Master of his heart (Brielle and Max)

Thanks to Tiffanie’s educational talk, she knew Dustin was cozily in bed with royalty, so to speak. If there were any governmental moves afoot, Dustin would surely be in the know.

“Mason, wait for my word.”

Mason trusted Brielle wholeheartedly, so he agreed without hesitation. Published by Nôv'elD/rama.Org.

Brielle took a deep breath, dug out Dustin’s number, and dialed. The urgency in Mason’s voice was palpable; the deal concerning that plot of land was reaching a critical juncture. She had to get in touch with Dustin as soon as possible.

There’s no answer.

Brielle tried a second time. Still no answer.

Rubbing her temples, she pondered for a moment before dialing one last time. Dustin’s slightly husky voice came through, “If you’re not calling about something serious, then next time I’m in Beaconsfield, I might just have to shanghai you into servitude as penance.”

At the sound of his voice, Brielle knew exactly what Dustin had been up to. It was nighttime over there, and she realized with a start that she had interrupted his intimate moment, coughing awkwardly.

Dustin haphazardly tied a belt around his waist, his bare chest marked with nail prints. “Regretting your life choices? Want me to whisk you away overseas?” He had offered her this chance for regret when he left his number the last time they met in prison.

“Mr. Lynch, I need to ask a favor of you.”

Dustin chuckled, signaling for the lady in his bed to make herself scarce; the night’s mood had clearly taken a turn. “Brielle, you’re not even blushing when you say that? No sweetener, just straight to business with me? You should ask around. A long queue of folks are dying for my help.”

“Absolutely, I know Mr. Lynch. You’re quite the miracle worker, and mere mortals wouldn’t dare to bother you.”

Somehow, Dustin found this flattery incredibly satisfying. “What do you need?”

up

“The Rowland family’s recent land interest–Is the government really planning to pump up local economy there over the next five years?”

the

The location of that plot of land popped into Dustin’s mind, and he let out a soft laugh. “You’re crafty, coming to me.”

“Mr. Lynch, they say you’re tight with the royal bunch, and even turned down a title once. That’s quite the noble stance. I figured this small matter would certainly be clear to you, right?”

No matter where a person stood, they couldn’t escape the lure of flattery, unless they’d taken

vows of asceticism.

Dustin was actually hard to be buttered up, considering Infinity Brilliance’s development was pretty much the heartbeat of the nation’s economy. Anyone meeting him was all too eager to get on his good side. But the adulation he received was too crude–mountains of gold, silver, and blond bombshells, all too tacky.

Brielle’s flattery, on the other hand, was classy. He wouldn’t admit to a hint of double standards, but somehow, tonight, Brielle’s words seemed as sweet as honey.

“That piece of land locates by the lake. The government’s been trying to auction it off for a decade. The starting bid is a billion. After several failed attempts, if it bombs again, it’s going to rot in their portfolio. You know we’ve got tycoons at the helm here; they need the dough to stand up to the people. So, to line their pockets, they’re spinning this yarn about boosting the economy there in five years. In reality, the development’s happening in a different district. The auction’s going to be an inside job. If you’re keen, I can snag you an exclusive bid ticket.”

This favor was monumental, involving a transaction in the billions. Brielle didn’t dare accept it. She just wanted the Rowland family to take the hit on their investment, losing a hefty sum.

“Mr. Lynch, thanks for the intel. But I’ll pass on the location of that other plot; I don’t have the appetite for it.”

After a few more well–placed compliments, Brielle hung up the phone, relayed the information to Mason, and instructed him to feign interest in that doomed plot, to maliciously hike up the Rowland family’s bid, and to spread rumors that the government was dead–set on developing the economy there.

Mason responded with a string of praying emojis, a symbolic vigil for the impending misfortune of the Rowland family.