Page 159 of The Sinner's Bargain

She approached with her new beverage and set it down in front of me.

“Ivelle has made a new drink. Try it.”

I really did not want to given her reaction, but I brought it over and took a tentative sip.

My eyes watered and my cheeks sucked in at the brutally sour concoction that curdled in my gut.

“She wants to call it Sour Endings.”

I set it down and nudged it aside. “Maybe we should hire someone to do the drinks,” I offered.

Naya blinked. “Why? Ivelle is really good, and she gets so excited.”

I dropped it.

“Vance has the paperwork to sign this place over to you.”

I pulled her into my lap and Vance started going over the pages we had just gone through. I watched Naya listen attentively and ask her own questions. She glanced to me when she was given a pen.

“Are you sure?” she asked. “This was your mom’s place. What if you change your mind? I don’t know the first thing about running ... anything. What if I make a mistake and I lose your mom’s bookstore?”

I tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “This building is fully bought out. There’s property taxes and a few other bills, but they will be taken care of.”

She stared into my eyes, hers full of worry and uncertainty. “Can we share? Please? Maybe just until I figure it all out?”

I touched her face and felt my heart kick in my chest when she nuzzled into my palm. “If that’s what you want.”

She relaxed against me and laid her head on my shoulder as Vance rewrote the agreement. I ran my fingers through her hair and along her back.

When it was all done and she was part owner of Elysium Plains, she kissed me.

“I’ll take the best care of her. Thank you.”

Her joy was only shadowed slightly by the knowledge that Mom would have been there with her. They would have run that place together. I could almost see them there, laughing, reading.

Enjoying Ivelle’s disgusting drinks.

“I know you will,” I murmured, smoothing a piece of hair behind her ear.

Ivelle called her over to show her the expresso machine and Naya hurried to the counter.

I took the drink she left behind and sipped.

It was growing on me.

It was the subtle hum from my companion that distracted me.

“What?”

Vance looked over the pages, brows creased. His hesitation had me glancing at the papers in his hands. My gaze flicked up to his, waiting. The V between his white eyebrows deepened, mirroring the deep lines around his mouth. He could have sucked down the entire glass of Sour Endings the way he was chewing on his cheek.

“Vance?” I pressed.

His nostrils flared once before he folded his long hands over the pages with the pen still woven between the fingers and looked to me.

“Sir, I hope you know that what I do is always done with your wellbeing and growth in mind. I have done so with your father and with you. That is my job and what I do very well.” I didn’t interrupt even when he paused. He sucked down another breath before plunging on. “I understand that you care very deeply for your new—”

“Just say it,” I muttered.

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