Page 26 of Devil In A Suit

“You didn’t tell him, did you?” he asks, his eyes boring into mine.

“I don’t know what you mean,” I say, glancing at my Dad and feeling the tension build inside my chest.

He leans back, crossing his arms. “If you’re too ashamed to tell him, I’m willing to keep it a secret as a courtesy to you.”

I glare at him as my dad touches my arm, demanding my attention. I can feel my face heating up as I turn towards him.

“What is he talking about?” my father asks, frowning deeply.

“One word from your lips,” Ivan Ivanovich persuades silkily, “just one word and you’ll have everything you want and more. Think of the peace of mind you’ll be giving your father. This can’t be good for his health, can it? The constant worrying, the drinking to numb his anxiety—it must be a living hell.”

I can’t look at him, not for even a second. Because if I do, I will fall apart again. I won’t be able to think and manage this situation. But if I ignore his presence, I can focus solely on the facts, and if I coldly focus on the facts, then I know I can make a logical decision. A quarter of a million. Dad owes a quarter of a million and this man can make it all go away forever.

“What the fuck is going on here?” my dad growls.

I shut my eyes briefly. “Dad, can we have the room, please? I need to talk to him.”

“Absolutely not,” my father refuses belligerently. “Why the hell would I leave you alone with him? Lara, I’m really sorry he dragged you into this, but I’m fine. He’s not threatening me physically. No matter what, I will find a way to resolve this. I’ll call the police. There is no way for him to force me to pay him anything. This whole place is illegal to start with. It’s a terrible position and I put myself in it, but I’m still the one in charge here, and I will take care of it.”

“Actually, she, and not you, is in charge here,” a cold voice taunts from behind me.

I turn and glare at him, wanting nothing more than to punch him square in his handsome face.

“What?” my father’s astonishment and anger echo through the room. “What does any of this have to do with my daughter?”

I turn around to block my tormentor’s mocking face, and standing firm, face my father, and lie to him.

“Dad, this is Ivan Ivanovich and he’s my ex.”

My father freezes, the color draining from his face. “What?” he gasps incredulously. Then his eyes start shining with new fury. “I knew I knew him. This man is your ex?”

I continue to lie through my teeth. “Yes, he’s my ex-boyfriend, and… this is just a sick game he’s playing to get back at me.”

I expect my tormentor to jump in and ruin everything, but to my surprise, he stays silent.

“I’m sorry, Dad. He’s been trying to talk to me, but I wouldn’t give him the time of day, so he set up the showing today. I didn’t find out who he was until this morning, and when I did it was too late, we had all already wasted our time and effort.”

My father’s eyes darken as he stares at me with a mixture of shock, astonishment, and disappointment. “You didn’t tell me any of this this morning.”

“I know, I’m sorry. It’s just... the whole agency was depending on this, and when I saw him this morning, I didn’t know how to explain to everyone that he had been playing us all.”

“I am not playing anyone,” Ivan says. “I intend to buy that house.””

I turn to face him directly. “Do it,” I challenge.

“Do what?” he asks.

“Write the check. You talk a lot, but can you actually back your words? Write the check right now and sign it, or there will be no further discussions.”

He smiles mockingly at my challenge, then nods at one of his two goons.

With that single signal, one of them leaves while the other remains standing still and wary. I can hardly believe he’s actually going to go through with it, but when a few minutes later the man returns with a checkbook in hand, my jaw nearly drops to the floor.

He scribbles across the page, signs it, rips the check out, and hands it over to me. I stare down at the sheet and see the words and figures written clearly in black ink.

“One hundred and twenty million dollars,” he says, watching my reaction closely.

I stare at the check and can’t help but feel amused. “You really think this means anything? Anyone can write a check.”

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