“We shouldn’t be seen together,” Victoria stated the moment she emerged from the bathroom.
When Ben returned to the bedroom she hadn’t been in bed. He tried not to be disappointed by that but realized it was already after seven and they both needed to get ready to head into their offices. He’d already moved to the closet to retrieve his clothes for the day and was just deciding whether or not he should join her in the shower when he heard it shut off.
In the next seconds as he sat on the side of the bed waiting for her, he wondered what this morning-after confrontation would be like. Would she have regrets? Would she curse him out? Would she be nervous or embarrassed? None of those reactions mattered, he could deal with them all. What he couldn’t and did not want to see was that veil of fear that had shimmered through the alluring depths of her eyes when she’d shown up on his doorstep last night.
“You might be right to some extent,” he conceded. “But I have no intention of keeping the fact that we’re together now a secret.”
She shook her head, wisps of hair that fell free of the loose ponytail she’d pulled her hair into, brushing her forehead. “I don’t recall saying we’re together.”
Ben stood then. He wore only his boxers as he crossed the small length of floor to stand in front of her. “You didn’t. But I’d think our actions last night speak louder than your words this morning.”
She lifted both hands, planting her palms firmly on his chest. The action stopped his next forward step. “This will have to wait, at least until after the trial. I can’t afford to be distracted and if Vega’s following us both around, neither can you.”
He clasped her wrists, brought her hands up to kiss the backs one at a time. “Partially correct again.”
“Ben,” she started.
“Look, I see where you’re coming from. But we’ve got to find some common ground here. I’ve waited, we’ve both waited, a long time to see where this thing between us is going to go. I’m not thrilled about the idea of waiting longer.”
“Now is just not a good time. I still don’t even know why Vega would send me this note or how you’re connected besides the fact that you used to represent him. It just doesn’t add up.”
With a sigh because he knew he’d have to do this sooner or later he led her to the bed where they both sat.
“I told Vega I wasn’t going to represent him on the second trial, the day you served me with the new trial notice. He wasn’t thrilled with the idea. I was on my way to the courthouse to file my motion to strike my appearance and he was there.”
“Did he threaten you? Because if he did we can have him arrested on those charges as well?” she asked, real concernetching her face. The face that was free of any make-up and even prettier than he could have imagined.
Ben shook his head. “That’s the thing, he didn’t threaten me that day. He gave some half-assed type of warning, but he didn’t threaten me with any real conviction. He watched me leave with a sort of smirk on his face and then I didn’t hear from him again. Until later that evening.” He took a deep breath and ran both hands down his face.
“There was a note stuck on my windshield when I left my house to go to the gym. I’d seen Vega maybe three hours before at the parking lot across from my office.”
She kept a serious face even though her shoulders sagged just a bit at his words. “A note like the one I received last night? What did it say?”
“It was an address. I ignored it. The next day my assistant was found murdered. Her body was at the location on the note.” Guilt wrapped around his chest like a vice.
“Damn, Ben. I had no idea. Why hasn’t Vega been arrested for her murder? Have you given the note to the cops?” she asked.
He was already shaking his head. “I have a friend that’s a detective. I told him about the letter and I told my cousin who is a private investigator. I don’t want to take it to the cops officially until we have enough evidence to charge and convict Vega. I don’t want his ass slipping through any loopholes this time.”
“Did he slip through a loophole the last time? Is that how you got him off?”
She didn’t say it, her voice didn’t give away any hint of belief to what she was asking, still he was offended. When he focused on her again, it was to find her staring intently at him. She looked the same, not really. Her beauty was deeper this morning. It wasn’t as stark and as assaulting as before because he’d actually gone behind that superficial layer with her. Last night as he’d slipped in and out of her, he’d felt somethingdifferent. Something new and a little scary. Each time she said his name, rubbed her hands over his body, let her lips be taken by his, a tightening had increased in his chest. For one brief second as they’d lay waiting to fall asleep he’d imagined that tightening being her fist around his heart.
Linc had warned him that when Donovans fell they fell hard. He hadn’t tried to deny that fact before, just hadn’t experienced the fall yet. Until now.
“I tried the case I had. I planted doubt against every piece of evidence Jules presented and I reinforced the message to the jury that the State hadn’t proven its case. The jury couldn’t decide. So despite how it might seem, Victoria, the mistrial wasn’t a win for me either,” he admitted.
She nodded as if she understood his rationale. “Do you think he killed the Congressman and his wife?”
Ben didn’t answer immediately. In fact, he looked away from her.
Her fingers were soft, her grasp firm as she touched his chin turning until they were face-to-face once more. “You do don’t you? You think your client is a killer?”
Ben pulled away and stood. He walked over to the window but didn’t open the blinds. Victoria’s car would be parked in front of his house. His car was in the garage. If Vega were watching, if one of his men were watching, they knew she was here. He should’ve moved it last night but things had quickly shifted, his attention moving to other things and he inwardly cursed the misstep.
“He’s not my client anymore,” he said moving from the window to the nightstand where he’d set his phone. He picked it up and hit speed dial.
“Yeah. Victoria’s going to need an escort home. Right, you were already on it.” He sighed and ended the call, then turned back to her.
