"Well, I won't threaten you, but I will tell you if you don't cooperate and take the help I'm offering, you probably won't live to see your girls start school. And I can't guarantee Edgar will spare their lives either. This isn't a threat, Derrek, this is reality. The choice is up to you."
All three of us were silent for a moment as he contemplated his next move. There was a part of me that hoped he walked away, hoped that Edgar came looking for him and delivered whatever punishment he thought his money was worth. Another part of me, the part that loved Lena and wanted her safe and sound, was silently begging him to trust me, to let me help him, even if he didn't deserve it.
"As much as we all want to be rid of each other, we're basically all in the same boat, and we're all looking for the same resolution: to be done with Edgar forever. And each other." I let my words sink in, my gaze holding steady with his.
Derrek took one more pause then sighed loudly. "What's the plan, then?"
"First," Lena started, and I watched Derrek's expression move from indifference to surprise as he realized she was running the show, "I'm going to need you to sign divorce papers. And those papers officially transfer most of the money you took from our marriage back to me." Derrek moved to argue, his mouth popping open almost instantaneously, but she didn't let him get a word in. "Don't worry, I'm leaving you enough to start a new life with your family, but I'm taking most of it, and I'll pay off your debt to Edgar."
That last bit surprised him, and I could see him mulling it around in his mind, trying to fit the pieces of the puzzle Lena and I had built together.
"Why would I give you all of my money and trust you to pay off Edgar?"
"You won't have any other choice," she replied, her voice cold and flat. Derrek moved from foot to foot, his nerves giving his uneasiness away.
"Why wouldn't I have any other choice?" His voice was low and teetering on the edge of scared and nervous.
"Because, Derrek. You'll be dead."
Chapter Eight
It took Derrek about a minute to think about the deal Lena was offering him, even though she wouldn't elaborate. But after that minute he decided he needed to bring Jessica into the discussion. Lena didn't miss a beat and agreed, which only made me admire her more. The idea that she was willing to have a civil, albeit strange, conversation with her husband's mistress only made my affection for her grow.
Derrek called Jessica and we all agreed to meet at the bar of the hotel after Jessica arranged for childcare for their girls.
Lena and I sat at a table, she with her vodka martini and me with my scotch, and my hand rested firmly on the fleshiest part of her thigh. For just one moment I was irritated by the pants she was wearing, wanting my hand to be on her skin, to feel the heat radiating off her, but my thoughts were cut short by the sight of Derrek and Jessica walking into the bar, hand in hand. I had never met Jessica, but her face gave all her feelings away; she was scared, nervous, and trying like hell to appear the exact opposite. The most prominent thought circulating through my mind was that she couldn't hold a candle to Lena. She was nothing in comparison. I couldn't help but wonder how Derrek could leave someone like Lena behind in favor of Jessica. The quandary was short lived though, because it didn't matter why he'd left Lena. She was mine now. His loss was my ultimate and phenomenal gain.
Lena didn't stand as they approached our table, so I followed her lead and remained seated as well.
"Lena," Jessica said in greeting as she pulled a chair out and took a seat. "I'd say it was nice to see you, but honestly, I'm a little irritated by your appearance in Greece, so I won't insult you by lying."
"Funny. You didn't have a problem lying to my face about sleeping with my husband and ruining my marriage." Lena's verbal jab was sharp and hit its target dead center. I watched as Jessica scrambled for a response, but Lena wasn't waiting for her and just continued on. "I'm not here to fight with you, Jessica. In fact, I'm here for something quite the opposite." She reached down into the bag sitting by her feet and pulled out the manila envelope, sliding it across the table to where Derrek had sat next to Jessica.
"It's simple, Derrek. You sign these papers, we fax them back to the US, to Preston's brother. When the money is transferred and safely received in my account, you'll get the other manila envelope in my bag that guarantees your safety along with the safety of Jessica and your girls."
"What's in the other envelope?" Jessica asked.
