Chapter 4 #2
I sighed because that was the part I hated once news started getting around, everybody suddenly became detectives and had theories and rumors and nine out of ten the shit they came up with was bullshit.
“I’m heading over there when I leave here.” I informed.
“Wait, so you finishing the showing first?”
A low grin spread across my face. “You asking me if I’m about to leave money sitting on the table?”
He chuckled again. “Nah.”
“Exactly.” I told him before ending the call.
I stood outside for a second with my phone still in my hand, looking toward the street.
Marvelous getting shot wasn’t nothing I could fix from the driveway of a Coral Gables listing, and if he was already in surgery, then the doctors were either handling it or they weren’t.
Me running through Jackson acting crazy wasn’t gone make them move no faster, and it damn sure wasn’t gone tell me who shot him.
The only thing I could do right now was finish what I came here to do, get the offer locked in, and then go see what kind of bullshit Marv was dragging to everybody’s front door this time.
I slid my phone into my pocket and walked back toward the house cause that thing about having money and problems was both of them required composure.
You couldn’t let every bad phone call have you moving like you forgot who you were.
By the time I stepped back inside, Monica was still upstairs in the primary suite, standing near the windows with her arms folded and her thick hip leaning against the wall like she was ready for me.
She wasn’t looking at the pool anymore though; her ass was looking right at me.
“You okay?” she asked allowing her eyes to scan over my face like she was trying to read what I wasn’t saying.
“I’m good,” I told her, coming back into the room and stopping beside the doorway. “You still buying this house or you just up here enjoying the view?”
Monica smiled once again just like she had been doing since we got here, but she didn’t move from the window. “You leave in the middle of my showing, come back with that serious face, and the first thing you ask me is am I still buying the house?”
I glanced around the suite before looking back at her. “You already told me you loved it before I walked out.”
“That don’t mean I was ready to write an offer.” She said in a playful sarcastic tone.
“It does when you say it like that.”
She shook her head. “You are so damn arrogant.”
“Accurate,” I corrected her, pulling my phone back out. “It’s a difference.”
Monica rolled her eyes, but that smile stayed on her face though. She pushed herself off the wall and walked farther into the room with her heels clicking against the floor while she looked around again. “I hate that you be right. That’s really the annoying part.”
“Most people hate that.”
“Most people probably hate a lot of things about you.”
“They still call me when they ready to buy… like you.”
She pointed at me with a laugh. “See? That’s the shit right there that I’m talking about.”
I smirked and sent a text to my assistant while still talking to her. “You making an offer, Ms. Monroe?”
She took one more look toward the windows, then around the room like she was trying to pretend she still needed to think about it knowing damn well she wanted it, especially since it was coming from me.
I let her have the moment though because I understood buying a house like this wasn’t just about money, it was also about ego, and comfort while giving you that perfect vision.
“Yes,” she finally said. “I want it.”
I nodded and started typing. “Good.”
She looked me up and down with lust in her eyes. “Sooo, that’s it? Just good?”
“What you want me to do, jump up and down?”
“I mean, most realtors get excited when somebody says they want a two-million-dollar house.”
“Yeah, well I’ll get excited when it closes.”
Monica furrowed her brows. “You always been like that, just nonchalant as hell even back then, you didn’t celebrate nothing until the money was in your hand.”
I looked up from my phone. “That’s because people had a good talk game when they wanted something, but money tells the truth.”
The look in her eyes changed and for a second and the banker standing in front of me disappeared and I saw the girl from back in the day, just regular Monica from the block who used to pull up with gloss on her lips looking for trouble while talking slick like she wasn’t already planning to end up in my bed before the night was over.
She had cleaned up nice; I’d give her that.
“I guess that means I should be offended,” she said.
“No, you should be ready to sign.”
She walked over and stood close enough until her perfume filled my nostrils. “You don’t ever get tired of acting like business is all you care about?”
I finished sending the text before putting my phone back into my pocket. “Around you? No, not at all.”
She slowly licked her lips but then parted her mouth like something slick was coming, almost like she wanted to be offended, but the smile gave her away. “You know what? I should’ve picked another realtor.”
“You should’ve,” I agreed. “But then you would’ve overpaid for a house you didn’t love.”
“And you care so much about what I love?”
“I care about you not wasting my time.”
Monica stared at me for a brief second and then laughed under her breath. “Damn shame, still mean as hell.”
“And you still dramatic as hell.”
She shook her head and looked away, but she was still smiling when she did it. “Send the offer to the sellers realtor.”
“I already did.” I informed her. See Monica was blowing me up for personal time and when she couldn’t get that, she went a different route, one that she knew would get my attention when business was involved.
Although she was sexy and all that, I wasn’t trying to slide back through no females I already had because the dude I was back then, ain’t the same man I am now and if I remembered right, she was possessive as hell.
She wasn’t even my girl and was fighting and busting windows of every female I was dealing with back then so hell no; I couldn’t deal with Monica. I liked to run a tight ship over here.
Her eyes shot back to mine. “That fast?”
“You said yes, that’s all I needed to hear.”
“I could’ve changed my mind.”
I glared in her eyes. “You won’t.”
She folded her arms across her breast studying me like she was trying to decide if she wanted to cuss me out or flirt some more. “You’re still the same Lev, just with a suit on.”
I slid my keys from my pocket and looked toward the hallway. “Yeah, only to people who forget what I am.”
“See? There foes that arrogance again.” She laughed pointing her finger. “You always gotta have the last word.”
“I usually do.”
“Just cocky.”
“I’m successful.” I winked.
She rolled her eyes and I ignored it and looked down at my phone as my assistant’s response came through. Everything she needed for the offer was already ready. I shot back a quick reply then confirmed a few details.
“I need you to do better.” Monica said.
“What?”
“You just sold a two-million-dollar house and acted like somebody ordered a damn sandwich from Robby’s corner store.”
I laughed this time cause we had some memories at Robby’s. “The house isn’t sold yet Ms. Monroe. The paperwork isn’t signed either and because of that the money ain’t moved so ask me how excited I am after closing.”
Monica adjusted the strap on her purse. “Well, congratulations anyway.”
“I’ll take it after underwriting.”
She chuckled. “Such an asshole.”
“Yet here you are with me.” I grinned. “Have a good day, Monica.”
“You too, Lev.”
I headed toward the front door before she could start another conversation and when I stepped outside; the smile disappeared from my face, and it was a good day because business was handled and the offer was in motion.
My client was happy and now it was time to figure out why my cousin was laid up at Jackson Memorial fighting for his life.
A few minutes later, I pulled out of Coral Gables and headed toward the hospital.