Chapter Six: Broken Dreams

"Yevgeny Milkovich, you will be given a plea deal of probation for one year, during which time you shall serve six months of house arrest, with the condition being you may only leave house for work, attorney-client meetings, or other pre-approved activities. You will also be given a strict curfew, which will adhere to your work hours, which your attorney shall give to me, once you've received them yourself. You will be outfitted with an ankle bracelet, and assigned a probation officer by the end of business today, and I expect never to see you in my courtroom as a subject again."

Yev nodded then. "Yes, Your Honor," he replied.

Judge Vincent gave a stiff nod. "I've spared you jail time today, Mr. Milkovich, because I've seen just how devoted your family is to you, and because I believe your arrest one week ago was an abhorrent miscarriage of justice. I hope to see you go on to do great things, Mr. Milkovich, and I believe you can do so, with the foundation and support of your family."

"Thank you, Your Honor," Yev said softly.

"Court is adjourned," Judge Vincent said then, slamming his gavel before he swept from the room in a plume of black and white silk.

Suddenly, as if a firecracker had been lit off completely beneath me, I found myself shooting to my feet, shouting "Yev!" almost immediately, and threw myself through the gate separating us. Just as Yev shook Dad's hand, he turned around to face me, chuckling then as I threw myself into his arms. "You get to come home, Yev! You're not going to jail! Never, never, never!" I chanted, refusing to let him go, while all the while I found myself sobbing with relief.

He laughed, pulling back from me then and squeezing my shoulders. "Mind if I call my boyfriend now?" he asked, and I was shocked that he was asking my permission.

I shook my head. "No, of course not," I said, flashing him a smile and giving Dad a hug, before I walked back over to Axel. "Sorry about that," I replied.

"Hey, you were worried," he replied, kissing me on the cheek. "I actually have to head back to the prison now. I took a little longer on my lunch break…"

I shook my head. "No, I get it," I said, smiling at him. "You go ahead. Dad has to get back to the firm, and I promised Yev a ride home, but I think he'll wanna meet Desmond."

Axel grinned. "Congratulate him for me, will you?"

I nodded. "Will do," I said, accepting his hug and waving goodbye. I turned around then, and saw that Dad was walking out with the D.A., and turned back to Yev, who was just wrapping up his phone call. "Is Des meeting you, or…?"

"Can you drive me to his place?"

I smiled indulgently. "Of course I can," I replied.

"Great," he said. "Just gotta hit the men's room."

I nodded. "Good call," I said, following him out.

"Iana?"

I turned then at the sound of my voice, and felt Yev stiffen next to me. "Liam?" I said, my voice trembling slightly.

"I'll give you two a minute, based on my better judgement," Yev said, narrowing his eyes at Liam for a moment before walking to the men's room.

"Can we talk?" he asked.

I sighed, biting my lip. "Yeah," I said, and walked past him, into a deserted conference room. "In here," I said, motioning him forward, and he complied. "Yev has a years' probation," I said, and knew I didn't want to give him the long version. "I suppose Des will give you the rest of the information, if you want it."

Liam nodded. "Sounds good."

I raised my eyes to his then, forcing myself to look up at him. "What are you doing here?" I asked, not even wanting to believe for a minute that he'd been looking for me.

"Just taking care of something," he replied.

I nodded, knowing that it was none of my business anyway. "Right," I said, rolling onto the backs of my heels.

"How're you holding up?" he asked. "I mean, you must be glad that Yev doesn't have to serve a decade in prison, right?"

"Of course," I replied. "He's my brother."

He hesitated for a moment then, and, finally, he stepped forward, and I cursed myself for allowing a gasp to escape my throat. "Why are you doing this, Iana?" he asked then, and cradled my face in his hand.

"Doing what?" I whispered, my eyes locked with his.

"Holding me at arms' length," he said, and I looked away. "I know you better than that, just like you know me better than that."

"Clearly, I don't know you are all!" I said, yanking back and away from him, hot tears escaping my eyes and rolling down my cheeks. "Mr. I don't want a relationship… And yet, three months later, you come back from Italy with a freaking supermodel on your arm!" I cried out, my voice trembling then, as I finally allowed myself to say what needed to be said.

