Page 122 of Lucian

“I’ve never had access to his Will,” Lucian said, confused.

“I know, son. He didn’t want you to.”

“Why not?”

“I already gave you the answer to that,” Antony said.

Lucian searched his overly tired brain for what he missed. “He didn’t want me doing what he did, but he didn’t want to tell me not to do it, either.”

“Something of that nature,” Paulie agreed. “Are you getting it yet?”

Lucian was far too tired for this shit tonight. “I’m sorry, no. I’m too exhausted to play mind games.”

“It’s not a game,” Antony said gruffly. “This is about your life.”

“A life that is technically irrelevant because John is dead and has no bearing on what I do today. I don’t have to consider the what ifs, and I’m fine with who I am now.”

“Not exactly, Lucian.”

Lucian’s gaze narrowed. “Excuse me?”

Antony flipped a couple of the pages on his desk off to the side until he seemingly found whatever it was he was looking for. Then, he began to read. “The currency protected in select trust for the child or children produced by the sole issue of Johnathan Lucas Grovatti shall be continually held in trust until said child or children reach legal age. As of that period, the monies are to be equally divided between inheritors.”

His father left money for Lucian’s future children?

Lucian couldn’t wrap his head around that.

“For the trust to be opened to future offspring, the sole issue of Mr. Grovatti is required to be bound in a marriage of their own making and choice by age thirty, or have produced at least one issue of their own,” Antony continued reading. “Should the issue fail to marry or produce children—legitimate or otherwise—by this age, the trust shall be transferred to the legal wife of the deceased, Kate Tiffany Grovatti.”

Antony glanced up from the papers, a heavy expression weighing down his stare. “It also states in the clause you were not to be made aware of the trust because it wasn’t for you, specifically, and John didn’t want you making choices about love and marriage for the only reason there was money involved. That would have reflected his own mistakes, even if you wouldn’t have profited from it.”

“How much?” Lucian managed to ask.

“Is that important for you to know?”

Lucian shrugged, feeling dizzy. “Not really, I guess. Just … curious.”

“At the time, it was a two-point-three million. It has since gained interest, and will continue to until the trust is opened. You can safely assume it will be enough for whatever children you may have to pay for a more than adequate education, and start them out in life with better prospects than most. The estate John gained from his own father’s and grandfather’s death certainly left him with sufficient funds to safeguard his future and his family’s.”

Paulie coughed, wincing. “But only if he married Kate.”

“I’m not married and I don’t have children,” Lucian said.

“Yet,” Antony corrected pointedly. “Tell me it hasn’t crossed your mind since meeting Jordyn.”

Lucian felt his jaw tick from agitation. “That’s for me to consider. Whether or not I marry, or have children, is my choice. I don’t have to share it with the family and discuss it like it’s the same thing as me wanting to take a vacation. I still have two years, right?”

Antony nodded but at the same time, he sunk back into his chair. “Apparently someone else didn’t think so. You were close to reaching the designated age, and suddenly, you have a companion you obviously care for, being openly seen with you and whom you were affectionate with. It certainly wouldn’t be a far stretch to consider you may have been thinking of settling down. Do you really think it’ll take you two years to marry that girl, son?”

No, Lucian thought instantly.

“What am I missing?” Lucian asked instead.

“Kate ordered the hits on you.”

Lucian snorted, the sound derisive. “She’s too obtuse to work out how to do that.”

“I can assure you she isn’t,” Antony replied. “And I have the transactions to prove it.”