Graduation (Kingmakers, #5)

by Sophie Lark

“I know exactly what your father is up to. He bought dozens of distressed retail spaces in the so-called ‘Magnificent Mile’ in the aftermath of the pandemic. Now he’s buying up property along the 1-80 and 1-55 corridors, building warehouses, filling the need for supply-chain distribution. In another five years, he’ll be the single largest holder of commercial real estate in all of Chicago.” My mouth is open, no words coming out. Adrik is describing my father’s operations as accurately as I could myself. “Your uncle Callum is gearing up for another run at the governor’s mansion, Dante lives in Paris with his wife and children, and your uncle Sebastian handles the less-legal side of the Gallo empire.” Adrik ticks off my relatives on his fingers. “Your younger brother is only sixteen, and technically not your father’s heir, but by all accounts, he’s more deeply involved in the family business than you’ve ever been.” Now my face is flaming, because that’s also true—Damien may appear quiet and reserved, but he has a brilliant criminal mind. He’s been running my father’s books since his twelfth birthday. They spend hours together analyzing potential acquisitions, running the numbers on the properties for which my father negotiates with ruthless aggression. I’m always invited to these meetings but they don’t interest me the same way they do Damien.