The Gamble

by Alice Ward

  She was too good of a woman to be anything other than completely happy and overly fulfilled with all that life had to offer. It was a little funny to see her all grown up though. Her rebellious days seemed to be long gone, but the slight glimpse I got the night before when she let her hair down was every bit the woman I expected her to be. Strong and powerful, sexy and hungry for control. My cock woke up and pressed against my slacks, forcing me to button my jacket again and turn to face the TV in the waiting room.

  “Oh, okay. I’ll check to see where Lizzy is, and we’ll be right with you.” She walked behind me, not touching me, but she didn’t have to. The look in her eyes said I hadn’t been the only one letting the night before linger in my thoughts. We were being idiots, and though I knew it, I realized she would have to come to that conclusion on her own, and in her own time. She wouldn’t let me or anyone else convince her otherwise.

  I watched the television as the news moved across the screen, but didn’t really see anything. I was too lost in my internal struggle where Alisa was concerned. I needed to get over it. I was in no shape to worry about anything other than my dilemma.

  “Zek. Come on back.” Lizzy’s voice called me from my thoughts. I turned, thanking the receptionist and followed my sister-in-law down the hall. “Have you talked with Alisa this morning?”

  “Just briefly, but nothing more than a greeting. Why? Did something come up?” I glanced over at Lizzy, a little concerned with what might be going on.

  Alisa and I were together from the early afternoon to the evening the day before. What time was there for anything to happen to me?

  A lot happened to me.

  The time in the office had led to quite a discovery for sure. I was almost giddy to share it, though a funk sat over my excitement. The people I was working to take down in order to save a small part of my own ass were old friends, Jon was once almost like family. I couldn’t allow myself to think about Celia.

  My phone buzzed as we stopped by a conference room with several people already inside. I checked it and gave Lizzy a tight smile. “I’ll be right in. I need to get this.”

  “Okay. No rush. We’ve blocked off the next hour to go over your case.” She reached out and squeezed my shoulder before disappearing into the room. My eyes locked on Alisa’s as the door closed. She had no clue how beautiful she was. I needed to tell her, but it wouldn’t be received well. I wasn’t sure that I cared.

  I pressed my phone to my ear and walked to the far end of the hall, stopping by the window and glancing out to look at the city. “This is Zek Kellington.”

  “Hello, Mr. Kellington. I’m Jackson Burnes. I’m the new Securities and Exchange Commission Investigator they’ve assigned to your case. How are you today, sir?” The man sounded young and far more pleasant than some of the other investigators I’d dealt with in my past.

  “I’m well. I’m two seconds from walking into a meeting with my attorneys. Would it be alright to call you after I get done?”

  “That would be fine, but I wanted to invite you to Austin for an interview session tomorrow. We’re in the process of working on several cases, and I know it’s a bit of a trip for you, but we’ve cleared your travel if you’re free. The interview would be two hours just after lunch and then you could be on your way. We’re wrapping up our investigation on your case, but need a little bit of time with you.”

  “I can manage that, but I’ll need two tickets. My attorney will want to attend the interview with me, I’m sure.” I turned to see Alisa stick her head out of the conference room as if looking for me. “I need to go. E-mail me the information and I’ll be there. Otherwise, I’ll call you back.”

  “Be on the lookout for the e-mail, and we’ll see you tomorrow.” The guy hung up, and I dropped the phone into my pocket and turned to Alisa.

  “I’m coming. Sorry.” Taking a few quick steps, I moved behind her into the large room and took the only free chair at the table. “Forgive me. It was a call I had to take.”

  “No problem.” Lizzy pulled out a file and handed out documents to the three older guys at the table. “Let’s go over some new findings and then we’ll construct our thoughts for moving forward. This is in reference to Mr. Kellington’s sexual assault allegations case.”

  “Wait.” I held up my hand. “Last night, I went to my office and reviewed the footage from the date I first met Miss Mills to just after the allegations were stated. I was shocked to see Jon Mills in my office on the Saturday I was away at the cabin with her. He was having a rather friendly conversation with my secretary, and the look on his face said he was up to no good.”

