Zeke already swore he’d take Kai and run off if it came down to it to protect her. Langston feels pretty much the same.
It’s the first time I think they would disobey my orders if I told them to turn her over to Milo. And it’s the first time I’m thankful for their rebelliousness.
But I can’t let them run away with Kai. Milo would hunt them down and kill them all.
There has to be another way.
I let the fire grow, burn, and ignite until the monster within is focused on saving Kai and on protecting my men.
I’m not a superhero.
I’m not a savior.
I’m not a good man.
And right now, no one believes I can or will protect Kai without hurting those who work for me—but I will find a way.
My father may have turned my soul into the devil—the kind to turn on Kai the second I thought she turned on me. But it’s also the ruthless kind to destroy anyone in my path. And right now I’m set on saving Kai.
I promised to never let another man hurt her—and that includes me.
I open the door and step into the office like the fucking king I am. Milo Wallace will not know my anger. He will not know my fury or rage. And he most definitely will not see my fear.
Milo will be clueless to my intentions. He will never know offering to sell Kai to him was the worst mistake of my life. When I picked up the phone to call him, I thought this is what she wanted. Maybe not to be sold, but to be with a man she chose. I was idiotic for thinking that. And Kai doesn’t deserve to be sold—ever.
“Mr. Wallace, it’s a pleasure to see you again,” I say, holding out my hand to him.
He grins evilly as he shakes my hand, trying to look into the depths of my eyes to get a glimpse of my feelings. He doesn’t have a clue though.
“Please, call me Milo, Mr. Black,” Milo says.
I don’t offer for him to call me Enzo—not in my office. Not when he’s taking what’s mine. I am Mr. Black here. I am power itself, and by the time this meeting is over, I will have a plan.
“Take a seat,” I say, as I take a seat behind my desk. Westcott already has a scotch sitting at my desk, and Milo has one in his left hand.
“How’s business going?” I ask.
“Good. You?”
“Good.” Neither of us gives anything away. We both know better than to let anything slip out the other could use as leverage.
“Five million is a lot of money for a whore,” Milo says.
Do. Not. React.
I force the calm stillness to take over. I kick back in my chair as I nurse my scotch.
“Five million is nothing to men like us.”
He gives me a slight nod.
“Still, I usually don’t go higher than one million.”
“I won’t accept anything less than five. One million isn’t even worth my time for this meeting.” Is this the way? Can it truly be this easy? He won’t pay more than one million for Kai. I can refuse to sell her because I want more money.
Milo smirks and then reaches into his pocket and pulls out a ring.
A ring I recognize immediately—my mother’s ring.