Page 86 of Selling Innocence

“I think you’re overestimating your position,” Vance said. “I don’t like to give up what’s mine. I bought her, I won the bid, I’ve put time and effort into training her to my taste. Starting over would be a hassle, and the idea of you chewing on my toy doesn’t sit right.”

“Gentlemen,” Bradley said, breaking into the conversation. It was amazing that he could get the men to settle down, but they did, going silent. “I don’t think that snapping at one another will get us anywhere, do you?”

“Tell them to sell her back to me,” Lorien said. “This can be easily solved in such a way.”

“I bought her—nothing he says changes that.”

“Quiet,” Bradley snapped, the demand loud enough to send a shot of fear straight through me. It was the tone of a man so over dealing with this. I’d heard it from Nem a time or two when the Quad bickered, and she’d hit her limit. “You both are at fault for this. Make no mistake—I am well aware that you both cheated my system. You both are at fault for this mess. I would love to simply take the merchandise back, but doing so would admit that we had a problem, and I can’t do that. So instead, you will both settle down. You will not have fights and death in the streets, will not turn this petty fight over a woman into some public feud. Do I make myself clear?”

“And what do you suggest?” Lorien asked.

“Lorien, is there any way you are willing to give up the merchandise?”

“None,” Lorien said without hesitation. “She is my soulmate. I can’t turn my back on that.”

“And you, Vance?”

“I have no need for money, so I see nothing he has that I might want. As far as I see it, I already won. Why would I surrender her?”

Bradley looked over at me, the first time he’d taken note of me since entering. Then again, he saw me as merchandise—nothing more. I was the least important part of this meeting in his eyes. He didn’t have to say anything, his look said it all. You really are a nuisance.

“I had hoped to come to an understanding today,” Bradley said. “But it seems neither of you are willing to budge yet.”

“I have one last offer,” Lorien said. “You bought her only to cause me trouble, to find me, right?”

His words caused a ripple through the room, the admittance that Lorien wasn’t as unaware as we’d assumed.

Vance didn’t react or respond.

Lorien chuckled softly. “Surprised? I’ve been aware of your pathetic designs on revenge for years—you’ve simply never caused me enough problems to do anything about it. This time, however, you’ve managed to actually annoy me. You now have my full attention.”

Boy, does that sound like a threat.

“Call in Tor and Char,” Lorien said. “If we are to discuss this, it should be all of us. They are just as involved, after all.”

Bradley said nothing, sitting back and watching. No doubt he wanted to wait and see how it would all go.

Vance texted on his phone, and a minute later, the door opened and the two men walked in. They sat on the table, on each side of Hayden and Vance, further boxing me in.

“They’re here,” Bradley said.

“So we finally all get the chance to talk. You have trailed at my heels for years now—I’m sure you’re glad to finally have me turn and face you.” Lorien’s voice came out unworried.

“Knowing it’s us doesn’t change anything,” Hayden said. “We’re still in the stronger position here.”

“You think so? See, this is why you’ve never been a big enough problem before for me to bother with, because you have no real idea of the danger I pose.”

Vance glanced down at his hand, and while I still didn’t know exactly what had happened, it was clear Lorien was behind it. “I know exactly how dangerous you are.”

“You really don’t. Or perhaps it’s more accurate to say that you don’t recognize how dangerous I could be to you. You think that I have stolen everything from you that I can, but I feel as if you misunderstand what else you can lose. You think that your revenge is worth your life, but by this point, you should know that your life is not the only thing at risk.”

I shuddered at his words, at the violence that filled them. I’d heard so many threats in my life, had seen those closest to me lobby them like ping-pong balls, that they rarely got to me. Something about Lorien’s words were worse, though. Perhaps it was the seriousness in them, the absolute obsession, but it felt like a noose tightening and making it harder to breathe with each word.

“Save the posturing,” Char said, his voice cheery, a matching false smile, the look not fitting the words at all. “It’s beneath you to use such stupid tactics. Let’s not think so little of one another.”

“It’s not a matter of posturing—it’s the truth. You four have wasted five years of your life chasing me and for what? What do you have to show for it? No matter what you feel you lost that night, is it worth another five years? Is it worth your future?”

“If you have to ask that, you don’t understand anything,” Char said.

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