asharpertongue | Everyone has a price... (For Les)

Picking up the phone on the second ring, Les places it between his cheek and shoulder as he's directly in the middle of experimenting with a protection spell from the spellbook he got from Nerium. He wasn't having much luck though. He's surprised to hear Lara's voice on the other end since it's pretty late, and they usually call it quits in the evening.

"Boss," he says, with a smile, still stirring the gray foul-smelling mixture. "Depends on what I'm not busy for?"

She smiled. Les was proving to be a good investment.

"How do you feel like dressing up and getting one over on the asshole selling Corry's theatre?"

Corry's name brings him to a halt. He remembered back to the look on her face when they'd broken into the rundown theatre the other night. He knew how badly she wanted this deal to be done, wanted the Waterhouse for her own. "Hmm. Looks like you just said the magic word," he says, dumping the pot in the kitchen sink. "So you gonna pick me up in that fancy car of yours?" He pulls over his shirt dumping it on the floor as he goes.

Lara grinned. "I'm sending Michael over to get you. Roman is coming here in an hour."

He arrives at Watersong nearly forty-five minutes later, dressed in one of the suits Lara had bought him. Nodding at Michael in thanks for the ride, he exits the car, entering through the back entrance, where Lara's office was. He isn't sure what use he's going to be as Lara is skilled at negotiations, but if she needs him to stand in the corner and look pretty, he's more than willing for Corry.

He enters Lara's office, still stuffing his dress shirt into his pants. "Your meatsuit has arrived, Ms. Quinn," he says.

Lara smiled when he rushes in and looks him over. He looks great - just what they needed.

"Great. You look the part." She fussed with his shirt a bit, opening the collar a little wider. When Les looked questioningly at her she shrugged. "I don't know if his tastes run your way but it can't hurt."

"I look the part? Are you telling me I look like a rent boy?" He asks, running a hand through his hair, fluffing it into something resembling decent. "Because I'm okay with that. Surprisingly. If this guy's good looking, this may make for a fun evening..."

He is joking of course. "What exactly is the problem here that you needed me?"

"Sweetheart, if I wanted a rent boy I have a dozen on staff ready and willing." She prodded Les in the stomach and walked around the desk to grab a file.

Handing it to him she looked at him seriously. "I need you to try and memorise as much information about the Waterhouse as possible. This asshole has a problem negotiating with women and I need you to look and sound like you're with me as partner on the project."

He takes the file as he seats himself in the chair opposite her desk. He didn't realize he was here to actually be involve din the negotiations. He flips open the file to the pages inside, glancing through the information Lara's provided him, with a sharp eye. "I thought I was just here to be eye candy," he says.

"You think I've been having you sit in on all my meetings for your looks?" She eyed him. "You're pretty but you're not that pretty." She smiled at him. "You've got a good head for business. I trust you say the right things if he addresses you instead of me, which he will."

He shrugs because, yes he thought he was just sitting in on all her meetings because she thought he made a nice paperweight. He mostly just opened doors and smiled at the women when their husbands brought them along, flirted a bit with the drivers who drove the rich business people. Nothing too complicated even for him. He figured that's what she wanted.

"You flatter me, boss," he says, laughing, but he continues reading through the notes she gave him.

Edited 2014-06-08 22:04 (UTC)

"Don't let it go to your head. I need you sharp. He's pressing to retain partial ownership but Corry needs it all to get the business licence." She crossed her arms. "I'm pretty sure he's doing it cos he just thinks I'm some kind of insult to his dignity but I can handle that if he just sells."

She smiled at him and relaxed. "You'll do fine."

"Couldn't I just threaten him a little then?" Les offers with a smirk. "Until he gives?" Most of these business guys gave Lara her due, but there were always a few who thought they could get one over on her. She was usually up to the task of handling things herself, so maybe this just showed how delicate the proceedings were and how much Lara wanted to get the deal done for Corry properly.

Lara gave him a sympathetic look. "Les, you're many things. Threatening is not one of them." She winked at him and set out some water and whiskey on the low table between the plush leather seats she uses when she has people into her office and wants them all on equal footing. "Besides if I wanted to threaten him..." She smiled at him, revealing pointed teeth and gold eyes. She blinked and they were gone. "I want this to be all above board for Corry. She doesn't need any more scandal."

