Chapter 16

THEA

By the time we reached the office, Atticus was already there. Levi— Professor Black, screw it, I was just going to call him Levi or else I was going to go crazy, was as cold as ever in the car. When Vivian stated that I had blackmailed them, he just looked down at his phone, not saying a word.

“Your coffee, sir,” Atticus said, handing him a cup as we all entered the elevator.

“Stop kissing my ass Mr. Logan, or you’ll get stuck there,” Levi replied, taking the cup from him and drinking. He had to stop himself from spitting it out. “What is this?”

“Coffee?”

“This is not coffee!” he snapped, handing it back to Atticus.

Vivian and I held our breaths, biting our lips to keep from laughing.

“Nice,” I whispered to him, as we got off the elevator.

It was the first time we had been up here since the Archibald case, and I was finally able to take it all in. On the wall to my right, written in bold, black, glass letters was Levi’s name. Within the building, there was a buzz of activity, as countless associates moved about from one end to another.

At that moment, Tristan came out, dressed sharply in a three-piece suit, and handed him a newspaper.

“Where is she?” he asked.

“Raymond just brought her into the conference room.”

They both ignored us as they walked down the hallway, and we wordlessly followed. Once again, it was like we were invisible. Anyone that saw Levi coming, either turned away, or kept their head down and walked past him as fast as they could. But even that wasn’t fast enough.

“You, with the coffee stain, go home until you figure out where your mouth is.” Levi pointed to a man halfway down the hall.

Jeez.

“Does she look like she did it?” he asked us at the door of the conference room.

I could see the woman; she was Hispanic, with long dark hair, and red-rimmed eyes. She was dressed in all black, and even had a small lace veil stemming from her hat, as if she needed to prove to the world she was mourning her husband.

“No,” Atticus answered.

Vivian nodded, “Yes.”

And then his green eyes fell on me.

“I’m not sure.”

“Get sure then. Same rules as the Archibald case,” he said as he opened the door.

“What are the rules?” Vivian whispered, as we entered.

“Sit down, shut up, and don’t make him look bad,” I said rushing to the corner.

Raymond, his associate, came forward and whispered something into his ear, but Levi didn’t even flinch, he just stared at her.

There was silence and she shifted under his gaze… I understood exactly how that felt.

“Are you Mr. Black?” she sniffed rubbing her nose with her tissue.

Silence.

“Umm…” she shifted again.

“He’s blacking her out,” Atticus muttered beside me.

“What?” I leaned in.

“What he’s doing, they call it ‘Levi’s blackout’, because he just zones out for a moment before his big move,” Vivian finished for him, whipping off her glasses.

How did I not know that?

“You killed your husband.” He came out and said it. “What I want to know is why. You signed a prenuptial agreement, so it’s not like you were going to get any of the money. ”

“I did not kill my husband! I loved—”

“You’re lying! You can lie to your children, the press, to yourself if you very well choose, but you will not lie to me in my office.”

“You’re supposed to be my lawyer!” she screeched at him.

“And I’m trying to defend you. So, why did you kill your husband?”

“I did not—”

“You killed your husband.”

“No.”

“You. Killed. Your. Husband.”

“NO!”

“You can scream all you want, but I don’t believe a word coming out of your mouth. A cocktail waitress who’s been married three times already—marries a nice, rich, old man.”

“You just said it wasn’t about the money, I signed a pre-nup!”

“Then why did you kill him?”

“I did not kill my husband!”

“Liar.”

She stood up. “Fuck you.”

He turned to Tristan,. “We can work with this.”

What?

“I don’t understand,” the woman said as she slowly fell back into her chair.

“The prosecution won’t come at you like that Mrs. Nash, it’s not like what you see on Law and Order. We may want to put you on the stand,” he told her.

“So you believe me?” she asked hopefully.

“It doesn't matter whether I believe you or not, I just needed to make sure you that you didn't crack under pressure—”

“It matters to me!” she hollered at him, jumping to her feet again. “I can’t have a lawyer who doesn't believe in me. If that’s the case, I’ll have to find someone else.”

“And you will go to prison,” he said simply. “My fee doubles when you’re in prison… if I choose to take on this case again.”

“Does this look like a joke to you?”

