Chapter 15
Kent nods. "That makes sense. But why not ask Marcus for help? He's even more powerful than I am, and the help he can give would be above board."
"Marcus is Charles's family now," I say with a shrug. "He can't truly help me, and I can't truly trust him."
"You could seduce him," Kent says. "Create a rift within the family."
"Absolutely not," I say automatically. "That's not who I am."
Kent looks skeptical. "Or is there maybe another reason?"
I look at him in surprise.
"Come on, Nicole. I saw the way you looked at him at the wedding reception," Kent says. "You have feelings for him. I just don't think you realize that yet."
Annoyance and self-consciousness crackle through my veins, and I scowl at Kent.
"That is none of your business," I snap in a whisper. "If you're going to poke into my private life like that, you can forget about being partners. It'll never work."
"All right, all right!" Kent raises his hands in a defensive position. "I'm sorry."
I take a drink of my fresh whisky and just glare at him. He sighs.
"Look," he says. "Charles is now the son-in-law of the Alpha. It's a high-risk situation, Nicole."
"I know that," I say. "But I don't care. I have already lost everything, and I don't have much more to lose. If anything, I have more to gain."
Kent looks irritated now. "You might have nothing to lose," he says, "but I do. I need to think about myself, about Ty, even about Trina. I need to think about the rest of my boys, their families, my family.
"I can't risk everyone I know, love, and am responsible for just for some white girl who stitched my sister up in prison once. Do you get what I'm saying? This isn't just about you, Nicole.
"I have to be careful here; I can't jeopardize everyone to help you. I'm sure there are a lot of seedy ex-surgeons who could work underground or us, ones who don't have vendettas against them from the Alpha's family."
"I know," I say, all of the fight suddenly draining out of me. "You're right, Kent, and I'm sorry. I'm making this all about me, when really, it's so much bigger. For all of us."
Kent looks a little placated, and the shadow of irritation eases from his face. He leans back again, scratching his chin in thought.
"We'll come up with something," he says after a while. "We can find a way to make this work, I think. It'll just take some thought and care."
I sigh in relief. "Thank you, Kent. Really, thank you. I owe you a lot."
"I won't be doing it for free," Kent chuckles. "But you're welcome."
He finishes his whisky, then looks me up and down again, a different kind of look on his face now.
"I wish you'd let me help you in other ways, though," he says, his voice warmer and lower than it was before. "I'd like to know your real story one day – get to know the real you, Nicole."
I laugh, shaking my head and finishing my own drink.
"I mean it. You're a fascinating woman. Not many women would sit across from me and talk like you did tonight," Kent says, sliding a hand over to rest on top of mine. "I like it."”
I give Kent a genuine smile. I'm not interested in him in that way, but I do sincerely like him, and I can’t help but feel a little flattered. After feeling worthless and disposable these past few weeks, it's nice to have someone look at me like I mean something again.
Still, the atmosphere is getting a bit charged and ambiguous between us now, and I can't have that. I need Kent, and I can only work with him if we keep our intentions honest and the lines between us very clear.
"I appreciate it, Kent," I say. "But I'm really not looking for anything but a business relationship, if you get what I mean."
He releases my hand and smiles, relaxing. The atmosphere between us cools off rapidly, turning back to a businesslike one.
"I do," he says. "And it won't change how I behave toward you, or how careful I am in helping you. I'm a man of my word, Nicole; when I make a deal with someone, I keep it, and I live up to it to the best of my ability."
"I appreciate that," I say. "I honestly do."
Kent smiles again.
"Now," he says. "I accept your business proposal. I'll help you; you'll help me. The first thing we need to do is to get you away from Charles, so he can't pull this new drug setup he and your family have in mind."
"How are we going to do that?" I ask.
Kent leans across the table toward me again.
"I think I have an idea."
"Today's the day," Kent says into my ear. I knew this call was coming, but even so, I almost drop the phone out of anxiety. My heart starts pounding and my mouth goes dry. I knew this would happen eventually, sooner rather than later, but I'm not ready. I'm not sure I could ever be ready.
Kent and I have a plan, one that can only be implemented after a ton of spying on Kent's end. He has people everywhere, eyes and ears everywhere, and I'm astonished how much information he's able to scope out in such a short amount of time.
I guess Charles isn't quite as sneaky and stealthy as he'd like to think. Lucky for me, or I'd be completely screwed right now.
Since I was fortunate enough to overhear Charles and my family scheming about the drug-planting plot that would put me away for good, Kent and I at least had a leg up.
