Page 109 of Forbidden Eyes

I'd like to get involved in that statement,especially with the way he's looking at me, but I shake my head and try to keep this on track.

“But you now run the Cane empire. Chicago and New York aren’t that far away, I guess, but I am going back to my work, Carter. I won't give it up. Maybe we can split time between…”

He turns away, looking ready to smash up the glasses glistening on the conference table. That's not a solution,though, and right now I really do hope there’s a solution because I can’t see a way out of this that means we’re together. Everything Uncle Quinn said is true, but it still might not be enough. I’ve already seen that love isn’t enough in this world. Who’s to say it will be now?

Could I stay here—at the Cane house—and not be with Carter? Even as I think that scenario through, doubt creeps over me like a morning mist. I wouldn’t. It would cost me a part of my soul I’m not prepared to give up to struggle through that pain. To see him and be near him but not be with him.

He comes towards me after a few minutes brooding, and I wait for something that will make sense and fix this situation. “Sit down," he says, pulling a chair out for me and then heading to the one opposite. "And tell me why you need to be in New York to do the work you want to do.”

I sit, suddenly feeling nervous because his face has turned to stone,showing the man I first saw in Quinn's office. I giggle to myself, glancing around the room and then landing my eyes back on him again. He might still be that man, but I know him better than that now.

“Because that’s where the university is, Carter. I take up my master’s in the fall.” I’ve already considered transferring, but it won’t be easy, and will make all I've done so far much harder to achieve.

“No, I mean why do you have to do the work at the university itself? Is it to get the degree or is it to further your work on addiction and synthesising it?”

I pause, not sure if I’ve ever considered one without the other. It isn’t something I've needed to consider in the past and now it really makes me think. “I guess it’s the work that’s the most important. I’ve already got a degree. Depending on what I want to do next, I may need a master’s, but I don’t know that yet.”

“You won’t need it. Your work could directly impact our business. So, let's say I set up a research facility. A start-up of sorts. You can run it. Employ people you need and build a team with the sole goal of your work. Nothing else. No New York.”

My eyes widen at the thought. It makes sense, enough so that I start to feel excited at the prospect and smile slightly in response to his. Working with a team of people I choose, building my own project with my own aims without having to go through the parameters of a university?

It sounds thrilling.

Perfect.

The smile that creeps up on me breaks into a wide grin as I start going over all the elements in my head. For the first time, the money sitting in my account could go towards something I’m passionate about. Something that will make me happy.

“Okay. I can see that working. It’s a brilliant idea, actually.”

“So, that solves it. You don’t need to go to New York. You’ll stay here with me. Discussion done.” He stands up, ready to cross to me assuming he's won the argument, made everything okay. He hasn't yet. It’s not that easy.

“That’s only half the problem, Carter. You will still run the Cane business, including the type of stuff that happened in Miami. That’s not going anywhere.” He sits slowly again, eyes pinched because of what I'm saying and his fingers tapping the table as he thinks. "I can't be around that. I won’t be involved with that.”

Minutes seem to go by after I speak. He just stares at me, his eyes boring into me as if he thinks he'll change my mind and somehow persuade me that it doesn't matter. It does,and I'm not being involved with someone who trades in the very thing I'm working to obliterate from the market.

“No drugs," he eventually says, still tapping his fingers on the table.

"Absolutely none."

"That's a lot of money lost."

"Yes. I. Don't. Care."

His eyes spark to life again at my tone. I can see it so clearly now,although I doubt anyone else would. Creases form around the corners, the green glinting and flashing amusement at me. I fold my arms, intent on keeping this fight as equal as I can make it given my lack of experience of negotiations.

"Alright," he says. "No drugs."

Wow.

“You’d do that for me?”

“If it means I get to keep you. Yes.”

“Even at the risk of everything you’ve worked for?”

“There’s no risk. I know this business.” He stares still, like business mode is fully in place and he'll never return to smiling. "Having said that, I'll expect you to work that loss off. Tirelessly. All night. However I choose and several times a week. No complaining."

My teeth bite on my lip as I think over the second of Carter’s plans, trying to ignore the innuendo of potential exhaustion or death by sex. Not that it would be too much of a hardship, obviously. Well, not exhaustion but…