The paralegal gingerly slid a stack of paperwork my way. I tapped out a text of my own before I started signing the documents. Any word yet? Is Hannah safe?
Gabe texted back right away. No sign of trouble. Ten minutes from home.
I blew out a deep breath and began signing. A few minutes later, I sent a text to Ash and Levi, even though they were in the room. Things are about to get ugly.
Levi replied immediately. Goody. Are the two lawyers about to have a catfight?
Choosing to ignore him, I went back to reviewing the patent transfer agreement in front of me. My nerves thrummed as the words swam in front of my eyes.
Bethany worked slowly through her stack of documents. It seemed to take longer than usual.
“Is there a problem?” Petra sniffed as Bethany checked and rechecked some numbers.
“I think it’s important to be thorough,” Bethany said. “You can’t trust anyone these days.”
Petra rolled her eyes. In response, Bethany reached for the document she’d just finished with and pretended to reread it.
I finished with the patent documents and moved on to the next pile. Halfway through the distribution agreement I was reading, my phone buzzed with a text from Gabe. Home safe and sound. Locked up like Fort Knox. No sign of anyone tailing us. Your sister really seems okay, and Dr. Fisher’s going to examine her.
I fired off a response immediately. Thank God.
You can thank me for saving her later, he wrote. Even better, you can thank me naked.
You don’t want to go there, I wrote back.
So…is this an appropriate time for me to beg for your forgiveness?
I looked at the pile of papers in front of me, my mind racing. Later. I have some important shit to deal with right now.
Important, revenge-like shit?
I suppressed a smile—it wasn’t time for that. Not yet. Something like that.
Go get ’em, Your Highness. And come back to me, even if you aren’t speaking to me. Yet.
“Hold on,” I told Petra, putting the phone down. “Get Li Na on Skype. There’s a problem. I need to talk to her, face-to-face.”
Petra went pale. “What sort of problem?”
I could only image what Li Na would do to her attorney if she’d screwed something up. “Nothing you did. Just get her online. Now.”
Petra’s nerves were clearly frayed as she barked at her paralegal, who went scampering for the laptop. Petra grabbed her phone and fired off a quick text, probably to Li Na. Her paralegal hustled back and set up the Skype site quickly, not looking at her boss.
“What the hell is this?” Li Na asked when she appeared on the screen. She wore one of her signature dark suits, her bright lipstick perfect as always. She glared at her attorney. “I’m waiting for an explanation.”
Petra nodded stiffly. “L-Lauren wanted to talk to you. She said there’s some sort of problem.” She quickly turned the screen toward me, the coward.
“Li Na.”
She narrowed her eyes. “What.”
“You don’t deserve my company.”
“Not this again.” Li Na rolled her eyes. “The concept of ‘deserving’ is so American, and so irrelevant. That sort of emotional thinking doesn’t interest me. A seamless transaction for this deal does. I’m out of patience, Lauren—I never had much to begin with.”
“I don’t need you or your patience. I have Hannah back.”
If I’d surprised her, it didn’t show—she didn’t hesitate. “Events outside of this closing have no bearing on our agreement.”