Page 40 of Shâhzâdeh

“The man who was building it was paranoid and valued his privacy. He purchased the land back in the late nineties but never built anything because he lived on the west coast. He started building it remotely but health issues kept him from fully completing it. The house got through all the major inspections but then he got sick. His kids took control over his finances and didn’t think it was a good idea to pour money into this place but they kept the upkeep. They’d never been granted a certificate of occupancy before they decided to sell it. With light fixtures needing to be selected, the flooring in one room in the basement and the appliances, it shouldn’t be hard to get done fairly quickly. But of course, that gives us a better bargaining position.”

I nodded but in my mind I was working a plan to get her to make the selections so that we could have the certificate of occupancy done. My room at the Warren was mine for the month, but the sooner I gained possession of this house, the sooner Vanya could help me make it a home.

I ran my hands over the Renaissance style Blackwood finial of the staircase as I leaned against it. “What do you zhink we should offer?”

She hesitated again and I wondered what had happened that forced her to constantly reconsider her position before she spoke. I made a mental note to learn more about her ex-husband so that I was prepared to love her properly despite what he might have done to her. And make him suffer for any offense he’d committed. “I’m not offending you by wanting to negotiate?”

“Zhe art of having money is knowing when to keep it. If you zhink zhere are reasons we should get a reduction, zhen put in zhe price you zhink we should pay and move from zhere. I know zhat despite your commission being based on zhe sale price, you’re going to move in my best interest. Besides, I’ve already wired your exclusivity fee to your account.”

“What exclusivity fee?”

“Zhe one zhat I decided was necessary since you are missing out on new clients by working with me.” I kept my voice light, hoping she would leave it alone but of course she didn’t let it rest.

She whipped out her phone and went to what I could only assume was her banking app. When her mouth dropped, I wondered if she was going to use it to cuss me out or to thank me.

We’d been doing so well, too.

“There is a hundred thousand dollars in my account that wasn’t there this morning.”

“You check your money daily?” I liked that she was cognizant of her finances and wasn’t frivolous. But I knew there was a reason she’d had to be so aware. I would need to have her added to all of my accounts so that she could see her constant monitoring wasn’t necessary but she was always free to do it.

“I have to. When I got away from my adoptive family I made the mistake of using a bank where someone we went to church with had access. They had them transfer my paycheck into their account to get me to come back.” She’d squared her shoulders angrily her frame rigid as though she needed to give herself the courage to be vulnerable. And I would take it as a win because she was being vulnerable with me. And far sooner than I’d expected it to happen.

“I see it didn’t work.”

Her smile was faint but it was filled with pride. “No. I cried and then gathered myself up and went to speak to the bank president. I showed them the harassment charges, the divorce decree and all the evidence I had. I told them that if I didn’t have my money back and the person fired I would be going to the news. They did exactly what I asked and then I moved my money immediately to Miller Bank and Trust.”

I grinned as I nodded my approval of her choice. “Miller Bank and Trust is a good bank.”

Her eyes were wary and I knew she was wondering if I owned the bank. Shareholder, yes. But owned? No. “How do you know?”

“Zhe owner is a good man from a great family. He has a new son so his ezics are second to none.” I was dropping hints but she still hadn’t caught on to who owned the bank.

“You sound like you know him well.”

“It’s Yacouba so I would say zhat I do.”

“Yacouba is the one that owns a bank? Big tall man with the wife with the amazing body?” She raised her hand as high as it would go like she could mimic Yacouba's height.

“Yes.”

“He looks like a spy. But then again his so tall he wouldn’t do well as a spy.” It was crazy that we were having this conversation but whatever allowed her to stay close.

“I’ll have to break his heart and let him know his hidden desires will not be possible.”

“Well, you’re right. They’re really great about banking and privacy—wait. How did you transfer money into my account when I never gave you my information?” Her tone was more playful than anything, but I knew she still wanted her question answered.

“Vanya, zhe short answer is zhat I am me and nozing is impossible.”

Her brow quirked and a smile played around her lips. “And the long answer?”

“I am me and nozing is impossible because I’m surrounded by individuals who will bend zhe rules of polite society. Zhose rules were set in place to keep zhe masses at bay while a supposedly chosen few get fat off zhe people. We ignore rules in order to achieve our goals.” The ability to do what I needed to achieve my goals was something I would never apologize for.

“And your goal today was to buy my time.”

I didn’t like how that sounded so I stepped closer to her so she could see and feel my sincerity.

“My goal today was to ensure zhat money was zhe last worry on your mind as we embark on zhis business relationship. Between negotiations, permits and inspections, you will be busy. You need to be paid for zhe work zhat you are going to do. Since you balked at zhe number I zhrew out to you before, I figure you would be far less opposed to being paid as each step is completed. Today is step one. Showings. You have exceeded my expectations wiz zhis home so we can move on to the next step and yes expect payment for zhat. I do not believe in shortchanging people for zheir work based on my satisfaction. You deserve zhe same comfort in knowing your bills will be covered even as we work zhrough zhis process. America has everyone so messed up wiz delayed gratification. Everyone but zhose at the top. Poor people who’ve never been taught to budget get paid once a month and are told to figure it out. Middle-class people are only a step up, getting paid bi-weekly for work zhey’ve already done and told zhey should be grateful. Zhe rich have money flowing in and out of accounts hourly. Zhere is never a question about funding. It disgusts me how keeping people stressed is zhe way of zhe world.”

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