"Iana…"

"No! I'm talking now!" I said, narrowing my eyes at him. "You did all the fucking talking when you told me to get out, like I was some one-night-stand, like I didn't mean anything to you, and you said you didn't do relationships… You're fucking engaged, Liam! What? Am I just South Side trash to you? A ghetto girl? Was I not good enough for you?!"

"Iana, that's not it…"

"Well, what is it, then?!" I demanded, my voice shaking. "One minute, you practically beg me to leave Axel for you. I pretty much do that, and throw myself at you, I might add, and then, once the sun came up, everything changed. It's like all those weeks and months of the hints and the burning, just beneath the surface, meant nothing to you! I don't fucking understand you, Liam, I just don't."

"I talked to Desmond," he said, and I felt my face flush.

"Oh, I'll bet you talked to Desmond," I muttered. "Best friends talk, after all. I can't wait to hear what he said…"

"He said he knew something, but then he said that I needed to talk to you about it," he replied, and I swallowed, the tears making no efforts to stop themselves. "I know as well as he does, as well as everybody does, Iana, that, clearly, you're hurting…"

I scoffed, turning away from him and crossing my arms. "You don't know shit about me, Liam, and, clearly, you don't want to know, because you could give a fuck…"

"I do give a fuck, Iana, Jesus!" he yelled then, and my eyes snapped back to his. "I'm scared as shit that I'll lose you…"

"You fucking lost me five months ago, Liam," I said.

"Don't," Liam said, closing the distance between us then. He yanked me towards him, and my body reacted fully then, and I threw my arms around him then, my lips meeting his, anchoring my mouth to his, standing on my toes, my fingers tangling in his hair, never wanting this feeling to end, ever…

"No," I said then, my voice forcing itself from my throat, sounding as broken as I felt as I shoved him away from me. I walked over towards the door. "You've lost me, Liam…"

"Iana, please," he begged.

I raised my eyes to his then, one last time, and shook my head. "No," I said, my voice firm as I wiped the tears from my cheeks. "You lost me five months ago, when you broke my heart. This, whatever it is, is over. It's done now, Liam," I said, forcing the words out then as I opened the door, and slammed it behind me.

. . .

"How're you holding up?" Yev asked quietly, as I drove him away from the courthouse, and away from Judge Vincent, who had not sentenced him to prison.

I shrugged. "I can't complain, because I'm not supposed to complain," I said levelly, gripping my steering wheel in front of me, and attempting to focus on the road.

"Iana, you know you can tell me anything…"

I shook my head. "It's not that I don't trust you, Yev. I just don't trust Des not to run to Liam the minute I say something about him." I sighed, coming to a stop at a traffic light and turning slightly to face my brother. "I love you, you know I do, but I…" I bit my lip. "I don't know what to feel right now, okay?"

He nodded. "I can understand that."

We continued the drove to Des's condo, and I let Yev out, telling him to have a good time. Dad had arranged that the ankle bracelet wouldn't bet fitted onto Yev until tomorrow, and so Yev got to spend the night with his boyfriend. I smiled at the notion of their relationship, knowing that, despite the fact that I had feelings for Des's best friend, I officially had to get a handle on it. I had Axel back in my life and, despite everything that had happened between us, he didn't deserve to have a cheater for a girlfriend.

I drove across town then, picking up Hailey from daycare early, and brought her back to the house, which was empty, due to the kids having school, and Mom and Dad having work. I sighed, keeping ahold on Hailey as I brought her upstairs, my mind working a mile a minute. As I stepped into my bedroom, still holding Hailey, I realized, for the first time, that the list of crazy shit I'd pulled in my life was remarkably short. I shook my head then, pressing a kiss to Hailey's temple before putting her into her crib, knowing that I'd have to get a larger bed for her at some point, for the time would come where she'd be spilling out of it.

I got onto my phone then, and went to my banking website, surprised that I had more in my account than I'd originally anticipated. It seemed as though Penny's bonuses for me securing those three deals, as well as the many work hours I'd put forth, were more than I thought. I smiled to myself then, a sudden thought coming to me of what to do with the money. I sent Mom a text before I bought a pair of plane tickets, letting her know I was going away for a while. I wasn't running, I assured her of that; I just needed to breathe some different air for a while. I quickly packed up Hailey's things and mine, bringing along my laptop so as I wouldn't fall behind in my college courses, and turned to look over at my daughter.

