Page 5 of Desperate Vows

Franklin exhaled. “Forgive Remy. He’s rather obstinate at times.”

I smiled. “Nothing to forgive. Loyalty is a rare trait these days.”

The man held my gaze for a fraction of a second and nodded. “Yes, it is.”

Instead of the booth I’d shared with Claire, I led Franklin deeper inside the restaurant. Neither of us wanted the light to shine on us while we were sitting across from one another, nor did I want us to be overheard. The servers were well aware of what sitting back here meant and took measures to make sure no one was seated close enough to overhear.

While Ari seated Franklin, I stopped by the bar and grabbed three glasses and the best Scotch we had.

After I’d poured our drinks, I took my seat and waited. He’d come to me, so he’d be the one to speak first. It didn’t take long.

He swirled the amber liquid. “Mr. Kalantzis.” His eyes leveled with mine. “Or may I call you Lucas?”

“That seems acceptable, Mr. Benoit.” I’d pretend to lick his boots for the moment. Avenging my sister’s death was worth every ounce of pride I had.

“Franklin. We’re equals here.”

“Thank you for that honor.”

He sat forward. “I won’t beat around the bush. I have several things to discuss.”

“I’m listening.” I smiled as I cut a quick look at Ari. An unspoken understanding passed between us. We needed to be careful. This man had plans for us, and they weren’t good. We both knew it. Once this meeting was over, the family would gather and discuss the strange turn of the tide.

“I believe I have a proposition that could mutually benefit us both.”

Two Benoits in one day offering proposals of mutual benefits. I didn’t know if I was lucky or marked. To be safe, I went with marked.

Then another thought struck me. Was Claire trying to outmaneuver her father and take over? Maybe she’d looked innocent, but the devil in her father touched her as well. It wouldn’t be the first time a child usurped their parent.

Franklin cleared his throat. “I also hope that what is spoken between us stays that way as well.”

I took a moment, pretending to weigh his statement. “Our conversations are between us. Anyone caught wagging their tongue will lose it.” I laced the words with more than enough venom to get my point across.

A smile thinned on his lips, and he dipped his chin in acknowledgment of my words. “I’m sure you’re aware of the vigilantes plaguing Chicago and many of the families.”

“I am. We’ve been hit several times now.” It was tricky attacking your own operation and making it look legit, but my brothers and I had pulled it off. “We’ve suffered by their hand.” Another reason the family was hurting. We had to make it look good. Recovering too quickly would turn eyes in our direction.

“Then we share the same nuisance. I plan to find out who they are and make examples of them that will leave no room for a return.” He took a drag of his Scotch. “However, we’re not as strong as we once were, nor are our finances. One of my soldiers decided to dip his fingers into my pocket and steal from me.”

“I’m to assume that this soldier was buried with one less digit.” I smiled.

Satisfaction flared in Franklin’s eyes. “It took a few days, but yes.”

I sat back and took a sip of my drink, letting the liquid roll around in my mouth before I held his gaze and replied, “Glad to know we have similar standards.”

“Indeed.” He licked his lips in what I suspected was to be a sign of distress, but my gut said that flick was calculated. I wasn’t sure where he was trying to move his queen on the chessboard, but I wasn’t taking the bait. I wasn’t even willing to sacrifice a pawn at this point.

Franklin lifted his glass, pausing just before he put it to his mouth. “Which brings me to my situation and, hopefully, a solution that will find us both in a better position.”

I waited.

Franklin finished his drink, not quite slamming the glass on the table. “My daughter comes into her trust fund in three weeks when she turns twenty-one. My parents wanted their granddaughter to start her life with her husband on equal footing, and the size of her fortune would be a daunting task for anyone to match. To rectify that, the man she marries will receive half of it.”

“That must be one mountain of a financial problem to climb that they would give her husband half of her trust fund.”

“You could say that. Half a billion.”

For now, I wouldn’t let him know that I’d met with Claire earlier. I took a breath, raising my eyebrows. I shook my head as though this was the first I’d heard of it. “So, Mt. Everest.” I eyed him. “What does any of it have to do with me?” I had a feeling I knew, but I wanted to hear it from him.

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