by Morgan Black
What can I say? I’m selfish.
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Fight (FREE prequel to Fierce!)
Fierce (Book 1)
Fury (Book 1.5)
Flame (Book 2)
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ou must be the new girl.”
The newcomer’s smooth voice startled my already fragile nerves and I jumped, hitting my bare knee against the sharp edge of the table.
I’d been sitting alone getting myself pumped and running my closing statement through my head over and over again. I hadn’t even realized I wasn’t alone.
“Shit,” I whispered, rubbing my knee. He chuckled, prompting me to look up into the greenest eyes I’d ever seen.
“No,” I said around the lump in my throat. His eyes found my lips and I licked them nervously. “I’m Meela Davis,” I corrected him.
His grin was slow and deadly as it spread across his face, making me wonder how many casualties he’d easily claimed with it. “You’re quick, Meela Davis. That’s good.”
I frowned. Giving him a quick once over, I took in his jeans, casual t-shirt, and the dark messenger bag strapped over his chest. My attention was drawn to the muscles of his chest and sun-touched tan of his arms and neck. His soft brown hair was wind-blown and messy. He seemed like a relatively harmless messenger boy, and I relaxed no longer sensing a threat.
“I didn’t realize I was being studied,” I said sarcastically.
“In this line of work you’re always being reviewed,” he countered.
“What would you know about this line of work?” I asked.
He was just a messenger. He had no idea what it was like to spend hour after hour going over a case—obsessing over every detail to make sure you were successful for your client. Anyone could deliver a message.
My eyes moved around the room and landed on the empty table beside me. There were two very important people to this case missing. It wasn’t going to be much of a trial without the opposing counsel and her client.
Even knowing that the case was probably going to get thrown out, the knots in my stomach tightened. It was slowly sinking in, if they did show, I’d be handling my very first case alone. As in no one responsible for the outcome but me. I was seconds away from finding the nearest trash can and emptying my nerves.
“You’re anxious,” he said, his eyes dipping to my shaking hands.
Looking down at my fidgeting fingers, I quickly dropped my hands in my lap and took a deep breath before I looked back up at him.
“What’s there to be nervous about?” I kept my voice controlled.
He played along. “You’re awfully confident, Meela Davis.”
“Why wouldn’t I be? We have five minutes before the trial starts and there’s no opposing counsel and her client is a no show, too. It looks like this case is going to be closed before it even starts,” I shrugged.
False confidence slipped in with my words. Plus he was being so cocky, and I wanted him to know his place. Me lawyer. Him messenger boy. There was no contest here.
“Not that it matters either way.” I said, smoothing my hair down with a smirk. “I have a pretty strong case.”
“Really?” he asked doubtful. “What makes you think so?”
Crossing my legs, I leaned back in my chair. “And why would I share that information with you?”
He leaned on the table, hovering above me and shifted until I could feel the fabric of his rough jeans against my knee. I snuck a quick peek at the contact before matching his stare.
“Because you’re fresh and young. Because the thought of winning still excites you. I know how lawyers work.”
“Is that so?”
“Yes, and I know you’re dying to share your dirty little secret with me.
“That wouldn’t make me a very trustworthy lawyer, now would it?”
“On the contrary… I think it would make you an amazing lawyer,” he whispered, his hot breath striking the side of my face.
I eyed him, feeling amused by his obvious flirting. He was attractive and I didn’t mind the flirting. If anything, it helped take my mind off of the room around me.
“Men like you are the reason I’m even here today in the first place,” I said, trying to keep a flirty smile from my lips.
“You can’t say something like that and not enlighten me, Ms. Davis.”
Again, he moved his green eyes over my body in a way that made me feel like I wasn’t properly dressed. I was wearing a professional and stylish pantsuit. I was covered from head to toe, yet the messenger boy was making me feel naked in a way that made me even more nervous.
“My client’s going for alimony. Her husband’s a playboy like you. Couldn’t keep his hands off the ladies. Because of that, this case is all mine whether the opposing party shows or not.”
He chuckled softly, shaking his head and making his dark hair shift. “A playboy, huh? You got that from me in the five minutes that we’ve been talking?”
“Absolutely. I’m a lawyer. I know people,” I responded confidently.
Again he chuckled. “So you’ve got this one in the bag then. Should I congratulate you now or afterward?”
“As long as no one mentions the pool boy, I’d say you can congratulate me now,” I smiled.
Judge Wilks came in at that moment, stopping all talk between me and the messenger boy.
The room went quiet and I faced forward, blocking out the rest of the room and focusing on the task at hand. I’d studied until I couldn’t study anymore. I knew the law books backward. I had this. This was my case.
And then the messenger boy spoke again. Except this time he was seated at the opposing table and the flirty tilt to his voice was gone and he was all professional regardless of his casual jeans and t-shirt.
“Excuse my attire, Judge Wilks, Melody had a school emergency with her oldest son and asked me to step in for her at the last minute. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to change.”
