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Zoey’s little bookstore is open when I get there. I walk in and glance about. She’s staring at me and if stares from her right now were daggers, I’d be a bleeding, bloody mess on the floor.
No one else is here, so I quickly flip both the lock on and the sign to closed and approach her quietly and carefully.
“You gave me money.”
Shit. I forgot the envelope. I rub a hand over my eyes. “Yeah.”
“I don’t want money from you.”
“It was your money.”
“From you.”
I come to a stop at the counter and place the folder on it. “I handed you the money, that’s true, but it’s the money you gave that old scam artist. I tracked her down and got it back from her. I’m sorry, that was never part of it.”
“Is that all?” She nods toward the door. “You can go now. I have a store to run until I move away.”
Those words slice through me. “You’re planning on moving from this part of Brooklyn?”
“It’s none of your business. I’m none of your business. You won.”
I slide the folder to her, but she doesn’t touch it.
“Thing is, I don’t think anyone’s won. I didn’t set out to hurt you. But I knew you would and for that…shit, I wouldn’t give me a chance.”
“You’re asking for a chance?”
The disbelief in her voice cuts even deeper into me, and that ache in my chest starts to roll through my blood. Am I? “Probably. I don’t like losing, Zoey. I’m ruthless, and I don’t let anything get in the way of what I want. Thing is, I never realized one thing I’d want is you.”
“Don’t lie to me. It’s not fair. You’re taking everything and now you’re trying to take what? My heart, too?”
I’m doing that, I know I am, and my brother is right, my reasons here are selfish, but he’s also wrong, because I want a chance with her, and I think if I work at it, I can get it. But I also want her to be happy. I want to give her what she wants. And I’ve found a way to do it.
She shouldn’t want to see me again, I know that. Yet here I am, taking a risk, a big risk, because I don’t know how it will play.
If I lose her. I lose everything.
“I had an epiphany last night. I care because you do.”
“You’ve said I can’t win.”
“No one wins with my first scenario. As I said, I’m ruthless. I came up with something else.” I nod to the folder. “This is the new vision. One where you keep your place. I build around it and… Just read it. Or don’t. If you prefer the money, then I’ve left what I’ll pay you in there. And I can go higher.”
“Is this to get me back?” She starts laughing and shakes her head, her hands spreading out on the plans and everything I’ve laid out, page by page. “That’s ridiculous. You don’t—”
“Yes.”
It hits me, how I really feel about her. Why I kept sleeping with her. Why I wanted to spend time with her. Why I enjoyed it. Why she makes me feel like I have a heart that isn’t there to just push blood around and keep me alive.
“Yes, Zoey. If there’s a chance, any chance at all, yes. But also if you don’t want me, can’t forgive me then…” I swallow. “Then this will still go through. You being happy means everything to me. So I figured, as you kept pointing out, I’m fucking rich. I can use that money to set aside apartments at prices for the people who still want to live here. I’ll build around your store. I’ll keep some places, businesses. I’m going to change the landscape, but you’re right, these people who want to live here can and should. And if I’m going to change the future of urban living, then I need to look at a bigger picture. And you made me do that.”
“Magnus, I don’t know what to say.” She’s big eyed, full of distrust, hope, wariness. I can’t see hate, but I’m not exactly looking that deep.
Then again, it’s Zoey.
Hate isn’t natural to someone like her.
