Tad sighed, as though trying to explain something to a willful child. "Of course that won't happen, Taylor. You're so naive and unimaginative." He shook his head and took another sip of his martini. "What Derby and I have is completely different from whatever it was you did with him. With you, there were emotions involved." He sneered a bit, as though emotions were disgusting, shameful things that Tad was glad not to have.
"Derby and I simply have a mutually beneficial business arrangement," he continued. "Once it's no longer mutually beneficial, it will end. If I were to come crawling back afterward (which would be ridiculous and pathetic; I would never do that), I won't be a threat to Derby in any way, so I would have no need or interest in talking to his latest 'stooge,' as you call it. Plus, I would never betray him in any way, so I hope we will remain friends." He smiled and ate the olive out of his drink.