Page 91 of Brandy Snap: Part One

“Everyone has a price, Ms Sanderson. You simply need to name yours and never come near my son again.”

No matter how much I needed money, it felt gross to even consider it.

“Why don’t you just get rid of me? Wouldn’t it be easier to make me disappear?” I asked.

“Well, the possibility did cross my mind. But it’s rather inconvenient when Sin runs his father’s TV network and Kai has his silly fashion shows. Not that I’m saying I believe that someone like you is actually their mate. Though it could be a good way to test if they really care about you.” She sighed as she brushed a strand of hair from her face. “And disposing of bodies is far more troublesome than paying someone off.”

The cold truth ran through me as I saw she wasn’t lying. Maybe she hadn’t killed anyone with her bare hands, but she was definitely responsible for someone’s death, probably more people from how casually she was talking about it.

I'd been stomped into the ground by so many people, all trying to make me go in different directions, and she was one of them.

I was so tired that I didn’t even think before I spoke.

“One hundred thousand,” I said, proud I didn’t stutter as I threw out the words. Maybe it was gross to take money from her, but I’d never been able to afford to act out of spite, either.

I folded my arms to hide my shaking hands against my waist.

I still looked down at her, but I felt like a child as her eyebrow quirked.

“Really?” she tutted. I half-expected her to say the same thing as Sin.

Is that all?

“One hundred thousand pounds, and I’ll stay away from your precious son,” I repeated.

“Hm.” She considered it, exhaling through her nose as she raised her right hand, her palm flat towards the ceiling. “Purse.”

My mouth dropped open as an alpha lifted a white leather bag that matched her suit.

She was going to do it. She was actually going to give me the money.

I’d thought of the most outlandish figure, exactly how Rosa would try to milk it. And this woman was unclipping her clutch and pulling out a cheque book and a fountain pen while my cheek was still screaming from her slap.

It only took her a minute to write such a huge sum that I was intensely focused on every zero she drew. There was no way I could just walk into a bank with something like that. There was no way I could even accept it.

As soon as she finished writing, she tore off the cheque and handed the book back to the alpha.

She rose from my sofa and I was tempted to ask her why she even bothered to sit, but the faster she left my nest, the quicker I could get rid of her stench.

Zania held it out and stepped towards me. I stared at it wide-eyed, not really believing it was happening until she waved the cheque in front of me and forced me to take it. I looked at the numbers on a simple piece of paper between my hands, trembling with rage and disbelief.

“Well?” Zania asked, her nose high as she folded her arms with a smirk. “Aren’t you going to thank me?”

I drew in a shuddering breath at the pure insanity of this woman. No wonder Caspian descended on me with rage, and that Kai was a vibrating ball of hate. I wanted to know more about Sin’s coldness, why he was almost the opposite of them when he probably had to endure Zania growing up, too.

I looked up slowly from the cheque to meet shining eyes the exact same shade as Caspian’s, without those fiery red flecks.

“What if we are scent matches?” I asked her. “What if we did bite each other?” From how she was acting, I didn’t think she knew about Kai’s bite.

Zania scoffed instantly. “Don’t be ridiculous. That money means you won’t even think about offering yourself for a bite. You have the same stink as that omega. They’ve kept that thing for five years and they refuse to accept what’s right for them.” She moved, coming so close that I curled my toes just to make sure I didn’t shove her with both hands to get her away from me. The lamp was still an option, though she’d moved farther away from it. Or I could do what she did to me, only I’d grab her hair and slam her face into the wall.

“Anyway,” she said, “I know who you are, I know where you come from. If you think I’m going to let some Knottinghill whore near my family again, then you’ve very clearly misjudged me.”

I bit back my words, making myself stay quiet. Even if I told her I wasn’t a host, she wouldn’t believe me.

I needed the money more than I needed my pride. Even though it felt like a deal with the devil.

“Isn’t that what the cheque is for?” I asked, taking my turn to wave it between us.

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