“Do you want it or… nah?”
Without a word, Randy released my hand and stood. I wasted no time in dashing out of the booth away from him. Zade pulled me to his side and instantly, his warmth flowed into me.
“Perhaps you’d like to ask your monkeys to leave so we can get down to business.”
Randy made a dismissive move and his men scrambled out of the booth in record time and made their getaway, not one looking back at us.
“Want me to stay, boss?” Steven asked.
Zade shook his head. “No, but good work. See you at the office tomorrow morning.”
As Steven left Zade spoke again. “Have a seat, Randy.”
Randy sat and Zade slid into the seat opposite and left enough space for me so I slipped in beside him. He dangled the flash drive in front of Randy, but as Randy reached for it, he pulled it back and laughed softly.
“Not so fast. There are a few things that I want as well.”
“I knew it. Money.”
“I don’t want your dirty money, Randy. All I want in exchange for the damn software is for you to stay out of our lives for good.”
Randy’s laugh was brittle and humorless. “That’s it? You could have at least asked me to throw in a vacation for two.” He turned his gaze on me. “Maybe one day you’ll tell me what he’s got in his pants that’s so damn addictive, huh?”
“Fuck you, Randy. What part of stay out of our lives for good do you not get?” Zade snarled.
“Jeez. Calm down. I was just messing with her.”
“And if you ever cross our paths again, there will be hell to pay. This I promise.”
“Yeah, yeah.” Randy put his hand out, his voice was deliberately bored and dismissive.
Without another word, Zade handed him the flash drive. We watched as he inserted it into his own laptop and tapped the keys. He frowned at the screen for a few moments. Then I saw his face light up. He grinned maniacally and tapped the keys a few more times. I heard a few chimes and he laughed, before looking up at Zade.
“You always were the whiz kid with code, but I was the moneybags with the real plan, and you forgot that. We made a great team until you got in my way. No hard feelings, bro, it’s a pity you didn’t stay out of the way when you got out of prison. No. You had to try and get revenge. Now, I have you where I want. This,” he gestured to the laptop screen, “together with my secret Gennie software is going to put my business back where it belongs. So, say goodbye to all those clients you’ve been stealing. They’ll come running back to me with their tails between their legs, begging me to take them back. It’s going to be sweet!”
“Gennie software?” Zade asked, and I heard the surprise in his voice.
Randy threw his head back and laughed. “Yes, you didn’t know about my little Gennie, did you? Well, no doubt you’ll hear about it from your clients. Before the year ends, BB Tech will be mine. I know I shouldn’t gloat, but it’s not every day you get to destroy someone twice in their lifetime.”
We watched as he closed his laptop and placed it into his crocodile skin briefcase. Then he stood and looked down on us. His gaze moved to me and he smiled coldly.
“We could have had it all, Sapphire, but you had to choose him. I could have given you the moon, but you settled for his worthless rocks. You’re not very smart.”
“Not everyone can be bought, Randy.” I lashed out angrily.
He caressed his briefcase. “I won’t send you to prison this time. I think you will find the healing is not rewarding; the hurting… is rewarding.”
He turned on his heels and walked out. I watched him go with my jaw dropped. I turned to Zade as he disappeared through the door.
“You’ve got someone to mug him and take it back, right?”
“Nope.” He picked up the menu calmly.
“But you heard what he said. He’s going to use your Gennie and your own software to bankrupt you.”
“Yup.” He raised his finger and a waiter was by his side almost instantly. “We’re in a celebratory mood. What’s your special tonight?”
The waiter rattled off the options and Zade placed his order and I just said, “same for me,” as I didn’t hear a word the waiter said. When we were alone once more, I turned to him.
“You’re not worried at all?”
“Nope.”
“But I don’t understand. You gave him your software. You worked hard on that. And he’s going to use it to destroy your company.”
He placed his hand over mine and smiled.
“And it’s okay, Sapphire. I have everything I want right here. And he is out of our lives for good.”
“How can you trust him? He’s lied so many times. What makes you think he won’t break his promise to leave us alone and the next thing you know is the police will be on your doorstep again?”
“Because he will have other things to deal with. Relax babe and trust me when I say Randy is officially in our past.”
I frowned. “And what on earth did he mean by that healing and hurting line?”
“Ze healing is not rewarding; ze hurting… is rewarding. Randy’s only call to exquisite taste is a line fromKoyaanisqatsi, one of the most hypnotic films of all time.”
“Koyaanisqatsi? I’ve never even heard of it.”
“Then we must watch it together. It is more prescient now than when it was made almost forty years ago.”
Another waiter arrived with a bottle of champagne which he proceeded to pour into two flutes.
Zade raised his glass to me. “To new beginnings, my Love.”
I clinked my glass against his. “To new beginnings.”
I took a sip of the bubbly liquid, loving how the cool bubbles slid down my throat. I had no idea what the future would bring, but I felt a sense of calm and hope.
Now and forever, I would trust Zade completely.