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His expression grows confused. “I run the Family, dear.”
“No, I mean… didn’t you marry and have kids?”
He goes from confused to surprised in an instant. “Oh, no, Sin. No mate, no other children. Only you.”
I bite my lower lip, my brows drawing together. I may be foolish, maybe just a little girl with fairy tale fantasies in mind, but—
“I want to try.”
Chapter Thirty-Three
Garen
“So, you all are in business together?”
My brothers and I host Sin and Giovanni for dinner in our hotel suite, catered by the room service staff. The dining room in our suite is just the right size, with six seats, leaving one of the ends open and keeping us all gathered close together.
There’s a piano concerto playing softly in the background, something I’m unfamiliar with, but at least find pleasant.
Speak for yourself.
Although the head of the table was offered to Giovanni, he declined, opting instead to sit beside Sin, a show of a change in the power dynamic, leaving Ilya to sit in the leadership position. Cade and I sit across from Sin and Giovanni.
“We are,” I reply to Sin. “Ilya’s family, the Soloniks, were close allies of the Rossi family, which was the Vittorio family before Giovanni took over.”
“And my family and Garen’s were allies all the way back to when my family was still in Ireland.”
“Ashur and Hill for life,” I muse.
“Formerly O’Hanlon,” Cade tells Sin with a smile.
“And where does Helix fit into all of this?”
“It began as a front,” Ilya supplies. “It was going to be a money laundering scheme, but our parents, Giovanni included, saw that we could actually do some good. It was a way to break away from being completely dirty.”
“It was that heat suppressant we manufactured and later found out in trials increased heart health that truly put us on the map as a real bioscience corporation.”
I nod at Giovanni’s statement. “That was the big break Helix needed to be viewed as legitimate. And boy, did the feds try their damnedest to block our approval.”
“They were onto you?” Sin’s eyes are a little wide, and I chuckle.
“They’re always onto us, love. It’s part of the life.”
“But most of our business dealings are entirely legitimate now,” Giovanni assures.
Sin shakes her head. “I’ve basically lived my entire life surrounded by crime. Even if you were all still completely illegitimate, it would be a step up.”
“Upscale crime,” I croon, and the smile that stretches across her face makes my soul shiver.
“Forget the crime. Let’s concentrate on the legitimate.” Giovanni turns in his seat to look at Sin. “You and your mates are the current generation of our four families. When I thought that I had no heir, I’d planned to split my part of the company between your three mates upon my death. But you, my dear, are my heir. I would like you to consider what that means.”
Sin’s mouth hangs for a moment. “What… what does it mean?”
“Well, it means that you will own everything of mine, including one-quarter of Helix Biosciences.”
She looks at each of us, wide-eyed. “I don’t know what I’d do with that.”
“We’re more than willing to teach you the ropes. Show you how everything works, educate you so that you can make decisions,” Cade offers.
