Page 54 of Man Vs. Woman
She turns on her heels and walks away, leaving me with the brief. It feels like I’ve got the golden ticket, a folder that can change my life—and Serena’s life—for the better.
I tuck it under my arm and finish my drink, not wanting the scotch to go to waste. What? It’s nice fucking scotch.
I push myself away from the bar and turn, but my body stills.
“Colt McCoy,” the shrill voice throws my nerves into overdrive. My fight or flight instincts hit me, and my muscles tense, preparing for the fight.
“Hiram,” I respond, sternly.
“I have a proposal that will interest you.” He slithers into the stool where Anna once sat.
I wonder if he knows her? If he saw us?
I scan the room quickly, hoping she’s already left the bar. A wave of relief washes over me, loosening the knot in my stomach when I don’t place her. Well, only slightly, Hiram is still here.
“I doubt that,” I respond curtly, wanting him to get the hint that I’m not interested in a chat, or a fucking proposal. I want to be far, far away from this man.
“There’s a substantial amount of money on the line here. But there could be even more.”
He goes silent and I lean forward, intrigued with how he’ll end that sentence. You can’t leave a guy hanging like that.
“Ok, and…” I say, gesturing him to ‘go on’.
An evil smirk curls up the corner of his lips, and I’m instantly nauseated. He is so fucking slimy. And, this interaction is only adding to my case against him.
“I can make it worth your while if you drop your bid on the retail space,” he says, finally releasing me off his hook. “It’s more money that you’d make at the gym. It’s more money than you’ve ever made at the gym.”
“Are you fucking bribing me?” I test him. Is he fucking serious?
“Bribe? Who said that? I’m offering a business partnership.”
“Fuck off, Hiram,” I say in a harsh, clipped tone. My hand curls into a fist and it’s taking everything in me not to punch him in his fucking mousey face. “I’ll never go into business with you. You’re fucking scum.”
“Is that so? How unfortunate,” he hisses and stands up.
“I have a file on you, Hiram. And, I amlooking forward to reading it.”
His bushy eyebrows shoot up in…amusement?
“How charming, you’re reading up on me.” He leans closer, so close that his cologne stings my nostrils. He smells like a fucking pretentious douchebag. “You will take the offer, Colt. You will. And, I’ll be waiting.”
“Fat fucking chance,” I spit at him.
He straightens his suit jacket and tie and nods his head, leaving the bar.
I watch him walk away, making sure he doesn’t turn around. If he ever gets that close to me again, I will have to fucking punch him. I will not have him threaten or bribe me or do whatever the fuck he thinks he can to me. I am not a whore who’ll let him bend me over and fuck me in the ass.
Then, dark blue eyes find mine and the anger I felt a second ago melts away.
It’s Serena.
She stands there in the doorframe of the bar, staring at me. Her head tilts to the side and she clutches onto the small purse in her hands.
How long has she been there? Did she see us?
Fuck, she did hear us?
Her long legs move her forward, making her way to me. As she approaches, I can read her expression, she’s wary and curious.
“Hiram?” She asks, her voice filled with concern.
How am I going to explain this?