  “You found him at the office when you weren’t there?” Alisa turned to me, her blue eyes lighting up. “Did you get an audio feed?”

  “No, but my secretary, a good family friend, was the one who turned me into the police for the rape accusation.” I brushed my hand by my mouth and glanced over at Lizzy, unable to believe I was about to speak the words out loud. “You don’t think Jon paid her to help with all of this... do you?”

  “We’ll pull records. We have enough to shut the case down and get rid of it if you want.” Lizzy glanced to Alisa. “Tell him what happened last night.”

  Worry ripped through me as Alisa turned back to me. “Melissa was waiting for me last night when I got home. She didn’t hurt me, but she’s a little off her rocker. We’ll be filing a restraining order.”

  “What?” I almost came out of my chair, but Alisa reached out and touched my arm, her expression calming me, but not by much.

  “Everything is fine. We have all we need to bring to light the fact that they lied and set you up. Let’s go to trial. I can win this.” Her mouth pursed into a tight line. She was asking me to trust her by letting her go all the way through the necessary steps to close this thing down. Not just legally, but also in the public’s eye.

  “I think we should just press charges quietly and close it down.” One of the older men at the far end of the table spoke up. “A trial is a waste of time and resources. Jon Mills is no idiot. He’ll shut it down now that we have evidence of a strike against his character, as well as the girl’s.”

  “Yeah, and not have anyone know what he’s done? He was a part of this.” Lizzy turned her attention toward me. “It’s your call. You’re the client and you’ve engaged us to fight on your behalf. What would you have us do, Mr. Kellington?”

  I turned my head slightly and let my eyes run over Alisa’s face. She wanted it. The fame. The glory. The win.

  “Let’s do it. I trust you.” I winked at her and stood. “Whatever the next steps are... we can figure them out and then I need to get on a plane. The SEC wants to meet tomorrow in Austin just after lunch.”

  “I need to go with you.” Alisa stood too as worry brushed across her face.

  “I know. I already have us tickets being processed. We’ll talk later.” I moved to the front of the room and pressed my back to the coffee bar. “What else do we need to discuss? Can the rest of this wait until I get back from this trip tomorrow?”

  Lizzy nodded as her lips lifted in a smile. “It most certainly can. We’re moving forward, and this is one case that I can’t imagine us not taking full advantage of. The evidence has most certainly bubbled up and favored us to win. Jon Mills has been a behind the curtain tyrant for long enough.”

  “This is about the girl and her allegations regarding Mr. Kellington.” One of the other men spoke up, his eyebrow drawn up sharply as he watched Lizzy.

  “It was. It’s now become something more.” Lizzy winked at me. “I’ll be sitting as Senior Counsel at the trial next to you and Alisa. We’ll wrap up our discovery phase and move into preparing for the trial.”

  “Excellent.” I glanced over to Alisa, who nodded. She wanted the opportunity to take the prize? No way in hell would I be the one to deny her anything — not ever.

  CHAPTER THREE

  Alisa

  The idea of going out of town with Zek left my nerves on edge. I c
ouldn’t stop thinking through the possibilities of us ending up in bed together. I berated myself so many times that I had finally given up the idea of being chaste by the time the next day rolled around. After packing the appropriate clothing for the overnight trip, I walked down to the front of the apartment to find my brother waiting for me.

  Zek had offered to pick me up, and I had no doubt that if the man wanted to know where I lived, he would find out, but I wasn’t giving out the information easily. Besides, a little bit of time with my brother before heading out of town would do me good. He had a funny way of centering me.

  “Hey you.” He turned to look at me as I got into the car after throwing my small suitcase into the back.

  “Hey yourself. Thanks for the help, butt-nugget.” I got in and buckled up as he chuckled.

  “You know that nickname makes you sound less refined. Be careful who you share the real you with, okay? I don’t want you to hurt your career or anything.” He winked and pulled out into the busy side street.

