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“I admit I was surprised. But I’m a lawyer. I never judge anyone until I have the full story.”
I pique an eyebrow. She’s sexy when she’s in lawyer mode.
“I’ve never hit or struck a woman in my life,” I say, my jaw firm. “And I never would. If you’d like to hear the story, I’m happy to share it.”
“You don’t have to do that…”
“But I think I should, since her shithead attorney has put it in your head that I’m some kind of monster.”
“I just don’t want it to affect things, Gray. She’s made it quite clear she’ll stoop to any level to get what she wants. I’m surprised she hasn’t already brought this up.”
“She can bring it up all she wants. We both know it’s not true. The charges were dropped.”
I can see her mind ticking over.
I shake my head, unable to understand how I even got into this predicament. But it isn’t like I could ever forget.
“Charges?”
I sigh. Reliving that nightmare isn’t one I like to do, but Hartley deserves to know the truth.
“One night Keira was very drunk. You have to understand something about my ex-wife; she’s volatile, especially when she’s been drinking. That night, she accused me of neglecting her because of work. When I tried to reason with her, she threw a wine glass at me, missing me narrowly. The glass shattered and scarred my face above my eyebrow. She lunged at me, so I held her wrists to stop the onslaught. She was making so much noise, the neighbors called the police.”
Her lips part and I can see the questions on her face. “Gray, that’s awful. I’m so sorry.”
“Not as awful as her telling the cops that I assaulted her, and I was the one who threw the glass, even though I had a cut above my eye. She told them it was self-defense. They still filed a police report, but the charges were dropped when security cameras showed her outside…” I trail off, running a hand over my face.
“Gray?” Her voice is small as she rounds the desk, perching on the edge in front of me.
I take a breath. “Attacking me. She lunged for me, slapping me and trying to punch and kick me.”
She raises a hand to cover her mouth.
“Her drinking had gotten worse over the last twelve months when we were together, and I didn’t know that she’d gone off her antidepressants. She’d always managed it well, but it had been rocky. That night, she snapped. Without those cameras, I don’t know what would’ve happened or if I’d even be believed.” My eyes meet hers. “But I never hurt her, no matter what poison she spews. She was the aggressor. It’s another reason why she didn’t hold this against me during the divorce, but if that grease monkey of a lawyer wants to play dirty…”
Her hand touches my arm. “Clearly he’s looking for a reaction, nothing more.”
“It worked, didn’t it?”
Her face is full of concern when she says. “He’s a slimeball, actually, but it didn’t take much to put him in his place.”
I look at her with true admiration. It takes some guts to stand up to these fuckers. I love how fucking intelligent she is.
“You know what I love more than a woman who is smart and can hold her own?”
“Nope, maybe you could enlighten me?” She presses her lips together, waiting for my answer.
“A hot, sexy woman who is smart and can hold her own. Every time I see you, Hart.” I shake my head, trying to find the words. I can’t help it. I'm quite smitten with her, even though we only met again yesterday. “You knock me off my feet.” It’s not just the sexy skirt-suits she wears, or the fact she’s fighting for my assets, it’s everything else in between. And when I’m with her, I feel lighter than I’ve felt in years. I can feel myself falling.
“You keep knocking me off of mine,” she breathes, and if I’m not mistaken, her cheeks seem a little flushed. It pleases me she’s affected by my words, just as much as my presence seems to affect her, too.
I glide out of my seat and take a step forward, positioning myself directly in front of her, where she’s perched before me on the edge of the desk. Placing my hands on either side of her, I cage her in so she can’t go anywhere.
“I’m aching to kiss you.”
“We can’t,” she whispers. “We’re at…”
I place a finger over her lips. “Don’t you want to be my good girl, Hart?”
