Her lawyer nods. “That needs to be in writing. No contact. At all.”
“That’s acceptable,” Matthias replies.
“Now, on to the payment,” her lawyer says, and slides a piece of paper across the table. Matthias looks at it and shows me. I don’t bother to negotiate it down. I’ll pay whatever they want to end this.
I nod. “Accepted. Let’s consider the matter settled.”
“Wonderful. We’ll set up an NDA, a payment schedule?—”
“No need.” I cut in, taking out my checkbook and pulling out a pen from my suit pocket. “I’ll cover this today.”
I quickly scribble the amount down, ready to get out of here. My headache is pulsing harder, but I push it away for the time being. Noneed to seem weak in front of these people. They’ll eat me alive if I do.
I tear the check off and slide it across the table.
“I want an apology from Neo and that video taken off the internet,” Candace says as her father takes the check, folds it, and places it in his pocket. He looks pleased now, all pretense of anger at his daughter’s skin dissipated by the dollar signs he’s just been awarded.
I ignore the first part of the request. “The video has already been taken off the hosting site. As for other distributors…we will work to get those taken down when they appear.”
She glowers at me, but I glance away, not wanting to look at her.
“And you will have a written apology by the end of the day,” Matthias adds.
Candace lifts her chin haughtily. “No. I want him to do it in person.”
My hands fist tightly on my lap, and I meet her measured stare once more. I want to threaten her, but thankfully, Matthias steps in. “Unfortunately, we can’t accommodate that. As you stated, there will be no contact between you and Neo. As such, a draft of the apology will be on your desk by the end of the day.”
Candace opens her mouth to protest, but her father places a hand on her arm and shakes his head.
He got what he wanted, and Candace, besides a little hit to her ego, is fine. Her skin will return to normal, and the money I just handed over will cushion their already stuffed bank accounts.
“And, Candace,” I say, my tone even as our eyes meet, “this is over between us.”
Her lips part, and I see a flush of pink beneath her blue skin. It makes her look almost purple.
“Wha—”
“We’re over. Do not contact me again unless it’s through my lawyer.”
She’s speechless as Matthias stands up, buttoning the front of his suit as he does. I follow, watching as Matthias reaches out and shakes the lawyers’ hands and then guides me out of the building, his eyesnot meeting mine. For a moment, I wonder if he’s upset with me. I let this entire thing get so out of control, let the family down. But as soon as we round the corner to the parking lot, he snorts loudly.
“Oh my god. Her skin.”
I can’t help the smile hitting my lips, relief pulsing through me. “It’s terrible.”
“Neo is a genius.”
My chest constricts, and I sigh. “He is, but he’s also a menace.”
“Your menace. Thank god for that. Just get with him soon. I want to win that bet,” he says, and then pulls me in for a side hug.
“Thank you,” I say after a moment, and he pats me on the back.
“Anytime, Brother. My pleasure. And—” He leans forward slightly. “—I’m sure if you really wanted to get rid of her once and for all, Samson would be happy to do it.”
I grin at him, and he taps me on the chest, right where that raven sits.
Then he turns around and walks to his car, that headache dissipating slightly now that this is all over. Candace and I are done.
