Delilah smiles. “Like we ever had a choice.”
Lana plucks a page from the tall stack of papers on the kitchen table and reads to herself while using her red pen to mark the page. Without any alcohol to artificially inflate my self-esteem, I’m left with a racing heart and an urge to escape before Lana notices me.
Not relying on vodka to numb your problems is a positive thing.
Yeah, except reducing my consumption always seems like a good idea until I’m faced with any kind of adversity.
Just go on and get this over with.
I tuck my thumbs into my front pockets. “Do you have a second?”
She looks up at me. “I’m a bit busy here grading papers.”
“On a Friday night? Riveting stuff.”
She shoots me a look. “Unless you’re here to admit defeat about the house, don’t bother.”
“I prefer the termcompromise.”
“I’m sure that’s what all the losers say to make themselves feel better.” The shimmer in her eyes fucks with me. Or to be more specific, my dick.
You’re fucked in the head.
Of course I am. At this point in my life, I’ve had more therapists than friends, and neither stick around for long given my issues.
I pull out a chair across from her and take a seat. “I’m going to make you an offer.”
“Oh, this ought to be good.” She places her pen to the side before giving me her full attention.
“I want you to listen to me completely before you say no or threaten me with taking legal action.”
She motions for me to continue.
Time to bring out the big guns.“Let me sell the house for two and a half million dollars and you can keep all the profits.”
Her face pales. “Allthe profits?”
“Down to the very last penny. I’ll even cover all the remodeling costs myself, which means you will walk away with everything at the end of closing day regardless of how much money we pump into this place.”
She blinks twice. “But why would you do that?”
“Selling the house has never been about making money for me. I want to be done with this place as quickly as possible, so if it means losing a few million along the way, then so be it.”
Her withering glare doesn’t bode well for me. “Oh, yes. I’m sure that’s such a sacrifice for a billionaire like yourself.”
My clenched fists press into my thighs. “I’m trying to help both of us out while giving you a nice deal.”
“I don’tneedyour help,” she snaps.
“No, but it would be nice to send Cami to that fancy school she got into with the funds.”
Her eyes narrow. “Now you’re just playing dirty.”
I wink. “My favorite kind of strategy. Is it working?”
“Marginally, although your cocky grin isn’t doing it for me at the moment.”
I wipe the smile off my face. “Work with me.” I’m not above begging on my knees to get her to see reason. “This kind of money can change anyone’s life.”