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John sat back in his chair and stared at the other man quietly for long moments. “The same reason Abbas will be here later?” he asked. “Warbucks likes to interview his potential brokers before he chooses which one to assign the job to. Been here, done this, though I have to admit I’ve never warranted executive-level attention before.”
Falks’s chest seemed to expand in pride at the comment. “The item up for auction is rather expensive, and demands a certain amount of discretion if we’re going to keep various law enforcement officials from turning their attention to us. You’ve come highly recommended and several past engagements that you’ve conducted with lesser liaisons have proven your reliability.”
“It doesn’t hurt that you’ve partnered with a favorite daughter of our inner circle,” Raymond pointed out. “We owe you a debt of gratitude for reinforcing the beginnings of trust that we were extending toward her.”
“Think nothing of it.” John smiled. “As long as I get the job.”
Falks chuckled at that. “There will be several conditions to the assignment. One is that Bailey will be present during the auction you’re conducting. We would hate for her to later decide that she wasn’t a part of the event.”
Trust came in many forms, John thought.
“She would actually demand to be a part of it,” he informed them both.
“Verification of the product will be arranged once Warbucks has made his final decision on the broker,” Raymond informed him then. “You’ll be taken to the storage point, but you won’t be given its location. You’ll be permitted to verify the product and ascertain its legitimacy, with Bailey at your side. You’ll be given the same opportunity just before the auction.”
“The product will be in my possession once the auction begins,” John stated. “It won’t leave my sight. If it does at any time, or if the buyer doesn’t receive final confirmation from me after the sale before the transfer of funds, then the buy will be invalidated.”
Falks’s smile was slow, confident. “We’ll abide by that. The buyer will immediately transfer half of the funds; the other half we’ll accept on delivery of the product.”
“I’ll be with the product at every stage from the time the auction begins until delivery.” John nodded. “Bailey will be handling the exchange of money between the two accounts as well as communication. I’ll provide all protection and transportation.”
“Your men are highly rated,” Falks replied. “You have an exemplary record, Mr. Vincent.”
John inclined his head in acceptance of the compliment as Raymond poured coffee and set John’s cup before him. The rich, black liquid steamed invitingly.
“My men know what they’re doing,” John continued. “Just as I do.”
“I have to admit, I’ve been in favor of your particular talents since the beginning,” Falks informed him. “You’re one of the more reliable brokers. Abbas doesn’t have the experience I feel this product deserves. But I’m only the employee, not the employer. Warbucks will make the final decision.”
John shrugged. “There will be other jobs. Should your employer decide to accept my services, my fee is fifteen percent of the agreed price of the item. A third at the time your employer makes the decision in my favor, a third at sale, and a third at delivery.”
Falks’s brows lifted. “Abbas has agreed to drop his terms to ten percent.”
“Abbas can afford to drop his terms to ten percent.” John grimaced. “He hired mercenaries rather than keeping a team he can trust and men he knows. That’s how rumor begins and how transactions get fucked up. He has very little overhead and he doesn’t rate his time as valuable as I rate mine.”
A glimmer of respect began to gleam in Falks’s gaze. It was hard to impress men of his ilk, men who followed someone who’d been as mysterious as Warbucks over the years. John had worked the past five years on a reputation that had begun close to ten years before he took John Vincent’s identity. The broker had been killed in a freak accident on a mountain road while under surveillance by the first two members of the unit, Micah Sloane and Nik Steele. His body had been buried, and his identity stolen.
John didn’t mind taking a dead man’s name or building his career in the interest of breaking the bastard who had taken his own life.
“Your time is very valuable, I agree,” Falks stated as he lifted his coffee cup to his lips. Setting it back down, he turned to Raymond. “Please ensure that Mr. Vincent is compensated if Warbucks does decide on Abbas. Future goodwill is immeasurable.”
It was an attempt to put him back in his place.
John rose to his feet without invitation, causing both men to glance at him in surprise.
“I don’t need your future goodwill,” he stated. “Or your charitable contribution toward my financial stability.” He let a grin touch his lips. “Financial stability is now the least of my worries. My reputation, though, is very expensive. My terms are as stated, gentlemen. I await word on your decision.”
He didn’t give them time to argue as he moved for the door and left the office.
He knew how to handle deals and he knew the man he had fashioned John Vincent into. The once-struggling broker hadn’t had the charisma or the daring that John used after his transformation.
As he left the office and moved through the hallway to the main portion of the cabin, he pulled his cell phone from his jeans and tapped in a text to Bailey.
Your friends are a bit arrogant, he texted with a grin.
Seconds later she came back with the prearranged response. You don’t need them. Just me. Wanna mess around?
He didn’t answer the question. Instead he headed to the back entrance of the house and the evergreen maze that made up the gardens behind the house.