"We're going somewhere, sweetheart," I said gently.

"Hailey go, too?" she asked, her eyes shining.

I grinned at her. "Yeah, baby. You're going?"

"Go where, Mama? Go where?" she asked, lifting her arms to be taken out of her crib then, and I crossed the room, pulling her up and into my arms.

"New York, darling," I said gently, taking our things out of there and moving for the staircase, wanting more than anything to get out of the house before anyone tried stopping me.

"What's New York?" she asked, managing to say it.

"It's where Aunt Fiona lives," I explained, unlocking the front door and letting us outside. "We have to get on a big airplane to get there."

"Airplane!" Hailey chanted, excited as I shut and locked the door behind us. I took her down the stairs then, through the makeshift yard and through the gate, before I opened the back door of my car and strapped her into her carseat. "Mama and Hailey go?" she asked.

I nodded. "Yeah, sweetheart," I said, kissing her forehead as I put her baby bag in the well close to her feet. "Mama and Hailey go."

. . .

"Yeah, Mom, I know we talked about me not running away from my problems," I said, doing my best to keep ahold on Hailey as I walked through LaGuardia, and tried to figure out what the best way to get to baggage claim was. "I'm sorry. I know that I said from now on I'd talk to you, Dad, Pops, or Uncle Ian if I needed anything, or there was an issue, but…"

"No 'buts', young lady," Mom said, her voice firm on the other side of the phone, and I rolled my eyes. "Don't you roll your eyes at me!"

"What?" I demanded, shocked that she would know such a thing, and breathed a sigh of relief when I saw the indicator for baggage claim was just ahead. "I wasn't…"

"Yeah, yeah," she muttered, and I knew she was likely dragging her hand through her hair. "You are so like your father."

I smirked. "I take that as a compliment."

"Not helping," she said, going back into mom mode again. "Does Fiona at least know that you and Hailey are coming?"

"Yeah, Mom, she…"

"Iana!" came a shout through the crowd, and, turning, spotted Aunt Fiona.

"Speak of the devil," I muttered. "She's here."

"She's there?"

"Yeah, and I'm safe," I replied, hugging Aunt Fiona as she came through the crowd towards me, mouthing 'thank you' to her when she took Hailey from my arms, and who seemed pleased at the attention, for we'd frequently spoken to her via Skype.

"Tell my sister 'hi' from me, then," Mom said.

"Hey, sis!" Aunt Fiona called out.

"Hi, Fi!" Mom called back. "You'll behave?"

"Yeah, I'll behave," I replied. "Can I go now?"

"Yeah, you can," she replied. "Love you."

"Yeah, love you, too," I said, cutting the call. "Sorry about that."

Aunt Fiona smirked, positioning Hailey firmly on her hip. "Your mom is just as much a Gallagher as I am," she said, putting her arm around me and squeezing my shoulder, before she steered me towards baggage claim. "And you, little Miss Hailey, are even prettier than you are on a computer screen!"

"Auntie Fi-Fi!" Hailey chanted over and over as I walked towards the carousel. "Hailey loves Auntie Fi-Fi this much!"

I turned and looked over my shoulder for a moment, and smiled to myself when I saw that Hailey's arms were stretched out as far as they could go. When the buzzer for the baggage claim went off then, I turned my attention back to it, looking over the spinning wheel mechanisms for mine and Hailey's luggage. I hummed softly to myself as it spun around and around, not even trying to think about what I'd done. I was doing what my own mother had done when shit got hard; I'd run. She ran when she figured out she was who she was, and again when things got hard with Dad, before they were married. I was not my mother, I knew that much, but I sure as shit needed to cop being similar to her.

"She's out like a light, isn't she?" Aunt Fiona asked, once we got back to hers and Uncle Jimmy's beautiful home. "Thanks for letting me put her to bed."

I smiled, saving my document on my laptop and putting it aside. "No problem," I replied. "She needed to see her Auntie Fi-Fi," I said, and we laughed. "I still can't believe you and Uncle Jimmy agreed about that co-ed boarding school for the kids!"

