Unknown caller. He started to let the call go to voice mail, but thought better of it, in light of Tania’s being in detention.
“Hello.” He adjusted the single-lightbulb desk lamp away from his face.
“Hi, Nash.”
Nash dropped his shoulders and let his head fall back against the leather headrest of the office chair. Why me?
“Eve, why are you calling? Especially this time of night?” What was it going to take to get her to move on?
“I couldn’t sleep and knew you were probably up working. I was thinking that maybe you could stop by and put me to sleep like you used to.”
“Eve, the days of me stopping by your place, for any reason, are over. You have to figure out a way to move on. I have.”
“How can you say that, Nash? We dated for eight months and now you’re saying it meant nothing to you.”
“I’m not saying that at all. Eve, you knew going in that I didn’t want anything serious.” Nash felt like a broken record. They’d had the same conversation for the past few weeks and he didn’t know what else to say to make her understand.
“I know what you said, but we had something special. You can’t tell me that the sex wasn’t good.”
Nash would admit it had been good at first. She was an attractive, sexy woman who had a wild, adventurous side. It was everything else about her that he couldn’t deal with. Her jealousy and accusing him of seeing other women was a huge turn-off. Until she came along, he hadn’t dated exclusively since Audrey. Two months into dating her and he remembered why. She constantly complained about him not spending enough time with her and she showed up at his place of business demanding his attention. That was enough to drive a sane man crazy. The last straw had been when she talked about them getting married and alluded to sending Tania to a boarding school. Now that’s never going to happen.
“Eve, you and I are over. Besides, if I remember correctly, we only were dating for four months, and eighty percent of that time was me dealing with your childish behavior and your insecurities.”
“I can change,” she said, her high-pitched whine grating on his nerves.
Even if she could, he wasn’t interested. He wasn’t looking for anything serious with any woman, especially someone like Eve.
“You might be able to change, but I’ve moved on, and I suggest you do the same.”
A beat passed before she spoke. “If you think you can use me until you’ve had enough and then kick me to the curb, you have another think coming. We’re not over until I say we’re over,” she screamed.
Nash cursed under his breath. “Eve.” When she didn’t respond, he called out to her again before he realized she had hung up. Damn. Please don’t tell me I have a psycho on my hands.
Chapter 3
The next morning, Tania Dupree sauntered into the small meeting room at the detention center. She wore a long-sleeved T-shirt and a pair of worn, fitted jeans, looking as if this was just another ordinary day. She hugged her uncle and then moved around him to get to Iris.
“Hi, Attorney Sinclair. It’s a pleasure to meet you, and thank you for coming.”
Iris shook her hand, pleased with Tania’s manners and assuredness. This young lady oozed poise and self-confidence, so unlike Iris when she was that age. Tall and thin, Tania, like most teenagers, suffered from a mild case of acne over her caramel complexion. She had an easygoing demeanor, but her hazel eyes assessed everything and took it in.
“I didn’t think you would come,” Tania said, “but I knew that if anyone could convince you, it would be my uncle.” She glanced at Nash, giving him a crooked grin.
Iris didn’t bother telling her that, though her uncle’s persistence played a small part, it was mainly Iris’s curiosity about Tania, and just maybe, her desire to see Nash again that was the deciding factor.
Iris gestured for her to have a seat on the opposite side of the table. “Tania, why don’t you explain to me why you were willing to spend the night in detention when you didn’t have to, and why you insisted on seeing me.”
“I’d like to hire you.”
Iris was a little taken aback by her take-charge attitude, and stole a glance at Nash, who didn’t appear surprised at all.
“Someone is trying to frame me. I have never done drugs and have no interest in starting now. And I definitely had no intent of selling or delivering marijuana like the officer accused. I know the State of Georgia has a low tolerance for people who have anything to do with drugs, and the penalties for possession of more than an ounce is a felony and can get you one to ten years. The amount of weed on me was less than an ounce, but it wasn’t mine and I need your help in proving it.”
Iris sat back, stunned but impressed. She glanced at Nash, who just shook his head and shrugged.
“That’s why I need you as my lawyer. I saw you on the talk show Atlanta Right Now a few months ago. You had a cool, dark gray pinstriped suit on, with a pair of fly gray shoes that had a strap around the ankle. I was like...” She stopped and shook her head. “Anyway, you mentioned that most of your clients are my age and I got the feeling that you really cared about them.”
“You’re right.” Iris smiled, amused by the young woman’s recap of her attire and pleased with her insight. “I care very much about my clients and do everything I can to prove their innocence.”
“Cool,” Tania said and grinned.
Iris pulled a file out of her briefcase and laid it on the table. “Since I’ll be representing you...” She let the rest of her statement hang out there for a moment, and didn’t miss the pleased look on Nash’s face. “Let’s talk about what you can expect when we go before the judge. Based on what you and your uncle told me, I assume you’re pleading not guilty.”
Tania nodded.
