Page 46 of The Heart You Kept

“We received your application.” He opens the folder and begins to flick through it. “You have requested a daily four-hour extension.”

“That’s right,” Edward replies.

“You are currently open from 2 p.m. until 4 a.m. daily.”

“Yes,” Louis replies. “We are receiving several requests for extended hours from our patrons, they want to be able to have lunch with us.”

He looks up from his folder and smirks as if finding that statement amusing. “I find that very hard to believe.”

Edward bites the side of his cheek as if to stop himself.

“You see, if we grant you an extended license we will be in fact giving you a license to close down every restaurant in Monte Carlo.”

“Restaurants in Monte Carlo have nothing to do with us,” Edward fires back.

He clasps his hands together as he looks across the desk at him. “Edward.”

“Mr. Prescott to you.”

Louis steps on his foot and Merrick and I exchange subtle glances.

This isn’t going to end well.

Pascal’s eyebrows shoot up as if surprised. “Alright, Mr. Prescott.” He leans forward in his chair. “We are opposed to the extension of hours and will not be accepting your request at this time.”

“You said that two years ago.”

“And our decision still stands.”

“Don’t fuck with me, Pascal.”

“That’s Mr. Deschanel to you.”

Animosity bounces between them. “I’ll take you to fair trading court,” he tells him.

“You won’t win.”

Edward smiles and sits back in his chair. “We both know that you don’t have the funds to fight me.” Louis squishes his foot into the ground and he rips it from beneath him. “Stop.”

“Just because you are wealthy, Mr. Prescott, doesn’t mean you are above the law.”

“It’s called restriction of trade and it’s illegal. It is you who is not above the law.”

They glare at each other across the table.

“Now, gentlemen,” Louis stammers. “Let’s workshop this and try and come to some middle ground.”

Edward stands. “I will not be workshopping anything.”

“What does that mean?” Pascal asks.

“It means I will see you in court.” Edward walks from the office and we walk out after him. As we make our way down the corridor I hear Louis stammering and scrambling, trying to defuse the situation.

Edward hits the elevator button. “What a waste of my time,” he mutters under his breath. The door opens and we follow him in and stand at the back. Louis comes running down the corridor and gets in. He nervously glances over to Edward. “That wasn’t great.”

“Why didn’t you just drop to your knees and suck his cock under the table?” He raises an eyebrow in question.

“I’m trying to network.”