“No, but you’re the one clowning around. Your husband is dead, and your stepchildren want your head on stick. You don’t need a lawyer that believes in you. You need one that can win. So my question to you, Mrs. Nash, is; do you want to win? Do you want to stay out of prison?”

Once again she sat back down. “I didn’t kill my husband, and I don’t like you. But I would like to stay out of prison.”

“Good choice,” he told her. “My associates will brief you on what I want you to do, and say, until the trial,” he said to her, nodding towards Raymond, before taking his leave.

“I want to be him,” Atticus whispered.

The world can’t handle two Levi Blacks.

“She’s guilty,” Vivian whispered, more to herself than to us.

“One of you, go get us some coffee,” Raymond pointed at us. “We’ll be here for a while.”

No one moved, so I took the initiative and headed out, even though I had no idea where I was going. Asking someone seemed like a given, but the look they were all giving me…

“Don’t mind them, they’re taking a trip down memory lane,” Tristan said as he appeared beside me, causing me to jump.

“A trip down memory lane?” I glanced back at a few of the people who had gathered to laugh at something as I walked by.

“Break time already?” he asked them, and they rushed back to where they were supposed to be. “At one time, they were like you, under the thumb of the great Professor, Levi Black.”

“Aren’t they still?”

“Yeah, but they get paid to put up with him. Coffee is over there.”

I paused in the middle of the hall, my arms crossed. “Why are you helping me?”

“Can’t I just be nice?” He grinned and his brown eyes seemed to light up.

“No.”

“Fine, you know my secret.”

I thought for a second before smiling. “You mean your eyeliner-wearing alter ego.”

“We were short staffed that night. My wife owns the bar,” he glowered at me.

I turned my back to him and began to prepare the coffee.

“Don’t worry, I won’t say anything.”

“Why thank you—”

“But that comes a price,” I cut him off before he could finish praising me.

“A price?”

“Help me impress Levi with this case.”

His eyebrow raised. “Impress?”

“Every year, he chooses one student right? The top of the top in his class. I helped with one case and got my name on the board. Help me with this one too, so I can stay on the board.”

“And here I thought you were swimming with sharks, when in actuality, you’re the one circling in for the kill.”

Just like my mother.

“I got to get this coffee back. Bye hon,” I said, using the name he had called me at the bar.

He stood watching me with a slight smile lingering on his lips as I walked away.

LEVI “Your student just blackmailed me,” Tristan said as he came into my office and took a seat on the chair in front of my desk.

“Apparently, that’s her new thing,” I told him.

In seventy-two hours she had managed to become a whole new person. She was bolder, and a lot colder. Was this what Selene had been worried about?

“She got you too?” he asked with a frown.

I snorted. “She wouldn’t dare. Plus doing that would look worse on her. She isn’t stupid.”

“So what’s going on between you two?”

Pinching the bridge of my nose, I leaned back on my chair. “I don’t know. Why do I even care?”

“You like her.”

It wasn’t a question, but I still nodded. “I like her. I like her a little too much.”

“Are you pursuing her?”

Was I?

“I pursued her, and she rejected me because she wants to be a good lawyer.”

“Which makes you like her more.”

“Are you getting paid for this time? If so, I really should dock your pay.”

I didn’t need people reading my thoughts or feelings for me.

“You truly are as black hearted as they say, taking money away from your soon-to-be niece’s father. I wonder if she will have a cousin soon though. You and Thea—”

“Get out!”

“Hit a nerve there, didn’t I?” he mocked, his tone rising. “Let’s hope she doesn’t see that mark on your neck… unless she already knows it’s there.”

I threw a pen at his head. “It’s a bug bite.”

“Sure,” he grinned, moving to the door where I suddenly remembered what he first said.

“What did she blackmail you for?”

He smirked. “She asked me to help her impress you by helping you win this case. Apparently she wants to keep her name on the board. She reminds me of her mother.”

That made me cringe.

“They say The Shark kept a written record of all the favors ever owed to her, along with a few details she had on some high profile people, just in case she ever needed help from them. She used it to persuade them to help her.”

I didn’t say anything, and he took it as his cue to leave.

I liked her and I wanted to be with her again. I could admit to that. What I couldn’t admit was that I wanted to chase after her.

I just wasn’t sure how to balance all the sides of me; the professor, the lawyer, the guy under all of that… the guy that just wanted to be in bed with her again.

“We have a problem,” Raymond said bursting in.

