Page 14 of With This Ring

“I agree,” Dad says, clasping his hands together in front of himself. “My son, Carter, has agreed to the prospect of marriage with your son. With the union of our families, we will be one. That means we have to work together, put aside our difference and figure out how to move forward as the St. Clair-Whitlock family.”

Well, I guess that answers my question about last names.

“Is everyone in agreement?” Charlie asks.

One of the St. Clair men steps up beside Charlie, his large mustache making it hard to understand what he’s saying. “I don’t like this any more than anyone else standing here. ButI don’t want to die, my name forgotten when I put my blood, sweat and tears into building this family into the force that it is now. If working with the Whitlock family ensures I keep getting money and my family will be taken care of, I am with you. But if at any moment, you fuck us over?—”

Dad cuts the man off with a snarl. “You have no room to threaten me, Henry. You’d do well to remember that you’re not the boss of this family. Step back before I make you.”

Charlie raises his hand before Henry can reply. “That’s enough. There will be no betrayals. We all have shared interests in this endeavor. So, let’s figure out how we can make it work.”

During the entire discussion, Kai and I don’t say a word. Which does more to show that we aren’t really important in the grand scheme of things. We’re here to do our duty and make sure our families thrive. Other than that, we have no say.

That alone makes me want to rebel against this whole marriage. The only thing that stops me is the news we received before we attended this meeting.

One of our shipments was almost intercepted, just as the St. Clair’s told us theirs was. Someone chased down our decoy truck and killed the driver. Luckily for us, none of our product was on board. A message was spray painted on the back of the truck:We’re coming for you.

It’s the first time they’ve made contact with us. From what Charlie said, they’ve been sending him messages for a while. So, despite how much I don’t want to go through with this marriage, I have no choice if I want us to survive.

After details are hashed out and we figure out how to seamlessly—as much as possible anyway—integrate as one big happy fucking family, everyone starts to leave. Dad holds me back, and Charlie walks over to Kai. I guess they want to talk to the two of us. Or berate, going by how red Charlie’s face is while he talks to Kai. He may try to look unaffected, but I can see anemotion dancing in Kai’s eyes while he looks at Charlie, though I can’t identify it.

It’s obvious they don’t have a relationship like me and Dad. I’m not even sure Charlie likes Kai, if the rumors told about them are true. It’s said that Charlie almost beat Kai to death when he told him he was gay. Then tried to get him to fuck every woman that he brought in front of him, even while he was underage. That’s a big reason why I wonder why Kai still lives under his roof. It’s obvious Charlie doesn’t care if Kai lives or dies and is only interested in conversing with him now because he’s useful to him.

An unfamiliar twinge flows through me, but I push it away. I can’t be feeling sorry for Kai. Fuck him. If his father doesn’t like him because he’s gay, that ain’t on me. I haven’t told Dad I’m into dudes as well as chicks, but if I did, he wouldn’t give a fuck. His love comes without conditions, which is more than I can say for most people.

Kai pushes off the wall and saunters over to us, his face a blank mask though his cheeks are tinged a dark red. “Carter,” he says in a voice devoid of any emotion.

“Kaison.” His eyes flare at my use of his full name. I don’t think I’ve ever said it to him before.

“My room is being packed now and will be delivered to your house tomorrow.”

I raise an eyebrow at him. “We’re not getting married for another three days. Wait until then.”

His gray eyes turn stormy, but he just shrugs. “Up to you.” He pauses a beat, then begrudgingly holds his hand out to Dad. “Dominic.”

Dad shakes his hand, a look in his eyes that he reserves only for me and Declan. Yeah, so Dad sees that Charlie doesn’t fuck with his son either. “Good to see you, kid. How’s everything going?”

Kai looks nonplussed, as if Dad asked him the answer to the mysteries of life and not about his day. He stammers, then says, “Good. Thanks for asking. If you’ll excuse me.” He motions to his bodyguard and they both head out.

Charlie follows him with his gaze, his eyebrows a slash on his forehead. “You’re gonna have your hands full with that one. Fair warning, he’s practically useless. You’ll do well to dump that little construction company he has. It’s a drain on the business. Or convince him to hand it over. I keep telling him to let me turn it around, but he’s fucking stubborn.”

My eyebrows dip as I look between Dad and Charlie. From what we discussed the other day, Charlie suggested I use the construction company on some of our new builds. What the fuck is he pulling? Dad gives me a half shrug. I turn back to Charlie, more wary of him now. He’s up to something; I just don’t know what. “Thanks for the heads up. I’ll check the books and see what can be cut if it’s hemorrhaging money.”

Charlie’s face reddens as he turns to me with angry eyes. “I just said?—”

I step closer to him, not willing to put up with his shit. He isn’t my dad, and he sure as shit can’t order me around—I’m not fucking Kai. “AndIjust said I’ll check the fucking books. As of today, nothing that Kai does concerns you. None of his business concerns you. If he has issue with his company, as his husband,I’llfix it. Is that clear?”

Charlie’s bodyguards step closer, but so do mine and Dad’s. No one moves for a few breaths. I don’t back down. Even though I loathe Kai, Charlie is too hands on when he doesn’t need to be. I won’t tolerate that shit.

“What did you say?” Charlie seethes, his eyes narrowed.

“You heard me. That company will belong to me and my husband. You have no say in it. Keep fucking pushing and I’ll call this whole fucking marriage off, the war be damned. You need usas much as we need you, but I’m willing to blow all this shit up if you don’t step the fuck off.”

“Enough,” Dad says, stepping between us. “No one is calling anything off. Charlie, don’t take this truce for weakness. You won’t threaten my son in front of me again.”

Charlie looks back and forth between the two of us, Dad’s face a mask of indignation as he stares him down. Their dislike for each other bleeds through their gazes, but they know they need each other, so neither makes a move.

Then Charlie throws his hands up. “Don’t look for me to bail you out when it fails.”

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