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“Yes. That’s exactly what I’m saying. She can buy her freedom back. I’ll help her.”
“Why would you do that? You’ll be on their hit list next.”
“She’s your sister. That makes her my family. She deserves her freedom.”
She accepted Seraphina as her family, and it hit me with the same impact as it did the first time I knew I loved her. I thought about it in that second. Dropping to one knee. Asking her right then and there to tie her life to mine forever. I wanted the words she spoke to be recognized by every family in the city. I wanted the partnership. The family. The lifetime of ruling the city together. Creating an empire of our own making. Our own blood.
But the timing was off. The timing was always off when I wanted to ask Kennedy to marry me.
“Did I take that too far?” she asked.
I shook my head. “No. I’m just surprised to hear you call Seraphina family. You’re right. We are family. And if you had a brother or sister, I’d feel the same way.”
She flinched, quickly looking away.
“I-I need to tell you something. Something Kimble told me yesterday.” I heard the hesitation in her voice.
“It’s about his trip.”
“Yes. It is,” she admitted.
She didn’t have a chance to get the first hint out before Kimble barged in through the door.
“I have a lead.”
“You do?” We were both on our feet. “Where is he?” Kennedy asked.
“I think I should check it out on my own,” he reported. God, he was a stubborn beast.
“No. I’m going with you.” I moved in front of Kennedy. “I have to know who is doing this.”
Kennedy grabbed my arm, pulling me back to the table. “Let him handle it.”
“I’m going to trial for Crew’s kidnapping.” I stared at her. “I need to bring Crew back for my sister. And us. It’s the only way to clear my name and save her.”
“I don’t like it. Kimble can do this. You aren’t a trained bodyguard.” Her eyes were frantic.
“Stay here,” Kimble barked at me. He wasn’t my first choice to partner up with either, but this were all shitty decisions that had to be made.
I wasn’t interested in his opinion. “I’m riding with you. Where are you going?”
Neither one of us was prepared for the answer.
“The Vieux Carre.”
22
Kennedy
I couldn’t let him walk out of here. Not straight into danger.
I grabbed his hand roughly. “No. Stay with me. Please.” I kept my voice low. I knew Kimble agreed with me. “The tunnels are a labyrinth that very few people can get out of.”
“I know all about the tunnels.” I tried to ignore the bitter tone.
I wondered if the Vieux Carre would always be a point of contention for us. It was our first standoff. The pivotal contract that positioned our fathers against each other. It was the reason Knight was shipped to France. It was the reason my father saw my potential. I was the queen I had become because I negotiated the Vieux Carre out from under Raphael Corban. No one in New Orleans had forgotten the maneuver. Maybe Knight never would.
So much of our history was tied up in that building. I didn’t want him to go to it now. It had split us in two before. It had severed us so deeply we still had bruises from it. Scars that told the story of our past and present. My stomach twisted.
