“Missing something?” I laugh crazily and walk closer to stand in front of him. “Edward forced his pathetic dick down my throat at six years old. I was eight the first time he fucked me. Ten when he took my ass. He did it every goddam chance he got. I spent my entire goddamn life as nothing more than his fucking sex toy that he whipped bloody. He shot my best friend in the fucking face because I wouldn’t suck his dick in the middle of the goddamn parking lot. Yeah, you’re fucking missing something.”
Cian closes his eyes and takes a deep breath. I can see the rage building as his fists clench. I scoff and go to walk toward the door. His voice stops me in my tracks. “He was supposed to keep you safe,” Cian says. “He was Cormac’s friend… He trusted him…”
“You said Popov, right? Like Vlad Popov?” I ask.
“Yes,” Cian grumbles. “He raped and murdered your mother while your father was forced to watch.”
“Well, he called me pretty when I was 13 and I let him fuck me over Edward’s desk,” I say matter-of-factly. “They are friends. They have been friends for as long as I can remember.”
“Is this true?” Cian asks Brent.
“Yeah. I mean, I didn’t know she was being raped or anything, but I have met him,” Brent says.
“Fuck,” Cian sighs. “I didn’t know… They had known each other for so long. I knew he was part of The Society, so he could keep you safe.”
“He ran The Society, hiding behind someone else after nearly killing Adrian’s father, the actual leader of said society,” I say.
“He agreed to take you in because Brent was supposed to marry you. That was the agreement. They kept you safe, and he got to marry you,” Cian says. “But…”
“But you handed me off to the same people who murdered my parents,” I deadpan.
“In his defense,” Adrian says. “I’ve talked to Dad about all of this, and he remembers Cormac. He was also under the assumption that Edward and Cormac were friends. Prior to him nearly being killed, Dad was friends with Edward, too. Even now, the only reason we know of the connection to the Popov family is because Brent was being groomed to take over The Society.”
“So you just… got rid of me?” I ask.
“No, Alania. You are an heir to this entire empire. I am running it right now until you turn twenty-five. The plan was, on your birthday, I would’ve told you everything. You would have gotten your inheritance, and everything would be yours. This is in your blood.”
“What if I don’t want it?” I snap. “What then?”
“I would continue to run it and my kids would one day take over, but Alania, you cannot seriously sit here and tell me that you don’t want this. You have fire in your blood, and based on how these three men look at you, they fucking worship you for it,” Cian says firmly. “I cannot change the past. If I could go back, I would’ve raised you myself on the other side of the world if I needed to. You are my niece, and I love you from the bottom of my heart. I was eighteen when my brother died. I had no fucking idea how to run this empire and keep you alive at the same time. I just wanted to keep you safe.”
Cian sniffs back tears, and I break down. “Goddamn it. My weakness,” I sigh. Cian gives me a confused look, and the guys chuckle. “I can’t handle it when men cry. It makes me all mushy and shit.”
“I’m sorry, Alania,” Cian says softly. “I’m so sorry.”
“Well… fuck. Okay,” I say with a sigh. “What shit is this family involved with? Drugs? Guns?”
“Gambling, clubs, hotels, restaurants, and a few other small investments,” he says.
“Be honest,” I say. “Do you want to keep running things?”
“Your parents…”
“Are dead,” I say. “They trusted you enough to have you be who takes over if something happened, right?”
“Yeah. There were others who could have, but Cormac always wanted me to be there beside him,” Cian explains.
“Then it’s yours. I somehow ended up roped into helping to run The Society. Maybe by joining operations, we can all benefit. As long as you aren’t doing anything that harms innocent people or involves kids, obviously.”
“None of that. I don’t hurt innocent people,” Cian says. “I want you to have your inheritance. That’s from them, and I don’t have the right to take it.”
“Okay, but this means I have no ties. Everything is yours,” I say. “I want to get to know you. I’m trying to learn that not every man in my life is going to fuck me, so it will be nice to be treated like something other than a pocket pussy.”
“Hey. We don’t treat you like that,” Brent says.
“I know,” I laugh. “But every man who has ever gotten close to me has also been inside of me, that gets kind of old,” I say.
“That’s… You have nothing to worry about, Alania,” Cian says.
