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He lunges for my legs, but I dodge to the side and strike him in the stomach once more. The sound of his laboured breathing accompanies the ‘woof’ that escapes his lips. I am so confident that I have caught him that I fail to anticipate his next move. Without any warning, I find myself in the same position Em was in earlier, on my arse. I take the hand he offers, and he pulls me up with ease. I can’t help but smile at his low chuckle.
“Well done, wee one. But you need to stay focused.”
My heart races as I grasp his hand tightly. A growl comes to my ear, and I turn my head to see where it’s coming from.
“Do you have a death wish?” asks Aidan, looking with murderous eyes at Cailean. I shake my head as Cailean raises both his hands in the air.
“Seriously, you need to stop the stalking.” He comes closer to me and kisses the hell out of me with no regard for the people in the room.
That’s new.
We never talked about our relationship or what we are, and that’s the first time he’s shown any sign of affection in public.
“What was that?” I ask, my chest heaving as I try to catch my breath.
The question I want to ask about why he’s even here doesn’t leave my lips. I had let him know that I’d be returning to my training. And I had a feeling he would find a way to come here.
“Good morning, beautiful.” As he speaks, he turns to Cailean, who looks up at him expectantly. “If you hurt her ever again, I won’t hesitate despite her requests.”
“Stop the macho bullshit, would you? It’s my first time back training. Obviously, I’ll finish on the floor.”
“Maybe, but you need to take it easy.” With a fluid motion, he lifts his hand in the air. “I didn’t say you can’t fight. I saw you with Tim, and hell, I felt your hits on my skin. You’re more than capable. But you’re still in recovery, even if you’re feeling better. I can’t just stop worrying about you, okay?” I nod because even if I’m pissed off at him, that was sweet.
“We’re done for the day, kids,” shouts Em. She gestures towards Aidan and informs him. “Tonight, it’s girls’ night. You had her to yourself for weeks. It’s our turn now.” He furrows his brows and shoots her a disapproving glance. “Don’t look at me that way. You have no say in the matter.”
“Very well. But if she’s not in my bed tonight, I’ll come get her,” he says back. She glares at him, daggers in her eyes, “You can give me your murderous eyes all you want. That’s my price.”
“Done,” she agrees.
Am I invisible? Because it feels like I am.
“I’m right here in case you forgot,” I say, my voice dripping with annoyance.
“We know, honey bun.” Em brushes me off, heading towards the changing room without another word.
I spent part of my afternoon trying to work on some cases without any interest. As I gaze out my office window at the lush greenery, Emilie’s words from a few weeks ago replay in my mind. She is right. I don’t enjoy working for a big corporation that doesn’t want the same things as me. But I don’t want to leave the firm and let Emilie go back to France alone. Call it selfishness, but I need her in my life. I inhale deeply before walking towards Caleb’s office, feeling a sense of anticipation in my chest.
“Knock, knock,” I say, leaning on the door. Dressed in his usual black shirt and slacks, he sits behind his desk, his elbow casually resting on the edge.
Adjusting his position in the chair, he says, “Blakely. What can I do for you?”
“Do you have a minute?” He gestures for me to sit in the chair in front of him, and I oblige. “I… I was thinking. I don’t think I’ll be going back to Paris.” My confession catches him off guard, and his expression turns to one of surprise.
“Is that so? Can I ask you why?” He pauses, “Is it because of my son?” I shake my head.
“No, it’s not because of him. I have found more enjoyment in working here in the past few weeks than I have in years, and that’s the reason. Don’t get me wrong. There was a time when I found my work incredibly rewarding.”
“But it’s not the same anymore,” he finishes for me.
“No. It’s not.” I let out a deep sigh and settle myself more comfortably into the chair. “I guess I don’t want the same things anymore.”
“You know you can still work with me, right? My offer still stands.” Caleb has been persistently urging me to come work for him officially for years. I always refused until now. But this time feels different.
“With you? Not for you?”
“You heard it right. With me. We both know you won’t take orders from me, so why don’t we call it a partnership? You’d be relieving me of the lawyer that you hired for me, who has been a source of frustration, and handle their duties yourself. You and Emilie, of course.” I look at him sceptically, unsure if he is being serious or not.
“So, you’re asking me to take on the responsibilities of multiple individuals? By myself?” The mere idea is absurd.