“Though you had a run-in with the law a few months ago, and caused all types of drama here yesterday—” Iris raised an eyebrow at Tania “―I think the judge will go easy on you.”
“Why won’t this go to trial? I want to prove that someone planted those drugs on me.”
Iris studied her for a moment. “Tania, do you know where the drugs came from? Do you know who might have planted them on you?”
Tania hesitated. “No, but I want to find out. I plan to start my own investigation into the matter once I’m out of here.”
“Hold up,” Nash said in that deep voice that made Iris want him to never stop talking. “I don’t know what’s going on in that head of yours, but don’t think about doing something crazy. I don’t want you confronting anyone, or worse, accusing someone. You’re in enough trouble as it is, and I’m not planning on going through this nonsense again. If you end up in jail, I’m going to insist they keep you.”
Iris explained the best-and worst-case scenarios to prepare Tania and Nash before they faced the judge. “The police officer you gave a hard time to yesterday referred the case to juvenile court. When we go in for the arraignment hearing, you’ll enter a plea agreement and the judge will probably place you on probation, recommend some type of counseling or have you perform community service. I will inform the judge that this is your first offense and request that the charges be dropped. Since they found less than an ounce of marijuana on you, this is considered a misdemeanor. Hopefully you’ll receive no more than probation and possibly a small fine.”
“I know twenty percent of the cases referred are usually dismissed or handled informally. What if this case has to go through formal proceedings? Will you still represent me if it goes to trial?”
Again, Iris just stared at her young client. “Are they teaching law in high school these days?”
A shy smile reached Tania’s lips. “Nah, I read a lot about women in law and I plan to be a defense attorney like you someday.”
Iris’s heart melted. “Wow, I don’t know what to say.”
/> “If you keep getting into trouble, you can forget it,” Nash said to Tania. “How are you going to get into law school if you’re sitting in a jail cell somewhere?”
Tania tilted her head. “Uncle Nash, I said I was sorry. This won’t happen again, so you don’t have to keep using the jail threat.”
An officer opened the door and stuck his head in. “Attorney Sinclair, the judge is ready to meet with you and your client.”
“Thank you,” Iris said and gathered her notes, placing them in her briefcase. She looked at Tania. “Are you ready?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
“After you.” Iris directed Tania to the door.
“Do you see what I have to go through?” Nash mumbled close to Iris’s ear, causing goose bumps to skitter down her back. She wondered what it would be like to wake up to that deep, hypnotic voice every morning. Her steps faltered when she tried to shake her wayward thoughts free.
“You okay?” Nash asked, placing his hand on her elbow to help steady her.
“Yes, I’m fine.” She discreetly moved her arm out of his grasp and walked beside Tania. Nash followed close behind. She couldn’t wait for this hearing to be over so that she could get away from the likes of Nash Dupree, and the lustful thoughts that plagued her mind whenever he was around.
* * *
Nash watched Iris in action. She looked stylish yet professional in a black pinstriped skirt suit with a white button-down blouse opened at the neck and pearls. From his vantage point, a bench right behind her and Tania, the skirt accentuated her shapely derriere, making it almost impossible for him to pay attention. After ending his relationship with Eve a few months ago, he had vowed to stay clear of women and focus on his businesses, but Iris made that hard to do. She intrigued him and he wanted to get to know the sexy vixen who hid behind business suits and seemed to have a shy side about her.
“Excuse me, Your Honor?” he heard Iris say, her voice suddenly strained. Nash sat up straighter, wondering what he had missed.
“I said I think it’s in the best interest of this child if she’s removed from her uncle’s home until after the review hearing,” the judge said.
“Now, wait a minute!” Nash sprang from his seat. “There is no way in hell I’m letting you or anyone else take her from me.”
“Have a seat, Mr. Dupree, before I have you removed from these proceedings,” the judge said in the same monotone voice.
“No! I can’t have a seat when you’re talking about taking my—”
“You’ve been warned, Mr. Dupree. Please have a seat.”
Panic rioted within Nash like a volcano on the verge of erupting. There was no way he could sit back and let them take Tania from him. She was his everything. He yanked on his designer tie, loosening it while the room seemed to close in around him and his breath solidified in his throat. What in the hell had happened? This arraignment hearing was supposed to be just a formality.
When Tania was born, his twin brother and his sister-in-law chose him to be Tania’s godfather, asking him to be her caretaker if anything should ever happen to them. He would never forget the way his heart swelled when he’d first laid eyes on her. The miracle of life overwhelmed him and he knew at that moment there was nothing he wouldn’t do for that little girl. But when he’d agreed to be her godfather, he had no idea six years later her parents would be killed during a tsunami in Japan.
It’d been nine years and his chest still tightened whenever he thought about his brother. Not only had he lost his twin, who was also his best friend, but he had to try and explain to a little six-year-old why her parents were never coming back. Now this judge was threatening to take the one constant in his life and the only family he had left away from him? They might as well lock him up now because there was no way he’d sit by and watch them take her, especially not without a fight.
