Page 32 of The Bargain

He sighed, waving his hand dismissively. “See it as you want. I couldn’t care less as long as you’re downstairs tomorrow by 7:00 p.m, properly dressed, and behaving like a decent person and not the low-class whore you are.”

“Your wish is my command,” I replied sarcastically.

“If it was the case, Ms. Collins, you’d already be gone,” He added coldly before leaving the room.

Dick!I glared at the door as it closed behind him. No wonder he was alone. Who would want to be close to someone so heathen?

I wondered if he was always this despicable with people or if he was being extra for me.

I’d never seen him interact with anyone other than his staff. He was cold and commanding with them, but never rude or impolite. No, he kept that for me.

What about his family? His sister? They couldn’t have been close. I’d been here almost a month and I’d never met her. She never came…nobody did, come to think of it.

Was he always so alone in this big soulless house? Was that something he wanted or was it what had turned him into the cold monster he was?

For some reason, against my better judgment, I wanted to find out.

“Hello, brother, dear!”

I sighed, looking up from my laptop and the financial statement I was studying. My sister stood at the threshold of my office. “Have you ever heard of knocking?”

“It’s my house too, brother. Don’t forget that.”

How could I forget? My careless father had died without a will. Three children and a lot of shit had fallen on me then. “True, but it’s my office, Lea. Some people have jobs.”

She rolled her eyes and walked in. “Are you still saying I don't have a job?”

I sighed. Leaning back in my seat, I gestured to the one across my desk. “You sit with people, listening to them talk all day. I’m sorry, I fail to see how that’s a job.”

“I’m a psychiatrist, Deano. I graduated top of my class from Harvard, got the best clinical internship.”

I shrugged. “A glorified witch doctor.” I looked at my watch and frowned. “You know you’re over an hour early?”

“No, I'm not. I've been good, Deano. I’ve stayed away as you’ve asked, but now I want to meet them.”

“She’ll be down for dinner as you requested,” I replied. I really didn't want my sister and Opal to meet now. Opal was infuriatingly likable.

She shook her head. “I still can’t believe you were not going to have her down there.”

I sighed. “She doesn’t belong in this house, in our lives. You’ll see that tonight at dinner.”

“No, I want to meet her and my nephew before that.” She cocked her head to the side. “Why are you stopping me, brother? Is there something you want to say?”

I pursed my lips. I would not give her more ammunition to mess with my head. I shook my head. “No, let me take you to them.”

I walked stiffly to the child’s room; my sister close behind.

I found the woman sprawled on the floor dressed in black leggings and a red sweater dress playing with farm animals on the floor. The baby giggled as he watched.

“Ms. Collins?” I tried not to sound as firm and cold as I usually did. I didn't need my sister trying to read me.

I sighed internally. I loved Lea to death, but it was tiring always being on my guard whenever she was around. I felt like every word I said, every gesture I made was analyzed and compartmentalized. If she’d been anyone else, I wouldn’t have cared; I could have just told them to fuck off, but not Lea. She was the only blood I had left.

Opal sighed. “Don’t worry. I’ll be ready on time. I won’t shame you by acting like a, what did you call me earlier? A ‘cheap whore?’”

I could feel my sister’s eyes on my back, but I refused to turn around. “If I remember correctly, I called you a ‘low-class whore.’”

She let out a humorless chuckle, still not looking at me. “I stand corrected. Sorry, I sometimes forget all the lovely names you have for me.”

---