“Hey!I’m a dream.”
“Sure.A nightmare.”
Please.They both knew Aya would have pawned him off on another partner years ago if she meant that.
“Hilarious.”
“When aren’t I?”Smirking in thattoo-pleased-with-herselfway, she turned onto the black marble path toward the lion’s den.
Baz braced himself for impact.
All he had to do was convince Erika nothing had changed.He was still the associate who had scored a fifteen-million-dollar win yesterday.He had dealt with Ian before and had come out on the other side with nothing more than a black eye, and his skillset had advanced considerably since then.There was no reason to rip his big chance away from him mere moments after he got it.
His hope was in Aya.She had never let him down, and she and Erika were friends.Sort of.It was hard to tell.One moment, they were laughing over coffee, the other, the piercing glares they exchanged would kill anyone caught in the crossfire.But Baz had overheard Aya being invited to dinner with Erika and her husband, an assistant to the Cook County State’s Attorney.That classed as a friendship in his books.
Erika greeted them with the same cool demeanor as last time—had that only been yesterday?—and motioned for them to sit.She crossed her legs as she leaned back in her chair.
“I hear Captain Green got new representation.”
Aso what?burned on the tip of Baz’s tongue.He swallowed it in favor of his best smile.“Nothing out of the norm.Nothing I can’t handle.”
“I understand you have a tense history with Ian Terell.That won’t get in the way, will it?”
Everyone had a tense history with Ian Terell.That guy sucked.Baz didn’t need a reason to take this case seriously, but if he did, there was none better than defeating Ian.
“Of course not.This will only drive me harder.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.I will not have a dick measuring contest in my firm.”Razorblades stuck to her every word.Baz straightened in his seat.
“That won’t happen.”
No one wanted to see Ian’s junk, least of all him.It might ruin dicks for him altogether, and that was a risk he wouldn’t take.
Sami, on the other hand… must be every bit as heartless to buddy up with Ian, and that, too, made him utterly unattractive.
“Are you on track to settle?”
“Uh, actually.”He twirled his wrists.“Ian revoked their current offer.”
And Baz couldn’t possibly be blamed for Ian being an immature, petty assface who got a kick out of bullying others to appease the tumor that was his despicable ego.
“I see.”Erika swiveled her chair toward Aya.“This is your case now.”
“What?“ Baz slid to the edge of his seat.She couldn’t do that!When was the last time Erika had familiarized herself withforty-twoclients overnight?“No!I’ve only just started!Give me a chance to prove myself.”
“The circumstances have changed.Ian Terell is a bloodhound.”
“So am I.I didn’t lose to him last time.I won’t now.”
Erika sighed.“Sebastian.I cannot, in good faith, let an associate take the lead on a case with this much public interest when the opposition is out to get you.You’ll be Aya’s second chair.”
“No!”This wasn’t his fault!He had done nothing to deserve the demotion!
Aya’s side-eye was a bucket of cold water hitting him square in the face.What was he doing, throwing a tantrum in the managing partner’s office?
He drew a steadying breath.“I meant, you can still trust me with this.I worked on the cosmetic class action two years ago, with more plaintiffs.And the cat food one, while I was still in law school.”
“Assisting isn’t the same as leading.This is bigger than anything you have done before.”