I was already on my feet walking.

“What type of a problem?”

“The video was just leaked about our client.”

From the way he sounded, I could tell that he didn’t believe this was just a coincidence.

As we entered the conference room, I noticed that everyone’s eyes were glued to the screen.

“I hate that *BEEP*. I hate that whole in entire *BEEP* family!” A drunken Mariah Nash slurred into camera on the news. “Do you know how much *BEEP* I have to deal with in that *BEEP* family. And his kids, his *BEEP* kids. They’re selfish, money hungry little monsters. How am I supposed to smile for the cameras when one of them is druggie, and the other a sex addict; I mean really, he’s done the entire house staff and the neighbors too. But at least someone is having sex. That *BEEP* couldn’t get it up if he was *BEEP* upside down. I want to take a bat to all their heads!”

Raymond turned off the television, all of their eyes turned to me as if I was supposed to have some type of rationale to this level of absurdity.

“I…” Mrs. Nash opened her mouth, but I held my hand up indicating that I didn’t want to hear it, and that she shouldn’t even bother.

“All of you, go home, talk to no one, we will start over in the morning,” I said to them.

“Mr. Black!” Mrs. Nash called out. “Please—”

I could feel the vein in my head throbbing. “I said; go home, talk to no one, we will start over tomorrow.”

Even I was shocked at how calm I was being, but in all honestly what could I do? If I yelled at her, she might go home, get drunk, and then make another video.

Shit, she really could do that, I thought, stopping at my office.

“I’m having Raymond and one other associate babysit her,” Tristan said, walking up.

“Good to know you’re useful.”

“That hurts, man.” He held his heart.

Rolling my eyes, I headed to my office couch to lay back down.

“You can go home too Betty, I’m not taking any calls,” I called, closing my eyes.

“Are you sure—”

“Goodnight Betty.”

I didn’t bother opening my eyes.

I simply laid there, not moving. I never took a simple case… never.

I truly am a masochist.

It was midnight by the time I woke up. Washing and drying my face in the bathroom, I noticed only two lights were left on in all of the offices; the conference room, and my office.

Idiots left the lights on.

Cracking my neck as I walked over, I froze when I saw her sitting on the floor of the conference room. Her hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail, and she sat flipping through the case files in front of her. She bobbed her head to whatever music she was listening to on her mp3 player, completely unaware of me, or of how beautiful she looked.

I loved it when she wore skirts. I enjoyed staring at her perfectly smooth, long legs. It made me remember how good it felt when they were wrapped around me.

When she turned to reach for another document, she finally noticed me and jumped.

“Jesus Christ, you scared me. I thought everyone went home!”

“So did I, especially since I was the one who gave the instruction,” I replied, entering the room as she stood up.

She moved away from me, as though she were afraid that I would touch her. Her instincts were right because I wanted to. But instead, I took a seat.

“I just wanted to get as familiar with the case as possible,” she said softly, as she shifted from one leg to the other.

It was so damn distracting.

“I could have sworn I saw you packing up your stuff when I said to leave.”

“I did,” she smiled, “I even got on the elevator and rode down with everyone, and then I waited an hour at the coffee shop so that Vivian and Atticus didn't stay as well.”

“You wanted to be alone with me that badly?” I joked.

A man could dream right?

“No!” she said, a little too quickly for my liking. “I mean no, I thought that everyone was gone, I had to bribe the janitor to stay. Vivian already knew about this case, and Atticus is a fast learner, I just wanted a leg up, and since we can’t take the files out of the office...”

She picked up a few of the files and placed them back into their respective boxes.

“You really want this.”

“I thought I already made that clear?” She frowned.

“You did,” I nodded. “I just haven’t seen this side of you yet. It’s interesting.”

“We weren’t together that long, so you don’t really know me.”

“If you say so.”

She shot daggers at me with her eyes.

“What are you going to do about this case?” she changed the subject.

I shrugged. “I don’t know, maybe look for some sort of plea deal. The woman shot herself in the foot.”

“You’re lying.”

“What?”

She sat down across from me folding her hands on the table. “You’re lying,” she repeated. “You’re excited. Sure you’re pissed off that she did something so stupid, but you’re excited that the stakes are higher now. No one can figure out how you can possibly win at this point, which means that when you do, it will be like ‘the great Levi Black has struck again!’ It’s one of the ways you get off.”