Aunt Fiona laughed, tossing her dark brown hair. "Well, it was the best educational opportunity for them. Besides, it's only a year program, and they're safe, seeing as staying with your Uncle Liam in Los Angeles. Jimmy thinks we need to teach them independence, and, if they like it, they can go back in the future."

"But they can come home in the summer, right?"

She nodded. "Of course. But we're willing to let them stay with Liam, or go to Chicago to see you guys, if they so choose." She hesitated for a moment, before reaching out and tucking a stray bit of hair behind my ear. "Sorry about Jimmy working the long shift. He'll join us tomorrow in time for dinner, though."

I shook my head. "All good," I assured her. "He's the CEO or whatever of the practice, so naturally his work is important to him. I just hope he carves out enough time to spend with you and contact the kids."

"Well, the plus side about LA is that they're three hours behind us," she replied. "So, if he gets home at midnight, it's only nine o'clock there, so they're still up."

I nodded. "Makes sense."

"So, tell me about you," she went on, reaching out and clutching at my hands. "The last time we spoke was just before Franny's and Clark's wedding. I know they split, because me and Franny talk, of course, and about Yev's arrest, and your mom mentioned the whole job thing…"

I sighed. "Yeah," I replied. "Gallagher's and Milkovich's just can't seem to catch a goddamn break, now can we?" I said, smirking slightly.

She laughed a little then. "No, but I'm serious, Iana," she said, peering into my face, and when I bit my lips, she nodded to herself. "I knew it had to have been something. Your mom ran whenever things got shitty," she said, and I lowered my eyes. "Come on, I'm not going to chastise you or anything," she said quickly. "Just tell me what's up."

"Lotta shit, Aunt Fiona," I replied, my shoulders slumping as I leaned, sideways, into the couch cushion located just beside my left shoulder. "I… Well, you know the brief synopsis I gave you about my job at Nell's Rags?"

"Yeah, Jimmy even checked out their revenue online after you mentioned you were hired," she replied, and she sounded impressed. "He was amazed that someone so young had such a head for business, but he was really proud of you for jumping in the water with both feet and accepting the job like that. We both were."

"Guess you could say that there was a conflict of interest," I said softly, "given that I'd been fucking my boss's son before I got hired…"

"But that was a while ago, right?"

I nodded. "Yeah, a while ago. Fuck, I mean, for pretty much the entirety of the job itself, I was back together with Axel, as you know."

She nodded back. "Yeah, I know. But I don't think that's really a conflict of interest so much as just plain awkward. I mean, Jimmy said more than once that, if I'd been in that situation, that he'd be worried I'd want to get back with the former guy…"

"The thing that Axel didn't understand was that Liam and I never had anything," I said, ripping my hands from hers as the spark of anger from old wounds ignited within me, as I got to my feet, and began pacing the living room. "It wasn't anything, and it couldn't have been anything, because Liam and I had an agreement, but then, things went to shit, because Penny thought it would be helpful for Liam to come on trips with me, and of course I liked the fact that he was there to help, but then we got too close, and things went to hell with Axel, because I hate it when a man is right…"

"You go too far?"

I sighed; I realized then that I was facing away from her, and then I figured out that I was crying, the silent tears streaming down my cheeks. "We kissed, and I stopped it, but it didn't stop me from starting it," I replied, my voice trembling. "Of course, it didn't help that Axel and I had just finished what proved to be our main argument…"

"Which was?"

"He wanted me to move in with him… Well, me and Hailey," I said softly. "But I didn't want to do that, because…"

"Because he was right?" she asked.

I shuddered at the notion of it all. "After the kiss, the trips continued, and I just forced my way through them, but knew that the end was near when I woke up in bed with him, and I…"

"Assumed you'd slept together?"

"Well, of course I fucking did!" I cried out then, whipping around and facing her. "What sane person wouldn't?!"

She shrugged. "Can't think of one."

"When I confronted him on it, he promised me that nothing happened, but I hated myself for feeling disappointed," I said, and dragged my hands down my face. "Then, after Axel did what he thought what the gentlemanly thing to do, and stepped aside, I went to Liam, and I just laid my cards down on the table, just… Wanting him to know that I wanted him and I wasn't going to hide from that fact anymore…"

"What did he do?"

