Chapter 5
Know Your Worth, Sasha
Prince Walker
“Ahundred grand, Prince?” Andy’s face was incredulous. I shrugged. It had nothing to do with him. “You gave her a hundred K?”
“Is this a problem, Andy?” I asked. I’d seen him drop double that in one night on the tables at Vegas.
“No, I…” He sank back into his seat, then exhaled. “Look, I just want you to be careful, alright?”
I kept my eyes on him.
“Fuck it, Prince!” He raked a hand through his hair. “You don’t even know who this goddamn girl is!”
“I know enough,” I responded. And somehow, I meant that, though I couldn’t explain why.
“Jesus, man, it’s not like you have cash to spare right now!” he bit out.
“I’ll make do,” I said. I’d had to call in a string of favors to make it happen, but he didn’t need to know that. Although knowing Andy, he already did. “Any news from the Swiss?” I changed the subject. He brightened immediately.
“It’s a shoe-in,” he replied. “One last signature – basically a rubber-stamper. We’re in.” I could already see his incredible brain tallying up the profits. The man had a mind like a machine. “And it gets better…”
“Oh? Delight me.”
“Looks like there may be some interest from on high.” He was grinning.
“You’ll need to elaborate, Andrew. Do you mean God?” I was fucking with him.
“No, you prick. I had a defense official sniffing around this morning. I don’t know how they got wind of it, but you know what these guys are like. Seems word may be out. People are talking about military applications.”
I leaned back in my seat and steepled my fingers in front of me, trying to quell the surge of adrenalin. I had to keep a clear head about this. No sense in getting excited until the ink was dry.
“Anyhow, if we get the backing we need for the R&D, we’ll be able to get proof of concept pinned down,” Andy went on. “You’re already halfway there – it’s really just a matter of getting the men in the tech coats to put the numbers behind it to make it official. When that happens, the world is your oyster, my friend.” His lips had curved into a smile that was almost lewd. “Does that delight you enough?”
“Almost,” I answered. “How firmly tied in will the Swiss be once the ball is in motion? I don’t want another replay of Syscorp screwing this deal up for us.”
“Oh, that’s where you’re gonna love this even more.” Andy’s grin was pure evil now. “Guess which Swiss industrialist walked in on his wife ‘schtooping’ a certain Russian IT mogul two weeks ago?”
I almost choked as I stifled a snort of laughter. “Dmitri Sysenov is screwing Horst’s woman? You’re fucking kidding me!”
“Not about this, my friend. Our friend Horst wouldeatthat damn contract before he let Sysenov anywhere near it. Delighted yet?”
“I think I just came in my pants.” I was still fighting back laughter as the handset beside me started to buzz. “Jane! Speak to me!” I answered it. There was a brief silence from my PA as she took in my jovial tone.
“Um…Miss Delavigne is on the line for you, Sir?” she said hesitantly. I stared at Andy for a second, and he cocked an eyebrow as he took in my expression. And then looked confused as I began to laugh. I couldn’t control it; I had to stop myself from doubling over with it. “Mr. Walker?” she asked carefully.
“Tell Miss Delavigne I’m notavailable,” I replied when I’d regained my composure. “Scrap that. Tell her to go fuck herself.” I replaced the handset. Andy’s expression was priceless. I was pretty sure mine matched it.
“Oh, buddy…” My chest was heaving with mirth. “Some days, karma really is a bitch.”
∞∞∞
Sasha was naked at the door with a snifter of scotch extended in one hand as I walked through the door that evening.
“Welcome home,” she said softly. She’d been different since the other night. Uncertain, somehow. I knew it was the money. It was becoming a problem; I didn’t like it.
That was all kinds of fucked up because it was precisely how we’d started out on this road to begin with. I took the glass, set it down on the hallway table and swept her up against me. She was all soft flesh and pliant curves and I felt myself hardening as I took her mouth.
