gio, the guards, and various business associates coming and going at all hours of the day and night, I couldn’t get into a routine.

As much as I hated going back to the last place I saw Stella, it was time for Romero and I to go home. We had to move forward with our lives. I wasn’t sure what that was going to look like yet, but we had to try. If we were home, maybe I wouldn’t constantly feel like the wife of a mafia kingpin. We could get back to some normalcy.

I wandered down the hall to the study. The door wasn’t shut, so I figured it was safe to go in and see how my husband was doing, but as I got closer, I could hear Romero and Gio talking. I turned to walk away, but I stopped when I overheard their conversation. I didn’t mean to, but I wanted to make sure I understood what they said.

“I’m in the process of setting up the accounts for the off-shore money,” Gio said. “All of our legitimate staff at Cantinos have been replaced with more reliable people.”

“What did you do with the employees who were working there?” Romero asked.

“They’ve all been relocated. Everyone was taken care of. Santino helped me with that.”

Why would they have to replace the employees at the club?

“I can let Janero know we’re good to go then?” Romero asked. “We’re ready to launder his cash?”

“I don’t see why not.”

Launder cash? Through the club? That didn’t sound very legitimate.

“We’re going to have to use the other clubs too,” Gio said. “We can’t funnel it all through one place. It’s too suspicious.”

“I figured that.” Romero’s voice held no surprise. “I want to start conservatively. No red flags. Everything has to appear on the up and up.”

Appear on the up and up?Romero and Gio kept discussing their new plan, but all I could focus on was the one safe place I thought we would always have. The club. Why would they compromise an opportunity to get out if they could?

When I turned to leave, I knocked into a small table outside the study, pushing the legs against the floor. It made a loud noise, but I ran up the steps and to the bedroom, hoping no one would realize it was me.

I grabbed a book from the nightstand and jumped on the bed. My heart raced inside my chest when Romero entered the bedroom. He shut the door, and then joined me on the bed. I looked up from the book.

“You overheard my conversation, didn’t you?” He took the book from me and tossed it on the bed.

“I didn’t mean to.”

“I’m running New York City.” He stretched his neck to one side, releasing a small crack. “I had to make changes in my organization. Working with Janero was one of them.”

“I thought the clubs were off-limits.”

“That was before all this other shit happened. I need leverage, and that is what I have to offer.”

I traced my finger along the pattern in the comforter, trying to conceal my disappointment.

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