Page 68 of Mercy (The Sins Trilogy 3)
Chapter Twenty-Two
Ivy
The next day, I tap my legal pad in a meeting. Ryder’s people are very thorough and methodical. Despite his carefree playboy image, he hires people with the instincts of a shark.
“We’re pleased to note everything’s in order. Actually, the project is slightly under budget,” his assistant says.
“I did my best.” I smile.
“Not everyone does.”
Guess some people get frivolous when it isn’t their money. But I don’t want Ryder to think the project is more expensive than it really is. My aim is to show people that exposing children to music doesn’t have to be cost-prohibitive. That’s why my plan includes using high school students who are in music programs, rather than using only paid or adult musicians. In addition, sometimes kids bond better with other kids.
After the meeting, I go to my desk and see a huge bouquet of tiger lilies and a box of Swiss truffles. I smile as I pluck the card on the top of the gold box.
Because you deserve something to make you smile. Love you.
I hide my huge grin behind the card. Tony’s too sweet.
I take a picture of myself smiling in front of the presents and send him a text. You just made my day. Love you too.
Maybe I should send him something nice in the afternoon. If he gets used to receiving nice gifts, he won’t mind sharing them with Wei so much.
I open the box and pick out a dark chocolate truffle. Everything looks so delicious. I put it in my mouth and savor the bursting of the flavor, my eyes closed.
When I open them, I see something I’d rather not. Marty is standing in front of my desk, his hands shoved in his pants pockets. He’s squinting, but his eyes aren’t bloodshot like they were at Sam’s funeral. He could be handsome if it weren’t for the perpetually sullen look. It says he deserves so much more…that he would have more, if certain assholes weren’t in his way.
His white button-down shirt is rumpled. Surprising. Marty usually dresses better than this.
Regardless, my sympathy meter stays flat. The last time we saw each other, he shattered my world with the revelation that I wasn’t really Iris Smith. He knew all along, but lied to me with his late father. Then he decided to reveal it. I didn’t examine his motives too closely back then, but now I can see clearly he did it to hurt me and Tony.
I look around for Bobbi, but she isn’t there. Probably on a bathroom break. Just my luck. My gaze flicks to Tolyan, who seems engrossed in whatever’s on his laptop monitor.
Guess I’m on my own. Hopefully Bobbi will be back soon and turn Marty’s face into a Picasso knockoff if he does anything funky.
“I need to talk to you.” He looks around my desk, taking in the people near us. “Privately.”
So you can drop another bomb?I cross my arms and tilt my jaw in that arrogant way Tony does when he’s dealing with somebody he considers beneath his notice.
“You can tell me whatever you’ve got to say right here or not at all. We don’t have any available meeting rooms.”
“Then outside.” Marty jerks his head toward the elevator.
“As you can see, I have to work.” I gesture at the memos on my desk. I’ll be damned if I spend a moment with him alone.
“You really want to do it here?”
“I have no secrets. Well, unless you have some new revelation for me.”
Maybe Marty’s going to tell me he and Sam found me in a space shuttle from Venus. I’m really an alien with amnesia.
His jaw tightens. “It’s about Dad. And you.”
It’s all I can do to not roll my eyes. “And?”
“I know he gave you something.”
What the hell?“Are you seriously here to ask me to give you whatever he left me?”
