by Violet Paige
We took a second to wait while the glasses of champagne were poured by our server.
“What do you mean? I thought the auction went well.”
He smirked. “It wasn’t that simple. I had to play a little game of chess ahead of time. It paid off.” I knew how chess was played.
The bubbly happiness started to turn sour. “What did you do?”
He winked. “Kennedy, you know this move meant everything to me. Everything to the company. This is the home that you are going to create for the next generation of Martins.”
“Well, that’s not happening anytime soon.” I hated when he talked about me like I was a piece of livestock to breed.
“This is where your dynasty begins. Your own legacy.” He spoke as if we were in a hobbit book. Had the medication altered his personality? This was intense, even for him.
“Dad,” I tried to quieten him.
He ignored me. “I couldn’t risk losing the key piece. Not on the very first deal. Not when this one matters more than all the others.”
My stomach flipped. I couldn’t eat the oyster. I placed it on the bread plate. What in the hell was going on with him?
“Can you just tell me?” I asked. I’d never be able to guess.
My stomach plunged another level when I heard a saxophone start up. I searched the restaurant. The artist was outside on the street. The shutters had been thrown open. I wasn’t the only one who noticed his playing. Small smiles lingered on the guests.
“Kennedy? You seem distracted. I’m trying to tell you something important. Something about your future.”
“No, go ahead. You have my attention,” I lied, tearing my head from the window and zeroing on my father. “I’d like to know about your game of chess.”
“Good. Good. These are the life lessons that are the most important. Because I’ve made a decision. A big decision about your future.”
“Which is?” I said a quick prayer that he hadn’t met a premiere New Orleans bachelor.
He took his time making his way around the tray of oysters. “See, I’ve realized something about you Kennedy. If your mother were here, she would have said I told you so.”
I blinked. He never mentioned my mother.
“You are a valuable asset to the company. In fact, you’re going to be the face of the company.”
“I don’t think I understand.”
It always bothered me the way he held his knife in his fist as if he used it to bludgeon someone rather than spread butter or cut a steak.
“You’ve picked up on the details and the reports quickly. You beat out every man in the city today for that hotel. And let’s face it, I’ve had more bad days than good lately. I’ve had to start considering that.”
He wouldn’t say out loud what was going on with his health, but the reference was clear. I knew I couldn’t ask questions about the pills that remained next to his nightstand.
“Dad—”
He raised his hand, still balling the knife in his fist. “Hear me out.”
I nodded. “Okay, I’m listening.”
“You might be able to secure a good merger to a good New Orleans family, but you’re young. There’s no reason to limit what you could do by setting up a marriage.”
I knew my eyes bulged. I couldn’t help it. “Really?”
“The Corbans played too many games. Your better than them anyway.” He finished off his champagne.
“What? What does this have to do with the Corbans?” Specifically, I wanted to know about Knight. The restaurant seemed to darken. I could no longer here the sax player.
“I want the power in this town. I’m going to have it,” he stated. “My choices are take everything from Raphael Corban, or join forces with the bastard. I offered him a family merger.”
My hands began to shake. “You made a formal offer? For me?”
“I did. But his son refused it.” He seemed happy. Gleeful.
“When?” I gritted my teeth.
“He had up until the auction to make a decision.”
I shook my head. “No. When did you make the offer?” I pressed for details. I had to force myself to accept what my father was telling me.
His stare was blank. “The day he stopped by the house. Our first meeting. We had drinks in the study, and I wrote the letter to Raphael.”
Oh God. That was the day. The day the light faded in Knight’s eyes. The day he made me feel like the most beautiful enthralling woman before he yanked it away.
I pushed back from the table, reaching for my clutch. “Kennedy, what are you doing?” my father asked.
“I have something I need to do.”
“Not the Corbans.” He glared at me. “Don’t go near them. Not now.”
“Dad, Knight was important to me. Until you did this. I have to talk to him.” I didn’t feel like explaining where I was going or the million things going through my head right now.
“He made his decision. He doesn’t want to marry you.” The words hurt, but not the way he thought. I didn’t want to get married right now either.
I stopped along the side of the table. “These family rules are archaic.”
“They have always been a part of our history. Our legacy. Your mother and I made a good match. Sit down. This is our celebration dinner. People are staring at you. At me,” he hissed.
“I can’t. I have to talk to Knight. You don’t have any idea what you’ve done.”
He scowled. “Sit down, now.” I saw how his jaw flexed and his eyes flickered with anger.
“But—”
“Sit.”
I found myself taking small steps backward until I was in my seat once again. A wave of embarrassment heated my cheeks. I hated being scolded. Controlled.
“Stay away from him. Stay away from the Corbans. It’s time you start your official training. My daughter isn’t going to follow some playboy around town making puppy eyes at him.”
I had to bite my tongue at every insult.
I made it through dinner. I wasn’t sure how I stomached the food. Everything tasted bland now that I knew what Knight had wrestled with for weeks. The champagne didn’t help much either.