“Your Honor,” Iris chimed in. “With all due respect, I don’t think it’s a good idea to remove my client from her home. She’s a good kid and I have gotten to know both her and her uncle and I can see that Mr. Dupree loves this young lady more than anything. He’s given her a good home and the best edu—”
“I don’t doubt Mr. Dupree loves her, Counselor, but I don’t see where he’s giving her the type of attention she apparently needs,” the judge explained, as if Nash weren’t sitting there. The more Nash heard, the angrier he became. “It’s clear that Tania is an intelligent young lady, but the trouble she’s been getting into lately tells me that something is missing in her life, and I think that something is attention and order.”
The three of them listened as the judge gave Tania a stern lecture about her past social behavior, as well as his concern about this last incident and the direction she was heading. When he was done with Tania, he started in on Nash. He commented on the type of lifestyle Nash lived and how he paraded around with numerous women.
“Over the next three months, I want both Mr. Dupree and this young lady to go through counseling—first individually, and then as a family. We’ll schedule the first review hearing for six weeks. Once I get reports back from the therapist, as well as the assigned probationary officer, I’ll decide if further disciplinary actions are needed.”
“Your Honor.” Iris took a long breath before continuing. “Where are you proposing Tania stay during this time?”
“She can stay with a dependable relative, or we can contact Family Services.”
“No!” Iris, Nash and Tania said in unison.
“I’m sorry, Your Honor,” Iris spoke up, and wrapped her arm around Tania’s shoulder when Tania started to cry. “As a person who has personally lived in one foster home after another, I don’t think placing Tania in a foster home is in her best interest. Mr. Dupree is all the family she has and they are good together.”
“Well, what would you suggest we do with her, Attorney Sinclair?”
Iris bit her bottom lip and glanced at Tania, then back at Nash before returning her attention to the judge. “She can stay with me.”
A tense silence filled the small room. Shock wasn’t a strong enough word to express what Nash felt at Iris’s proposed solution. He had seen how quickly she and his niece bonded before going into court, but he couldn’t believe what she was volunteering to do. There was no way he could object because at the moment he had no other ideas. Even if he had, one more outburst might very well land him in jail.
“This is an unusual request, Counselor.” The judge ran his hands over his thinning gray hair, then removed his eyeglasses. He gnawed on the temple tip in deep thought, looking from Iris to Tania and stealing a glance at Nash. “But...I’ll allow it. Actually, I think you might be good for this young lady.”
* * *
What was I thinking, agreeing to become Tania’s temporary guardian? Iris thought after the judge dismissed the court, placing her cell phone back into her briefcase. No, she knew exactly what she was thinking. She didn’t want to see Tania go from foster home to foster home the way she had after her mother was killed. At fourteen, Iris had been angry at the world. Though academically smart, she wanted nothing to do with school and had skipped a large chunk of her freshman year of high school. Thank God she had finally ended up with Mama Adel, her last foster mother and the one woman who made a difference in Iris’s life.
Iris released a shaky breath and planned her next move. She made a quick call to her office and talked with Noelle. The judge had agreed that it was probably best that another attorney from Iris’s firm oversee Tania’s case going forward and, after hearing what happened, Noelle gladly agreed to take over.
Iris glanced at Nash and Tania, huddled together at the end of the courthouse hall. She didn’t have a clue how to care for a child, especially a fifteen-year-old girl, who, according to her uncle, was a borderline genius. All Iris knew was that she couldn’t let Tania end up in foster care.
A strong desire to be wrapped within Nash’s arms herself came over Iris and it took all she had to maintain some distance. What the heck was wrong with her? Each time she looked at him, her stomach did somersaults and she couldn’t understand—why him? She was about to take on one of the biggest challenges she had ever faced, and here she was fantasizing about being in his strong arms. It didn’t help that she was seeing a softer, more compassionate side of him that she hadn’t seen the day before.
“Tania, sweetheart, have a seat over there.” Nash pointed toward a bench ten feet away. “I want to talk with Attorney Sinclair for a moment,” he said, kissing the top of Tania’s head before releasing her.
“Thanks for doing this,” Tania said and wrapped her skinny arms around Iris’s waist.
Iris hugged her back, getting emotional at the gratitude she felt with Tania’s simple gesture. “It’s my pleasure.”
When Tania stepped away, Nash moved closer and Iris inhaled the fresh Irish Spring soap scent that clung to him, making her want to move closer to get a better whiff. God, he smells good.
“You shocked me in there,” he said quietly and released a ragged breath.
Taller than most women and the average guy, Iris wasn’t used to being near a man who towered over her, but she loved how feminine it made her feel. She looked up and into Nash’s eyes. She saw something in him that was much different from the man she’d met yesterday, who had been confident, in control and, at one point, downright arrogant. Now, with haggard eyes, he looked like a man who had weathered a serious storm and who couldn’t seem to find the words to express what he was feeling.
Legal Seduction Page 4
