Page 27
“Are you here for the rest of your money, Harry?” I ask, cutting off whatever he was saying. I don’t have fucking time for this to take all day.
“Well, as I’m sure you know, the remainder is contingent on certain, err, conditions being met.”
“Which is?”
His voice drops, becoming careful in the way men’s voices do when they’re about to say something stupid. “Paolo made the last payment contingent on the marriage being consummated.”
The room doesn’t change temperature. The air doesn’t shift. But something in me goes still, the way a predator goes still before the strike.
“Why don’t you repeat that?” I growl.
He hears the danger. I watch it register in his eyes—the widening, the sudden tightness around his mouth. His hands come up, the cast waving between us like he’s surrendering.
“I didn’t mean… that came out wrong. I just meant, you know, for the arrangement to be complete, traditionally speaking—”
“You’re walking on very thin fucking ice, Harry,” I inform him, my tone cold. “So I suggest you use your words correctly. Say nothing you aren’t prepared to defend and stand by.”
“Kira knows the score,” he’s quick to say.
I absorb this without moving. Without changing expression. My jaw tightens beneath the skin, but that’s the only tell. The rest of me looks calm, still, watching him dig his own grave with each word.
“She’s a practical girl,” Harry continues, and I can see him trying to salvage this, to frame it as something reasonable. “So, if there’s, you know, a problem, or she’s not cooperating—”
“Stop,” I roar, slamming my fist into the desk so hard everything rattles. “You will show respect for your daughter, for my wife, when you speak about her or anything involving her. Even if it’s the deal where you sold her. Especially in her own home.”
He blinks. “I didn’t mean any disrespect—”
“You meant exactly what you said.” I lean forward, just enough. “Let me be clear, Harry. I own her now. Not you. Me. And I will take as long as I fucking please.”
He swallows thickly, but wisely keeps his goddamn mouth shut.
“There’ll be no ten year countdown. Kira’s mine. Now and for as long as I fucking please. Do you understand?”
He nods.
“So, if you charge five hundred thousand for ten years, and she’s twenty-one. Hmm…” Trailing off, I do the rest of the math in my head. Say she lives until she’s one hundred, that’s another seventy-nine years. Rounded up to eighty because I’m a nice fucking guy. “That means I should pay you four million in total,” I tell Harry.
His eyes widen and I wouldn’t be surprised if the bastard just creamed his pants after hearing that number. “A-are you sure?” he asks.
See, this is what I mean. The idiot should quit while he’s ahead.
“Well,” I drawl. “Obviously, I’ll need to deduct what you’ve already been paid.”
“Of course, of course.”
“One more thing.” I tap the desk once. “I’m taking over your wife’s medical expenses directly. It seems Kira enjoys visiting her mom, and I like my wife happy. So I won’t risk you doing something… stupid.”
“What?” The word escapes him before he can catch it. “You mean you’ll… pay for it?”
“Sure,” I agree with a nod. “There’s no reason you have to deal with any of that hassle anymore. Why don’t I have someone draw up some papers so we can take it off your plate?”
Harry’s so eager for this to work out to his benefit that he never bothers to ask any questions. The idiot is blinded by the prospect of getting even more money, which is something I can use to my benefit.
While he continues to tell me how much this helps him and how grateful he is, I text one of the judges on my payroll with instructions to approve the paperwork I’ll send his way later.
Once his confirmation comes through, I send a message to one of the lawyers who works for the DeLuca business. I order him to find a way to challenge Paige Adams’ Medical Power of Attorney so Harry isn’t the one in charge anymore.
When he texts me back and tells me he’s on it, he also asks who I want to be in charge of Paige Adams. I quickly type out a reply and tell him to take Gio with him when he goes to get Harry’s signature tonight.
