“I know.I’m ready.”In theory.He was prepared for a negation, but the rest… Would Sami come with Ian?Would that be a good or a bad sign, or would it mean nothing?
The moment of truth was upon him fifteen minutes later.Ian entered his line of sight first, his graying hair combed to the side.His face had fewer lines than last time, yet his eyebrows sat higher, unnaturally so.How embarrassing.A man on Ian’s rung of the career ladder should be able to afford plastic surgery that didn’t make him look like a haunted doll.Especially next to Sami, who glowed brighter than the sun.
He came in with a bounce in his step and a subtle smirk, like he was in on a joke no one else could hear—except that Bazdidhear it.And he was about to find out if he was the punchline or the co-conspirator.
“Sebastian.It is just wonderful to see you,” Ian patronized.
Baz forced down thefuck youthat sat on the tip of the tongue.He accepted Ian’s oily hand, and, purely because this was a professional meeting, he shook Sami’s too.The same hand that had grabbed his dick less than twenty-four hours ago.A bolt of electricity shot up his arm, turned into a persistent, hot tickle under his skin as their eyes met.Sami’s narrowed slightly, sparkling with something Baz prayed wasn’t mischief—how long had they been looking at each other?
He tore himself away and witnessed Ian shoving his hand at Aya with a grin that deserved to be punched off.He knew damn well she didn’t touch men.Baz itched with the urge to swat his hand away, but last time he tried that, he got an earful from Aya about how she didn’t need him to assert her religious boundaries for her.Her silent glare was enough for Ian to give up after a few more seconds, still smirking.Dick.
Sami placed his palm above his heart and nodded, a gesture that Aya, eyebrows shooting up to her hijab, reciprocated.Huh.So he knew about being respectful after all, he just didn’t extend that courtesy to Baz.
That couldn’t possibly be a good sign.
The metallic taste of blood hit Baz’s tongue.He released the inside of his cheek he hadn’t realized he’d been abusing and gestured for them to take a seat—an invitation Sami only followed after Ian did.
“After careful reconsideration,” Ian said, because why wait for Baz to start the meeting?“I have come up with a more appropriate offer.”
He held his palm out to Sami, who placed the file into it.
“Despite your speculative, unfounded accusation”—Baz barely held back a snort—“and as a sign of goodwill to reestablish the trust you broke—”
“You mean that your client broke with their negligence.”
“—we are willing to offer three million dollars.”
Ian pushed the papers across the desk.Three pages altogether.No pictures stuck out, no sign of blackmail.Yet.Still, Baz’s shoulders relaxed.He leaned back.
“Three million per plaintiff.You’re right, that is appropriate.”
“Three million total.Obviously.”Ian exchanged awho-does-he-think-he-isglance with Sami.The moment he looked away, Sami’s eyes darted toward the ceiling.Interesting.Shocking lack of poker face aside, between the eyeroll and the way he had grimaced last night when Baz had mentioned Ian’s name… Sami didn’t like Ian.
The realization hit Baz like a brick.If he was right— and he always was— Sami might be way less loyal to Ian than Baz had suspected.Which meant the odds were Sami hadn’t justseemedsincere last night, he truly had been.
That changed everything.And obliterated any reason to tiptoe around the pièce de résistance.
“No, I’ll tell you what’s obvious: the disrespect of you coming into my firm offering my clients what, less than fifty thousand each?For your client’s reckless negligence giving them cancer?That barely covers four rounds of chemotherapy!”
Ian nodded thoughtfully.“Hm.If only you could prove beyond reasonable doubt what caused that tragedy.”
“I can,” Baz growled.He would turn over every contaminated pebble if need be.“Two million per plaintiff.It is the least Captain Green can do and trust me, I’ll push for more in front of a judge.”
He slid their own offer across the table.Ian didn’t so much as glimpse at it.No, he snorted as though Baz were the toddler here.
“I’d like to see you try.My offer is really quite generous, Sebastian.A nod from Captain Green that acknowledges your clients’ unfortunate, yet unrelated, struggles.”
Bullshit.This was a slap in the face.A futile power play.Everyone knew forty sick kids had better chances with a jury than a big corporation ever would.There was no way Ian wasn’t authorized to go higher when a thirty-million-dollar offer had been on the table two weeks ago.
Baz leaned on his forearms, folding his hands together.“Let me be plain: every offer you make that has less than nine digits is wasting my time.”
“Every offer you make that has more than seven is wasting mine.”
“Then we’re done here.”
Baz buttoned his jacket as he stood up.The right corner of Sami’s mouth twitched.He liked the strong lawyer look, huh?Lucky for him, there was plenty of that to come.
Ian’s chair scraped over the floor.He buried his hands in his pockets.“Don’t forget to inform your plaintiffs about your unwillingness to compromise.They’ve been through so much, I’d hate for them to have to deal with a slander lawsuit all because their lawyer is a wuss.”
