Cody was frustrated. Regan had been in Dustin's office for over an hour now giving a status update on the manor. She had been unusually quiet since she returned home two nights ago. She hadn't even sat up with him and watched Arrow like they usually do on Wednesdays. He hated being left in the dark. Especially when it came to business. He was an equal partner and he deserved to know everything that was going on.

Yet Dustin had always acted as though he was CEO and Cody and Regan were his assistant underlings. Okay, that wasn't fair. He treated them okay, but it was true that he thought he owned and operated business alone most of the time. It was only when it was convenient for him that he acknowledged that it was a joint effort from all three of them that had made American Dream excel beyond even their expectations.

Cody was squeezing his stress ball staring daggers at Dustin's door when a tall man suddenly appeared in his line of sight. He wasn't expecting any clients today and if Regan had an appointment she must have forgotten. With the assistants gone for the day, Cody was relegated to assist the man.

"May I help you, sir?"

The man circled around quickly. He was definitely well-bred, upper-class. You could practically smell the money on him. Cody wanted to rub his hands together gleefully but he was pretty sure that would not look professional at all.

"I would like to speak to Regan Runnels at once. It's of dire importance."

Without asking, Cody knew this must be the owner of mystery manor, as he referred to it. Okay, so its official title was Rhodes Manor, but that was such a lame name. Walking back into his office, he buzzed Dustin. Cody could hear the irritation in Dustin's voice when he answered.

"Yes, Cody?"

"There's a gentleman here looking for Regan. I'm pretty sure it's the gentleman who owns Rhodes Manor."

"She'll be out at once. Please let Mr. Sandow into Regan's office and get him any refreshments he desires."

Cody stared at the intercom. He'd help the gentleman because he was a professional dammit, but he was going to speak to Dustin about his high horse attitude before he left today. Otherwise this would not be a trio anymore. He would not tolerate being treated like the hired help around here. He put the same amount of money down to start this business as Dustin and Regan.

"If you'll follow me, Mr. Sandow. Regan is in a conference right now with our older brother, Dustin. She'll be just a moment. May I offer you some refreshments while you wait?"

After he settled himself into the chair across from Ms. Runnel's desk, he answered the young man in front of him. How strange that they would hire their sibling to be their assistant.

"I would like a cup of tea. Milk and honey please, no sugar, no lemon."

Cody felt like bending at the waist before he left. The man sure had regal written all over him. Once he returned with the requested beverage, Cody walked back to his office and closed his door. He needed to finish browsing the bids submitted from contractors for several properties they wanted to renovate.

Regan stood off to the side. Breathing in and out before she walked into her office. Mr. Sandow had promised to deliver his answer on the bid she had submitted. It was the first step of their negotiations and she prayed that it would be a long process. She had admitted to herself the past couple of days that she was looking forward to working with Damien… um Mr. Sandow.

Their previous meeting still played in her mind. The way his hand had engulfed hers. The polite way he stepped to the side when she would exit a room. It was bred into him to be a gentleman. She could understand how ladies in the medieval times had fallen for the chivalrous knight.

Smoothing her giddy smile off her face she walked into her office. Her business default as Cody called it on her face. Polite but not overly warm. He was on her turf now and she had the upper hand still.

Damien waited until she was seated behind her desk before he sat down. He poured more tea into his cup, adding the milk and honey, and then waited a moment longer. Their eyes meeting and holding. He felt a surge through his body. Her bold blue eyes held him captivated. The intriguing innocence he could read in them. Yet he also saw a power that most women could only hope to have.

She truly held him over a barrel. The debt was growing more substantial by the day. If he hoped to settle the bills with even a penny to his name, he needed to sell soon. Yet she had purposely lowballed her offer. Not quite unexpected, but it was tedious. He might enjoy the game if it was not so imperative that they end it immediately.

"Ms. Runnels, I can see from the various diplomas that grace your walls that you are an educated woman. I have also researched you and found that your brothers and you are highly successful. So I cannot help but wonder if it was merely a mistake, perhaps you misread your notes and wrote down a figure erroneously, the insulting offer that you submitted?"

Regan felt her lips lift in a small smile. So the game begins then Damien.

"Mr. Sandow, the offer I submitted is very reasonable. Given the economy of the area, the age of the home, and the lack of upkeep in certain areas, it seemed a quite decent offer in my opinion."

Damien was outraged. The lack of upkeep in certain areas. The reason he was in such dire straits was because he grandmother was so insistent on every two years updating the house. As he was about to make a retort, he recalled the last room he had shown her. True that room was a disaster. Yet somehow he knew that this was indeed the area that lacked upkeep.

"I can see that you wish to prolong this process. I however, do not have the slightest inclination to be jerked around by the tail. You will submit your final, and I do mean final, bid by 7 o'clock this evening or I will assume that you are no longer interested in Rhodes Manor. Should your bid not be satisfactory, I will ask that you please accept my answer and not bother me anymore with your childish antics at business."

Regan was stunned by Damien's demand. But when she heard him say childish, she went straight to furious. Her cheeks heated up, her nostrils flared, and her eyes shot out lasers.

"Mr. Sandow, I will remind you that I am an educated woman who is more than proficient in business. If you feel you have been led astray during our dealings, I will be more than happy to introduce you to my oldest brother Dustin. I am sure the two of you will be able to come to a satisfactory agreement. However, if that does not meet with your approval, then I must say I am sorry but American Dream will no longer be interested in purchasing your estate. Thank you and good day."

