33

Isaias stared at his client and scratched his temple. “Myriam, I’m not following your logic.”

“I want the best Isaias.”

“And the design is the best. The windows you selected are top of the line, automated with voice controls and energy efficient. They’re coded for earthquakes as per your request. I do not understand why it is you want to swap them out.”

“I wanted black frames.”

“No. You wanted white frames which, if you recall, we confirmed four times. The black will be too stark a contrast.”

“But I want black.”

“Yet, you asked for white, we ordered white. We installed white. You want us to rip it all out?”

“Yes.” She touched his arm, “and, I don’t want to pay for it.”

“Yeah, that’s not happening.” He shook her hand off his arm. Since he’d arrived Saturday afternoon, she’d made more than one attempt to flirt or touch him. He had a fixed rule about mixing his business with pleasure. The only exception had been the beautiful woman waiting at home who had bribed him for business. “The cost is a hundred thousand dollars for the material alone. I can work with the distributor to see if they’ll do a swap but most of your windows were custom built. The work of my crew to remove and reinstall is going to be fifty grand.”

“I’m sure we can come to an agreement.”

“The only agreement we can come to, is one where you accept the design you already approved on multiple occasions, or you pay the one-hundred-fifty thousand to change it out. I don’t work for free. My team does not work for free.”

She leaned forward and touched his chest, “what if we go back to your room to negotiate.”

“Stop,” he backed up and put his hand up to her. “Myriam, I’m not sure what you think you’re offering me but let me assure you right now, I’ve never exchanged sexual favors for a job, and I don’t intend to start now. If you’re well and truly going to want design changes this late in the game, it’s going to cost you and I take cash only.”

She stomped her foot, “I always get what I want Isaias.”

“As do I Myriam. If you are unhappy with the way my company is managing the contract, we can end it right now. I’ll take the payments you’ve given thus far, and you can find another company to finish the work. You get the best with me but if you want second rate call someone else.”

“I want you Isaias,” she purred leaning towards him again.

“If you mean to complete the build of this house, then I’m good with continuing. If you mean, personally, I’m not for sale.”

“I saw the video of you with the girl. I want a taste. It was hot and sexy. I want to sample the passion you showed her.”

“The passion I showed her is reserved only for her,” he found he meant what he was saying. “She is not replaceable, and I will not disrespect her by continuing this conversation.” He waved to his assistant. “Please have our legal team sit down with Myriam to review the costs associated with cancelling our contract, to remind her of the obligations and signatures she has already put to paper and to review the current contract.”

“Yes sir.”

“Isaias Machado, you do not get to reject me and –”

He held his hand up, “save it. I’m not interested in your bullshit. I am here to do a job. You called me Friday night to say we installed the wrong windows, doors, fixtures, and tiles. We have been through every single line of purchase orders and what you have signed off on. Everything is exactly accurate. I will remind you, this house,” he waved around him, “is under construction and because it’s an expensive build, it is under surveillance twenty-four hours a day, streamed directly to security office in the event we have theft or illegal activities.”

“I’ll take you to court.”

“I’ll sue you for sexual harassment and breach of contract.” He motioned to the cameras, “when I walked in here today you offered me sexual favors. You have not stopped even though I have countlessly requested you to cease. You have asked me to negotiate in my hotel room for a way for you to get out of paying for an expensive change to your design. For the last time, I do not negotiate terms in anything other than American Dollars. Take it or leave it.”

“She’s not even pretty. She’s chubby. You can do far better than your little painter. Her own husband found her so dull he fucked her sister.”

Isaias maintained his cool façade but inside he was boiling. “McGrath?” He stepped closer to her, “McGrath put you up to this. What’s he paying you?”

She looked at her nails feigning innocence, “I’m not sure what you mean, Isaias. I’ve been wanting you all along.”

“You haven’t pushed this hard before and the fact you insisted I fly here tells me he wanted me out of the city. What’s he paying you?” Isaias stepped closer, “let me see if I can make myself really clear, Myriam. If you want the windows changed it’s a hundred and fifty grand. You’re also on the hook for my flights, hotel stay and my time since you pulled me from my other projects. If I find out you did all of this at Trent or Merlin McGrath’s bidding, I will make two phone calls.”

“I’m shaking,” she mocked him.

“One will be to my close friend Seth Carlyle. Did you know he’s one of my best friends?” He watched her pale as he named the head of the studio where her current movie was being filmed. “All it’s going to take is for me to take you to court and have the video played of you trying to sell yourself for a hundred and fifty grand like a prostitute to avoid paying for new windows and do you think he’s going to want you affiliated with his company? I think you have a three-movie deal in the works for the kid-friendly trilogy. I don’t think Seth is going to want a woman who peddles her pussy to play a beloved family treasure on the big screen.”

She swallowed, “you wouldn’t dare.”

“The second call I’m going to make is to Truman Nithin.”

“Who is he?”

“He is the most incredible legal counsel in the world and he’s on my payroll. I will sue you for breach of contract and I will not only tie you up so tight in court for decades until you lose not only this house and this build, but everything you ever worked hard to get. I’ll never settle out of court.” He was toe-to-toe with her, “now I’ll ask again. Did Trent or Merlin ask you to pull this shit?”

“Trent McGrath,” she swallowed at his cold rage. “I had originally accepted his bid because it was lower than yours, but I had talked to several people who told me they had nothing but trouble with them, so I went with you instead. I was told it would be worth the extra money because it would be done right. I’m sorry Isaias. Trent got a copy of a movie which was never released to the public and was threatening to release it to the press if I didn’t distract you. He said you were causing a ruckus back East with dating his daughter-in-law who was only seeing you out of spite.”