Page 76 of Bloody Business

Just Business

Tashi and the mob bossmet in the private room of a tea house.They each had a personal assistant, with a bodyguard stationed outside the door.

Hegah wore a sharp suit and the relaxed attitude of a man meeting an equal.“It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Tashi Yal.I've heard so much about you.”

“Likewise.”Tashi had arrived early and was stationed at one end of the table.

Hegah accepted a cup of Goblin coffee from his assistant and took a sip.“Shall we get right to it?I'm afraid your recent marriage has put me in something of a tight spot.Many of my business interests were tied up with marrying Lily Kan.”

“I see.How awkward for you,” Tashi said politely.

“Yes, although it would have been much worse if Lily had been killed.Kan's temper tantrum would have been very expensive for me.It will be much easier with Lily alive.”

“You have some plan in mind,” Tashi observed, sipping his tea.

“The broken engagement contract comes with heavy penalties.However, I'm a generous man; I'm willing to make a deal in the interest of buying Lily out.My understanding is she was never interested in the majority of her uncle's business interests.”He paused significantly.“I'm willing to let her keep the house, as well as the more...conventionally respectable shops.”

Tashi took his time thinking that over.He had a feeling Lily would be delighted, but there was no sense giving anything away.“An interesting proposal...”

In the end, it all came down to business.It was just as well that Lily wasn't there.She hated her uncle's sleazy affairs, and it would have tainted an otherwise cool discussion.

...

Lily was waiting when he got home.She stood at an easel, sketching her garden ideas with her right hand.You would never know it wasn't her dominant; he could never do half so well with a functional hand.

She put down the pencil as soon as she saw him.“Hello!How did it go?”

He grinned.“You ended up with the house, several shops and a silver mine.He got the rest.”

“And he was satisfied with that?”she asked anxiously.Hegah could cause endless trouble if he wasn't happy.

“Very.The broken engagement incurred penalties, of course, but Hegah was very aware that he had a close call with your near death.No one wanted to screw up negotiations.”

She closed her eyes with relief.“I'm happy that's over with.”

“So now that you're a free woman, what would you like to do?Unfortunately, I think we're going to have to wait for you to heal up a bit before we have a honeymoon.”He smiled teasingly.

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