Marcel smiled back at her. “So does that mean it’s not over?”
She sighed. “I don’t think I should answer that question until I find out what’s going to happen to me. Aren’t you worried about your career?”
Marcel shrugged. “Yes and no. If the firm lets me go, I’ll just go to another law firm. I’m good at what I do.”
“But what if you get disbarred?”
“I seriously doubt that’ll happen.”
Sharla stood as well. Her nipples seemed to call out to him from beneath the sheer fabric.
Marcel headed in the direction of the glass door, but Sharla stopped him.
“Why are you going out the back?”
He chuckled. “I actually parked a few houses down because I was afraid someone might see me here.”
“What’s done is done.”
As he followed her toward the front door, a familiar stirring rumbled in his groin. Watching her ass, he yearned for her, longing to plant himself deep inside her again.
She reached out for the doorknob and before he could stop himself, he gently pushed her up against the door, kissing the back of her neck as he palmed her ass.
Her silence only encouraged him and, in seconds, he had unzipped his pants and stepped out of them. Moving her thong to the side, he jammed himself into her harder and faster than he had intended. Her initial wail of agony quickly turned into muffled cries of bliss. She spread both hands flat against the door and protruded her ass, giving him deeper and deeper access.
She came quickly, writhing ferociously beneath him, screaming into the door as she climaxed. Then she fell limp, exhausted from the sexual explosion he’d created inside her.
Marcel carried her back into the den and set her on the couch. Without words, she reached up and took him into her mouth. The soft tug of her lips fired shivers through his body. He braced himself by holding onto the back of the couch, fearing he might collapse and crush her.
Sharla drew him further and further down her throat, then intermittently pulled back so her tongue could suck his tip. Seconds later, she hungrily took him in again—every inch of him.
Damn. He thought Camille was in a class by herself when it came to giving head. Sharla’s skillful performance was making him reevaluate that assessment.
Gibberish spurted from his lips as he neared his trigger point, uncertain whether it was okay to come into her mouth.
“I’m coming,” he managed to blubber as he tried to pull away.
But Sharla reached around with her free hand and grabbed his ass, holding him in place.
At the same moment that he fired into her mouth, a bright flash of light lit up the entire den.
Chapter 31
Sharla
“What the hell!” Marcel jerked away so hard he stumbled to the floor.
Sharla sprang up from the couch. “Oh, my God! Somebody just took a picture of us!”
Scrambling to his feet, Marcel ran into the living room and snatched his pants from the floor. He squirmed into them and charged barefoot out of the front door.
Sharla just sat there, cupping her forehead. What was I thinking? She had to stay away from this man.
When Marcel returned minutes later, he was winded, his face a curtain of anger. “I didn’t see anybody.”
“But we both know who that was,” Sharla spat at him. “So what’s she going to do with the picture? Put it on Facebook?”
Marcel didn’t respond. He had nothing to say because he wouldn’t put that past Camille.
“Now she has proof that we’re seeing each other. She’ll probably give the picture to the opposing counsel.”
“Just calm down. It’s going to be okay.”
“No, it’s not! Stop saying that. We’re both going to lose our jobs. And I’m sorry, but it’s not worth it!”
Sharla had not expected to see the intense hurt on Marcel’s face. She wanted to take her words back, but all she could do was cry. He tried to pull her into his arms, but she fought him off.
“You need to find that bitch and get that picture from her!” she sobbed.
“I will.” Marcel started to pace in a small circle. “I’ll fix this. I promise I will.”
Sharla could not have a man in her life that caused her to act like a reckless, horny idiot. When Marcel was around, she lost total control of her senses. She was facing reprimand for this very conduct and here she was doing it again.
“You need to leave,” she said, refusing to look at him. “This was a mistake. And I’m not just talking about tonight. Everything. All of it was one big mistake. I can’t see you again. Ever.”
Chapter 32
Marcel
Marcel sat in his den consumed with rage. Camille was going to pay for everything she had done. His career at Sherman & Finnegan was probably over. But worse, the first woman who had truly captured his heart never wanted to see him again.
He was on his fifth cognac when he decided to drive over to Camille’s apartment. When he got to his feet, the room started spinning and he slumped back into his recliner. He was in no condition to drive. So he called her instead.
Camille picked up on the first ring. “I thought you’d be calling me,” she said flirtatiously.
Really? He couldn’t believe the nut job was actually going to confess again. Invasion of privacy and being a peeping Tom could now be added to her list of crimes. He should probably be taping this call.
“And why’d you think that?”
“Because I get it now. You keep calling me with these stupid allegations because you miss me. No matter how much you deny it, I know you love me as much as I love you.”
This bitch is truly delirious.
“Camille, I need you to come clean?”
“Come clean about what?”
“About the picture?”
“What picture?”
“The picture you took about an hour ago at Sharla’s house.”