“One of the ways,” I said, as I looked her up and down again, and noticed that her top three buttons were undone giving me a slight peek at her teal laced bra.

“It looks like someone is helping you with that too.” She pointed to my neck, clearly annoyed.

“It’s a bug bite,” I told her dryly.

“Okay, I believe that.”

“You should, because I’ve never lied to you,” I said, and she froze. I could tell that she was getting ready to run. “Except for what you just pointed out, I do get off on winning impossible cases.”

She relaxed. “So how are you going to win this one?”

“Jury selection.”

“Jury selection,” she repeated slowly, relaxing into her chair as she thought about it. “But I can’t think of any group that would like her. Women are going to look at her like she’s a gold digger. Older men are going to take offense to that video, younger guys will just think it funny. Jury selection won’t be easy.”

“Nothing will be easy, but everyone has prejudices or pet peeves, sometimes it’s even hidden from themselves. A twitch at the mention of drugs, or money, or something. If that family is as fucked up as I think they are, all we have to do is show that they are no better than our client.”

“We don’t have to make her likable,” she said with a fire in her eyes. “We have to make the Nash family despicable!” she stood up, clearly excited now.

“Exactly how hard can that really be?” I rose as well. “Pack up and head home, the next few weeks will be brutal.”

“I know.” She didn’t look up at me.

Opening the door, I stopped. Turning back to her I said, “Don’t feel bad about using your mother’s book.”

She dropped the papers in her hands, “What?”

Reaching down, I helped her pick them up. “Your mother’s book of favors—”

“How did you know about that?”

“Tristan was an intern for your mother, remember? Besides, that book is like myth in law circles. You shouldn’t feel bad for using it. And I know you did, because there is no way that you were able to dig up enough dirt on the two contending top students in one weekend by yourself. Whatever it was, it had to be big enough to get them to stop trying to go after your spot. Private detective?”

“Hacker,” she whispered, hanging her head low.

“Like I said, don’t be ashamed for using it. If anyone else had what you do, believe me, they would be using it a lot more often.”

“That’s because they didn’t know what type of person she really was—”

“It doesn’t matter. Using her name, or things, or living in her house, does not mean that you accept her or that you are becoming her,” I whispered, as I cupped her face in my hand, and lifted her head to meet my gaze. “It means that you’re strong enough to not let her name get in your way, and to use what you have to your advantage. That’s a testament to your strength, and it has nothing to do with her.”

Letting her go, I wanted to walk away and end things on a high note, but I couldn’t. I wasn’t done yet.

Holding on to her waist, I pulled her to me and I brought my lips to hers. She didn’t even try to push me away. Instead, she leaned into me, her arms wrapping around my neck. Grabbing onto her, I picked her up and placed her onto the table.

Kissing her like this was sinful, the way her legs wrapped around me, and the way her breasts pushed themselves against my chest drove me mad. I never wanted to stop kissing her, but I had to… breathing had never been so annoying.

“We aren’t done Thea. ‘So I can’t. I just can’t. I’m sorry.’ ” I repeated the very words she said to me that night on the phone. “That isn’t enough to push me away. Especially when your body still reacts like this every time I touch it.”

To illustrate my point, I slipped my hand between her thighs and softly stroked the length of them. She shivered, and tried to turn her head away from me. But I forced her to look me in the eye. She bit her lower lip, trying to keep from moaning, even as she ground her hips against my hand.

“You don’t look like a woman trying to run from me,” I said kissing her lips softly as I played with her entrance.

“Ah!” she gasped, grabbing on to my arm.

“And you definitely don’t sound like a woman trying to run from me.”

I kissed her lips, then her cheek, and finally, I lightly licked the edge of her ear and gently sucked on her earlobe. She shivered against me, as her flesh broke out into goose bumps.

“So I must assume that you aren’t really running from me,” I told her, “which is good to know, because I wasn’t planning on letting you go anyway. Like I said,” I broke away from her and took a step back as I licked my fingers clean, “we aren’t done. So when you’re ready to get serious again, let me know, or else, I’ll just keep playing with you.”

Walking out, I fought with my inner desire to take her right then and there on that table. But I couldn’t, at least not now. I was going to reel her in, nice and slow.

I’m going to need a lot of fucking cold showers.