“It’s interesting to me that you’d assume I want anything to do with you after this,” I said. “I have more than enough to keep me completely occupied without you.”
“I believe it.” King nodded. “We’ve heard your meetings?—”
“Privatemeetings.”
“—and you’ve been successful at maintaining your alliances, as well as cutting ties with those who don’t serve your interests, and negotiating better terms. I’m impressed.”
“I don’t give a shit.”
“Clearly. But since you’re still here,” he said, holding out the envelope again, “why don’t you consider taking me up on this?”
“If you’ve been following me so closely, you’d know I require more information about the people I’m working with than the previous regime.”
“I’m aware. That’s why I’m giving it to you.”
Annoyed and completely over this, I snatched the envelope out of his hands and tore it open. Inside was a flash drive and a check that had more zeroes than I’d ever seen, and that was saying something, considering I was a multimillionaire.
I narrowed my eyes on King. “What the fuck is this?”
“All the information you need. You can access it here and now or walk away. Your choice.”
I looked at the check again, one that would cement my spot as the new leader of my operation, no questions asked, then turned my attention back to King.
“Lemme see it.”
King gestured to Benoit, who moved across the room, retrieved a laptop, and opened it in front of me. He smirked.
“Slide it in—you’re good at that.”
I scowled at the flirt, that mouth of his never seeming to stop, but inserted the flash drive.
The screen filled in an instant—window after window of names, companies, and faces that were known to the entire world. Some of the most powerful, influentialpeopleon the planet. Ones who wouldn’t want their business becoming public.
My eyes shot up to King. “This is quite the list.”
“Now you see why we needed to know if we could trust you.”
“Who’s to say you can?”
Benoit slapped the laptop closed, pulled out the drive, and tossed it in the fire.
“If I can’t, then I guess we’ll have another meeting,” King said. “I won’t promise it’ll be as pleasant as this one.”
King had my attention. I was intrigued by his offer; I couldn’t deny that. The sheer amount of power on that list was something I didn’t want going to another dealer. At the same time, I was still pissed with the way things had gone down.
I looked down at the check in my hands, contemplating the best way to go. “If I agree to this?—”
“If?” King shook his head. “No ifs. I need an answer.”
“And you’ll get one if you stop interrupting me. Remember,youwant whatIhave. WhatIcan get you.”
“But can you get it, in that amount?” King said, the uncertainty in his voice pissing me off to no end. “That’s the real question.”
I took a step forward and was shocked not to see musclemen one and two come racing in to protect their “king,” because there was no way they weren’t monitoring my every move.
“I can get it. Anything and everything you want. But not for”—I glanced at Benoit, who seemed pleased by my answer, andthatjust wouldn’t do—“at least two weeks.”
“Two weeks?”
