My Second Marriage with the Mafia Kingpin

BAM!

Everyone’s eyes snapped open as Ashley slammed her palm against the table. Gathered around it were members of Dominion’s Madam Faction and Lucian’s men, including Gustav.

"Here are the locations of the Di Carpios’ remaining major bases," she began as Gin distributed the files she had printed while everyone else was asleep.

Since this would now be a joint operation to capture Marshal, Ashley and her team had to alter their original plan. After all, it had involved only a handful of people. With such limited numbers, taking down every base at once would have taken time.

But with Lucian’s forces joining them, they could accomplish far more in less time.

"News of the attack has already reached Marshal’s allies," Ashley continued while everyone studied the proposed plan. "Many of his allies are probably deciding whether they want in or out of this war."

Red lifted his gaze from the file and studied her face. After a moment, he sighed and glanced around the table.

Did she even sleep?

No matter how excited Ashley was about finally taking Marshal down, she still needed to rest.

However, Red kept his thoughts to himself. He set the file aside and braced his arms against the table.

"These three families are the most likely to fight alongside Marshal," he said, taking over before Ashley could continue. He gave her a pointed look, silently telling her he would handle the briefing from there.

Ashley studied him briefly before shrugging and dragging a chair toward the table.

Her men already understood the larger picture. They only needed to know the updated plan. Letting Red brief Lucian’s team would at least take some of the burden off her shoulders.

"So these three families will fight tooth and nail for him?" Gustav tilted his head as he studied the photographs of the mafia dons. "This could get complicated."

"How were you planning to fight all of them before we joined?" one of Lucian’s men asked.

"Their original plan no longer matters," Lucian answered. "What matters is how we deal with them now that our forces are combined."

"I’ve already sent messages to all of Marshal’s allies," Ashley added knowingly.

Gustav frowned. "What kind of messages?"

She shrugged. "Nothing important. Just something to stir up trouble on their side."

"That can wait," Lucian interjected. "Our priority is getting our hands on Marshal."

"Boss, do you think he’s still in the country?" Rum asked. "From what I remember, he only returned because his daughter was hospitalized."

"I doubt he’s still here," Ashley answered. "Scott would have moved them by now. Besides, I already contacted someone at the hospital. Marshal and his family have been discharged."

"Any idea where they might be hiding?"

"There are several possibilities, but narrowing them down will take time." Ashley rose from her chair and approached the table. "Gustav, Nero, and John will handle these three."

She slid forward the photographs of three of the Di Carpios’ closest and most loyal allies, then lifted her gaze to the men across from her.

"Gustav." She pressed a finger against one of the portraits and pushed it toward him. "Take down the don, but keep the second-in-command alive."

Gustav furrowed his brows, clearly displeased that Ashley was leading the meeting. He glanced at Lucian, but his boss merely shrugged.

"This is their operation, Gustav," Lucian reminded him. "We’re the ones asking them for a favor."

Gustav’s jaw tightened. With a quiet exhale, he picked up the photograph and studied the face.

"Why do we need the second-in-command alive?"

"I heard there’s tension within the family." A faint smile crossed Ashley’s face. "There may even be a coup brewing. It would be a waste to kill someone who could eventually become useful—especially when the Black Dragon needs more allies outside Dominion."

Gustav frowned. "A disagreement between a don and his second-in-command doesn’t mean the man will turn his back on him."

"I have reason to believe it’s more than a simple disagreement."

"Reason?" Gustav repeated. "Or a guess?"

It wasn’t really a guess.

Ashley knew the two men would eventually turn against each other. Their conflict had something to do with the second-in-command’s integrity and his growing refusal to support the don’s decisions. He would win their internal war, only to be killed several months later—shortly before he could form an alliance with Lucian.

That was something she overheard in her previous life.

Ashley was simply speeding things up.

"Just do it or don’t," Red snapped, glaring at Gustav.

Gustav cleared his throat and straightened. "I’m only asking a question."

"Gustav, don’t make me repeat myself," Lucian muttered. "This is their operation. Red is right—either do it or don’t."

"Let him be." Ashley waved off the argument. "People complain. That’s normal."

Gustav’s expression darkened, but Ashley had already turned toward the board beside her.

"What about our targets?" one of the other men asked. "Should we also try to make deals with their second-in-command?"

Ashley glanced back at him and shook her head. "No. Take them all down. Their principles don’t align with Dominion’s."

"Understood."

She pinned five photographs to the board in a neat row. Scott’s was among them.

"One thing you should know is that Marshal has no combat ability. At least, not anymore," she began, keeping her back to the others. "Cornering him will be easy. He won’t put up a fight."

She paused before turning around and gesturing toward the photographs.

"But these men will be the problem." Ashley glanced at every person around the table. "And if I’m being honest, fighting them won’t be easy—especially this one."

She tapped Scott’s photograph.

"It’s not simply a question of skill. These men have decades of experience. They can kill their opponents without breaking a sweat, so don’t underestimate them. No matter how capable you are, there will always be someone stronger," she paused as her expression grew solemn. "And these men... are highly capable."

The room fell silent as everyone studied the members of Marshal’s elite team.

Aside from Scott, many of them had already heard stories about these men. They were veterans of the underground—assassins and killers who had survived for decades in a world where most people died young.

Their experience alone made them dangerous.

"Once this operation begins, these men will remain at Marshal’s side at all times," Ashley continued.

If her knowledge of them was still accurate, several of them had already flown out to secure Marshal and his family.

"What do we do, then?" Khan asked. "Once Gustav and the others finish dealing with the Di Carpios’ allies, do we launch a direct attack?"

"Why don’t we lure Marshal to us?" Gustav suggested, looking at Lucian. "If the master calls for a meeting, he’ll come."

"I doubt it," Lucian answered immediately.

Gustav frowned. "Why?"

"Because Scott already knows we were behind the attack," Red replied matter-of-factly. "For some reason, he hasn’t told Marshal. But I doubt he’ll let the man walk straight into our hands."

Red turned to Ashley. "Now that I think about it, why does it seem like Scott is helping us—but also isn’t?"

"That is the million-dollar question." Ashley turned toward Scott’s photograph.

Not only during this operation, either.

Ashley had always known that Scott despised Marshal. And yet, he continued to obey every command the man gave him without fail.

She stared at his photograph, her eyes narrowing.

"If only I could figure out what’s keeping him loyal," she murmured. "Then we might have a way to remove our greatest threat without fighting him at all."