as he lit up, breaking more California laws and codes than Draco cared to consider.
While the debate continued to rage, Draco leaned back in his chair and took it all in. He wished he remembered more of the history between the Dantes and the Charlestons and made a point of researching the facts as soon as possible. But one small detail captured his full attention.
Primo described Leticia Charleston as a vengeful woman.
Draco understood that quality. Possessed that quality. Intended to exercise his thirst for vengeance to the fullest when he found the person responsible for swindling him out of a half dozen of Dantesâ finest and rarest fire diamonds, an event that had taken place a full decade before. Heâd been all of twenty at the time and overinflated with his own self-importance, eager to prove himself. That single mistake had changed him.
Permanently.
Primo often referred to him as the Dante troublemaker, but that wasnât quite accurate. Draco was possibly the most deceptive of the Dantes since he hid certain elements of his personality behind a congenial, mischievous mask. But hefound he could easily slip into Leticiaâs shoes and consider the matter from her point of view. Analyze how best she might go about destroying the Dantes.
Conversation wafted over him while his family discussed their options. Once Draco satisfied himself that heâd weighed all the possibilities, he lifted a finger. Silence descended.
Primo waved his cigar in Dracoâs direction. Smoke sketched the path his hand had taken. âSpeak.â
âLetâs start with what we know,â he suggested. âFirst off, Leticia Charleston wants to alert us to the fact that she now owns a supply of fire diamonds. Based on an admittedly quick examination, Iâm forced to concur with what Shayla told us. At first blush, they appear superior to ours.â
âBut theyâre real? They havenât been treated?â
âYes, theyâre real,â Draco said in response to Sevâs questions. âAnd no, they havenât been treated. Unfortunately, I canât give you more specifics until Iâve had time to run them through a full analysis other than to say that, with a few rare exceptions, theyâre better than what we have.â
Ferocious denial exploded around him. Sevâs voice cut across them all. âYou canât be serious.â
âIâm dead serious,â Draco replied. Since he was the expert, there wasnât much they could say to refute the claim, though they wanted to. Badly. âSecond. Sheâs offering us first refusal to lease her mines. Why?â He fixed his gaze on his grandfather. âThereâs bad blood between us. And you described her as a vengeful woman.â
Primo took his time blowing out a stream of aromatic smoke. âCold. Bitter. A nasty creature.â
Coming from Primo it was a damning condemnation. Draco nodded. âAs mentioned, she could easily peddle her diamonds to any of our competitors. But the best I can figure, she came to us for one reason.â
âWhich is?â Lazz asked impatiently.
âThis gives her a sword to hold over our heads. If we donât dance to her tune, she drops the sword and sells her stones elsewhere. The power and control are hers to wield. For as long as her mines cough up diamonds that trump our own, she can name her price and weâll pay it. Otherwise Dantes loses its status as the only jewelry empire in the world to possess fire diamonds. Worse, if she eventually chooses to sell to our competitors, to all our competitors except us,â he emphasized, âweâll have a lower grade of diamonds than everyone else possesses. Our fall from grace will be abrupt and hardââ
ââand no doubt be met with tears of joy from jewelers around the world,â Sev said sourly.
Lazz nodded in agreement. âUltimately, it could put us in a very precarious
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