  “Don’t worry. That name is reserved just for you. No one else can quite live up to its grandeur.” I smirked and turned to let my eyes move across the city as Clark drove us to my favorite breakfast place.

  “Are you nervous?” He reached out and pressed his hand to my knee, which was bouncing uncontrollably.

  “No. Why? Should I be?” I pushed his hand away. “It’s a nervous habit. I’ve done it my whole life.”

  “Don’t I know it?” He rolled his eyes and turned on the radio. “You actually haven’t ever been the nervous type, but God forbid, dreamy Zek Kellington shows up, and you turn into a regular nervous ninny.”

  “I think it’s nervous Nelly, but whatever.”

  “Who the hell is Nelly?” He lifted his eyebrow.

  “Good Lord. Why did I agree to this? I’m already a bundle of nerves.” I pointed as he pulled into the busy parking lot. “Right up front. It must be my lucky day.”

  “You don’t need to be nervous. It’s Zek. You’re his lawyer, and he should be damn lucky to have you. Just do what you do best, and tear up whoever is after him.” My brother smiled, seeming quite proud of himself for quite possibly the worst pep talk I’d ever endured.

  “Right. You pay for the pancakes and we’ll call this date even.” I got out of the car and smiled at him as he gave me a look.

  “I was just trying to make you feel better.” He pulled open the door and held it back as I walked into the delicious smell of maple syrup and bacon. Breathing in deeply, I rubbed my growling stomach and followed the waitress to the one available booth in the whole place. “Lucky again.”

  He chuckled and picked up his menu after sliding in across from me. “If anyone’s going to be lucky, it’s going to be you.”

  “You think so?” I didn’t need to look at the menu. There was no way to pass up a triple stack of chocolate chip pancakes and two sides of bacon. I’d been eating the same thing for the last twenty years of haunting the place.

  “Yep. Cat was telling me last night that it’s about time for your luck to change. I told her you’ve always been lucky... well, in most areas of your life.” He turned and greeted the waitress with a little too much gusto. He was grateful to be saved by the proverbial bell, no doubt.

  After we ordered, he turned his attention back to me. “What else do you need help with regarding your divorce? All your stuff is really moved from the house to your new apartment?”

  “I don’t need anything. I moved the stuff because you and Cathy have your own lives, Clark. I’m thirty-one. I can take care of silly things like that. Besides, I didn’t move the stuff.” I smiled, trying to reassure him, and by him, I really meant my sister-in-law. “I hired someone to do it.”

  “Oh good. That’s much better.” He let out a long sigh and moved his coffee cup to the edge of the table as the waitress approached.

  “Zek is picking me up at the office. Are you okay taking me downtown? I know you hate the traffic down there.” I smiled up at the waitress and pulled my coffee mug toward me, starting the process of turning it into more of a treat than a wake-up call.

  “It’s fine. I need to go down there anyway. Cat ordered something from one of those silly girlie stores that you guys love to go to. I have to go pick it up. Earrings or something.” He waved his hands about, as if girls were the biggest pain in the rear.

  “I should video you being so dramatic and show her. She thinks she knows you after all these years, but I’d lay my bet that she’s not seen you act like you just did.”

  He visibly paled. “I’d rather you not and just say you did.”

  I laughed, unable to help myself. After taking a tentative sip of my coffee, I settled back and studied my brother. He was quite handsome, and such a good guy. I was grateful for Cathy and the life they’d built together with the boys. A part of me wanted to be jealous, but I wouldn’t allow myself to think about it. My time was coming. It had to be.

  “I’m glad things have turned out the way they have.” I shrugged. “The situation with Ben sucked, and still sucks, but I’m going to get past it, and probably grow from it.”

  “You’re the only one I know that can turn rotten, beat up lemons into a sparkling, refreshing lemonade.” He smiled and reached across the table, squeezing my arm softly. “You just need to give yourself time to heal, and then get back on the horse.”

  “Are you trying to subtly tell me to go slow with Zek, because there is nothing to worry about. Really.” I adverted my gaze, and was rather thrilled when the food showed up.

