Total pages in book: 68
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 67711 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 339(@200wpm)___ 271(@250wpm)___ 226(@300wpm)
“Jay didn’t grow up with money. I don’t know his exact circumstances, but he’s—”
“Jealous? Bitter?”
“Can you blame him?”
Miles sighed. “No, I can’t. So you’re calling him Jay now?”
“That’s what everyone calls him.”
“Not you, until now.”
“That has nothing to do with my point. He has a right to resent me and anyone else who was given the easy path to success. Neither of us really knows what it would be like to not be able to buy whatever we wanted.”
“Ben’s trying to help me understand what it’s like to live in the real world. I’m working on it, but speaking of money, we could always—”
“We are not bribing him to lose the case. He has plenty of money now. Besides, even if I wanted to play it that way, his ego would never let him do it.”
“But the law is on my side, and I’m not going to give an inch. Why would his firm take the case when he’s going to lose anyway?”
“They don’t know you.”
Miles frowned. “There’s no way they don’t know who I am.”
“I mean they don’t really know you, like how unwilling you are to ever change your mind.”
“Then of course they’ll lose because they don’t even know how to do their research. It sounds like Jasper should be the one offering his ass, because he’s sure as hell going to get fucked if he can’t get her to settle.”
I was really glad I hadn’t just taken a sip of my coffee. “Miles. That’s—”
He grinned at me, and I couldn’t hold back a laugh. The thought of Jay bending over for me or better yet getting on his knees was so hot it would almost be worth it to….
Miles narrowed his eyes. “What evil thoughts are you entertaining?”
I sighed. “As fun as it might be, I won’t sell you out for a taste of him. It wouldn’t last long enough to be worth it.”
“Aww. I knew you were a friend I could always count on.”
This time we laughed so hard we were in tears. “I’ll win the case, piss him off, and never play tennis with him again, which is exactly how it should be.”
Miles studied me for a moment, then shook his head. “Bullshit. Maybe I need to see what my contacts can do to disband your tennis league.”
“I don’t think even your most nefarious contacts want to go up against the club’s board.”
Miles shuddered. “Probably not. You know my mother used to be on that board.”
“And there’s not a hardened criminal she couldn’t scare away.”
Miles glanced at his watch. “I’ve got a meeting. Talk to me later, we should discuss strategy.”
I didn’t even bother to remind him that legal strategy was my job, and he didn’t have to be involved in everything, but I did call out to him before he reached the door.
He turned to face me. “Yes?”
“Can you honestly tell me you didn’t get pampered this morning?”
“I guess you could say I did. He—”
I held up my hand. “No details. Please. I hear enough.”
“You cannot hear what goes on in my office.”
“No, but what goes on after a conference room empties out is audible enough.”
4
JAY
After calling Emily and helping her arrange a flight for Monday morning, I spent all day Sunday researching the lawsuit Montgomery Enterprises had filed against Ms. Jenkins, my client. After reading the transcript of her meeting with Laura, where she ranted about how horrible and unreasonable Miles Montgomery was, I was exhausted. Thankfully, some detective work a friend owed me had given me an idea, a highly unprofessional one that I would never try if I didn’t have a connection to the plaintiff’s attorney.
I could have called Ford, but if I was going to have a real chance of negotiating, I needed to meet him in person. Fortunately, I’d overheard him tell one of the other players in our league that he wouldn’t be at the team meetup on Sunday evening because he was going to a prestigious club in town, so I knew exactly where to find him.
I didn’t have the status at Vincent’s that Ford likely did, but when I arrived, despite the place being full, I was ushered right through when I said I was with his party. He was seated upstairs in the VIP section. As I approached, I steeled myself for the confrontation, remembering that no matter how aloof he might act, I needed to ooze charm.
Ford and his two companions turned toward me as I approached their table. HIs eyes widened for a fraction of a second before his face went unnaturally blank.
“Hello, Ford.” I kept my voice low and smooth. “I understand we’re going to be working together on a case.”
“Working against each other,” he said, his voice icy.
The man to his left tensed. He looked ex-military. Was he a bodyguard? Surely Ford didn’t need protection in a place like this.