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“Oh, you shouldn’t have done that. Now that you’ve provoked me, I’m sure as hell telling everyone. Can’t wait for what they’ll say when they learn you’re expecting a baby.”
“I’m not.”
He tries to push me away and I use the chance to mess his hair the fuck up. The same hair that he spends half an hour to put every strand in order.
A knock on the door interrupts us and I release him with a shove. Thank fuck I kept the blinds down. Two lawyers fighting is probably frowned upon by the general public.
“Come in,” I say, and whisper to Dan, “Expect blonde hookers starting tonight.”
“Fuck you.” He flips me both his middle fingers, then heads to the door.
He leaves and Sandra Bell flinches back, giving him room. “Am I early?”
“No, you’re right on time.” I smooth my voice to a professional tone. “Come in, please.”
She does so hesitantly and I hit the intercom for my assistant. “I need Lauren and Chris here. Oh, and Jane from IT.”
“Right away, sir.”
I sit across from Sandra, and she tugs her skirt and then the sleeves of her jacket down. “Are you uncomfortable being with me alone?”
Her head jerks up. “It’s not—”
“Don’t lie.”
“A…little.”
“Good. You’ll be ten times more uncomfortable when you’re faced with him in front of people who don’t believe your story. Get used to this feeling.”
She gulps, her fingers linking and unlinking at a steady pace. But instead of sparing her the discomfort, I lean back in my chair and stare at her, mostly unblinking.
She instantly shifts focus to her lap.
Hmm. I called her therapist and asked her whether or not Sandra could mentally and emotionally handle the courtroom, and the doctor assured me she could.
Doesn’t seem like it.
If anything, Sandra appears more and more perturbed. Is the therapist even doing her job?
There’s a knock on the door followed by the shuffling of feet. My associate lawyer, Lauren, comes in first. She’s about my age but passed the bar a few years after me.
She usually works with Aspen, but she lent her to me since she has a knack for dealing with sexual assault cases.
Chris and Anastasia come in next. The latter remains near the door as if she’s looking for an escape route. Ever since I told her that Sandra wants her on the team because she feels comfortable in her presence, she’s had that weird expression on her face.
As if she’s about to faint.
Or maybe that’s because of what happened yesterday and the no-condom event in public.
Fuck.
Focus.This is work.
“You already met Lauren and Christoph,” I tell Sandra. “As you requested, Jane will also be sitting in. This is the only friendly face you’ll be allowed.”
Sandra smiles at her a little and Anastasia smiles back.
I stand and that gets everyone’s attention. “Have you read the questions I’ll be asking you?”
