Page 74 of Negotiating Tactics

“Yeah,” I said.

Less than twenty minutes for a call back. Impressive. But then again, this kind of efficiency was something money could buy and was one of the things I appreciated most about the wealth I had managed to build.

“I have preliminary findings, sir. We’ll continue with a more detailed exploration if you’d like. But given the urgency, I wanted you to have this information now.”

“Email what you have,” I said, “and keep digging.”

“Yes, sir.”

I hung up again, then looked at my email, watching as the message came in.

I read the file and started to piece together the story. Alex had sent her father money for some emergency involving his girlfriend’s children.

But unless the emergency was a third arrest for driving on a suspended license, which seemed pretty hard given that the kids were eleven and thirteen, I figured that story was a lie.

I scrolled through the report, and as best I could tell, her father had used the money to pay a lawyer and clear up some outstanding fines.

No doubt his attempt to put on a good face for the judge and then plead for mercy.

A smart play.

But not one I would allow him to make at Alex’s expense and certainly not based on a lie.

I’d never even met the man, but seeing the way Alex reacted, I knew she would have given him the money no matter what.

That he felt compelled to lie get it from her…

I’d known the man was scum, and this confirmed it.

But that didn’t matter.

Not anymore.

Because Alex’s father would never hurt her again.

I’d see to that.

Eighteen

Noah

I heard Alex moving, so I left my phone on the plastic bins Alex used as a living room table and went back to the bedroom.

She would be pissed at me for interfering, but that wasn’t going to stop me.

“Drink some water,” I said as I entered the room with water in my hand. I was determined to make sure she stayed hydrated. That wasn’t nearly the most important thing to consider at the moment, but I was hyperfocused. I may not be able to fix everything for her, but I would take care of what I could.

Alex smiled at me, her eyes still red and puffy, but the angst that had been there earlier was gone.

“You know I hate it when you boss me around,” she said as she took a sip.

“No you don’t,” I countered.

She smiled and then grabbed my T-shirt and pulled it over her head before she got out of bed. I watched her as she walked away, reflecting on how she could still be shy after all the times we’d been together.

I decided to remind her—again—that there was no reason to hide from me.

She came back from the bathroom, and after she drank her water, I gestured toward her.

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