His arms spread wide and he smiled at the judge. I watched as she swooned, and actually sighed before the rest of us before returning his smile. A pink blush tinted her cheeks as she slipped her glasses over her eyes.
“You’re forgiven this one time, Mr. Tate.”
Tate. Tate. Tate. I repeated his last name over and over in my head trying to figure out why it sounded so familiar. When his name finally clicked, I gripped the edge of my table and tried not to mentally commit mind murder.
Landon Tate.
I didn’t know his face, but I knew his name. He was one of the best. I’d personally studied of few of his cases in law school. All aspiring young law students knew his name. He’d taken the court system by storm even at his young age and was now one of the top paid lawyers in his firm.
I cursed him from my seat and tried not to burn him with my eyes. He’d definitely fooled me.
Since when did cut-throat lawyers dress like messenger boys?
I kicked myself for talking and flirting with him so freely. It was embarrassing that he’d gotten over on me so easily. My words from earlier swam through my head making me slightly dizzy.
I’m a lawyer, I know people.
Yeah right. I knew people. How stupid I must have looked to him.
Afterwards, when leaving the courtroom with my first official loss under my belt, I tried to ward off the tears until I made it to my car.
Stupid pool boy. I’d given Landon Tate all the information he needed to win his case and my client was leaving a twenty year marriage with nothing to show for it.
I was almost out of the building, when Landon stepped out, stopping me in my tracks.
“Looking
for more tips on how to win your case,” I snapped.
His sly grin spread across his plump lips, making me want to slap him.
“Come now, Ms. Davis, we both know I would have won whether or not you had so carelessly given me all you ammunition. If anything you should be thanking me.”
Screw slapping him, I wanted to kick him where it hurt.
“I should thank you? You can’t be serious?”
“Think of this way. I taught you a very valuable lesson today, Meela Davis.”
“Oh really? And what lesson would that be?”
He moved in close, causing me to stiffen. The smell of his expensive cologne moved all around me. The hair beside my ear shifted as his breath moved it.
“Never trust anyone.”
bjection, your honor!” I yelled, coming to my feet. “He’s doing it again.”
“Doing what exactly, Ms. Davis?” Judge Peterson asked.
“What Mr. Tate always does. He’s trying to confuse the situation with his smooth talk and manipulative ways, your honor.”
I was seething. The room and everyone in it was colored a murderous shade of red as I let Landon Tate work his way under my skin again. I fell into his carefully crafted web and it was my own fault. The stupid smirk that tilted his lips was enough to make me want to cause bodily harm.
A year later, and my first loss burned me deep and he was right, he had taught me a lesson. Since that day I’d never trusted another person. I’d also never lost another case.
I watched as Tate wiggled his finger at me and mouthed tsk, tsk, tsk before moving his head in the direction of the judge. Forcing myself to look away, I met the judge’s scowl and bit my tongue a little too late.
“Your honor-” I started, but she was quick to talk over me.
“I must be really disorderly, Ms. Davis. Because it sounds to me like you just said I’m easily confused and manipulated.”
“Of course not, Judge Peterson. I merely meant to point out that Mr. Tate’s current argument has nothing to do with this case or my client’s innocence.”
“Excuse me, alleged innocence,” Tate blurted, holding up a finger and giving his courtroom famous grin. “After all, your client was found with the gun in question in his possession at the time of his arrest.”
“You mean the gun that mysteriously went missing from evidence at precinct fifty-one not forty-eight hours prior to my client’s arrest?”
“Mysteriously? Your client was brought in for question the day before. You see where I’m going here, Meela?”
I wanted to scratch his eyes out. “It’s Ms. Davis, and I see where you’re trying to go with this, but there’s no indication that supports my client was anywhere near the evidence room, nor were there any reports to say he went missing during his questioning. I find it even more ridiculous, Mr. Tate, that you’re even using this absurd excuse as the foundation for your argument. Honestly, it’s a little lazy of you, but with the right amount of underhandedness.”
He casually chuckled as if we weren’t in the middle of a trial.
“So let me get this straight, I’m lazy and underhanded now? Why don’t you say how you really feel, Ms. Davis?”
“Because I don’t want to be held in contempt,” I snapped.
“Counselors,” the judge intervened, annoyed. “I don’t know what’s going on between the two of you, but it’s been going on far too long. In the last year I’ve had you both in my courtroom and it’s like this every time.”
Embarrassed and angry that I’d let Landon affect me so much, I apologized to the judge and Landon followed suit.
“Now, what exactly are you asking for Ms. Davis?” Judge Peterson asked.
“I’m asking that the case be dismissed, your honor.”
“Dismissed?” Landon shouted.
“Behave yourself, Mr. Tate,” Judge Peterson said, looking over the top her glasses and giving Landon a warning look. “On what grounds, Ms. Davis?”
“Although Mr. Tate would like to make us think he has a case against my client, he doesn’t, your honor. All he’s doing is giving the case the run around and wasting your time and mine. If he had something, he would’ve showed his cards by now.”
