Chapter 157

Many Fucking Years Later

DJ looked at her uncle, astounded.

"So, say something." He prodded.

"Are you shitting me?" Was what finally slipped out.

He laughed - they all did. "No wonder he left control of everything to you! You sound just like him!"

"But he was, like, 80!"

"77." He agreed, nodding. "Still could do all of us twice a day." There were several heads nodding around the dining room table. "Three times if he started before breakfast."

DJ sat back and thought. There was a reason to tell her this. There was a reason for everything. Once you understand it, you own it, Uncle John used to tell her.

And once you own it, you can use it.

Uncle John had died two years ago. In his will, he'd left all of his assets in a complicated trust that made his staff equal beneficiaries until DJ turned 26. Then, they received $1million each - and she got whatever was left - unless she agreed to keep them on staff.

When she'd seen the terms of the trust, she'd checked his - now her - cash flow and been stunned to discover that there was a good chance that she could pay them all. She'd probably have to sell the house, but she could buy a condo in the city with what she had left. Since she knew she had two years to decide what to do, she'd moved into the house, took over Uncle John's real estate deals, and took an wait-and-see approach.

There was more money, but for some reason, Uncle Juan handled that. Uncle Zane and Uncle Ivan did the cooking. Uncle Sean threw amazing parties. Most of the rest helped with the real estate in one way or another.

Thirteen uncles. Most of DJ's life, it had been a fact without reason.

Now, it made sense. they were all Uncle John's lovers.

What didn't make sense was how an 80-year-old had a dozen lovers!

"So why now?" DJ asked. "Why tell me all of this now?" That she could at least get her mind around.

"26 was Papa's favorite age.""Old enough to be legal, young enough to enjoy it." They all laughed.

"He wanted you to know everything before you got everything."

"Ok." DJ nodded. "So this has something to do with the trust. I knew something was being left out."

"Toldja she knew; bloody brilliant."

"Here." He slid a folder to her. "These are the financials for The John Harem Group. The videos, clothes and toys became very popular."

Adult entertainment. Pornos. Cock rings. Vibrators. DJ had heard of them, of course. She's even seen a few. But it wasn't something she was familiar with. "So what am I supposed to do with this?"

"That's kinda up to you, y'know? I mean, you could let us run it, or you could try it yourself, or -"

"Or you could take a breath, Uncle Jhon!"

"Here's the bottom line: Papi wanted to leave you everything, but he wanted to take care of us too. So, you can pay out our contracts, and we'll go away. Or, and this is what we'd prefer, you can do what you do, and we'll keep running the house and all the rest - we just do it for you now."