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“Your boss is an ass.”
“I know,” she says and points to a chair. “Let’s sit. You’ll feel better. Are you sure you don’t want water?”
“No. I’m fine. I’ll just have to pee again. It’s constant.” She sits down.
“I hear that,” Connie says. “I don’t have a man or kids.”
“Why not? You’re beautiful.” Her eyes go wide. “You and Reid?”
“Oh God no,” she says just a little too fiercely. “He’s pretty to look at, but he’s a beast.”
“And yet you work for him?”
“He’s fair and I get him like most don’t. He likes people to be frank. Tell him what you want. When you play games with a man like Reid you piss him off or challenge him to win, and he will win. He’s a beast. That wasn’t a joke. And this case is for a friend. He’s making no money. He wants it over.” The receptionist does as we’ve planned and pokes her head in on schedule. “I need you, Connie.”
“I’ll be right there,” Connie says and lowers her voice. “I gotta go. I’ll check on Reid, but be sure to tell him what you want.”
“I did. I want a million dollars. No less. I’m not taking less.”
Connie grimaces. “Oh. Well, he won’t do that. Try lower.” She stands and heads for the door.
Debbie’s face reddens and anger pinches her face. “She’s ready for me,” I say.
“That she is,” Gabe agrees.
I stand and head that direction, passing Connie as she returns. “She’s all yours.”
I nod and make my way to the conference room. The minute I’m inside and shut the door, Debbie gives me what I want. “Tell Reese I want a million dollars by Monday morning or the morning news will be about him and his love child he’s denied.” She rubs her belly. “And sure you can take that threat to the police, but I’ll sing like a songbird in jail.” She smirks. “Good luck finding a way to cheat me.”
She thinks she’s smart. She’s not. She’s bluffing and I don’t get bluffed, especially by the woman making my sister’s life hell. “Then you must know already that giving birth in jail and giving up your baby won’t be that bad,” I say. “There will be lots of women in jail with you, who want to comfort you all up close and personal. Take the thirty thousand or go to jail. You have until tomorrow morning or I’ll take the video of your threat to the police.”
She stares me down, and to her credit she doesn’t blink. She laughs. “You underestimate me, pretty boy.” And then she rounds the table and heads for the door.
Chapter seventy
Reese
Despite a preference to return to the couch and remain naked with Cat pressed close, I dress, sans the tie and jacket while calling Royce to pick up Dana. I then call my team and tell them to head over sooner than later. I’ve barely tied my damn shoes when Reid calls, “Gabe and I are on the way over. I’ll send you an electronic file to watch before we get there.”
“My client and staff are on their way here, so be warned,” I say. “My client is in some kind of freak out.”
“Then you better watch fast. I sent it to Royce, too.”
I disconnect and Cat is standing in front of me, now dressed in sweats and a tee. “What was that?”
“Reid and Gabe are headed here. They sent us a video of Debbie to watch.”
“A video?” she swallows hard. “Okay. I am not looking forward to that.”
I pull her to me and kiss her. “They would have warned me if it was going to upset you. Let’s hope it’s her confession or a bribe.”
“Right. Yes. Let’s watch.”
I grab my MacBook from my briefcase and Cat and I go in the kitchen to set it up on the island. A few minutes later we’re watching Debbie dare us to arrest her. When the video ends, both of us stand there a minute. “First thought?” I ask.
“Bitch.” She eyes me. “What’s yours?”
“Bitch. Second thought?”
