Page 35 of Negotiating Tactics

I finally decided to go for it.

“Did the old man write you letters?” I asked.

I still found it difficult to say his name, but the others knew who I was talking about.

“He did, though I didn’t find it right away,” Dominic said.

Instead of answering the question himself, Beau said, “What’s the story?”

“You know I told you about that stipulation in his will?” Dominic said.

“Yeah,” I grumbled, thinking about how arrogant and invasive that stunt was.

And, as embarrassing as it was, it also served as another reminder of how little I meant to him.

He’d gone so far as to meddle in Dominic’s life after his death.

Had cared so little about me that he’d missed mine.

I shook off the grim thought and refocused on Dominic. “Yeah, not his finest moment, but he explained himself in his letter.”

“Prescott explained himself?” Beau said, looking shocked.

Dominic nodded. “I know. Not what I was expecting either.”

“Tell us,” I said.

Dominic looked surprised. Both he and Beau knew how touchy the subject was, and all of my brothers made an effort not to mention Prescott in my presence. I knew what I was asking now was out of character, but Dominic responded.

“Turns out, he knew that Birdie was perfect for me. He also apparently knew that I would never have acknowledged that without a little nudge. He provided one.”

“You sound almost grateful,” I said, my face twisted with disgust.

“I wasn’t, not for very long time, but whatever bumps in the road, he did lead me to Birdie. And I’ll never regret that,” Dominic said.

“What about you?” Beau asked, looking at me.

“I got mine. I burned the fucking thing,” I muttered.

I wasn’t sure why I was lying to them, wasn’t sure why I hadn’t in fact burned the fucking thing, and then regretted even bringing this up.

Neither brother said anything, which I respected.

Beau finally broke the silence. “I’ll open mine eventually.”

But even as he spoke the words, there was a tension in his voice, something that I wouldn’t ordinarily associate with him.

“Are you going to be sticking around for a while?” Beau asked.

He was changing the subject, but I wasn’t sure if it was for my benefit or his.

Either way, I decided we should both take the out.

Plus, I’d been waiting on that question and smiled when he finally asked it.

“Maybe,” I said.

“Wow, so decisive,” he huffed.

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