I suspect he would have happily taken a couple of thousand dollars to walk away. He was that pathetic.  

What was I worth? Ten thousand at the most? Less? He would have agreed to a meager five hundred when he approached me not so long ago.  

“I gave him what I thought was a reasonable amount to stay away. I didn’t give him a chance to ask for an amount; it would have pissed me off more.” He smooths my hair back again, pausing as I shrug him away and only continuing when ...