I had to bide my time until we returned to the house. Until the lights in my father’s room went dark. I crept down the massive staircase and fired off a text to Knight. I didn’t know if he would answer. But it was all I had. I couldn’t risk showing up again, not after what happened last time.
I slipped out the patio door and ran into Joseph walking the perimeter of the property.
“What are you doing out so late?” he asked.
“Oh. Hi, Joseph.” I was hoping I wouldn’t find him or Kimble.
“Everything okay?”
“Actually, my dad needs some medicine. I’m going to pick it up for him. There’s a pharmacy hat’s twenty-four hours.”
“I can do that for him. You don’t need to go out.”
“No,” I snapped. “He’s a very private man. You know that. He asked me to personally handle it. He doesn’t want you snooping, Joseph.”
If he hesitated another second, there was a chance I’d have to lie my way through this again. I didn’t want either of my bodyguards with me tonight.
“Can I get the car ready for you?” he offered.
I smiled. “Yes, that would be great.”
I thanked Joseph when he wheeled up to the front of the house with the car.
“Call if you need anything,” he added, shutting the door behind me.
“I will. I won’t be gone long.” I put the car in drive and edge my way out of the driveway, making the turn more cautiously than usual.
There was still no response from Knight, but I had to believe he read my text and he would meet me.
14
Knight
The last suitcase was in the back of the stretch car. My mother and Seraphina had pleaded one time too many for me to take extra clothes or snacks for the flight. I gave them each a hug and shook my father’s hand. We h
ad a formal goodbye family dinner at my parents’ house.
“Call when you get to Paris,” he instructed.
“I will.”
Seraphina wrapped her arms around my waist and squeezed hard. I peeled her tiny body away. “I’ll be here for the wedding.” I kissed her on top of the head.
“You promise?”
“Of course. I wouldn’t miss it. Not even for all the business deals in Paris.” I saw my father’s head nod to confirm I was allowed to come back. “It’s the party of the century.” She was scared. There wasn’t anything to do now. Her future was with Brandon. She had to start to rely on him. She could have a partnership with him, if she would only try. I wasn’t going to be much help an ocean away from the family.
“We should get going, sir,” the driver called across the car.
“But it’s late,” Seraphina argued. “Daddy, he could go in the morning.” Her head whipped around to beg our father to change his mind. “Why take such a late flight?”
“No. The flight is booked. No changes.” My father was immovable. He had been since he lost the Vieux Carre this morning.
I ducked into the back of the car. The cool leather was a relief. I stared straight ahead. I couldn’t watch Seraphina cry. I didn’t want to remember the agony on my mother’s usually perfect face. I was surprised it was strained. Had she and my father fought?
“We’ll be there in thirty minutes,” Anthony announced.
“Fine.” I looked down when my phone buzzed.
It was a text from Kennedy. I read it quickly.
“Anthony, I need you to stop on the way to the airport,” I announced. The blood pounded between my ears.
“We’re running tight on time.”
I balled my fists in my lap. “I don’t care. We’re going to make a stop. I’ll send the address to the car’s GPS right now.”
“Okay, sir. Are you sure?”
“Absolutely.”
I linked the address to the car, and I saw it pop up on his screen. I reached into my carry-on. I had made one stop between the bank and my father’s office this morning. The jeweler had called and said my order was ready for pickup. I tucked the velvet box in my pocket.
I didn’t know what Kennedy had to say to me, but it better be worth missing the flight to Paris.
The car stopped and I climbed out. My legs stretched long. I heard the piano before I walked inside. Marguerite smiled. Her red shawl was pinned with a red rose tonight.
“Your lady friend is already waiting for you.” She grinned knowingly. “I remembered her.”
“You remember everyone, Marguerite.” I stooped to kiss her on each cheek.
“I don’t have that many customers,” she replied.
“That’s the charm of the place.” I moved past her into the candlelit bar. My eyes landed on Kennedy, sitting at the same table we had shared nearly a month ago.
Her hair cascaded around her shoulders. It was more blond and sun-kissed now than when we had met. She was wearing a black jumpsuit. She somehow made jersey material look sexy as hell. She was breathtaking in every way and I had fucked up any chance we had.
“Hi.” I stood at the edge of the table.
“Hi.” She looked up. Her eyes shimmered. The flame on the candle sputtered as the wax dripped. “I didn’t know if you would show up.”
I pulled the chair away from the table. “I didn’t think you wanted to see me,” I replied.
I looked around. “Where’s Kimble?”
“At home. I wanted to see you alone.”
I sat. I wanted her to know how sorry I was we had traveled so far from where we started. I took responsibility for destroying the first glimmer of light in my life. For humiliating her. For pushing her away. For breaking her trust. I didn’t know if I was strong enough to tell her all of it. It didn’t help that Anthony was outside, keeping the car running.
“Thank you. For meeting me. I know it’s strange after what happened today.”
“What? This awkward? How you annihilated me at the bank?” I tried to smile, but there was tension in my chest keeping my lungs from taking a full breath. It was hard to believe these were my last minutes in New Orleans.
“It wasn’t supposed to be personal. It was business. Isn’t that what you told me?” she asked plainly.
