The Gamble

by Alice Ward

  “Because either she was paid, or she really thought you raped the girl, Zek.” My brother nursed his beer as he watched me intently.

  Was he questioning if I raped Melissa? Surely not.

  “I didn’t rape her.” I lifted my eyebrow at him in challenge. “I fucked up, and I fucked her, but it was completely consensual.”

  “I get that, but it might not be about the idea of you raping someone. Celia knew you better than that.” He sat back and dropped his hands into his lap.

  “Then what?” My phone buzzed. Unknown number.

  I let it be, not interested in talking with anyone other than my brother at the moment, and even he was starting to grate my nerves.

  “The girl was twenty, bro. You’re thirty-six. That’s a huge age gap.” He shrugged. “That upsets people a lot sometimes. Maybe Celia just figured you took advantage of the girl because you were her boss, and you’re quite a bit older. If anyone should have known that sleeping together wasn’t a great idea... it was you.”

  “I guess.” I picked up a chip from the basket sitting between us and chewed on it slowly, trying to think through my next steps. If Alisa wasn’t taking the rape case, then I needed to find someone sooner rather than later.

  “We’re going to get through this. Just say an extra prayer that Alisa will take the case, or if not, we find another attorney that’s just as well suited for your shit.” He picked up a few chips and shoved them in his mouth before turning his head to follow a cute waitress as she walked to the back. “I think the worst part about going to jail would be the lack of opportunity for sex.”

  “I think there’s probably plenty of opportunity.” I crossed my arms over my chest, not really wanting to broach the subject that my brother always moved toward. Sex was his go-to topic and had been since we were kids. How he had a wife and hadn’t cheated on her was a shock to me.

  He chuckled. “That’s disturbing.”

  The phone buzzed again, and I picked it up, lifting my hand to tell him to keep it down for a minute. “This is Zek.”

  “Zek. It’s Clark Beeler. How are you, old friend?”

  “Hey, buddy.” I slumped down in my chair and ignored Mark trying to play charades with me across the table. “How are you?”

  “I’m good. I’m sure you know why I’m calling.” His tone was even, but I knew Clark well enough to know that he could go from cool and collected to a raging bull in a matter of minutes.

  “Yep. I honestly hope that I didn’t upset her too much.” I turned and got out of the booth, heading for the front door. “I just needed to know if it was her. Sitting across the table and pretending to be strangers didn’t work.”

  “I get that. What happened with you guys when we were kids? I thought she just had a passing crush, but it seemed like maybe I missed something.”

  “It wasn’t much more than that. I respected you too much, and she was too young.” I pushed the door and walked out into the darkening evening, taking a deep breath of the fresh air around me. “I need her help, buddy. She’s the best at what she does, and I’m in a shit load of trouble.”

  “I get that. I’m a little hesitant to encourage her though. I’m sure you understand.” He let out a long sigh.

  “Just ask, Clark. We were friends our whole lives. Just ask.” I pressed my back to the wall behind me and lifted my eyes to the sky as the stars started to dot the skyline. How badly I wanted to experience life in a new and fresh way now that it was close to being snatched from me.

  “Did you rape that girl? I know you didn’t, but I gotta hear it from you. I need to protect my sister from whatever is raging inside of her.” His voice was pinched, tight with stress.

  I wasn’t even offended. I knew why he needed to ask me the question and didn’t blame him.

  “No. I would never in a million years hurt a woman. I had sex with her, and it was rough because she bantered me into being rough. It was what she wanted. But I’d never hurt her, or anyone else. Not even after her false accusations. I feel sorry for the girl.” I pushed away from the wall. “Help me get Alisa on my side. I’ll keep away from her other than what’s required professionally for this shit.”

  “Swear it on your great granddaddy’s grave.”

  Warmth filtered through the phone as he joked with me like he did when we were kids. Everything was sworn on our great granddaddy’s graves. I almost felt sorry for the old guys... they had a lot stacked against them.

