Sapphire
I stared at Zade in disbelief. What kind of monster was I dealing with? His words cut me to the core. How could he sink so low as to think I would trade my body for his money? Our eyes clashed. I held his gaze as I reached for my bag and stood.
He watched me expressionlessly.
I reached across his desk and retrieved the file I had brought. I rammed it into my bag, zipped it, and shouldered it before looking at him. He was watching me through lidded eyes. I took a deep breath to calm myself. I would not sink to his level and engage in a shouting match or filth slinging. I spoke softly and carefully.
“I have never, in my life, taken anything that was not rightfully mine, nor have I ever used feminine wiles to get what I want so I don’t intend to start now. That is not how I was raised. You of all people should know that, or have you forgotten? Or maybe you think I went to one of those fancy plastic surgeons who repaired my hymen when I started dating you and I was just spreading my legs for anyone who came my way. You were my first. All my life, I have worked hard for everything I have. I have never accepted charity for myself. I have always thought of others and their needs. But as much as we need this lab and the equipment, I am not going to allow you to belittle and shame me in order to get it. On our own we raised over two hundred thousand dollars. Many people didn’t even believe we would even get twenty thousand. But we did.”
I paused to take a breath, I couldn’t stop my chest from heaving with the painful emotions running through my veins like poison.
He looked at me coldly. “Well, since you’re so good at raising money, I suggest you raise the shortfall if you don’t want to accept my offer.”
“I don’t understand why you’re doing this, Zade. We never asked you for this.Youoffered. And now you’re behaving as if we, or better yet, I, owe you something.”
“You sought me out and emailed me.”
“You could have just attended without spending a cent. As a matter of fact, if it bothers you that much to deal with me, you could have even ignored the email and pretended you didn’t see it. I didn’t ask you for anything. You chose to attend. You chose to seek me out, or have you forgotten how you pretty much stalked me all afternoon? You chose to open your mouth and make a huge speech about picking up the slack. Or was that for Randy’s benefit to make him see how you throw your money around? Was it for bragging rights? And now that it’s time to pay up, you want to back out of your commitment? What about your reputation? What do you think people will say when they hear the great Zade Herron stiffed a couple of middle schoolers out of a computer lab?”
He threw his head back and laughed. “My reputation is the least of my worries. I’m an ex-con.”
“Oh stuff it, Zade. You make it sound like you were locked away for forty years or something.”
He leaned across his desk. “Four hours, four days, four weeks, four months, four years, four decades, four centuries, I don’t give a fuck. I was locked away for a crime I did not commit. So I’m sorry… not sorry… if it offends your delicate sensibilities that I have no qualms about not defending the reputation I couldn’t care less I have right now.”
Our eyes met and held. I could see the rage boiling inside him. I stared at him, furious at the stand he had taken. I felt my heart plummet and bitter tears burn the backs of my eyes at the prospect of walking out of here without the check, but I refused to allow them to fall.
“So, you prefer to walk out of here empty-handed than take one for the team? That’s a bit selfish, isn’t it?”
“Selfish?” I looked at him incredulously. “I’m selfish when you’re the one who’s going back on your word?”
“One night in exchange for a computer lab for so many poor, under-privileged kids.”
“How could you?” I gasped.
“Take it or leave it.”