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His eyes filled with irritation. “We have enough money.”
“No amount of money is enough. Not unless it’s all the money.”
“I have more than I can spend in a lifetime—”
“Well, I don’t.”
He fell silent.
“Napoleon is a good partner. He can increase our distribution.”
“I told you I don’t trust him.”
“We don’t trust anybody.”
He took a deep breath then pushed it out of his flared nostrils. “Why would someone like him work for someone like us—”
“Me. Everyone works for me—including you.”
His annoyance was impossible to hide, but he didn’t voice it. “I don’t think he’s right for us. We will find someone else.”
“And you won’t like that someone else either.”
Magnus took a long pause, simmering underneath the surface. “I know it’s difficult for you to see, but I’m doing everything I can to protect your back when you’re looking the other way. I want to preserve everything you’ve built. I want to preserve what we’ve accomplished—because I know how important it is to you.”
I believed every word, but I was in a foul mood since she was in the city.
“Why did you ask me to screen him if you don’t value what I say?”
“For a couple reasons.” I grabbed my glass and took a drink. “And you know what those reasons are, Magnus.”
Guilt flooded his gaze.
“Fender?” Melanie’s voice came to me from the foyer.
“Chérie, in here.” I kept my gaze on my brother but instantly responded to her call.
She stepped into the room, wearing one of my t-shirts that fit her like a dress. She obviously didn’t expect me to be with company because she wouldn’t have dressed that way if she’d known.
I thought she looked exquisite.
She hesitated when she spotted Magnus but came to me anyway. “I woke up, and you weren’t there.”
“I’ll be up in a minute.”
She looked at my brother again. “Is she here—”
“Yes,” I said with anger in my veins. “She’s in Paris.”
“Can I see—”
“Go to bed.” I didn’t mean to snap, but I couldn’t control it. I would never allow that cunt to enter my home—not again anyway. I tried to smooth out my voice to make up for my hostility, because if I pissed Melanie off, she wouldn’t talk to me for days. Really didn’t want to experience that again.
She walked away.
When her footsteps were gone, I looked at my brother again. “All she ever talks about is her obnoxious sister. Maybe I should kill her, so I don’t have to hear about her anymore—from either one of you.” I grabbed the glass in front of me and downed the rest of it.
He watched me for a while, studying my face. “Why do you hate her so much?”
It was a stupid question, and I gave him a look that made it clear what I thought of it.
“It’s more than that, Fender.” His eyes shifted back and forth as he looked into my face. “We both know we would do the exact same thing if we were in her position. Her actions aren’t personal. So why?”
I grabbed the bottle and refilled my glass. “Because she is the one thing that stands between Melanie and me.” She would always be the wedge. She would always be the hesitation. Her hatred for me would never die, and she would force Melanie to choose between us. I already knew what that choice would be.
“Then let her go. Problem solved.”
I gave a shake of my head. “What happened last time I let her go?”
He stared, his arms on his thighs.
“Melanie left me.” I threw my head back and took another drink like it was a shot rather than a full glass. “And she would leave me again.”
He dropped his gaze.
“Raven’s hatred for me will never fade. She’ll ridicule Melanie for wanting to be with me. She’ll turn her against me. She’ll take away the single greatest thing that had ever happened to me. So, no, I can’t fucking let her go.”
I sat at my desk with my lunch tray beside me. I took a few bites as I worked, pulling numbers from the file Magnus had sent to me in an encrypted format. When I looked up from the screen, I saw her standing there.
In a beautiful dress with a bracelet on her wrist, she stood in front of me.
I waited for her to speak her mind.
“Can I see her?”
I knew this would come up again.
“Please.”
I shook my head.
She inhaled a deep breath, her eyes full of emotion. “Why not?”
“Too risky.”
“In what way?”
“The second you’re united, she’ll try to run with you.”
“If she’s allowed to come to Paris with Magnus, I doubt she would risk that just to get caught again.”
“I think she’ll feel differently if she sees you.”
“Well, I won’t run. I promise.” Sincerity burned in her eyes with undeniable brilliance. She seemed to mean every word she said to me, like this wasn’t some kind of stunt to get what she wanted.
