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“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. You are 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.”
