Dropping onto my couch, I bring up the web browser on my phone and start researching other divorce attorneys in my area, looking for ones who give off a ‘don’t fuck with me,’ cutthroat vibe in their bio photos.
Thirty minutes and what seems like two-hundred webpages later, I finally settle on someone to call because, at this point,staring at websites isn’t going to help. I need to make a few calls and start figuring this out.
“Diana Clark’s office, how may I direct your call?” a deep baritone on the other end of the line answers over the sound of typing in the background.
“Hi, yes. Diana, please,” I singsong into the receiver, hoping to get straight through to the woman of the hour.
“Your name?”
“Raina Lancaster.”
The typing ceases, and instead, the clicking of a mouse begins. “Is Ms. Clark expecting your call?”
“She’s not, but it's imperative I speak with her directly.”
“Ms. Clark is unavailable at the moment?—”
“Trust me,” I interrupt. “I have a divorce case she’ll be interested in hearing about.”
“I’d be happy to schedule a consultation for you, but Ms. Clark doesn’t entertain phone calls from prospective clients without a prior consultation. How soon did you want to schedule?”
Annoyed, I huff and put the phone on speaker before toggling over to the calendar on my phone. “What’s the earliest available?”
There’s more clicking coming through the phone speaker, and he clears his throat. “October third.”
Drawing my eyes back to my calendar, I zero in on the red circle encompassing the ten. My brows knit in confusion. “It’s October tenth.”
“October third of next year.”
“Excuse me?” I can’t hide the shock from my voice. This lady isn’t even the best of the best, there’s no way she’s booked that far out for consultations.
The receptionist on the line sighs in irritation. “Ms. Clark is extremely busy. She’s one of the most sought after attorneys inthe city. Her next available consultation is next October. Would you like me to schedule you, Ms. Laughlin?”
“Lancaster,” I bite out. “And no, that won’t be necessary. In fact, that’s absolutely ridiculous, considering she isnotone of the most sought after attorneys as you claim. Have a great day.”
I don’t bother waiting for a response before hanging up. Chucking my phone across the room, it bounces off the cream-colored wall before it finds its new home on the floor.
“Dammit,” I curse under my breath and push the heels of my hands into my eye sockets. My mind is whirling with ideas on my next move, having now failed to secure an attorney twice.
Obviously, I need representation, and quickly. Javier made it clear he wants me by his side sooner than later, and I worry what he’ll do if I continue to refuse.
Against my better judgment, when I went to his hotel room that next evening, he made it clear we were married, showing me proof. What I needed to figure out is if our marriage is also legal in the United States. I assume it is—being that destination weddings are a thing—but I’ve never been married. Never even looked into it. So I still have lingering doubts.
Dammit, Luciano.
I can’t believe I’ve held a flickering flame for him all these years, and he won’t even consider being my attorney. A working,businessrelationship.
Where Ipayhim.
Anger and annoyance courses through my blood as his stupid face filters into my mind. I want to reach into the hypnotic image and punch it, just to make the smug look in his eye dissipate.
Instead, I let out a feral screech, needing the release of frustration, then strip out of my clothes as I stomp into my bathroom and draw a bath.
Bubbles. Lavender. Epsom salts.
That’s what I need.
Maybe my vibrator too, for a different type of release.