"Hey I can be threatening. I make fire. Come on." He places the folder back closed and leans back in his chair, watching as she prepares for their business arrival. Whiskey always made them feel special, he guesses. He looks down, nodding, understanding that Corry couldn't be involved in anything more scandalous that she already had been lately. "I get it. I know how badly she wants this so. Everything on the up and up," he says, agreeing with a nod.

Thank god for Les. He made everything a hundred times easier. She sighed, relieved he was on the same page as her.

"Thanks. So just...take my lead." She said just as there was a knock on the door and Michael poked his head in.

"Mister Parks here for you, Miss Quinn." He said, scowl firmly in place. That wasn't the best sign.

Lara nodded. "Show hi-..." She didn't get to finish the thought when the man himself bustled in, pushing past Michael who closed the door behind him with a look of murder.

"Mister Parks. A pleasure to see you again." She said politely. "Have a seat. Can I get you a drink? I have a 24 year old Glenmorange."

The man sniffed but nodded. Lara poured a glass and put it in the mans hand before sitting back. "This is my associate, Mister Parker. He'll be joining us today as he has an interest."

"Mr. Park." Les gestures towards the leather chair when the man--an older man with a balding head and round body--enters the room. Eyeing Lara for a brief moment before taking his seat on the leather armchair beside him, he takes one of the glasses Lara has offered, handing one to the man casually as he picks up his own, wondering why business people had to be such douche bags. As he drinks from his glass, he eyes the man closely, reading his body language, and the soured look on his face. He clearly wanted nothing to do with Lara. She hadn't been exaggerating.

He makes a face, raising an eyebrow at Lara, with a soft smile. This might be a little fun. "I don't want to waste any of your time today, sir. Ms. Quinn and I have put together a very solid offer on the Waterhouse."

The man is focusing all his attention on Les now and he smiles, a condescending look and Lara knows he's already underestimating Les before he even opens his mouth.

The man smacks his lips after a guzzle of whiskey. "I'm afraid my position won't be shifted without significant concession on the part of Ms Quinn and yourself. Perhaps you'll be more amenable to raising your offering."

Les finishes his whiskey off the same as Mr. Park, finding the need to match his challenge, as the man appears to have a macho thing going on, which whatever. His ego isn't harmed. He places down the glass and smiles calmly, but viciously if one were to really understand how Les plays games. He is calculating this man up and down, following his actions, judging his clothes, attempting to read him, because Les thinks he's smarter than most people. He may not always be, but he definitely thinks he is.

"Let's just take a look at this deal again. Shall we?" Les offers his hand out to Lara for the paperwork she's drawn up. "See if it looks better today? What can that hurt?"

Lara hands over the folder and covers a smirk. She's pretty damn proud of Les right now, matching the guys bullshit bravado with his own and not being intimidated.

Les hands the folder to Park and the man flicks through it absently. He clearly doesn't think Les is capable of putting together anything competent.

"So does this contain my right to maintain access and have a say in what performances are put on?"

"Mr. Park, that's. Wow. Considering the state of the property Lara and I didn't realize you still even shared access," he says, feigning an innocent look of dismay. "We took a tour of the property last week and saw the building code violations ourselves. Not to mention a rodent infestation. It's just lucky the city inspector hasn't gone snooping."

He wasn't lying. He just wasn't saying that Corry and he, they actually broken into the Waterhouse. He gives the presentation folder a tap, with a grin. "If it wasn't for our client's emotional interest, we would've withdrawn the deal as soon as we got a look at that roof damage." He shrugs. "But this client is admant, and we're offering more than we should already. So I wouldn't count on production input."

On the surface Park looked placid but Lara could tell he was seething quietly. She doubted he'd looked at the property in a decade do Les detailing the problems probably was a shock to him. Something inside did a little fist pump.

Park took the folder and began looking through the more detailed parts of the surveys. "It says here that if I retain partial ownership then i'll be responsible for the cost of repair. Unacceptable."

