“Business, as always.”
“Business, my ass.”
“That’s what you do here. As always, you’re right on with as few words as possible. Although, it’s not just your ass but asses all over the world.”
“You’re here to torment me. You’re here to make me pay!”
“Pay for what? This was purely a business decision. You know it’s what I do now. Even you couldn’t miss the headlines. I was just as surprised as you were to find out you worked here and that we’d have the opportunity to work together. After all these years, we get to be partners again, of sorts. Maybe that is cosmic like you said. Or maybe it’s karmic.” I deliver that with a heaping smile.
Rea manages to keep her face neutral, but I see anger, wariness, and something close to regret flash in her eyes, probably at the mention of karma. Yeah, it can really be a bitch. In this case, I’d like to think it’s more like a roll of shit tickets, but maybe that’s splitting hairs.
“I mean, it’s not like I convinced my dad to buy this place just because you work here. That would be ridiculous. I would have had to hire a PI to find you and find out where you worked. That would be as crazy as finding out where you live and buying the fixer-upper of a house right next to yours, which I certainly didn’t do.”
At my words, Rea goes wild, and she looks like she’s going to leap on the table and force-feed me one of her heels. “You…you motherclucking did not!”
“Still going with the motherclucking, hey? I guess not everything changes.”
“You did not buy the house right next to me! This is all part of a plot to get me fired. To…to…to make me pay for what happened a lifetime ago! You need to move the heck on. You’re an adult, I’m an adult, and we should both act like grown people. Grown people do not do the kind of shit you just talked about.”
“I’m certain they do, or PI’s wouldn’t exist. I mean, not like I know, because I didn’t use one. I needed a place to live. I bought the company, and I knew I was going to have to put some time in here, so I needed a cheap, extra house to stay in while I’m in town.”
“You could afford the best of the best hotel.”
“No need to throw away hard-earned money.”
“You’ve never earned it. It was all your dad and his dad. You just got it passed down to you.”
“That’s only half true. I might have had some capital to work with, a couple million here and there, but I’ve more than earned my share over the past years. I’m not here to debate that. This meeting is just a friendly introduction between myself and yourself.” I stick out a hand. “I’m looking forward to working with you.” Rea stares daggers into me. Figures. There’s no way she’s accepting my handshake. I just grin back at her and stand. I make sure I’m at the door and hustling to get out of range of any projectile Rea could use when I drop one last smiling parting shot. “Nice to meet you again, neighbor.”
CHAPTER 3
Rea
Oh, he did not. He seriously did not. He couldn’t have. He motherclucking just couldn’t have.
But unfortunately, yes, I can tell he’s serious. Kayden always sucked at lying, and right now, I can tell he’s giving me the full shit-ass truth. He’s also calmly sitting there, trying to conceal his smugness at having caught me totally off guard. I can feel my lips curling up, betraying my rage.
This is not happening. Kayden fucking Deroy is going down in a blaze of moneyed glory because I’m not letting him get away with this.
I feel a little bit like a cheesy character in a C-grade movie with a D-grade script. The thing I hate most about all of this is that Kayden gets to sit there in a two thousand dollar suit, looking expensive and handsome as all farge. It’s maddening that one didn’t lead to the other. He never needed the money to be handsome. All his life, he’s had everything: the looks, the cash, and his family behind him. He’s had everything he ever wanted.
I never did understand why he wanted me.
But I do get it now. This isn’t about want. This is about what I did years ago. This is Kayden trying to ruin my life like I apparently ruined his because he could never man up and get over me dumping him. Geez. You’d think for a guy as good looking as he is, his ego would rebound a little faster. It’s been eight years. Seriously. Eight. Freaking. God. Damn. Years.
I put on the biggest lady balls I can muster and force a smile at Kayden. It pretty much kills me to paste that fake expression onto my face, but whatfuckingever. I’m getting this done, and I’m getting out of this room alive.