𝔇𝔞𝔴𝔫 𝔱𝔬 𝔇𝔲𝔰𝔨 (The Legacy Duet - 2)

Litigiosus

"No, you'll coerce me."

"Semantics," God he really was an asshole. I was still spluttering my dissent when he continued."Whatever you want. It doesn't have to be money. What do you want?" I'd never before considered the term 'puppet master' as applicable to anyone I knew. No more. This man was a total control freak. A crying shame he was so damned desirable though.

"I don't want anything," I imagined the tick in his jaw at my words, the irritation in his eyes. I hated how I could so easily visualize the man who was cruel to me and the little nuances that had trapped themselves in the recesses of my brain."Read the room."

"You considered the offer. Where did I fall through?"

"Don't you have something else to do?"

"See how important this is?"

"You were the one who called."

"For damn good reason. Do I need to help you understand your job description Ms. Mansoor? Stop being evasive. Why did you step back?" it wasn't a request, and his order made me squirm inside my skin

"Please help me find the clause where it says I have to put up with the boss's assholery twenty-four seven."

"I believe that falls under clause three."

"You're-"

"Waiting for your answer," he drawled. "Ms. Mansoor we can do this all night. If you hang up I'll just call you again. You fail to pick up or turn your phone off, I will show up to your house. So the sooner you act like an adult, the sooner we can resolve this."

Damn him and his threats. I didn't want to act like an adult. I was done being the responsible one and thinking about everyone.

"There's nothing to resolve," I rasped.

His voice softened marginally, picking up on my mood."I've known you for two months, I've compromised on my position for you, the least you can do is give me an honest answer."

"You'll destroy my family," I replied, unsure of what else to say. The softer voice of Taimoor was scary. Uncharted territory. Disarming. He was at war with me and my family, but this felt like an overture toward a truce.

"You're worried about them?"

"Yes, you'll use me to influence my father and his business and I don't like that," I felt like I'd been injected with truth serum—or whatever that stuff was where I felt compelled to answer him. "Hello?" I asked when the silence became too much.

"I'm here. What if I let you run your father's business? Started the transition and gave it to you at the halfway mark? Will that ease your doubts?"

"That would only ensure my loyalty to you. It doesn't guarantee his safety."

"You're still defending him?"

My voice came out small. "He's my father."

"Interesting," his voice was entirely without inflection. "Very well, your family will be safe from me-"

"No throwing anyone in jail."

"No one will be thrown in jail. Is that all?"

"Will you still pay the debt?"

"Every single penny."

"The stuff from the contract? The stock options?"

"All yours."

"None of this is worth anything to you, right? This is just a single drop in that ocean of yours?" thankfully, he chose not to answer that. "As long as your earlier offer stands, the part where you take back the case, don't threaten my family, give me the business and pay off our debts and that I walk away in September, I agree to your proposal."