The Bargainer Novels & Stories

I deadpanned. His face sparked up like an inferno but before he could speak, I added, “Bring it back, Morrison Brewery," I pleaded in a low brittle voice. He took a double look at me and my heart raced faster. I knew I had taken it too far and I hoped he didn't take it as an offence- I had never pleaded for anything. “This is business. You have to bargain. Don't think I will throw money at a failed legacy because a girl in torn jeans marched in here and asked nicely.”

“When I have my daughter.” “She’s not a possession,” I snapped. “To me, she is.” I felt the heat rise in my chest. Marco shifted beside me, waiting for my signal. I didn’t give it yet. “You think this ends clean?” I asked. Rivera tilted his head. “You brought guns to a negotiation. You tell me.” We stood there, the sea lapping quietly behind us. The plan was supposed to be simple. We were to surround him, take Alessia, leave him to me.

At first, it was quiet enough to be almost sleepy, but as the hour aged, vendors unrolled tarp roofs and the buyer’s din ratcheted up, a stew of bargaining voices and the yapping of dogs. Xander walked with his hand open, loose at his thigh. Carolina shadowed him, scanning high and low. They sidestepped a fistfight at the bread stand, dodged a shakedown near the oil drums. When they finally spotted the trader, he was exactly where Morgan had said—by the loading bay with two goons and a green plastic crate. The negotiation was fast, ugly, and just loud enough to catch the wrong ears. Carolina was halfway through counting the vials when the man behind the goons smiled too wide, and Xander’s fi

'' The room grew quiet and from the corner of my eyes, I saw Dominic raise his brows. I tilted my head slightly. ''Your own terms?'' ''Yes.'' She sated simply. She reached into the bag without hesitation, drew out a piece of paper and leaned forward, pushing it to the edge of my desk. ''Á marriage contract.'' She said. ''With my rules. I refuse to become a bargain for a debt. If you agree to the terms, I stay for eight months and pay up every single coin he owed you and if you refuse..'' she paused, looking into my eyes more intently.

I was excited that I had finally cracked his arrogant façade. --- In the days that followed, our negotiations were intense. Anderson’s demands were steep, but I matched his dominance, showing him that I was no pushover. By the final day, the contract was nearly ready. But just as we prepared to sign, an unexpected complication arose—one that caused Anderson to abruptly withdraw from our agreement, piling on outrageous demands that had never been part of our discussions. The negotiations ended in an explosive argument, leaving me furious.

"What are you looking at?" The businessman quickly straightened up, looking surprised to see a girl standing there. Liam gave the man a quick, stern look, silently telling him to be quiet. Cass stepped out, her face hot from being caught spying, but she refused to back down. "Hey, who is that? Why does he treat you like you are his boss? And why did he call you 'Sir'?" Liam’s serious expression vanished in a flash, replaced by his usual lazy smile. He looked at her completely unbothered. "Huh? Don't you know? I am the king of the beggars. He's just one of my followers."

the one" just walk down the aisle towards some other man and not you, are you?" I thought about it, "no," I shook my head, "no, I won't," I chuckled, looking at Stanley as he held a big grin on his face, "the game isn't over yet-" "It hasn't even begun, if you ask me," Stanley shrugged as he walked towards me and tossed a cigarette my way, "it only begins the second you walk out of here, and you think of what you're going to do, to make sure that Zara Johnson is yours," Stanley completed as he held up a lighter to my cigarette that I had placed in between my lips.

The man seemed serious this time. Adriana gasped loudly… "My kids? Where are they?" She asked with an angered tone. The man on the other side kept laughing… "Tell me where are my kids?" "I will tell you the address and all you have to do is to come to the address, alone to meet me and take back your kids." The man stated. "This isn't that easy… What do you want?" Adriana knew that the man wasn't playing and he wouldn't leave her kids without bargaining anything.