  “I swear it. I just need help and someone I can trust.” I held my breath, knowing if he agreed to talk to her then she would come over to my side.

  “Alright, buddy. Let’s get together soon and talk. I’ll see what I can do.”

  “Thanks, Clark.” I dropped the call and slid the phone into my back pocket before cupping my hands over my mouth and pacing along the sidewalk for a minute or more.

  Somehow proving my innocence in the rape case had become more than just a need to clear up my name. It was about getting Alisa to remember who I was. Remember the kind of man I was. I could get Clark to convince her to agree to represent me, but it would be up to me to bring her to see me as I wanted to be seen.

  It was an uphill battle, but one I wanted to fight.

  “Now, just don’t lose yourself to her in the middle of it.”

  Yeah right.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Alisa

  I didn’t sleep much the night before, thanks to dreams of Zek fucking me the way he had Melissa. Where I wasn’t interested in being bruised and beaten up, the idea of having a lover who pressed his teeth to my flesh and worked me against a wall or two would be bliss.

  I missed my ex-husband, but it was more a friendship that we once had that I missed more than anything. He wasn’t an aggressive lover, or really much of a masculine type guy, but he was fun and impossibly sweet. The relationship had formed when I was in college, and though Clark had warned me a million times about marrying a music major, I ignored him. We made things work as long as we could, but in the end we were just too different to sustain a fruitful relationship.

  My job became my mistress, and he called me out on it. Maybe in some way, I wanted the divorce.

  “Shut up,” I grumbled under my breath and walked into our large high-rise office downtown. I knew Lizzy would want to see me first thing this morning, and as much as I hated to admit it, I was almost sure I was going to take the rape case.

  A text message popped up on my phone, but I waited to check it until I got snuggled into the elevator with a hundred other people who seemed to be running late too. It was from Clark.

  Clark: Hey, Sis. Good to see you last night. I was thinking about it after you left and I can’t imagine Zek having done those things. I think if you’re capable of keeping your heart away from him, you could be the one to save him. He’s a good guy and was my best friend for years. Hell, probably still is when I think about it. Anyway, anything you can do to help, I’d appreciate it. BUT, I will still kill him if he even comes near you in any way but as a client. Hear me?

  ***

  I chuckled and got off at my stop, texting my brother back ‘yes’ and dropping everything but my briefcase off in my oversized office. With all of the conference rooms on the floor, the offices seemed like a waste to me, but I was the new kid on the block. There was no reason to give my opinion unless someone asked for it.

  I knocked on Lizzy’s door and waited until I heard a muffled ‘come in’ from her. Pushing the door open, I poked my head inside.

  “Now an okay time?” She was alone in her office, seated at her desk as she typed on her keyboard.

  “Yeah. Come on in. I’m glad you’re here. I wanted to lock down your plans for Mr. Kellington’s case, and to see which one we need to reassign.” She nodded toward the chair in front of her desk. “Please. Have a seat.”

  I sat down and clasped my hands before laying them in my lap. “Has he actually been charged for the insider trading allegation, or is that still under investigation?”
>
  Lizzy moved back from her computer and turned, putting her full attention on me. “It’s still under investigation. You don’t actually have to decide on that one today, but we do need to have you sit in on any meetings he might have with the SEC as legal counsel, if you’re willing. I’d hate for him to say the wrong thing and end up under their thumb for no reason.”

  “So you don’t think he did it?” I studied her, looking for all the normal signs of someone trying to hide the full truth.

  “No, I don’t, but you know as well as I do... we’re defense attorneys. It doesn’t matter if he did do it. We’re looking for the loophole to get him out of it.” She picked up a file and handed it to me. “Did you get to talk with him about the rape allegation?”

  “A little bit. He says he’s innocent.” I took the file and slipped it into my briefcase sitting at my feet.

  “And do you believe him?” She watched me with a calmness that I would love to learn to exude in front of others.