"We fucked," I whispered. "It's what we do best, at the end of the day. Well, fuck and making out, because that's all, he said, we could ever have. The next day, he pretty much threw me out and said that that's all I meant to him…"

"Jesus Christ," Aunt Fiona whispered.

"I just couldn't do it anymore, you know?" I said, crossing my arms and leaning back up against her mantlepiece. "I couldn't go back to work and risk running into him… So, I quit, via a voicemail message," I said, laughing bitterly. "Not the most practical or polite thing to do, but I just couldn't take the fucking Kennedy family anymore…"

"Penny didn't try to get you back?"

"She still does," I said, my voice flat. "Mostly does it through Lacey, the twin sister of Yev's boyfriend, Des, because I refuse to talk to her…"

"You've seen him since then," Aunt Fiona said softly then, and my eyes locked to hers. "You wouldn't be this upset if you hadn't."

I huffed, which Aunt Fiona took as a confirmation.

"Okay. What happened?"

"He's engaged to a fucking Italian… Supermodel!" I cried out then, throwing up my hands in a moment of exasperation and heartbreak. "But he still plays with me. Whenever we see each other, the tension between us is palpable, and we've…"

"Fucked?"

"No," I said, shaking my head. "Not since he and I did before the wedding."

"But, you're back with Axel…"

"I give him fucking head so he'll stop being such a pussy," I shoot out then, feeling dirty just mentioning my pastimes with the man who was my boyfriend.

"Iana?"

"What?" I asked, forcing myself to look at her.

"Do you want Liam back?"

"Why would I want that sorry son of a bitch in my life when I have other things to…" I was cut off from a scream from the next room, and sighed. "Son of a bitch," I muttered, leaving the living room and marching into the room Hailey had, and flipped on the light. "Hey, sunshine," I said gently, smiling at how precious she looked, standing there in her crib. I crossed the room and promptly picked her up, and felt secure when she wrapped her arms around me. "Are you all right, angel?"

"Mama gone," she sobbed in my arms.

"No, Mama's just outside, sweetheart," I said, my voice soothing as I kissed her on the cheek. "I told you that this is practice for when you have your own bedroom someday."

"Hailey want Mama…"

"And Mama is right here," I said, moving towards the rocking chair in the corner of the room to continue to sooth her, when I caught sight of Aunt Fiona in the doorway. "This is my life," I said then, smiling at her as I sat down in the chair. "I'm an assistant manager at a diner, with bills to pay, and a one-year-old daughter, who I love more than anything in the world. I can't have Liam in my life, if he doesn't keep shit straight with me. I just can't," I said, turning back to Hailey, who lifted up her arms again, and I pulled her closer, knowing that hugs would never get better than this.

. . .

I caught an Uber home after my flight back from New York; snow fell on the ground on the dark streets as we drove away from O'Hare and towards the South Side. I had been MIA for nearly three weeks, and although Hailey's daycare organization was forgiving, I had to swear via email that something like this would never happen again. It was close to midnight when the Uber pulled up at the house, and I thanked the driver, giving him a large tip for getting me home with my daughter, and heading upstairs, pulling my suitcase behind me.

I was pleased that the entire household seemed to be asleep as I took Hailey upstairs, tucking her into bed as the numbers on my phone continued rolling over, and a new day began. I pressed a kiss to my daughter's forehead and pulled the crib cage upwards, locking it into place. Then, in the darkness, I changed into a tank top, hoodie, leggings, and a pair of long socks before I walked over to my bed. Just as my head was about to hit the pillow, my phone chimed, and I swore under my breath, lifting up my phone and reading the text.

Don't try and stop me. I know it's late, but I'm coming over. We need to talk.

I swore under my breath at Axel's wording, but nevertheless shoved my comforter out of the way and made a grab for Hailey's baby monitor. I grabbed my snow boots from under my bed and pulled them on, before trudging downstairs and opening the front door. Axel pulled up in front of the house and I shut the door behind me, walking down the stairs and towards the gate, which I opened as he got out of his car and stepped onto the sidewalk.

