Basically, Sophia is a fucking gorgeous specimen, and I don’t care about this woman at all. But, she’s supposed to be a hell of a real estate agent, so I’m willing to see what she has to offer.
I flip through the pages and stop when I get to a massive house. It's made of stone, white stone unlike the harsh red of Kuria, and there are so many windows. Three stories. Columns by the front door. The lawn is beautiful, with bushes and flowers along the front of the house.
"Ah," she says. "My favorite house. It has a lot of land too—fifteen acres, to be exact. Six bedrooms, five bathrooms. Cathedral ceilings, vaulted windows, a finished basement… You won't find another house like this for sale very often."
“Price?”
“It’s rather pricy.”
“Price?” I repeat, staring at the windows, picturing tiny faces in them. Kids climbing over the bushes, traipsing over the flowers. Yes, it would be a hassle to keep the lawn maintained with children, but the more I visual this, the more I want it.
And when I picture the front door opening, and Sophia standing there, I’m fucking sold.
I’m also a fucking moron for thinking that, but let’s ignore that bit.
“I lost you again, didn’t I?” she asks.
“I’m sorry.” I shake my head. “It’s perfect.”
“I didn’t realize you had that much money at your disposal.”
“How much?”
“Five-hundred thousand dollars.” She shakes her head, smiling wanly. “Before the Grots, when my mom was a real estate agent, she would sell a house like this for three times that if not more, so it’s an amazing price.”
“I don’t have that much.” I grimace.
"Well, we can maybe set you up with a loan, but I'll be honest. Your, ah, profession might make it a bit hard to secure a bank that will supply you with that loan."
“They don’t like mercenaries?” I ask.
“No, not really.” She rubs the back of her neck. “I can make some phone calls, ask around, see if anyone is willing.”
“This house won’t be available for long.”
“At that price? Not likely.”
I nod slowly. “Don’t sell it,” I instruct her.
“I can’t promise that it won’t sell,” she protests.
“Please. I will get the money.”
“The banks—”
“I’ll get the money,” I say firmly. “I’m sure that the sellers would prefer cash, right?”
“I… I would imagine, but…”
“Then tell them that and ask them to consider that heavily before they even entertain any other offers.”
“You’ll match their asking price?” she asks dubiously.
“I will.”
“How soon?”
“As soon as I can.”
I stand and hand her the binder. She gestures to the door of her office, and I leave the entire building behind.
Now, how many jobs am I going to have to pull off to make this thing happen?
Far too many. That's how many ovian jobs I'm going to have to pull off to get the funds I need for that house. Maybe I should try for a smaller one, one without columns. I mean, do I really want a stone house after leaving Kuria, that huge rock of stone?
But that house is fucking gorgeous, and it deserves a gorgeous wife, and I want to fill that wife with my seed again and again until she pumps out baby after baby.
Back on Kuria, if you asked me if I wanted kids, I’m not sure what I would’ve said, but right now, that’s exactly what I want. It’s all I want, and I want it right the fuck now.
Patience. My mom says it’s a virtue, and I also told her that I’m not very virtuous then.
My thoughts about Sophia are not virtuous in the slightest, and I’ve had to flamindulis every morning thinking about her. I also can’t go to sleep at night without flamindulis then too.
She’s gotten to me, and I bet she has no fucking idea that she has. Maybe she hasn’t even thought about me since that meal that we shared. Some of my friends have mentioned that it’s the chance meetings that cause them to find their women. Was I always supposed to come here just so I could meet Sophia? I don’t know, but I have to say she’s already changed me.
Which is fucking crazy, but it is what it is.
I’m nuts over her.
I’m also nuts over that house, and it has me accepting every job sent my way, even the one from the old lady who needs me to get her cat down from her tree. Abigail offers to pay me fifty, and I feel bad accepting it as her cat rubs against her legs after I brought the furball down.
“You did your part. Let me pay you,” she insists, and she hands me the money and then doesn’t let go of the bill. “Can I ask you a question?”
“Sure.”
“Can I touch your abs? My dear Harold died a few years back, and I haven’t been with a man since, and as much as I loved Harold, he liked to eat too much. He never had a six-pack, and…”
“Go ahead.” I chuckle as she runs her gnarled fingers over my abs.
“You’re built like a bull. I bet you have the stamina of one too.” She wags a finger at me. “Fluffy and I thank you!”
I laugh again, wave, and make my way onto the next job. This time, it’s a guy who thinks his wife is cheating on him, and I spend the rest of the night following her. She’s spending a lot of time at work, and then she gets into her car and drives to a mall. I have no choice but to pay someone to help me tail her. Sucks to have to spend money to make money, but I’m desperate.
The wife goes inside the mall, and I follow as she makes a very expensive watch purchase. Then, she drives to her house, and I linger outside, having sent my driver away. I’ll walk back to my place from here.
From my hiding spot,
