Blood on the Mat
an excerpt

Elizabeth picked up her copy of the contract and squared the sides again, then slipped it into its folder, speaking as she did so. “Mr. Kelley, you came here to sell your company, and I’m here to take it off your hands. I honestly didn’t expect these provisions to be deal breakers. If you’re not willing to sell me River City Wrestling under these conditions, then simply say so and I’ll toss the contracts into the shredder. And you can continue running River City Wrestling into the ground and burning your personal cash reserves to keep it going. I’ve seen your profit and loss statements, and I’ve seen your credit report, Mr. Kelley. How long do you think you can go before you run out of money and have to try to take out a loan, Mr. Kelley? Three months? Four months? Six months?

“Ball’s in your court, Mr. Kelley. Take it or leave it. You’ve had several weeks to work through any reservations you may have had, and it’s time to make a decision.” Elizabeth leaned forward and rested her arms on the desk, fingertips drumming idly on the contract as she regarded Rick with an almost predatory intensity.