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I had no intention of engaging with him this morning. My only goal was to get out before he challenged me. And fuck, did I lose my cool with him. Again, objectivity isn’t something I possess with Luca, and this morning it was about fight or flight. Though, I did both.
How was this kept from me? The judge will throw it out, or I’ll fight to have this suppressed because of the terms of the deal they struck. The opposing counsel could slide it in. If I weren’t able to get ahead of this, and if the other attorneys introduced it at trial, it could be very bad.
I pass by Caroline, who is typically at her desk before I start my day. “The second Tuck calls, patch him through. He gets top priority.”
“He’s already in your office.”
This isn’t good. Does he have more information that will derail my day?
“Okay, hold my calls,all of them.” I place emphasis on the last three words, and she understands who I mean.
I pass through the door of my office at not even seven in the morning, Tuck sits on my couch, leafing through a file in his hands.
“Thought you’d be in early.” He doesn’t look up from his paperwork.
“Yeah, couldn’t sleep after what you sent me last night. Do you have more?”
He’s an everyday casual sort of guy—holey jeans, combat boots, ruggedly handsome, and a deep South Carolina accent. “Not on the case itself.” He pauses. “Did you talk to De Santos about everything you learned last night?”
I’m leaning over my desk like I’m half-listening to him. But I’m fully taking in every word.
“No, I didn’t know what to say. And you’re right, I can’t be objective.” It may be why I was fleeing, then fighting when he pushed me for answers.
He lets out a long breath of air. “This is one reason lawyers shouldn’t get involved with their clients, Ani.”
“I understood the risks, but…”
“You love him, I get it.” Tuck has been my lead investigator since I was fresh out of law school.
“So, do you have anything else, or just the third degree?” I ask, and I round my desk and sit in an oversized wingback chair across from him.
“Harry Lane is a fuckface. He seems to be counterproductive when it comes to this case. And Keep it Greene Inc. along with Garrett Greene is as shady as they come.” Tuck doesn’t hold back.
He leans forward, resting his elbows on his knees. “They have shell corporations set up throughout the world. No physical address on the bank statements to match the holdings. Do you know what that means?” It’s a rhetorical question because he stands to answer it himself before I can. “They’re hiding something.” He crosses the room, only to stop at the door. “I have some leads. I’ll be in contact.”
My cell buzzes in my hand, and I peek down. Great.
Luca:You and me, tonight, the club.
So much for not pushing or demanding me. Bossy bastard.
CHAPTERTWENTY-SIX
Could it be said I know no boundaries at times? With Anisten Atkins, you’re goddamned right.
The light to her house is off, and according to Anthony who swung by her office this evening, she’s working. She has slept there, in the past, before me. The idea of her being alone in that large building with anyone able to get past security has me pushing down my inner Dom. With her sense of work ethic, no doubt she’ll stay late. I dig into the next set of contracts Harry sent my way for a signature, though they’re not holding my attention.
She’d never responded to my request to meet at the club, and armed with her key, I wait for Anisten’s return.I fucking wait for her.I’ve never waited for anyone before.
The quietness calms me. It shouldn’t. I’ve never thrived in an environment where I’m not constantly on the run. But it gives me pause to think of the life I’m building with her.I’m building a life with her.Have I not thought about this before? My fear of losing Anisten festers under my skin like a bad sore. I have no idea how much time has passed since I’ve sat down in her chair with a line of sight straight into her foyer. The lock turns, and the light illuminates her small passageway. There’s no doubt my unannounced presence will frighten the hell out of her. The next set of lights turns on as she steps into the small kitchen-living room combo.
Her eyes flash to me, and she drops her keys and purse on the floor.
“Goddamnit, Luca. You about gave me a heart attack.”
“You won’t return my calls like an adult, so I took matters into my own hands.”
“Says the man who broke into my house.” She walks over to the cabinet above the fridge and pulls for the vodka, her drink of choice. “And don’t you dare forbid me from drinking after you’re the reason life flashed before my eyes.”