I shook my head. “It was stupid of me. Fuck, Kennedy. We became parts of the game. And neither one of us won today. We should have played it our own way. I’m sorry it’s ending this way.”
“What do you mean ending?” Her eyes darted back and forth. It was hard to imagine I wasn’t going to see them again. The green flames I dreamed about.
“I’m taking the red-eye to Paris tonight.”
Her face paled. “Why? For how long? When are you coming back?”
“I’m not.”
“But that can’t be—”
“It doesn’t matter why. I’m leaving tonight and I’m not coming back to New Orleans. I’m taking over all the Corban operations in Paris. We have an extensive vineyard operation in the champagne business. You’d probably love it, actually. Did you order any? I can ask Marguerite to bring you a ’98—”
“I don’t care about champagne right now.” Her voice tinged with rage. “You didn’t mention Paris before.”
“I didn’t know,” I admitted.
“It’s because of the hotel?” Her eyes widened. “Is it a punishment? A penance? This is because I beat you today. This is about the Vieux Carre.”
I didn’t want to lie to her during our last meeting, but why make her feel worse? I shook my head. “I’m taking over the European arm. It needs to be done.” I pressed my lips together. “But the text you sent. I thought I should stop by and say goodbye. Tell you I’m sorry about what happened at my apartment.” The words came out mangled. If she had sent it thirty minutes later, I would have already been at the airport. We wouldn’t be having this conversation.
“I hope you enjoy New Orleans, Kennedy.”
“But you can’t go. Not after what I found out,” she whispered.
“And what did you find out?”
She exhaled. The candle wavered. “My father told me tonight about the merger offer. I know what he proposed.” She scanned my face. “The offer.” She couldn’t say the words.
“Brokering our engagement?” I did the hard part for her.
“Yes. That. It’s why you freaked out, isn’t it? Still shitty, but what he did…what my father tried to do…” Her hands scrambled across the table, rubbing over the top of my knuckles.
She was making this harder than it had to be. I couldn’t stop myself from tangling my fingers against hers. I leaned toward her over the table.
“Is that why? Tell me truth. You threw me out of your apartment after the-the… piano because he tried to force you to marry me?”
I hung my head. “Shit.”
“If you’re leaving, can’t you at least be honest?”
She had me. What did I have to lose? “Yes. I freaked out. For both our sakes. I knew it wasn’t what you wanted or what I wanted. Not right now at least. And to trade you for the hotel. I was pissed. I lashed out. I’m so sorry, Kennedy.”
“Can’t you stay a little longer?” she whispered. “We haven’t figured this out.”
“Figured what out?” I pressed my forehead to hers. I could smell her shampoo. The watermelon chapstick on her lips.
“What do we do now?”
“I get on the plane to Paris. You keep knocking ‘em dead here, killer.”
“That’s it?” Her voice was too low for anyone else to hear.
“I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have treated you the way I did. You deserve better. I owe you that.” I felt her nails dig into my skin. She could tell I was trying to break away. I had to go.
“But I know why you did it now. I know why you lied to me. That changes things.”
“Only part of that afternoon was a lie.” I smoother her hair from her face. Our lips almost touching. “What I sai
d at the end was the lie. What came before that…” My chest tightened. I’d dreamed about her body ever since I’d tasted it. “That was real.”
“Then stay.”
“I can’t.” Anthony would honk the horn any second. My lips burned for the softness of her mouth. Maybe it wasn’t fair that I kissed her roughly. She was a magnetic pull that I hadn’t been able to contest since the night we met at the pool house.
Her fingers feathered through my hair. She moaned. Our tongues tangled.
“Before I go.” I reached into my pocket. “I had this made for you.”
I handed her the velvet box. She cracked the lid and stared at the necklace. Her expression was both confused and excited. She held it close to the candle to read the inscription on the back of the pendant.
“It says carpe noctem.”
I chuckled. “Seemed fitting after our first night.” She fastened the pearl, encrusted with diamonds around her neck.
“And this is for the oysters?” she asked. Her voice cracked.
“Yes, so you don’t forget the first.”
“Knight…”
I kissed her cheek.
And then I stood up and walked out of the bar. I heard her call my name again, but I kept moving. Anthony was waiting outside for me.
“Sir, we’re going to be cutting it close. You could miss your flight.” He was leaning against the hood of the car.
“Just fucking drive,” I ordered.
Part II
Five Years Later
15
Knight
The lilies stunk. It was a putrid scent that wafted in and out of every room. There had to be fifty vases of the fucking flowers. The emerald wallpaper was dated, and the mauve carpet didn’t help. I scowled at Paul. Was this the best he could do for my father? It looked like something out of a bad 80s movie. I was furious we were here. Furious it had been rushed. Furious at the damn florist.
My mother pressed an embroidered handkerchief to her nose. The netting on her black veil kept snagging on her wedding ring. “I still can’t believe. I’m so glad you’re home, Knight. We couldn’t get through this if you weren’t here.” She said it loud enough for everyone to hear.