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Chapter One - James
December had turned into the Nightmare Before Christmas. America’s sweetheart, Erin Chastain, was out for her husband Daniel’s blood. My team hadn’t tracked down the Hollywood heartthrob or his mistress yet. I’d filed a divorce petition on the grounds of adultery with the court last week and now had to figure out how to serve Daniel. I despised the guy.
The fucker and I went way back.
After what he’d done to my sister, Sylvie, I swore I wouldn’t stop until he was penniless. I’d represented his first wife in their divorce, and afterward, he promised he would make me pay, and he had.
The world didn’t know about him because he had the women he dated sign ironclad NDAs. That and he had a vicious team of lawyers at his beck and call. The thought of his fans discovering who he truly was terrified him. He always paid hush money to anyone who threatened to open their mouths.
After breaking my sister’s heart and humiliating her, he moved onto wife number two —someone else I represented. The bastard enjoyed seeing and causing pain. The sadistic fuck might not lay a hand on his partners physically, but mentally he destroyed them.
He’d somehow convinced the women who caught his eye that emotional abuse meant love. I didn’t understand how Erin had put up with him for so long. How she’d allowed herself to accept the heartache and pain.
I wasn’t known for my compassion, but a woman’s tears never failed to move me. I saw him for what he was and would make sure Erin received every penny owed to her.
I hadn’t revealed to anyone my real reason for taking on this case. After I walked his second wife through the divorce, I hoped I’d never have to see his sorry face again. However, when Erin came to see me and opened up about her pain, I vowed I would make the fucker pay. Again and again and again.
On top of everything else I had going on this week, my senior associate had a nervous breakdown and quit. He was now on his way to India to find himself. There was only one person available in the firm to fill the vacant spot on my team — Pearl Holmes, a junior associate who join the firm recently and flitted around the place like a Disney Princess in a power suit.
She was the kind of employee who baked cookies for the entire office and had a kind word for everyone. I didn’t need someone who saw the world through rose-tinted glasses. I needed someone with a killer instinct. Not a goody-two-shoes in love with love who probably had sex with the lights off and her eyes squeezed shut.
I laughed. How would Ms. Prim and Proper react if she learned I had a supply of whips and handcuffs at home?
I finished reading Erin’s latest text demanding I take everything from Daniel and his ‘slutty’ girlfriend.
I rubbed my forehead and leaned back in my chair. I was damn lucky to have a client like Erin Chastain. The billable hours from her alone would allow me to retire if I wanted to. But I was a selfish fucker and wanted it all.
From the outside in, it seemed like I did have it all, and perhaps in some ways, I did. I had a downtown penthouse apartment and more money than I would ever need. I traveled all over the world, and gorgeous women threw themselves at my feet. But none of that was enough. I wanted more, but I wasn’t sure what that more was.
The sound of tinkling laughter drifted through the open office door. “… he wanted to stick his dick where? I hope you told him to stick it up his own ass. I swear to God, men like him are the reason I’m happy to be single. There’s nothing a man can do for me that my vibrators can’t.”
Intrigued, I sat up straight and strained to hear more. Usually, I was the only one who came into work before the sun rose. I moved to my office door and saw Pearl making her way towards the conference room with AirPods in place and a box in her hand. Her hazelnut ponytail swung from side to side, and her curvaceous hips wiggled with every step.
Surely innocent Pearl hadn’t said those words.
I wasn’t an eavesdropper, but I wanted to hear more about what she did with her vibrators. The phone conversation was a private one, and I shouldn’t listen in, but still. I left my office and walked toward the conference room where, in an hour, I would meet with the associates working on the Chastain case to discuss our strategy.
“…Bella, trust me, I don’t want a man distracting me. Since Taylor and Matthews joined Davies and Sons, this is the top firm in New York. I only got my foot in the door because I worked at Samuels and Samuels. I want to grow my career here. You already know what I want. An associate position, then a senior associate position, followed by partner. After that, I’ll worry about my personal life. For now, my fantasies about James Matthews, my fingers, my showerhead, and my collection of toys will be more than enough to see me through the long winter nights.”