With that final cutting reply, Regan waltzed out of her office and down the hall to Dustin's office. She gave him a brief update and then walked straight out of the offices to the private elevator. She was boiling with rage. She had never been spoken to like that before and she would not allow anyone to speak to her like that again. Childish antics. The offer, though admittedly low, had still been a completely acceptable offer. Who else would dare call $2.75 million childish antics?

Damien felt his knees give out. He couldn't believe what had just happened. He had hoped to intimidate Ms. Runnels enough that she would end his misery and submit her real bid. But he got carried away and somehow he had offended and angered her to the point the she was no longer willing to do business with him.

Now he was still over the barrel, but the ground underneath him was caving in. He drank the rest of his tea, straightened his tie, and then headed to the entrance. He would wait until in the morning to speak to her brother. He just hoped that he had not damaged his cause. He needed at least $4 million to settle all the debts he inherited. He had hoped the final offer would be at least $5 million so he could have a little money in his accounts. He had saved up plenty of money but dealing with this cursed estate had drained his savings and checking accounts.

Dustin sat in his office. He was fuming. His sister had just walked in, told him if he wanted this damn house so bad, he could deal with Sandow. He wasn't sure what Mr. Sandow had done to his sister, but he was going to settle their business like a professional. Then he would beat the shit out of him like a big brother.

Regan was so glad that she had an apartment in town. Close enough that she could hail a taxi and hold back the tears until she was locked in her apartment. The sheer gall of that man. She could just hit him. She wanted to scream but that was bound to raise a few eyebrows on the elevator. So with the skills she perfected in college, she continued to smile on the outside while she fell apart on the inside.

As Damien reached the bank of elevators, he felt a strong, powerful hand land on his shoulder. The grip tightened until Damien wanted to bend to its will. Yet Damien Aaron Sandow bowed to no man. So he straightened to his full height and stared into the eyes of the avenging brother.

"Mr. Sandow. I don't believe we've had the pleasure of meeting each other yet. I'm Dustin Runnels. Please won't you come to my office and perhaps we can discuss business."

Damien knew that he was not going to like whatever Dustin had to offer him. However, he would not tuck tail and run. He was made of sterner stuff than that. So he allowed Dustin to escort him into his office.

"I pulled Regan's file on your property. It looks like she submitted a justifiable offer of $2.5 million for the entire estate. Yet you seem to find that offer… lacking."

"Mr. Runnels, I refuse to accept that my family home is only worthy of a paltry sum of $2.5 million."

"Mr. Sandow, there are not many people in this world, but especially in Louisville, that would consider 2.5 million dollars a paltry sum. I know this is highly irregular. But I'm willing to allow you to give me a figure and if I find it to be agreeable, I will draw up a contract."

Damien considered for a moment. He could possibly be set for life if he played this game right.

"$4.5 million. I still feel that that is a bargain."

Dustin silently stared across the desk, never blinking an eye, never breaking contact. Damien wasn't even positive the man was breathing. They stared at one another for five minutes. Until finally, Dustin reached across the desk, offering his hand.

"Mr. Sandow, I will contact my lawyer and have him draft a contract. However, my only condition is that if we pay $4.5 million, we get to keep the furniture, all of it. You may take your grandmother's personal effects, but all furnishings must remain."

Damien felt giddy. He was receiving more than he had expected and he wouldn't have to deal with an auction to sell the furniture.

"Mr. Runnels, for an extra $500,000 Ms. Runnels can keep any personal effects she would like, except for those in my grandfather's study. Those are off limits."

Dustin was ready to settle this nuisance once and for all, so he added the amendment to their contract.

"I will have my lawyer messenger these papers to you once they are ready to be looked over and signed. Now if you will excuse me, I really must be on my way."

Feeling duly chastised Damien left. On the drive back home, he kept seeing the look on Regan's face before she stormed out of her office. The look of devastation mixed with unmeasurable rage. He knew without a doubt that that look would haunt him today as would the words he had so carelessly said to her.

Back at her apartment, Regan poured her heart out to her best friend Eden. They had been friends since her freshman year of college. Eden was like a sister to her and since her engagement to Cody, that bond was stronger than ever.

"What a pompous dick. He really told you that you were being childish? Ugh, I wish I could go punch him in his blue blood nose."

Regan chuckled as she wiped the tears from her eyes. Granted she was devastated by his words, but she was disappointed in herself more. No matter how horrible clients may have treated her in the past, she had never handed over a project to either of her brothers. She was a professional dammit.

She wanted to lay the blame for that at Damien's feet as well. He had tarnished her reputation as the closer in the office. But honestly, it was her own fault. She had allowed some tiny twinge in her heart, or loins if she was being honest with herself, to compromise her. She knew you never mixed business with pleasure. It never ended well.

"I'm taking the project back."

Eden smiled at Regan. She knew Regan would never settle for defeat of any kind. She was too headstrong and driven to allow her pet project to fall into anyone else's hands, no matter how competent those hands may be.

"Dustin told me he agreed to sell it, fully furnished with a few conditions, for $5 million. So now it's just paperwork and the closing. Then that bastard will be out of my hair, and life, for good."

Eden felt like Regan was going to eat those words. Nothing was ever that easy. Especially when it was this big of a project.