But she was gone. She couldn’t have gone far, so I figured she was hiding until her ride came. Tear streaked and alone.

I was no better for her than my twin. I didn’t just make her cry, I scared her. All because I was too much in my own head.

My office door opened and Debbie waltzed in, avoiding eye contact. My assistant had a peculiarly special talent for knowing when I was in one of my moods. She’d purposely walk in like everything was fine but wouldn’t look me in the eye. I didn’t blame her. Though she knew better than others, my glare was stronger than my bite.

“Mr. Hartman, some papers here for you to sign when you’ve got a few minutes.” Debbie, with her slender frame, dark rimmed glasses and reserved attitude, placed them on my desk. “Also, Mr. Jones from Rickley’s Capital is here for your four o’clock.”

“He’s seven minutes late. Reschedule.” I rubbed my temples and pulled out my chair to go through the stack she’d laid out for me.

“He’s already been rescheduled twice and—”

“Then maybe he should be here on time,” I snapped.

Debbie’s mouth parted and she blinked away.

My teeth clenched and I rolled my eyes. “I apologize. Please tell him to wait outside while I finish this up.”

“It’s…I’d rather if…well last time he got very upset and…”

“Jesus, just send him in.”

She nodded once and muttered a thank you before rushing out.

I shook my head at myself. That woman needed a raise. I’d been giving her one on nearly a quarterly basis for the past year, since the year before, I’d gone through assistants like paper towels. Debbie was the first one with any competence—and patience.

“August,” Eddie walked in. “You running a business here or just dissing clients.”

“You’re not my client,” I reminded him, signing the first set on the stack.

“I should be. Jason’s not right for my firm. He doesn’t negotiate the way you can. He takes the second deal, if not the first.”

It was true. I lived by a nothing to lose strategy. You believe you don’t need their business and they will too. It’s the only way they put out their best offer. I was the best asset manager in the industry. Squarely due to my ability to show lack of interest.

“I’m busy.”

“I’ll double the commission.”

I placed my pen down and leaned back in my chair, staring at him. “Is this supposed to be an offer I can’t refuse?”

“By the looks of it.” He smirked.