She went silent. Was she trying to come up with a cover story?
“Like I told you the last time you called me with this nonsense,” she said, a stab of anger in her voice, “I’m getting tired of you accusing me of things I didn’t do.”
“What are you going to do with the picture?” he barked. “Just tell me. Is this about money? Do you plan to blackmail us with it?”
“So exactly what’s in this picture you think I took?”
“Bitch, don’t play me. You know what’s in the picture. You also told that law firm that I was seeing Sharla.”
“You can’t talk to me like that.”
“I could’ve reported you to the police for vandalizing my car, but I didn’t. I need you to destroy that picture.”
“Hmmm,” Camille said, with a snort. “Sounds like you and your little judge were caught on camera doing the nasty.”
“If you had nothing to do with it, how would you know that?”
“I’m only putting the pieces together from what you just told me. It’s hard to believe a judge would put her career on the line like that. But then again, you work such wonders in bed, I completely understand how she got turned out.”
Marcel was glad he hadn’t driven over to Camille’s place. Right about now, he would be trying to strangle her ass.
“Must’ve been a smokin’ hot picture,” she continued, taunting him now. “Because you sound very, very worried about it getting into the wrong hands.”
“Just tell me what you want,” Marcel shouted.
“I wanted you, but the way you’ve been talking to me tonight, I don’t know if I still do.”
Marcel pinched the bridge of his nose. This wasn’t working. Camille was too devious to confess a second time. He had to find another way to play her.
“I’m sorry,” he said, softening his tone. “There’s just been a
lot going on. I thought you were behind it, but I guess I’m wrong.”
“You certainly are.”
There was no one else who could’ve possibly taken that picture. He had to figure out a way to get Camille to admit what she’d done, and then make sure she destroyed the photograph.
“You still there?” Camille asked.
Marcel sucked in his fury. “Yeah.”
“I think you owe me an apology.”
“I’m sorry.”
“Oh, c’mon. You can do better than that. I should come over tonight so you can make it up to me in person.”
“I’d like that,” he lied. “But I’m working late. I’m still at the office right now.”
“So when can I see you?” Camille asked, reverting to her pouty baby voice.
“I’ll call you.”
“When?”
“Soon.”
As soon as I figure out how I’m going to get that freakin’ picture from you.
Chapter 33
Sharla
From everything she could tell, none of her colleagues knew about the potential disciplinary action she was facing. She was glad Checkoff was her supervising judge. Being discrete was part of his nature.
Since the disclosure of her relationship with Marcel, she’d been a model judge. Getting to the courthouse early, staying late, being overly prepared for her cases and super considerate to court staff. When she faced whatever disciplinary action was coming her way, she didn’t want any other misstep to worsen things for her.
Marcel was abiding by her wishes and hadn’t contacted her. He promised he would handle things and she wanted to believe him. Had he been able to talk to his ex? Could he get her to destroy the picture?
Without thinking about it, she dialed Marcel’s number.
Just as she thought the call was going to voicemail, she heard Marcel’s voice.
“Hello.”
“How are you?” Her voice sounded cold and distant even to her.
“I’m fine,” he said.
“Is work okay?”
“Not really. I’m just waiting for the hammer to fall. I’m the subject of the firm’s best gossip in years. According to my assistant, there’s a story going around that I took you to Maui a couple of weeks ago.”
“I wish.”
“Do you?” Marcel asked.
Hell yes.
Telling him that would only lead Marcel to believe there was a shot at them getting back together. Something that couldn’t happen.
“I called to find out if you talked to your ex yet. Did she admit taking the picture?”
“I spoke to her, but she denied it. But don’t worry. I have a plan.”
“What kind of plan?”
“It’s best that you know nothing about it.”
She paused. “Don’t do anything crazy, Marcel.”
“Too late for that because I’m already crazy in love with you.”
Sharla couldn’t believe it. A man she adored had uttered the three simple words she’d longed to hear.
“Did you hear me?”
Sharla hesitated. “Yes, I heard you.”
“Whether you come back to me or not,” he continued. “I want you to know I love you and I always will.”
Chapter 34
Marcel
Was he nuts? Marcel couldn’t believe he’d just professed his love to Sharla. How in the hell had he lost his cool restraint?
The words had come straight from his heart. All this time, he didn’t think he could really feel such intense emotions for a woman. What luck. Love had popped up in the midst of the worst cluster fuck he could’ve ever imagined.
A knock on his door shattered his thoughts. It was his assistant Marie, his only ally left at the firm.
“You okay?” she asked, coming inside and closing the door.
He chuckled. “Yes, I’m fine. What? You think I’m sitting in here ready to slit my wrists?”
“No. If you did that I’d kick your butt.”
“Are those for me?” he pointed at the documents in her hand.
Marie sighed. “Yeah. And when you read them don’t get upset.”
