The Negotiator's Final Price

"Where's Tanner?"

I ignored the way she deliberately let a strap slide from her shoulder.

Gia pouted, then picked up my perfume from the console table. She spritzed it on her neck, sauntering around the room as if she owned it.

"He's in the study, on the phone with his father. You look exhausted, Trinity—here, give me the baby. I can help take care of her from now on."

I sidestepped her outstretched hands. "No, thank you."

Tanner came out of the study just then, catching the motion. His face darkened.

"What did the doctor say?"

I laid Stella on the sofa and gently checked her tiny hands and feet.

"She's in shock. An acute stress reaction. The doctor said to watch her closely."

Tanner's relief was palpable.

"See? I told you she'd be fine. You had to go and make a big deal—"

I ignored him, my eyes scanning the room. "Where's Mrs. Gable?"

She was the professional nanny I'd hired for Stella.

Tanner faltered. "I, uh... I let her go."

"Gia loves kids. I figured she could help out. One of our own is always better than some stranger."

Gia sashayed over, pulling the silk robe tighter around herself.

"Don't you worry, Trinity. I'm the best with kids, always have been. You two can focus on work and leave the baby to me."

Seeing my stony expression, she chuckled.

"Oh, right, right—today was my fault. Let me make it up to you!"

She grabbed the half-empty bottle of red wine from the coffee table and made a show of tilting it back as if to chug it.

Tanner snatched it away. "Come on, you can't handle that."

His tone was chiding, but the affection on his face was unmistakable.

Watching their little performance, I scooped up my daughter and headed for the door.

It took Tanner a second to react before he moved to block my path.

"Where are you going in the middle of the night? Can you stop acting so crazy?"

"Crazy?" I let out a sharp, humorless laugh.

"Your 'one of our own' is wearing my nightgown, using my perfume, and about to 'help' with my daughter while drunk."

"Tanner, who's the crazy one here?"

Gia tossed her hair. "Wow, someone's jealous. I was just trying to be helpful. Tanner, your wife clearly has it in for me. Maybe I should just leave."

"Enough!" Tanner raked a hand through his hair.

"Trinity, she already apologized. For the love of God, can we just let it go?"

He glanced at the baby in my arms, and his voice softened. "Don't make Stella suffer because you're mad."

I said nothing. Stella was still running a low fever. The night air was cold. I couldn't drag her back out there.

"I want Mrs. Gable back here by tomorrow morning."

"Fine, fine! Whatever you want."

I took Stella to the guest room. Mrs. Gable's supplies were still there.

Tanner and Gia stayed in the living room, their low laughter carrying through the walls until well after midnight. Even when Stella woke up crying, he never once came to check on her.

As dawn approached, I dragged my exhausted body out of bed for the fourth time to check Stella's temperature.

Just then, a giggle drifted from the master bedroom. "God, look how ugly that thing on your back is!"

A chill snaked down my spine. I crept to the door.

It was slightly ajar. Tanner was passed out on the bed, drunk. Gia was pointing gleefully at his back, where the lily tattoo symbolizing me had been covered up by an ugly, freshly-inked black panther.

It was her symbol. She always said she was as wild and deadly as a panther.

"What are you two doing?"

Gia jumped. She spun around, a defiant smirk on her face.

"Oh! You're up. I just thought the tattoo was interesting, so I was... admiring it."

Seeing my expression, she shrugged. "What? Mad again? Come on, let's talk this out."

She reached for me. I flinched back, stumbling against the dresser.

"Give it back!"

Furious, I snatched the heavy crystal ashtray from the table. Gia jerked back, and the edge of the ashtray gashed her arm.

"Trinity, what the fuck are you doing?!"

Tanner lunged forward, shoving me hard.

I stumbled back, my spine slamming against the sharp corner of the marble fireplace with a sickening thud.

He didn't even look at me. He knelt to help Gia, cradling her as his voice tightened with worry.

"Gia, are you okay?"

Gia touched her arm and winced. "God, Trinity, you really play rough..."

Tanner swept her up into his arms. She let out a small shriek and buried her face in his neck.

"I'm taking Gia to the family doctor. Trinity—you've gone too far this time."

After they left, I felt the dampness spreading across my lower back. I reached back and my hand came away sticky with blood from a long, deep gash.

I felt nothing. Just a hollow, dull ache.

I called Mrs. Gable, told her I was going to the hospital, and asked her to be at the house in five minutes.