Page 19 of Enemies

“I’ve told you, if you break the contract, I’ll sue you.”

“I want to renegotiate.”

His mouth snaps shut.

“You’ve invested a lot in Debajo’s renovations. Give me twenty-five percent of the door for the next month and I’ll fill it.”

He folds his arms across his chest, the blue fabric pulling across firm muscles. The way his eyes narrow as he clicks smoothly into business mode is as compelling as it is intimidating. “Because you can do things my PR firm can’t?”

I match his posture. “Obviously.”

I’m bluffing. Publicity isn’t my strong suit, unless you count publicly going down in flames. But he doesn’t need to know that.

“And if you don’t?”

“I don’t get paid. But when you make money, I make money.”

Something nudges at my thigh, and I look down to see Barney inserting himself between us, tail wagging.

“Ten percent,” Harrison replies as I bend down to scratch the dog’s head.

“Twenty. And I’m moving to alternative accommodations.”

“Fifteen, you stay, plus I get three requests of my choosing.”

The evenness of his voice has my jaw dropping. This man acts as if he always gets his way.

“What kind of requests?”

“Any requests,” he says impatiently. “If I want you to clean the pool using your thong as a filter, you will.”

My hands fist at my sides. “I’m not a genie in a fucking bottle. Clean your own pool.”

Harrison turns away. “Then there’s no deal.”

The dismissal is swift and brutal.

I don’t understand his endgame. One more mystery about the already-confusing man before me.

But I know that what he wants is to put me in a corner.

“These requests don’t involve other people,” I say at last, and his head cocks.

“Only you.”

The way he says those two words makes me shiver.

“Eighteen, plus your stupid requests,” I counter.

His blue gaze is intense enough I feel my ribs crack.

We shake, and electricity runs up my arm at his touch.

He pulls away first. “I’ll have my solicitor send a new copy of the contract. I expect your signature by the end of the day. Along with my jacket.”

My head snaps up to meet his mocking expression. “You knew you’d get it back. That’s why you gave it to me.”

“It’s Brioni.” He says it as if it’s an answer.

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