His forehead wrinkled with dread. Now what?
“Give ’em here.”
She placed two documents on his desk. The first one was a memo to the firm’s Litigation Department from Sol Stein.
Effective immediately, Marcel Dennard will no longer have responsibility for the following matters. Associates with any issues or questions regarding these cases should address them directly to me.
A long column below the paragraph listed every case Marcel was currently handling. He had been avoiding court appearances and client meetings as instructed, but now he wasn’t supposed to do any work. Stein hadn’t even had the decency to give him a heads-up. This memo publicizing his predicament to the entire department was intended solely to embarrass him.
Heat radiated across his face as he eyed the second document. It was the Goodwin strategy memo he had prepared for Stein. Red ink dripped from every page. Stein had marked up the document as if he was a first-year associate.
Very poor analysis, Stein wrote at the end of the document.
“This is bullshit!” Marcel sputtered.
“Calm down,” Marie said.
“They’re trying to force me to quit.”
Marie’s silence didn’t dispute that.
The end of the quarter was only a couple weeks away. He was expecting a partner distribution of at least two hundred thousand dollars, plus a bonus of another hundred grand. They would owe him his distribution no matter what. But if he quit or they fired him for cause prior to the payout date, he wouldn’t see a dime of the bonus.
His conduct with Sharla alone was enough to constitute good cause for expelling him from the partnership. By taking away all of his work and marking up his memo as unsatisfactory, Stein was trying to pressure him to resign.
“I’m not quitting.” He looked defiantly at Marie. “And I’m not leaving here without every dime of the money they owe me.”
Chapter 35
Sharla
Sharla hadn’t told anyone close to her about her predicament. But she needed somebody to talk to so she invited Reese to lunch at Kendall’s.
When Sharla arrived, Reese was already seated.
“You sounded awfully sad on the phone and you look even sadder. What’s going on?”
“I messed up,” Sharla said, tears burning her eyes. “Really bad.”
“Girl, you’re scaring me. Talk to me. What happened?”
Sharla told her everything. Once she was done, she understood why Reese meant so much to her. Her best friend could’ve said I told you so, since she had. But instead, she reached across the table and squeezed her hand.
“I know it doesn’t seem like it now, but everything’s going to work out.”
Sharla wiped away a tear, embarrassed to be crying in public. She glanced around the restaurant, fearful that someone might recognize her.
“We should’ve done this in my office,” she sniffed.
“They’re not kicking you off the bench for that,” Reese said. “The worst you’ll probably get is a reprimand. When are you meeting with the presiding judge?”
“The day after tomorrow.”
“Great. Let me give you some advice.”
Reese was a management-side employment attorney who specialized in misconduct by corporate executives. “Don’t go in there with an attitude. Be contrite and professional. And don’t spill your guts. Be honest, but don’t tell them anything they don’t already know. And God forbid, do not mention that you’re madly in love with that man.”
Sharla made a sucking sound with her teeth. “Who said I was in love with him?”
“Girl, this i
s me you’re talking to. All the risks you took with that man, it couldn’t be anything but love.”
Sharla lowered her gaze. “He told me he loved me.”
Reese wagged her finger back and forth like a windshield wiper. “I don’t care what he said. Mr. Chocolate Hunk is strictly off limits. No woman needs a man in her life like that. Like my granny told me, it’s better to find a man who loves you more than you love him.”
“I don’t want that. I want to be madly in love.”
“You can still be madly in love. I love Nicholas to death. But I know he loves me more than I love him. And I prefer it that way. He constantly pushes for more from me emotionally, but I always keep a little of myself off to the side, out of his reach.”
“I just miss him so much.”
“I know you do,” Reese said, softening. “But you need to be concentrating on your career. Exclusively.”
Sharla knew what Reese was saying made sense, but she was consumed by thoughts of Marcel.
“Just do yourself a favor and stay away from him. At least until you know what disciplinary action they’re going to take.”
When Sharla returned to the courthouse, she had the remainder of the afternoon free and spent time reading a discovery motion. She whipped through it quickly and got up to make some tea before tackling another one.
Isabel was coming out of her chambers just as Sharla returned with her tea.
“I left an envelope on your desk,” she said on her way out. “A messenger just dropped it off. It doesn’t have a case name on it and looks personal, so I didn’t open it.”
Sharla picked up the large manila envelope. It was stiff like cardboard. Her stomach clenched. Marcel certainly wouldn’t be stupid enough to send a card to her at the courthouse, would he?
As she ripped the envelope open, an 8x10 photograph floated to her desk. She stared at it, nearly choking with disgust.
Right there in living color was a picture of Marcel, hovering over her, his knees on her couch, his penis down her throat.
Chapter 36
Marcel
Unlawful Desires (Lawyers in Lust Book 1) Page 9
