Of course. Money was Saiman’s default response. Paying us off would be the easiest way to get rid of his debt.

Curran offered him a chair with a sweep of his hand. “We’re not interested in money. Would you care for something to drink?”

“Is it poisoned?”

“It’s Saturday,” I said. “We only serve poison during the week.”

“Yes, we’re not complete savages.” Curran sat. “Shawn, could you please bring some water for me and Kate, and a scotch for our guest?”

The male shapeshifter nodded and departed.

“Feeling better?”

Saiman didn’t look at me. “I’m sorry, I’d love to answer that, but you see, if I attempt a conversation, your furry paramour will pummel me into bits.”

Oh, you fussy baby.

“Not at all,” Curran said. “I have no plans to pummel anyone this morning.”

Shawn stepped into the room, bringing a platter with a pitcher of water, a decanter filled with amber-colored scotch, and three glasses. Curran took it from his hands and set it on the table. “Thank you.”

Shawn left, and Curran poured water into two of the glasses and scotch into the third. “There is no reason we can’t all be civil.”

His tone was light, his face relaxed and friendly. The Beast Lord was in rare form. We really needed the ship.

Saiman sipped the amber liquid and held it in his mouth for a long moment. “So. You refuse my money, you serve me thirty-year-old Highland Park scotch, and we’ve been in the same room for approximately five minutes, yet none of my bones are broken. This leads me to believe that your back is against the wall and you desperately need me for something. I’m dying to know what that is.”

In his place I’d be careful with my choice of words.

“I have a business proposal for you,” Curran said. “I’d like to hire one of your shipping vessels to transport the two of us and ten of my people. We will pay you a reasonable rate.”

“My reasonable or yours?” Saiman studied his drink.

“Ours. In turn, you will no longer owe the Pack and we will make your life less inconvenient. For example, we’ll stop blocking your real estate purchases.”

“You’ve been blocking his purchases?” I looked at Curran.

“Not me personally.”

“The Pack and its many proxies.” Saiman drained his glass and poured himself more. “If I choose to move on a project, the Pack will inevitably bid against me, drive up the price, and then abandon the bid, leaving me holding the purse strings. It’s been most inconvenient.”

I bet.

“You’ve always struck me as a man who enjoys attention,” Curran said.