Unacceptable. He holds back a smirk at the man's comment, knowing that his warnings had struck a cord with Parks business sensibilities, and Lara can clearly see the gears spinning in man's head too, judging her quiet smile.

"Does it?" Les shifts to look where the man points. "It's a good thing our client wants to retain full ownership rights, isn't it? You are a smart man, Roman, and the Waterhouse is literally falling apart. Do you really want to be concerned with city permits and repair issues?"

He places the folder on the desk again, dangling it right in front of the man's nose. All the details of Lara's deal are spelled out on the page. "We're giving you more than building's even worth," he says. Because they were. Les had never seen that many zero's on the page, and he wondered who was footing the bill. Lara or Corry. Though none of it was his concern. "And once it's complete, you reap all the benefits. Your name on the wall with all our other investors. Private balcony seats and private waitstaff. Show tickets anytime you want to entertain your friends and associates," he says.

"You won't even need to pick up a hammer."

"And of course, if the theatre fails, you get to avoid any scandal or sensation that it might cause." She said. Lara knew that Park would interpret that as being able to boast that he'd 'known all along' and that he 'wasn't surprised because what do you expect from a woman running it'. It chapped a little give away box seats but Corry could tell him to get lost after a decent enough period.

Park shuts down completely. He's raging inside but even he sees the benefits.

He grunts. "Doesn't seem like you've left me with any choice."

Les offers him a smile, one of victory and slight amusement, thinking that had been rather simple. Though, there was no true interest in the building for the guy. Corry or whomever was willing to over pay just to secure ownership. Park was coming outta this an even richer man, and Les tells him as much.

"Once you cash the check I am sure you'll be glad about this, Roman. Everything is a win for you," he assures him. "Now. You and Ms. Quinn can work out the contracts. That's not my area."

Park looked and Lara and nodded. Apparently paperwork was woman's work. Lara just barely resisted the urge to show him what a woman like her could do. When he looked over back at Les, his expression was much more sly.

"It's a shame we couldn't have worked this out privately. I might have gotten a better deal if we'd talked from the beginning." It wasn't quite a come-on but it was definitely trying to be and Lara watched Les to see how he was going to handle it.

Les smirks again, seeing the look Park gives Lara, as though he was still running the room here. Even though Lara had outmatched him, even if Park didn't know it. "Certainly. If there's ever something else you have that I need, we can work it out whichever way you like," he says.

Edited 2014-06-13 21:23 (UTC)

Lara had to bite down on the laugh that threatened to ruin everything. Park, clearly not used to being manipulated gave on his seduction of Les. Instead he grabbed the paperwork that Lara handed him and stood.

"I'll have my people talk to your people." And with that, he strode out of the room.

When she was sure he was out of earshot, Lara looked at Les. "And how do you feel right now?" She said, grinning.

"Well, I mean that guy was hardly a challenge," he says, shaking his head. He sighs though, understanding that she means to make him see he was capable of handling a simple business negotiation. "I suppose. It wasn't all that bad. I'm glad you did this for Corry too."

She smiled, pleased. "You did great. You've learned a lot." She sighed and kicked off her shoes. "That man was an ass. Thank you."

He settles back into the arm chair when she kicks off her shoes, more than happy to finish off the liquor she'd set out for Roman Park, now that the deal was done. "It was my pleasure," he says.

"It wasn't his, that's the main thing." She said, curling her legs up under her on her seat. "And Corry deserves it."

He nods in the affirmative. "I do believe this will keep even Corry's wildest whims satisfied for awhile," he says, not meaning to think this was just another spur of the moment idea of hers. But he knew she wasn't one hundred percent back on her feet so it wasn't a foregone conclusion this would be a success.

Lara nodded. "We'll worry about the business end. That's all we can do for now. If things go wrong..." She waved a hand. "Everyone needs help every now and again."

"Good," he says, placing his empty glass back on her desk. "You need me for anything else, boss? I could fan you? Fetch you things?" He laughs as he stands back up.

She laughed and shook her head. "No, Les, thanks. Go home. Get some sleep."

Everyone has a price... (For Les)

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