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“This couldn't be an email?” My youngest brother Z strolls into my office next. Fucking hell, it must be serious if he also asked Z to be here for this.

“Is Cosima going to show up next?” Our little sister is tucked away at college in Europe. That was part of the reason our parents have been staying in Europe more lately. It was either there or at the condo they bought in the city. Both Zero and Ronan keep a place in the city as well.

"Not today." Zero drops down into one of the chairs in front of my desk. Ronan stays standing.

"Maybe he's fully handing things over. He might as well at this point." Ronan says.

Ronan has no interest in taking over. He doesn't want to be involved in all the ins and outs of business. He's more of a hands-on type.

"Everyone is here," my father says, entering my office. I stand.

"Where is Mom?" I ask.

"She is busy."

"Busy?" I ask, wondering what the hell he is talking about.

"We'll get to that." I sit back down in my chair. Father walks over to the bar, pouring himself a finger of scotch. I bet I'm going to need one myself.

None of us speak. We wait for him to tell us why he’s here and what is going on.

“You want to take over,” Dad finally starts, taking a seat on the couch, stretching his legs out.

“That’s why you’re here?” I’m not one for small talk or to drag things out. There is no need to pussyfoot around this. I have other things I could be doing right now.

“We haven’t been seeing eye to eye on things.”

“That may be so, but if you want me to take over your operation and businesses, then this is how it will be.” Ronan shifts on his feet, and I don’t miss Z sitting up straighter.

“You know I want you to take over, but I think there are a few flaws in your plan of going legit.”

“We’ll never be legit.” He knows that. We all do. Order still has to be kept in the streets. It’s the way of things. If it’s not us, it will be someone else that maintains it.

“Yes, but you’re rubbing shoulders with senators, and I believe I heard you had dinner with the chief of police.”

“You have someone watching me? Reporting back?” I can confirm with certainty that it is not one of my brothers.

"I always know what's happening in this city."

"I'm going to?—”

"Listen," Father snaps, cutting me off. There are not many men that would dare speak to me in that tone. I lean back in my chair. We might be at odds when it comes to business, but I still have respect for him, so I do as he says and keep my mouth closed. “I’m not opposed to cleaning things up. I did the same when I took over, but let's face it, some people won’t want to do their legit businesses with us because of our last name alone.”

“I know,” I agree.

One of our biggest avenues are the docks. We control almost all of the docks in the city that can be privately owned, rather than those owned by the government. We are cutting ties withsome of the importers we used to let use them; I need new ones. This is something Z and I have been going around and around about.

“You’re also not very charming,” my father tosses out.

“Charming.”

“Yes, charming. People have to somewhat like you. Feel like you’re really cleaning things up in order to want to do business with you. If you want legitimate business, that is.”

“And how do you want me to go about that?”

“That’s easy. You’ll get married.” It takes everything in me not to give a reaction. Ronan's brows lift while Z lets out a low whistle. I expected my father to have a solution, but never could I have imagined that marriage would be it.

“War here getting married?” Z shakes his head. “Who’d want to marry this asshole?” He says it with a smile, but he’s not wrong. I’m not winning any awards for my personality. Actually, people tend to try to stay away from me as much as possible. Unless they need something.