"You couldn't wait another eight hours?!" I hissed, crossing my arms, slipping the baby monitor in my hoodie pocket. "I just spent over two and a half hours on a plane, plus another half an hour on the road, with a one-year-old! I am fucking exhausted!" I cried out, yelling and whispering all at once. "Why couldn't you have waited?!"

"You sent me a fucking one-lined text, Iana," Axel replied, his voice tight, as he did his best to control his anger. "What was I supposed to think?"

"I told you where I was going and that I needed some time," I said.

"Time?" He scoffed, dragging a hand through his hair. "Time for what?"

I shrugged. "I don't know! I needed to fucking think!"

"Think?" he shot about. "Think about how you ran into Liam at the courthouse and were holed up with him in a goddamn conference room for ten minutes?!"

I narrowed my eyes at him. "What are you insinuating?" I whispered.

"I'm insinuating that you're fucking Liam behind my back, Iana!"

I gritted my teeth. "I'm not fucking anyone, Axel."

"You're not fucking me," he said, crossing his arms. "That's for sure."

My hands flexed automatically from inside my pockets then, and I knew full well I was itching to hit him. "Why does it matter?" I asked him. "Are you jealous?"

"I don't know," Axel said, his voice actually having some sense to it this time. "Do I need to be jealous, Iana?"

I sighed, my shoulders slumping. "No, you don't need to be jealous," I whispered.

"Because there's nothing going on between you and Liam?"

I shook my head. "No. Because we shouldn't have started, whatever this was, again," I said, and Axel lowered his eyes. "Look, I'm sorry. I shouldn't have… This is mainly on me. Yeah, I came to you for comfort, because I needed a friend when shit hit the fan last summer, and I'm sorry if I mislead you, really, I am. You're a great guy, Axel; you're just misguided, like the rest of us are in the world. I really didn't mean to hurt you, but the fact of the matter is, what you and I had, and we did have something… It ended a long time ago. I should have known it ended when I was fourteen, before the trial. I wanted it to be true, that we still had something, but it wasn't, and I blame myself for that."

"Is it because of Liam?" he asked, his tone non-accusatory. "Is it because you still have feelings for him, and he broke your heart? Anyone can see that he did, Iana," he went on, smiling sadly down at me.

I sighed. "He did break my heart, Axel, and yeah, I do still have feelings for him," I said softly, allowing the truth to hover between us. "But, no. This isn't about Liam. This is about me, and Hailey, and not dwelling on this past. This is about me making a better future for myself, and for my daughter. I need to focus on my career and my child now, Axel, and it would be easier if I did have feelings for you…"

"You can't force those things, Iana," Axel said, his tone bittersweet, "and I wouldn't want or expect you to."

I nodded. "I'm sorry," I said again.

He smiled at me. "I know. And I'm sorry, too."

I stepped closer to him then, pulling him into my arms and just hugging him. "I think the tragic events which marred our childhood helped bring us together when we needed each other," I said softly to him. "I can never thank you enough for understanding me."

"Neither can I," he replied, pulling back. He kissed my forehead before he smiled down at me for the last time. "If you never need anything…" He said, inching towards his car.

I nodded at him. "You, too," I said.

He smiled at me, putting up his hand. "Goodbye, Iana."

I nodded. "Bye, Axel," I said. I stood there, motionless but for my waving hand, watching as he got into his car and pulled out of the space. The snow had picked up again, and I looked across the street, seeing a light still on. It was then that I ran, the keys jingling in my pocket, and opened the door without hesitation. I breathed a sigh of relief when Yev was already standing there, as if he'd been waiting for me, before I threw myself in his arms.

"You want to talk about it?"

I sighed. "Eventually, I will," I replied, my voice trembling.

"Saw you outside with Axel," he said, keeping a good grip on me. "What the fuck were you doing out there at this time of night?"

I smiled then, and, through my veil of tears, raised my eyes to Yev's. "Saying goodbye," I said simply to him.

. . .

"In all honesty, that's why I did it," I said, placing my hands on the small, wooden table that was positioned between Penny and me, in a little coffee shop close by her work suite. "Everything was coming so fast, and I wasn't thinking clearly, given what had happened between me and Liam just moments before."