  Clark let out a soft growl and picked up his fork. “Do whatever you want with Zek. My food’s here, and I lost my train of thought anyway.”

  I laughed, shook my head and dug into my favorite guilty pleasure. Well, one of them at least.

  ***

  My brother parked just beside Dellup & Brown and turned to me as a dark Lexus moved up behind us. I got out of the car, knowing it was Zek. His Lexus was sexy; it fit his persona perfectly.

  He got out of the car as I turned, and he awarded me with a sexy smile as he walked toward us. He went to Clark first and pulled him into a hug, the two of them acting like they hadn’t spoken in years.

  “Alright, well, have fun, and keep my sister safe. Got it?” Clark gave us both a look that said he was far more aggressive than he really was.

  “Of course, brother. She’s safe with me.” Zek waved and turned to me, reaching out to take my bag. “How are you? Sleep well? No more visits from anyone, right?” His brow lifted sharply.

  His chestnut hair and blue eyes combined with his broad shoulders and strong arms left my stomach tightening, my knees growing a tab bit weak. No other man had ever had such a hold on me. I could only hope that none would again. It was disturbing on too many levels.

  “I slept great. I’m good, and no more of your old friends came a’calling.” I winked at him and got in the car, breathing in deeply the smell of new leather.

  He opened the door and got in, pausing briefly to look over me. “Good. Very funny, by the way. She’s not a friend, at least not one I would claim.”

  I ignored his comment. There was no way I was diving into what Melissa was to him. I was jealous as it were. Dwelling on it would only make things worse.

  “This should be an interesting trip. I’ve been involved in a lot of cases, but never one directly with the SEC.” I ran my hand down my hair and tried to not focus on how good it felt to have him next to me in the car.

  “I’m not sure that interesting is the wording I would use, but I’ll go with the flow here.” He pulled away from the curb and headed toward the airport. “You okay about what happened between us last night?”

  I glanced over at him as a smirk lifted my lips. He was one of the only men ballsy enough to bring up the most uncomfortable topics as if he were simply wanting to talk about the weather. He almost seemed to thrive in the midst of the tense, the uncomfortable, the strained.

  No wonder he’s a brilliant investor.r />
  “I’m not sure.” I would have to meet him head on with my own high level of comfort and unshakable confidence. It was almost a game between us. “I enjoyed it. Maybe a bit too much, but there’s a line that has to be maintained between us. You know that.”

  “I do, and yet I can’t stop thinking of what would have happened if you’d stayed the night.” His eyes moved down me, but I ignored him, watching out the front window with an intensity that most likely made it obvious that I was avoiding him. “We could have told old stories and roasted marshmallows.” I glanced over at him as his lips lifted in a smile. “It would have been fun. Something to write in the old journal about?”

  “You’d be surprised how many times you show up in my old journals.” He shrugged and turned to get on the freeway.

  “You do not have a journal.” I turned toward him, loosening the tight grip I had on my professionalism. I kept thinking that if I could just maintain a very professional front with him, then he might find that he wasn’t at all attracted to me, but it was like trying to hold onto the wind. It wasn’t happening.

  “I did too. I still do. I’m not telling you where it is though. It would be embarrassing to know that you read it.” He gave me a sideways glance, and I swear my heart started to melt.

  “Am I really in it?” I sat back in my seat as a smug feeling lifted up inside of me. Zek Kellington, the hottest man in the universe was interested in me? Was in love with me? Had me in his journal?

  “Yep. You remember that time we dared you to eat a bug, and you did?” He chuckled. “That’s in there. I don’t know of another girl who would have done that. You were crazy tough. Adventurous. Brave.”

  Of course it’s an entry on eating a bug. My ego deflated as quickly as it had puffed up.

  “You guys were such chickens when we were younger, and so damn cocky when you got older.”

  “And you were rebellious, wild and horny as hell. I remember thinking if I could find a woman like you when I got older... life would be intense.” He licked his lips and reached for my hand.