“Since when has what I do with one of my fuck buddies been any of your business?”
“Because Brianna isn’t just a fuck buddy, is she?” He glances over at me and I fucking hate the look in his eye.
“Isn’t she?” I ask innocently. “As far as I see it, she’s a good fuck that I have zero intention of settling down with. Although, I don’t like her all that much, so buddy might be pushing it.”
“You’re so full of fucking shit, Nic,” he says, pulling off the main road and disappearing into The Empire’s underground car park.
“So this is serious business then if it’s just the two of us?” I ask, looking at the guys’ empty allocated spaces.
“Maybe he’s officially making me his underboss,” Theo taunts.
I keep my mouth shut until I step out of the car and he attempts to go ahead of me to the lift on the other side of the vast space.
“Ow, you motherfucker,” he barks when I punch him in the arm.
“There’s only one man for that job, and you know it.”
“Do I? As far as I can see, the dickhead who thinks he deserves it is too busy playing games with a woman he refuses to admit he wants.”
“I don’t fucking want her. I don’t want any woman.”
“And you think that’s going to fly?” he asks as the doors close and he flips open the secret panel above the standard buttons to take us to the very top of the building.
“What the fuck is that meant to mean?”
“The boss is going to want to see that you’re committed to something before he even considers you for the position you secretly want.”
He’s right. I’ve never once declared my wish to take over Dad’s position since we lost him. There’s a part of me that doesn’t want to admit it out loud because it’s just another thing that will make the whole situation more real. But I do want it. Of course I do. I’d be fucking honoured to step into my Dad’s shoes and stand beside Damien, running this Family.
But I’m also not fucking stupid. I’m nineteen, soon to be twenty if we’re looking on the positive side of things. And I can be somewhat of a liability, I can admit that. And I guess that my behaviour, my inability to cope with losing Dad over the past few weeks, hasn’t exactly shown my loyalty and dedication to the Family.
But I’ve never considered the possibility that he’d want to see more from me than just being a good soldier. Surely, he doesn’t give a shit if I’m in a serious relationship?
“Stop yanking my chain. He won’t give a fuck.”
“Won’t he?” Theo taunts. “Might be time for you to find yourself a nice little Greek girl to warm your bed at night.”
“Like your sister? Ow,” I bark when he retaliates with a solid punch to my shoulder.
“That’s your fucking cousin you’re talking about. And she’s fourteen, bro.”
“You do remember what we were doing at fourteen, right?” I say, quirking a brow.
“Rhea’s not like that,” he argues.
“Mate,” I say, clapping him on the shoulder, “take it from a guy who’s just discovered his little sister is getting railed by the devil. Sheislike that. And the sooner you come to terms with that, the easier it will be.”
“Rhea’s a good girl,” he continues to argue.
“Bro, are we even talking about the same person? She’s walking around looking like she’s raided your girl’s wardrobe these days. There’s no way she’s not—”
“Shut the fuck up,” he growls darkly, making me chuckle.
Thankfully, the lift dings and the doors open, cutting off our conversation.
Delusional idiot seriously needs to take a closer look at his sister, though.
“Afternoon, lads,” Jason, Seb’s oldest sister’s husband says when he glances over his shoulder and spots us approaching.