"That's not up for discussion," I interjected. We needed to maintain the upper hand and giving them too much information too early wouldn't be wise.
"You expect me to gamble my future on some mystery envelope?" Derrek's voice was growing irritated and angry.
"This isn't a game," Jessica added.
"You're right. This isn't a game. This is life and death, I'm afraid," I said sharply, trying to show them I wasn't trying to play with them at all. "I want out of this mess just as much as you. We've all got something important to us on the line. This isn't a gamble; this is a way out. For all of us."
"I've never given you any reason not to trust me," Lena said, her voice a little softer than before, her eyes focused on Derrek. "I gave you, arguably, the best years of my life. My youth. Possibly my only chance at having a family. But I never lied to you. I'll remind you, you're the one who got us all into this mess. Be a man for once in your life and make the right decision."
Derrek took the envelope, opened it, and his eyes moved over the pages of the document. He flipped through it, taking his time examining the fine print, then put it down on the table, bringing his eyes to Lena's again. "You expect me to give you everything besides two million dollars? You think I'm going to just hand everything I've worked for over to you?"
"The way I see it," I said, slowly turning my glass of scotch in my hand, "your negotiations are with me from here on out. From what Lena's told me, most of your money came from the merge of her father's company with yours. You got most of your wealth directly from your marriage to her. She deserves all your money for what you put her through, so walking away with two million and your lives is more than you deserve."
"How are we supposed to live our lives with only two million dollars?"
"That's not my problem to solve," Lena stated coolly. "However, if you'd prefer to keep all the money you've practically stolen from me, I'm sure it'll come in handy when Edgar comes for you. Although, I'm not sure if he makes the effort to find you he'll let you live."
Jessica looked at Derrek with legitimate fear in her eyes and it occurred to me that perhaps he hadn't been very forthcoming about all his dealings with Edgar. I watched as she mentally put two and two together, watched as she considered what Lena had said, and saw the moment she realized the lives of her children were more important than money.
"Sign the papers, Derrek," Jessica said, her words harsh and angry. He sighed loudly, but then pulled a pen from his jacket and signed the documents, and slid them across the table to me. I felt Lena relax against me just a little when the papers were in my hands and I could only imagine the relief she was feeling at that moment. For once, she'd won a battle against him. For once, she was going to get what she deserved, something that was taken from her. If I hadn't been sitting across the table from her now ex-husband, I would have turned and kissed her gently, showed her exactly how much I understood what those papers meant to her.
I pushed the papers in front of her, and handed her my own pen. She took it from me, smiling, and signed her name next to Derrek's for the very last time without hesitation. I put the papers back in the envelope, making sure the clasp was shut, and looked to Derrek.
"I am going to fax these to our lawyer, and once everything is finalized I will be in touch. Do not leave Athens. If you leave without seeing this plan through, Edgar will find you and there won't be anything for me to do to save you or your family." My eyes darted to Jessica and I saw the fear in her eyes as she nodded slightly. She understood the severity of the situation.
"You want us to just sit around waiting for you?" Derrek asked, sounding annoyed.
"I'll remind you that I'm the one with the plan. If you follow my instructions everything will be fine. You have my word."
"Your word means shit to me." Derrek's voice was angry now, and a red flush was moving over his face. He was coming to terms with the fact that I'd outsmarted him, that I'd accomplished the exact opposite of what he'd originally hired me to do. I'd ruined him. Or so he thought.
"How you proceed is entirely up to you, but I can assure you that trusting me is your best bet. I won't try to convince you. I've told you everything I am willing to share; the choice is up to you. Regardless, I'll contact you when it's time for the next move." I took a cell phone out of the bag. A burner phone. Some cheap piece of crap that I knew couldn't be traced. I slid it across the table to him. "Until then," I said as I stood from the table and pulled out Lena's chair. I took her hand gently and led her out of the restaurant, noticing that she never once turned her head to look back at what she was leaving behind.