Page 14 of Hunted By Valentine

“Enough,” Nick’s booming voice cuts through the chatter. A hush descends, and everyone’s attention snaps to him. “We’re not here to strip-mine memories for cash.” He glances at Carolina, and something passes between them—an unspoken promise.

When he’s like this, I don’t just respect him, I admire him. Yes, he’s my brother, and I’ve always looked up to him. But it’s more than that.

“Continue, Kitten,” he says, his voice softening as he nods at her.

“We could make it into homes and facilities for the disabled,” she proposes, her gaze locked on mine, and when she says the next part, I realize she’s extending an olive branch. “In memory of my sister, Willow.”

My heart skips. Willow—sweet, brave Willow, whose laughter could brighten the darkest corners of our world. Memories of her warm smile flood my senses, filling the void left by her absence. Carolina’s words resonate with truth, and I gravitate toward the light of her conviction.

A rare warmth blooms in my chest as I lock eyes with my sister-in-law across the conference table. Her suggestion to honor Willow tugs at something deep within me, and for an instant, our mutual animosity dissolves into a shared vision. Our smiles are fleeting, almost secretive, acknowledging this unexpected common ground.

“I…” My voice falters, then finds its strength. “I think it’s a wonderful idea, Carolina.” My eyes glisten, not with tears of sadness, but with tears of fierce joy. “Willow would have loved this.”

Right now, I can’t believe I ever thought Carolina didn’t care about her sister. How wrong I was. When Willow died, I remember wondering if my sister-in-law would lose her humanity like most people do in our world, but clearly she hasn’t.

Across the table, nods begin, slow at first, then gaining momentum as the prospect of compassion edges out greed. I can almost see it—the sun-drenched courtyards, the sound of laughter where silence once reigned.

“It’ll be like bringing life back from the ashes,” I murmur, my voice barely above a whisper. I lean back, letting the soft leather of the chair cradle me.

As the board members murmur among themselves, I let myself hope. This project could be the legacy that finally heals, that brings life back to the desolate streets, that honors a soul taken too soon.

“What a brilliant idea,” Valentine says. “Are you two going to spearhead this thing?” The way he poses the question paired with the looks he gives both me and Carolina, it’s almost like he’s trying to make it so.

“I don’t know,” Carolina replies, eyeing me as though she’s not sure I’d want to.

“I’d love to be part of it,” I quickly confirm, taking the opening Valentine has given me.

Nick calls for a vote that’s really more of a performance than anything else. No one is going to disagree with the head of the Knight family, especially not on something as trivial as this. But by doing things by the book, they get to call it unanimous and pat themselves on the back for a job well done.

Once the vote is over, my brother looks at Valentine. “We were hoping for your involvement as well, Valentine. Given your extensive knowledge about donations and charity within Holloway University, I’m sure my sister and wife would love your input.”

Even though I feel Valentine’s gaze burning into me, I don’t dare look in his direction. Instead, I keep my gaze pinned on my brother, nodding slowly as though I’m pondering this. I’m not, by the way. Inside, I’m cheering for the opportunity.

“Yeah,” I say slowly. “Some help might be good.”

“What do you say, Professor Grant?” Carolina prompts. “Are you able to spare some hours to help us out?”

He clears his throat. “I’m sure you can persuade me,” he says in a thoughtful tone. “Luckily, I have Ruby at Holloway University with me, so maybe we can do some brainstorming.”

Nick is quick to voice his approval, and that’s all I need to know he’ll make this a demand to Michael, which means my husband isn’t going to have much say.

“Right, now that we have that taken care of, let’s move on,” he says, glancing at me before he speaks again. “You don’t need to be here for the next part, Ruby. But if you’d like to have dinner with us afterward, you can wait outside.”

To the untrained ear, it might sound like he’s dismissing me, and I guess he is. I just don’t mind it. In fact, I’m glad for the excuse to leave and have some time for myself. Plus, if someone reports back to Michael, it’s official that I was both asked to leave but also to stick around.

“Of course.” I agree as I stand. My heels click against the marble floor, a rhythmic reminder of the power vested in my family name.

Marco and a few others from Nick’s security team wait outside, and I give them a small smile. “I’m going to get some fresh air. I’ll be right outside,” I say as I walk by them.

Before I make it to the door, I feel the presence of someone on my heels. When I spin around, Valentine is there. “I wasn’t needed for the next part either,” he says, answering a question I didn’t get to voice.

Together, we step out into the brisk New York evening, where the city’s pulse is almost tangible under my skin. The air is sharp, carrying whispers of things hidden in shadows.

I fully expect him to walk away, but to my surprise, he comes to a stop when I do. Discreetly, I eye him out of my peripheral vision, wondering why he’s still here, and what he was doing in that meeting to begin with.

“So this is what you do out of class, Ruby?” he asks suddenly, and even my name sounds different when it rolls off his tongue. His gaze holds me captive, and despite myself, I’m drawn closer to the edge of his orbit.

“That’s me. After hours, I’m a regular do-gooder, Professor Grant,” I quip. Making jokes like this is not like me at all, neither is the way I’m grinning up at him.

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