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I growled. It was obvious she wasn’t letting go of the hotel. I wondered if she knew about her father’s offer to marry her off in exchange for the property. Did she have fuel of her own?
“We can’t back down,” I argued.
Paul shook his head. “I can’t. They are going higher than anyone in their right mind.”
I let my head fall. “Fine. Let it go.”
I shoved back from the table and strolled out of the room. I left Paul to clean up the mess.
I waited outside the bank. I reached in my pocket for a cigarette. The smoke swirled into the air. I resisted the urge to punch the marble pillars marking the entrance. I didn’t know if I waited too long on purpose or if I lost track of time. The doors opened, and Kennedy descended the steps.
“What did you do?” I confronted her.
I couldn’t read her emotions with the sunglasses pulled over her eyes. Kimble flanked her side.
“I just bought a hotel.” But I didn’t see a smile or any sign of pleasure from her when she spoke the words.
“We should talk about this.”
She turned away from me. “It’s done. There’s nothing to talk about. You made it clear the last time I saw you.”
“Kennedy, no.”
Kimble stepped in between us. His hulking frame was a pain in the ass. It was pointless to shove him out of the way.
“Drinks?” I asked. “Let’s go talk. Alone,” I urged. I threw the cigarette on the concrete step and extinguished it with my shoe.
“My father is expecting me.”
“Let me at least apologize.”
“For?” She brought the shades to the end of her nose. She motioned to Kimble to give us some space.
“You know what.”
She shrugged. “I’m not going to do the work for you. If that’s all you have to say…” She took another step toward the black SUV parked in front of the bank.
“No.” My hand landed on her shoulder. “Forget the hotel. Just talk to me. Give me a chance to apologize for the last time I saw you. What I said. What I did. I owe you an apology.” The guilt had chipped at my soul.
I thought I had her. I thought she’d listen. I thought the connection between us was strong enough to undo the fucking stupid mistake I had made. I was wrong.
Kennedy climbed into the back of the SUV. Kimble slid behind the wheel. The doors were locked, and she drove away without saying anything else. When I turned around, Paul was waiting at the curb.
“Ready, sir? We have to tell your father what just happened.”
I shoved my hands in my pockets and followed the attorney to our car a few yards away.
“I’ll break the news to him,” I offered.
“I get paid to do this kind of thing. I’ll do it.”
I buckled my seatbelt. “But you aren’t the reason we lost the hotel.”
“I don’t know that Mr. Corban will see it that way. How can you be sure?”
“Trust me. I’m the reason.”
* * *