  “Yes. I do.” I leaned back over and pulled a few more things from my bag. “I found evidence that the girl has filed claims of rape against four other men in the last three years, one of them being an attorney at her father’s firm. I’m not sure if she actually suffered at the hands of these men, but the allegations and claims are almost eerily similar. All of them were settled out of court.”

  “Let me see what you have.” Lizzy reached for the file as her eyebrow lifted. “And you think the settlement her father sent over to Zek is being done so that he will close the case down without them having to go to court?”

  “Why else? He’s a lawyer first and foremost, and a damn good one from what I understand. He knows good and damn well if he’s able to win the case against Zek. Besides that, what father would allow a man who raped his daughter to settle out of court? If she were my child, I would prosecute to the fullest extent of the law. No amount of money would thwart my rebuttal.” I took a quick breath, not realizing just how worked up I was getting.

  “Do you think Jon is getting a cut off these settlements?”

  I pressed my teeth into my bottom lip and leaned back, relaxing a little as I let my mind move through the possibilities. Mr. Mills was a well-known litigation attorney. There was no way he would taint his name with a scandal unless he was either unaware of it, or was being handsomely paid for the associated risk of playing a part in all of it.

  “I don’t know. I would say yes just because I have a hard time thinking that the girl—”

  “Melissa.”

  “Right, Melissa. I have a hard time thinking that she could do something of this nature without her father catching on that she’s falsifying the situation to gain a favorable outcome from it.”

  I reached up to run my fingers through my hair before remembering that I was in front of one of the senior partners in my firm. I jerked my hand down and sat up again, straightening my back and shoulders.

  “I want you to take the rape case.” Lizzy glanced down and pulled her glasses from the top of her head as she thumbed through the documents, reading them quietly.

  I waited until she glanced up to respond. “I can do that. I want to interview both Jon Mills and his daughter. I’ll get a statement from Mr. Kellington too.”

  “That’s a good start. Dig into these other cases. We will not be settling with them out of court. I know my brother-in-law far more than anyone else.” She sat back. “He respects women and puts up with their shit more than any man I know. He’s a good man and deserves a break. This is the opposite of what I’d hoped for him.”

  “Why isn’t he married?” I couldn’t help but ask, and I was sure she was going to dismiss me and shut down the conversation. She didn’t know me well enough to have a discussion about Zek’s private life.

  “He’s not found the right woman yet. It seems that they all start out interested in him as a person, but soon after learning just how wealthy he is... it becomes more about money than anything else.” She shrugged. “Some part of me almost believes that he is guilty of the insider trading. If wealth brings love, then why not go in search of the one thing you need to complete yourself?”

  “More wealth?”

  “No. Love.” She handed me the file back. “Call him in and start with accepting the case. Work through the client files with him and make sure you put your appointments on my calendar. I’ll be overseeing this with you. We’ll stay abreast on the insider trading allegations, but there’s nothing else to do just yet. We need the SEC to present a verdict and their findings. Then we’ll move into action.”

  “Okay.” I stood and picked up my bag. “Anything else?”

  “Only this,” Lizzy stood up, “if you start to feel uncomfortable because of anything that happens between you and Zek, just come see me and I’ll have you removed from the case. I know you have a bit of history together. Let’s make sure it doesn’t cloud your judgment or get cause a problem in any way, shape or form. Okay?”

  “Of course. Thank you for the opportunity.” I turned and walked out of the office, a bit calmer about the whole ordeal, knowing there was an out should I need it.

  After checking my e-mail and working through my calendar, I bit the bullet and called Zek. I wasn’t sure how to act around him, so I chose the route of being incredibly professional. Whether it upset him or not wasn’t at all my concern. I was his attorney. He was my client. Nothing else.

  “Zek Kellington.”

  “Hi, Mr. Kellington. This is Alisa Manning from—”

  “Hi, Alisa. How are you today? I should apologize for yesterday, I—”

  No damn way you’re taking control.

