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"When I sent you to check in on her, I didn't think you'd end up taking her as a bride." Kenny winked at Mag with a conspiratorial smirk.
Wait. Kenny sent Gavin to check on me? He knew Gavin before I did?
"Ahh, she was too beautiful to let get away," Mag answered smoothly, unshaken by the news that Kenny knew Gavin, and he was the reason we'd met.
"I'm sorry the payment for your last invoice is delayed. My system was cyber ransomed." He glared at Magnum, waiting for his response.
Payment? Magnum hid the shock much better than me and stayed stoic. "Mine too," he said calmly.
"Shame." Kenny couldn't hide the sarcasm in his tone.
They stared at each other for a few moments, then Mag finally spoke. "Let me lay it out for you, Kenny Z."
Oh my God. I nearly gasped hearing Mag's condescending tone.
"I know you think I'm behind the hack that shut your business down. I give you my word that I am not."
Kenny crossed his arms and lifted his chin, trying to resist Magnum's charms, but I knew myself, those eyes could get you to believe anything.
"It wasn't me, but I know who it was. Now, I have a solid plan to restore my server as it was before and make sure the hackers get what they deserve."
Kenny's eyebrows rose. Magnum had his full attention. "You won't pay the ransom?"
"No way. You give me two weeks, I'll get you back in business too, and the hackers will be regretting the day they chose to target us."
Kenny's gaze shot around the room, checking to see if anyone was listening. "You want to work together?" His eyes assessed Magnum.
"We had a good relationship before this. Didn't I always come through for you?" Mag held his palms out flat in an unthreatening way, his posture relaxed.
"There were only two deals, Gavin. Hardly enough to earn my trust," Kenny scoffed.
"Then I'm asking you to take a leap."
Kenny clasped his hands together, his fingers tightening and loosening. "If you can get it done in a week, we have a deal. Every day I'm down, I'm losing thousands of dollars. Tonight's deals won't be able to go through."
"It'll be a crunch, but I can get you back in business in a week. At that point, we'll renegotiate."
"You are full of surprises. Aren't you?" Kenny clapped. "Alright, it's a deal. I'll take a chance on you. Enjoy the gala. I have a meeting with the society members I have to get to. Thank you for coming."
"And how does one become a member?" Magnum asked casually.
"Are you interested?" He glanced at me then back to Magnum.
"Sure."
"I'll have Tommy send you an application then."
"Okay, as long as it doesn't blow up in my face."
Kenny laughed. "Good one."
He waved and threw out a fake smile as he walked away.
The greeter who'd let us in rang a bell and announced that all society members should follow him to the East Wing. Anyone else should stay and enjoy the dancing.
As some of the guests followed him out, Magnum surprised me by pulling me onto the dance floor and tucking me close to his chest with his hands clasped behind my back. "We need to talk." He looked over my head and scanned the room.
"We do. What was all that about?"
