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"You’re a motherfucking obstinate arse,"—Cade shakes his head—"but if you’ve set your mind on it—"
"I have."
"Let me come along with you to the meeting."
"No fucking way. You’re the bloody captain of the English cricket team. The last thing you need is to be seen associating with the likes of this man."
"Andyoucan afford it?" Cade narrows his gaze.
I raise a shoulder. "I don’t have a choice.”
“Yes you do,” Knight draws himself up to his full height. “I’ll finance the film.”
I shake my head. “I’m not going to turn our friendship into a relationship based on money—” Knight begins to speak, but I hold up my hand. “You guys are my friends. And bringing money into the equation is the fastest route to losing our connection.”
Cade turns to Knight, “Tell him how wrong he is, will ya?”
“Much as I hate to admit it, I understand what he means.” Knight firms his lips, “Hell, I even respect it.”
Cade gapes. “You’re encouraging this harebrained scheme of his?”
Knight jerks his chin in my direction. “If you can’t take money from us, how about the Seven? Or JJ, or even the Sovranos?”
“All of whom I count among my friends, and I will not be indebted to them,” I point out.
“It’s not a debt. They’d be investing money in your project,” Cade growls.
I set my jaw “And there’s less than a one percent chance of any of them seeing their money come back.”
“It’s the nature of being an investor.” Knight narrows his gaze.
“Precisely, and given the high probability they’d never see their money again, I’m not going to ask people I’ve come to regard as friends to invest. No, it needs to be someone who not only has the money to take the risk, but if he were to lose the money, it wouldn’t impact my personal relationship with them. It needs to be a purely business transaction. Also—” I prop my palms on my hips. “The person I have in mind for the investment has the contacts needed to fast-track the production on the ground.”
“I changed my mind. Not only are you a motherfucking, obstinate arse, you’re also a nincompoop,” Cade snaps.
“Careful, or I’ll think you care for me.” I half smile.
He glowers. “You’re determined to turn your life upside down, eh?”
I shrug. “Comes with the territory. Making movies is a high-stakes business. If I pull this one off, it’ll change the course of my life.”Again. And in more ways than one.
"You should take Rick with you." Knight leans forward on the balls of his feet.
I rake my fingers through my hair. That would have been my preference, too, but I’d rather he stay back and take care of Solene’s security. There’s no one I trust more than Rick with her safety. Other than myself, that is. And I can’t be there with her, so this is the next best thing.
"It’s best I do this on my own. If there’s a price to pay, I’d prefer it be me rather than involving any of you."
"You’re taking a big risk." Knight’s forehead creases. "I’d rather you not do this, but if there’s no other way—"
"There isn’t."
Knight and Cade grow quiet. "If I can’t stop you, then I’ll back you, man," Knight says.
I glance at Cade, who regards me with an angry gaze. For a few seconds, I’m sure he’s going to continue to voice his objections. Then, he jerks his chin. "Fuck that, if this is what you want to do, then I’m in your corner."
"But remember—" Knight lowers his chin to his chest. "If you don’t call us within an hour of meeting him, we’re on the next flight there."
* * *
