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“I own a hundred different businesses across Paris. Restaurants, storage facilities, gyms, bars, everything you can think of. That’s how I wash my money. And that’s how my guys are paid on the books so they can put their kids in private school and whatever bullshit they want.”
“How do you manage all that?”
“I’ve got people.”
She seemed slightly overwhelmed by that information. “Then let me rephrase my question. What’s the point in doing more when you’re already a billionaire? At what point will it be enough?”
I looked away again. “It’s not about the money, Camille.”
“Then what is it about?”
I let the silence linger even though my answer was on the tip of my tongue. “Power.”
“Doesn’t that get old?”
“Does sex get old?” I looked at her again. “Does looking out at the ocean from your terrace get old? Does flying in your private plane get old?”
She was quiet.
“No.” I answered for her.
“Regimes rise and fall every day. The Roman Empire was untouchable…and look where they are now.”
“But they’re remembered. They’re revered.”
She released a quiet sigh. “I’m sorry, Bartholomew. You won’t be mentioned in history books.”
“Maybe. Maybe not.”
“I just don’t see the point in all this, especially when you have a target on your back.”
“Anyone would be stupid to fuck with me.”
“Cauldron and Grave are powerful men, but someone crossed them.”
“We aren’t the same, sweetheart.” The comparison was borderline offensive.
“What happens when you get older? What will you have then?”
I looked at her, locking my gaze on to hers. “I didn’t invite you here to interrogate me. And I certainly didn’t invite you here to judge me.”
“I’m doing neither of those things. I just care about you.”
“Care about me?” I almost laughed because it was such a strange sentence.
“Yes.”
“I told you I don’t have friends.”
“Then what are we?”
“Business acquaintances.”
“I think we’re more than that if we’re having this conversation.”
“We aren’t having it,” I said. “You’re forcing it.”
“You never answered my question,” she said. “What will happen when you get older?”
