“I had no idea about you two. Raphael and Lucien hating each other, I know all about that. This whole city knows how much they hated each other. They are probably still trying to find a way to outdo each other in their vaults.” She sounded astonished. “But this? You and Knight? This is something to process.”
“He wants a merger.” I didn’t give her much time to wrap her head around one idea before I jumped to the next.
“No.” She shook her head. “You wouldn’t agree to that, would you?”
“There is a piece of tech he has. For the tech, I think I’d agree to it.” Not only would the take bring in millions, it would give us an entirely new legitimate profile to work within.
Renee sat back in her seat. She had abandoned the files. “The man is hotter than sin, Kennedy, but come on. You own this town. You don’t need a merger. Why would you consider it?”
“I know what you’re thinking. That I’m going to give up everything for him. I’m not.” I pressed my palm into the table. “It would be a partnership. A complete partnership. We’ll run the city together, and I think our reach is going to be a lot farther than that. He can help Martin Global find new markets. I want those markets.”
“No one has ever done that before. Families usually merge through marriage. And those are silent mergers.” She was referring to Seraphina’s union with the Castilles.
“No one else is like Knight and me.” I smiled sadly. The pit in my stomach was hard and growing. My phone was silent. He and Kimble had to have reached the Vieux Carre by now. “We’re unique. We can make the partnership work. We want the same things. We have the same goals.”
“You two? Competitive. Territorial. Alphas. You and Knight Corban?”
I nodded. “Yes. Knight Corban and me. We can rule New Orleans.”
“Does that mean you’re going to marry him?”
There was no ring on my finger. No proposal. Only the hint of what Kimble had told me. Kimble had dropped a lot on me in the car yesterday.
“He hasn’t asked,” I replied. “Not something I have to think about right now. There’s no offer on the table.”
Renee chuckled. “I’ll take that as a yes.” She winked at me and picked up a cup of coffee. “Thank you for filling me in. This is starting to make more sense.”
I opened one of the folders. “I’m not sure about that. But your counsel is always appreciated, Renee. Always.”
Bella stepped into the room. I was about to wave her away. We had plenty of coffee, tea, and she had already stocked the bar for cocktail hour.
“Ms. Martin, there are guests,” she announced. Bella looked exhausted. I had realized how the stress of the kidnapping was affecting everyone under my roof.
“Who is it?” There were no meetings today.
“Mr. and Mrs. West.”
“Oh shit,” I whispered. “All right. Send them to the sitting room. Offer them something and I’ll be right there.”
“Yes, ma’am.”
Renee looked at me. “Should I attend this meeting?”
I nodded. “It might be best. It could be about the reward fund we set up for Crew.” I looked at Renee. “But I need just a minute. I don’t know how to face his mother again.”
“Take your time.” She patted my hand and stepped out of the room.
23
Knight
Why did I feel as if I had ripped something out of Kennedy’s heart? That look in her eyes. The pain. A glimpse of betrayal. I denied her. I defied her. I’d beg for her forgiveness when I brought Crew back.
Kimble drove like a bat out of hell once we left the compound.
“Are you going to tell me what the lead is?” I asked. I grabbed the handle over head so I wasn’t thrown into his shoulder when he cut hard right.
“His phone pinged.”