The judge took a deep breath while I held mine and waited for her to speak again. Gathering up a stack of papers, she tapped them together before speaking.
“I’m ready to make my ruling.”
“You’re honor I don’t think you’re…” Landon started, only to be cut off once also.
“Now you’re telling me I don’t know how to think, Mr. Tate?” Judge Peterson cut into him.
Tate gave a nervous chuckle and tried to make amends with those green eyes of his.
“Of course not, your honor.” His eyes shifted in my direction and it was my turn to tsk him. “I just meant-”
“Enough, Mr. Tate, because as much as I love to be insulted in my own court room, and listen to you and Ms. Davis fight to the death, I’d like to be done with this case and with the two of you.”
She looked between the two of us and I wondered if she could tell I was holding my breath.
“Mr. Tate, while most of the time I appreciate your often bold and colorful tactics, you’ve fallen short this time.”
“Judge-”
“No, Mr. Tate, now it’s my turn to talk.”
She was like a stern mama bear as she stared down at Landon, almost begging him to speak again so she could have the pleasure of throwing him out of court. I didn’t know what I wanted more… to win the case or see Landon being hauled out of the room in contempt.
“I’ve heard both of your arguments or should I say a lack there of on your part, Mr. Tate. You’ve yet to show any concrete proof of what you’re trying to convince me of.” She gave a quick pause. “And because of that, I am granting Ms. Davis her dismissal.”
“Your honor…” Landon tried to argue, but to my pleasure the Judge was having none of it.
“It’s over, Mr. Tate, move on.”
Throwing her gavel down, the loud knock echoed throughout the room before she lifted from her chair and made her way down the side of the bench and out the side door.
“Good afternoon, Judge Peterson.” I called out as the door shut behind her.
There was no sound in the room for a good five seconds, and I celebrated my triumph before Landon ruined it.
“Good afternoon Judge Peterson?” Landon mocked, sauntering toward me.
I continued to put away my files ignoring him. I’d just won my fourteenth case against Landon putting me ahead by one for the first time since I’d had the misfortune of meeting him last year. It wasn’t a lot, but he could bet his ass I was going to rub it in his face.
Taking my bag, I put on my I-won-and-you-didn’t-game face. “You’ve never been a very good loser, Tate.”
“Do I have to remind you of the William’s case?”
I rolled my eyes, but I could feel the small blush rise up my neck. I did not need him to remind me about the William’s case. It wasn’t my best moment and I didn’t care to relive my full grown tantrum.
“You heard the judge, Landon. Move on.” I tried to move around him, but he was quick to block my way with his body.
I stopped short, but it wasn’t enough to keep me from brushing against the front of him. Landon flirted with anyone in a pencil skirt, but since our first encounter, I’d always made sure to steer as far away from him as I could unless we were working a case together.
“How many is that now?”
I frowned. “What?”
“Cases. What’s the score?”
Again, the blush crawled over my skin. Damn him.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about,” I said, avoiding eye contact.
“You’re lying, counselor. You know exactly what I’m talking about.” His voice was almost a whisper and I suddenly felt like the room was closing in on us.
I knew how Landon worked, but I wasn’t a case, judge, or jury, and I wasn’t going to
let him work me like one. Taking a step closer, I closed the distance between us.
“I’m not the same woman I was a year ago, Landon. I’m not one of the silly girls who flocks to your side. You can’t work me over.”
“I can’t?”
He grinned knowingly down at me. We stood there, a silent stand off and I’d be damned if I’d be the one to back down first.
“Congrats, counselor,” He said, turning on his heel and walking out of the courtroom.
I frowned. Landon wasn’t one to give up so easily. I didn’t want to think about it though. The room instantly felt lighter and it was easier to breathe. I’d played stupid, but I knew all about our silent competition. And whether he knew it or not, I was winning on all accounts.
nother one bites the dust.” I told Carrie as I made a slash through the mark on my Landon board. “Bring on the wine.”
Carrie left and returned with a glass of wine for me and something totally not wine in hers.
“Orange juice?” I questioned, taking my glass from her.
She scrunched up her face. “My stomach is a little upset. Congrats, counselor. I knew you could do it.”
Smiling, I touched my glass to hers before taking a long drink. The bitter sweet taste was exactly what I needed to push away the strange feeling in the pit of my stomach. The memory of how Landon had called me counselor earlier moved through me, electrifying my resolve.
“Let’s celebrate!” I set my glass down on the small coffee table and gave Carrie wide excited eyes. “We’ll invite Nicole and Kaylee, too.”
“That sounds perfect. I have some news of my own to celebrate.” Her smile was hesitant, but it didn’t take away from the happiness she was obviously feeling.
I’d somehow missed her nerves until that moment. Being caught up with my win I hadn’t even noticed she was obviously on edge.
“Oh, yeah? What are we celebrating?” I asked.
“Well…” She took a deep breath and before she spoke, I knew exactly what she was going to say. My heart sank like an anchor. “I’m pregnant!”