Penny shook her head. "I had no idea," she said, and I believed her. "He doesn't like to talk about that part of his life much. But I can't believe he would treat you like that."

I sighed. "Look, I'm sorry. I should've been more professional, and set up a meeting where I stipulated that I wouldn't want to work with Liam in any circumstances."

"And Nell's Rags is fully prepared for that stipulation, Iana."

I blinked. "Excuse me?"

She smiled. "You were the best thing that Nell's Rags has ever seen," she said simply. "Lacey's been trying to do your job since you left and, to be honest, she's better at modeling than she is at business agreements."

I found myself laughing. "Oh, no."

Penny giggled. "It's all right. The men saw a beautiful woman and signed the papers. It's a terribly misogynistic world, on this side of things, I know, but, hey, business is business." She leaned forward then. "Nell's Rags would be prepared to up your salary, plus place a bodyguard on you at all times, to ensure that the men won't get handy within the meetings themselves. We want… No. We need you back, Iana."

I sighed. "Okay."

She blinked. "Okay?"

"Okay, I'll come back," I replied. "I just need one more thing."

Penny nodded. "Of course."

"I'm getting my degree in business," I replied, and she grinned. "My dad helped me get into the University of Chicago. He knows the dean or something, owed him a favor. Anyhow, the classes and program are online, but I would need to devote time to that, as well as to Hailey. I wouldn't want her to have a stranger for a mother."

She grinned, pulling out a wad of documentation then, before adding a footnote in her own handwriting to one of the pages. She pushed them towards me then, anxiously waiting for me to look them over, and agree to the terms. She let out a plaintive sigh when I signed the dotted line and, with a flourish, she did the same, before she stuck out her hand. "Welcome back to Nell's Rags, Iana," she said.

I reached out and took her hand. "Good to be back, Penny."

. . .

After my conversation with my mother about me returning to Nell's Rags, and that the final days of the year would be my last, she just said she was proud of me for following my dreams. I was pleased that she had the reaction she did, and spent the rest of my time wrapping the gifts for my family that I'd ordered. Since I'd signed my contract, Penny had given me a massive Christmas bonus, and although I was reluctant to take it, I knew it would ultimately come in handy.

On Christmas Day, we all gathered at the house, and I couldn't take my eyes off of Hailey, perfect in her Christmas dress. As the entire family oohed and aahed at the various gifts for that holiday season, I slipped out of the house for a moment. I inhaled the frosty air, and fumbled in my pocket for my pack of cigarettes. It was then that I realized that the box was empty, and I smiled to myself for a moment before I crumpled it up, and made a mental note to toss it away, for when it came right down to it, I had the most important job of all. It wasn't being the CEO of Nell's Rags; no, it was mothering Hailey. Being there for her was the greatest gift I could ever give her, and I would continue to do so, for the rest of my life.

"Iana?"

I turned at the voice then, and my eyes widened. "Clark?" I asked, pulling my sweater closer then as I trudged towards him. "What are you doing here?"

"I come in peace," he said, his cell phone in his gloved hand. "Really, I do, Iana."

I nodded. "Okay," I said, stepping closer. "What can I do for you?"

"I know who got Yev arrested," he said then, and my eyes widened, "and it's not me. I can prove that it isn't me."

I nodded then, my heart pounding in my throat. "Give me a minute," I said, turning and going up the stairs, and stepping into the living room. "Yev, Franny," I said, and managed to pry them out of the room, and outside.

"You've got some nerve," Yev said, stamping down the porch when he saw that Clark was standing there in the yard.

"Yev, stop!" I shouted, shutting the door behind me and charging forward. "It's not his fault! Just hear him out!"

"You're not seriously defending him?!" Franny demanded.

"Look, Franny, we can leave our marriage out of this," Clark said, raising his voice, and looking amazed that I could hold Yev off. "Just listen to this. Please."

Yev scoffed, yanking himself away from me. "Fine."

Clark unlocked the device, pressing a couple of buttons before turning up the volume all the way and handing me the phone. "Just listen," he said softly.

"I want this done right," said a shrill voice on the speaker, and my blood ran cold as recognition flowed through me then. "Promise me you'll do it right."

"Lady, you're paying me enough for me not to screw this up," he said. "Now, tell me again where I can find the deadbeat."