  “It’s nothing to be concerned about. I’ve spoken with Lizzy, and I will be picking up your pressing case and sitting in as legal counsel should you need me in any meetings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.”

  I paused, and he jumped back in. “Excellent. I was hoping that you would change your mind. I’ll make sure to keep our past in the past. It seems that it belongs there anyway.” He cleared his throat, giving me the opportunity I was looking for to jump back in.

  “Perfect. I need to visit with you. I’d prefer that be today if you can spare an hour or so.”

  “I can. I’ll be there just before lunch. Should I just ask for you at the front desk?”

  “Yes. I’ll see you then.”

  I dropped the call and slumped back into the large leather chair that held me. I should have told him after lunch. The possibility of him asking me out to share a meal with him was high, and I didn’t need the pressure of sitting across the table from possibly the most handsome man I knew. I was pissy and needy from not having been with a man in almost six months. Every part of me wanted to throw caution to the wind and sink down into his hold.

  “Stop it,” I muttered to myself and pulled up the files on Jon Mills. I wanted to search for any additional clues that might help me discern whether Melissa’s father was involved in what appeared to be a quite lucrative scandal. It shocked me that anyone would use their body to further themselves, but it happened all the time.

  Some part of me wanted to tell Zek that his cash was no good to me. I’d much prefer him pay for my services with a million long, sweaty nights and a thousand kisses. A groan left me as my body woke up with those thoughts. Much like the old days, the object of my affection was a handsome football player with blue eyes the color of the ocean, a smile that made my stomach hurt, and messy brown hair that begged for my fingers to race through it.

  “What am I doing?”

  Making a mistake.

  ***

  A knock at the door pulled me from the files I was reviewing, and I’d almost forgotten about the meeting I had scheduled with Zek. He stood at the door with a beautiful smile on his handsome face, the sight of him alone melting my insides.

  “Come on in.” I stood and moved toward the small round table in front of my desk. “Thanks for meeting me on such short notice.”

  “No, thank you.” H
e unbuttoned his navy pinstriped jacket, revealing a starch white button-up that stretched across his chest and left me wanting to do things that I hadn’t thought about in a long time.

  “Sure.” I sat down and reached for the extra pair of glasses I had on the table as I started to look through the various suits filed by Melissa Mills. “I know we talked a little last night about being familiar with each other in the old days, but I need us to ignore that.”

  I glanced up and tried not to show just how much he affected me. It had to be my longing to belong to someone who would sweep me off my feet and leave me breathless. It was the loneliness, the neediness talking inside of me.

  “If that’s what you want, then I’ll honor that. I need your help. However, I need to behave to get it, count me in.” He sat back and watched me with an intensity that left me wondering if I should fix my hair, straighten my shirt or run from the room as fast as I could.

  “As I said, I’m taking the case. We will need to go through various details if we go to court. Where the interactions with Miss Mills all at the office?” I picked up my pencil and tried to keep my attention on his handsome face instead of memorizing him from head to toe.

  “Once at the office, and once at the lake house. It’s my lake house, though. Mark and I go up there all the time.” He licked his lips subtly. “I can take you up there if that would help.”

  I stood and walked to an ornate liquor cabinet that each of us had in our offices. I’d turned my nose up at the idea of it until now. The partners of the firm were old school and believed very much in socializing over meetings.

  “Drink?” I asked as I glanced over my shoulder.

  “I’d love one.” He stood, and I couldn’t force myself to turn around and take my eyes off of him. “I’m sorry I upset you yesterday. We can stick to the facts, but this is a rape case. Like you said, we have to talk about what happened. I’m worried that maybe that’s not a good idea around you.”

  “I can handle myself just fine.” I turned from him as my breath caught in my chest. The scent of his cologne brushed by me and I stifled a groan at how delicious it smelled. “We don’t need to discuss the facts until we know that we’re going to trial. We’re not paying that suit, though, so let the thought go. It admits guilt to the public, which won’t help us at all with the pending insider trading case.”