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“You are going to give me time?” he mocked me

I nodded “Whatever you need Really I remember how hard it hen my father died” I didn’t mention that he never contacted me My father died froht was shipped to Paris I had stared athe would reach out to me

“I had a ht,” he explained “I know everything, Kennedy I knohat you own Who you have deals with What you stole from my family”

“I’ve stolen nothing”

He shook his head “Who are you? What happened to that girl I met?”

I sighed “The girl in the pool house?”

“Yes” His eyes softened briefly “Why are they calling you the queen of the Crescent City? How the fuck did that happen?”

“You ” My eyes narrowed He had no idea how hard I worked to earn the respect of our fathers’ peers

“You’re proud of it?”

I shook e me”

“But this? How?”

I started to realize he had been kept in the dark Raphael hadn’t told Knight anything about our arrangements I was as shocked as he was

“You could have stayed in touch,” I whispered

“I stayed away because—” He shook his head “It doesn’tit all back Every da you wrenched away from my family”

“Knight, it’s business You know that”