Page 128 of The Renter

“Quit your job.” Sorin said that to me, literally handing me stacks of cash afterward.

Burying my hands in my face, I accept that I poked the bear by bringing up Declan.Fucking Declan.I need to see if there’s anything there. Grabbing my phone, I impulsively text him.

Dani Sommer

Come over.

My heart races. What a mistake. I shouldn’t have done that.

“Fuck,” I mutter as I see him calling. “Hi,” I answer, unsure of my own tone.

“Are you okay?” he asks, concerned.

“Yeah.”

Declan obviously is not interpreting this as a booty call.

“What’s up?” he asks, and I don’t understand his tone either.

“Are you coming over or not?” I ask, my annoyance dripping with sass, digging my own grave with this impulsivity.

He breathes loudly in frustration, maybe realizing this is a booty call. “No.”

It’s a firm no. This was a stupid idea. “Okay. Bye.”

I nearly hang up until I hear him say, “When I fuck you, it’s not going to be to fill a void.”

I groan and tap the end call button. “Self-righteous fuck!” Declan is never going to happen.

110

At 1:07 p.m., Adam’s name lights up my phone. I don’t want to answer it, tempted to let it go to voicemail. But I pick up.

“It’s done! The deal closed. I need to see you.” The relief and excitement in his voice are unmistakable. “I’m picking you up, and we can spend the next few days doing whatever you want.”

The offer is exactly what I would have said I wanted this time yesterday. I don’t respond, still replaying our morning and considering what I want from Adam.

“Dani, please.” I’ve never heard him beg like this before. “We can go to the cottage or hop on a plane. Whatever you want.”

“Do you promise to give me your full attention?”

“I promise. I’ll even turn my phone off.”

I consider his offer, aware of how much time is passing since his last sentence. My silence and indecision make my heart race. “Not today,” I finally say.

“Dani, we need to get on the same page.”

“Not today!” I yell.

“You want more time with me. Here I am, giving you my time, and you don’t want it.”

I huff. “If I see you, I’m not sleeping with you. We need to talk about a lot of things.”

“Where do you want to talk? Paris? Madrid? We can go anywhere.”

Under different circumstances, this offer would be exciting. It would make me smile. But not today.

“Just come here. We need to talk.”