Page 98 of Corruption

“You two,” Kiya says blandly.

Not deterred, both Alik and I state, “You’re back.”

“With conditions.”

“Name them,” I say before Alik can butcher this with his need to be in control and not be bossed around.

She takes her slow, sweet time finishing her cookie first.

“We’re going to be moving right? To Vaughn’s house? It’s your ancestral home or something like that. Right?”

“Yes,” Alik states.

Kiya nods. “I want another art studio when we move. A bigger one. On the side of the house with the most sun. And if I’m going to have your baby—”

“You don’t get a say in that. You are,” Alik cuts in.

Kiya gives him an unimpressed look.

“Alik,” I say, placing a hand on his arm.

He is right. She’s having that baby. We’ve got all the money, access, and power to get her the best doctors in the world to take care of her during her pregnancy. And Alik and I will ensure she and that child never want for anything.

Still. Best to tread delicately here unless it becomes necessary to do otherwise.

“IfI’m going to have your baby,” Kiya repeats firmly, and oh, the punishment I know Alik is imagining us giving her stokes my desire. “If I do this, I want a place for me to keep it near me while I work.”

“Him,” Alik says.

“Him?”

“The baby. Him. The sex was with the DNA test.”

“So? The studio?”

“Done,” I say. It’s going to take some renovating because I think most of the rooms or spaces to put her studio are on the wrong side of the house as it stands. But it’s an easy fix.

“I want to get my GED. Like I was doing…” Kiya pauses. “Like I was doing before allthis. Then I want to go to art school. And when I’m done with that, I want to get a job in my field.”

Alik rolls his eyes and scoffs. “You don’t have to do that. We’ll get you in contact with some people.”

“No. I want to work for it. I want to earn it.”

“Working for something and earning it is the lie they sell to people who don’t have the wealth, power, and privilege to pay to open the doors for what they want,” Alik states.

“Alik.”

“You are being ridiculous, Pretty Girl.”

“I won’t be held prisoner to you, your money, and your power. I want to have my own. Separate from anything you do,” Kiya adds. “That way if you get tired of me, I’ll have something of my own to fall back on.”

We’re not going to get tired of her. Besides that, as Vaughn’s widow, even after splitting it with Isaak, she’s about to inherit a hefty fortune, and that’s without the life insurance payout. No doubt, Adrian made sure to inform her of that. But this isn’t just about money and things. This is Kiya setting her terms, and she wants to go to school. So be it.

“Kitty definitely has claws,” Alik mutters. “Fine. If you want to keep struggling. Go for it.”

“Oh, no,” Kiya says, her voice getting breathier and highlighting her southern accent even more. “Struggling through school while mooching off my baby daddy’s and wife’s money as it pays for all my schooling, provides me shelter, a cook, maids, and a nanny. However will I do it?”

“Kitten,” Alik says in warning.

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