"The Crystal Gardens," she replied.

"And the event going on there?"

"A wedding," she replied. "It's my whore of a granddaughter's cousin's wedding. Nobody important. But she is marrying one of your brother's in blue."

"Yeah, whatever," said the guy. "And my target?"

"Yevgeny Milkovich," Grandma Allie said, her voice dripping with malice. "I told that wretched girl that when she least expected it, I'd make her life a living hell."

"You have got to be fucking kidding me," I whispered.

"No joke," Clark said.

"Fuck," Yev said quietly.

"Send me that," I said, my voice flat, and Clark's eyes locked to mine. "My dad has to know what kind of woman adopted him."

"No problem," Clark said, pulling his phone back to his chest and keying something into it. "It's done," he said a moment later.

I nodded. "Great," I said, moving towards the house, Yev at my heels. I let him inside first, and looked over my shoulder at Franny and Clark.

"So, you really didn't do it, then?" she asked.

He sighed. "No, I really didn't do it. I couldn't do that to you. I wouldn't."

She nodded. "I know," she said, sighing then as he pulled her into his arms. "I'm so sorry I didn't believe you," she said, clinging to him.

"It's okay," he said. "I understand why you didn't."

"No, it's not okay," she replied. "I've treated you like shit based on your parent's opinion of me and it stops now."

"My dad loves you," he replied as I stepped into the house.

"You mom doesn't…"

"Screw her," Clark said firmly. "You're my wife, and I love you."

"I love you, too," Franny replied, as I slowly shut the door behind me.

. . .

"Wonder if they think we're weird," I said quietly, flinching slightly as the inked needle dug into my flesh.

"Please. It's not that weird."

"Least I don't have to have my ass hanging out like last time…"

Yev raised his eyebrows. "What the hell tattoo parlor did you go to in LA?"

I rolled my eyes. "Jesus, Yev. It was a fucking joke."

Yev smirked. "Sure."

"Okay, record time," said my tattoo artist, getting to her feet.

"I'm done, too," said the other, and got to his feet.

I approached the register, smacking Yev's hands back when he tried to pay, as I handed over my credit card. "You know that since I got my cushy job back that I can afford this more than you can," I said, flashing him a smile.

"You know the playing your awesome job card every five minutes really isn't far…"

"Hey, little sister privileges," I shot back, signing my name on the electronic line before a receipt and my credit card were handed back to me. "Thank you very much."

"Thank you for getting inked with us today."

"No problem," Yev called out to the guy, as we put on our jackets and headed outside and towards my car.

I hopped in and so did he, before I rolled up my sleeve and inspected my tattoo on my right wrist, and he did his, on his left, and I smirked. "Really a lovely thing…"

"What did you say it was called again?" he asked, turning to look up at me. "I know the 'M' stands for Milkovich, obviously…"

"It's an infinity symbol," I explained. "It means, at the end of the day, we'll always be part of the Milkovich family, and we're okay with that."

Yev smiled. "I like that."

"It's essentially a never-ending loop," I told him.

"Even better."

"You've been quiet recently," I said, sticking my key into the ignition and pulling out of my parking space. "You doing okay?"

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine. Just doing a lot of thinking lately."

"Yeah?" I asked. "About what?"

"My future."

"Oooh, and wedding bells?" I asked, stopping at a traffic light before turning to look at him, manipulating my eyebrows so that they went up and down dramatically.

He laughed. "I don't know. Maybe someday."

"Well, don't keep me in suspense," I said, stepping on the gas as the light changed and we pulled into the intersection. "What's up?"

"I've decided I want to go to college," he replied.

I gasped then, grinning over at him. "That's great!" I cried out. "Yev, that's amazing! I'm so happy for you!"

"Yeah," he said. "Thanks. I don't know where I'm going to go yet, or what I'm going to study. I also haven't said anything to Pops or your dad yet…"

"You nervous to tell them?"

He sighed. "A little," he admitted. "Will you be there?" he asked then, and I briefly turned to look over at him. "When I tell them, I mean. Will you be there?"

I smiled, touched that he would ask such a thing of me. "Of course I'll be there," I replied, reaching out and squeezing his hand. "I'll always be there, Yev."