And how I loved to touch him.
Scott had always been distant. Sex had been almost mechanical. Young and inexperienced, I thought it was me. That the whispers and talk of how amazing sex was had just been just that—talk. I had heard some women go on about amazing sex, while others appeared indifferent. Married to Scott, I had accepted indifferent as being my life. Later in our marriage, the absence of sex wasn’t an issue. Although I had been truthful when I told Halton it had been four years since Scott and I had been together, it was closer to six years since we’d had anything even somewhat normal. After what I had experienced with Halton, I now knew that sex with Scott was way below normal. On the other hand, sex with Halton was beyond anything I ever could have imagined it to be.
And now, I wasn’t sure how I was ever going to go back to indifference or even normal. Halton had woken something inside me that was powerful and addictive.
He was powerful and addictive. I craved him. Constantly.
Rene walked into the library, his hands full of files. “Fee, dear, I need you to sort these and get them prepared for Halton’s upcoming meetings.”
I took the files and added them to my pile. Halton had a very busy practice. His schedule was full, his hours long, and his dedication clear. He worked hard for his clients. Rene ran a tight office, making sure all Halton had to do was concentrate on his caseload, and I was glad I was able to help him.
“Unacceptable!” Halton snapped, shutting the door between his office and the library. His muted voice still carried, the tone displeased but the words private.
I grimaced. “I wouldn’t want to be on the receiving end of that conversation.”
Rene chuckled. “No. Once Halton is angry—look out. His clients always benefit.”
“No doubt.”
Rene tilted his head. “You look well today, my dear. You must have had a good weekend. I’m pleased to see that, considering all that occurred last week.”
“Oh,” I mumbled. “Yes, it was a relaxing weekend.”
I supposed you could call constant sex, long naps, and eating junk food relaxing. I was going to stick to his description.
Rene cast his glance toward Halton’s closed door. “Halton looks surprisingly rested. More so than I can remember him looking in a long time. He must have had a good weekend as well.” He eyed me with a mischievous grin.
“Ah, I wouldn’t know,” I replied, but my voice rose toward the end of the statement, and my cheeks felt warm.
Rene’s eyes crinkled. “Of course not,” he stated. “It’s a simple coincidence the two of you both look well today. It does my old heart good.”
I picked up the pile of folders. “I had better get at this.”
“Right.” Rene reached into his pocket. “Halton asked me to make sure you had a copy of this.” He handed me a key. “His office. It works on all the doors leading in there.” He met my eyes knowingly. “There are three people with keys to his office. Halton, me, and now you.”
I accepted the key silently, shocked. I knew what it meant to Halton for him to give me a key to that room. It meant he trusted me—completely.
Rene patted my shoulder kindly. “Be patient with him, dear Fee. He is damaged, but below that veneer of rock is the heart of a man needing to be loved.” He lowered his voice. “I’ve been waiting for this for a very long time. I’m going to enjoy every moment of it.”
I didn’t know what to say. He winked and left the library.
I sat back, the files momentarily forgotten. Rene didn’t understand. Halton and I were only filling a need for each other. Sleep and sex.
Halton insisted on it. He was very clear when he had set the ground rules and I had agreed to them.
Except…
He was the one to constantly break them. The affection. Spending time together. The kisses. Cuddles. Taking me places. Showing his care and concern.
Still, he was clear on his thoughts about relationships and love. And although his actions said otherwise, he wasn’t interested in a lasting relationship. I had to remind myself of that fact.
Rene was wrong. Halton was my lawyer, my friend, and my temporary lover. Nothing more. We were simply filling a void for each other. Once his sleep patterns had adjusted and a new woman caught his eye, my saturation level would be reached, and I would be replaced.
I had to guard my heart. It was already bruised enough.
Halton
Despite how busy the office was and the assholes I dealt with all day Monday, my mood was almost euphoric. I was rested, energized, and in control. A weekend spent gorging on sleep, sex, and Fee had done me a world of good.
I also liked being able to see her whenever I looked up—which I found myself doing often during the day. Usually, her head was bent over some task, her lovely hair shielding her face, but more than once, I had caught her studying me, seemingly unable to look away any more than I could.
I teased her about it, but I also felt the thrill of pride, knowing she liked what she saw. God knew how much I liked looking at her, hearing her voice when she talked to Rene or was on the phone. Her laughter made my lips curl in response, no matter what I was dealing with at the time. My gaze greedily watched her walk toward me, her hair tumbling over her shoulders and down her back in long silver waves. She wore her glasses in the office, which, coupled with her pretty blouses and skirts, gave her a naughty librarian vibe. I had constant fantasies about taking her against the tall oak bookcases in my library while she wore those glasses. Hearing her moan my name in my ear as she came. Feeling her heels dig into my ass as I drove into her. I was determined to make it happen somehow.
Her retreating view was equally spectacular. Her hips swayed as she moved, her A-line skirt showing off her ass to perfection. I knew how that ass looked naked. How plump and supple those cheeks felt under my fingers. How they clenched when I bit them. How perfectly her hips filled my hands as I rode her.
I spent the day with a perpetual hard-on. I constantly adjusted myself, at times closing my door to allow my blood to disperse to other parts of my body for a few moments. The respite was brief since as soon as I saw her again, my cock took notice.
Horny bastard.
Add in the library fantasy, and I was fucked.
And not in a good way.
A knock at my door interrupted my thoughts. With a sigh, I leaned back into the rich leather of my chair.
“In,” I called, shutting the file I hadn’t really been giving the proper attention.
Reid Matthews strolled in, his usual cocky smile in place. A laptop was tucked under his arm, and his free hand held a cup of coffee. He flung himself into the chair across from me.
“Hey.”
“Reid. I wasn’t expecting to see you today. I called Wyatt earlier, but all I got was his voice mail.”
Reid grinned. “I think you scared him with your attitude last week. Then I showed up at his place, and he was convinced he was out of a great gig. I assured him I was there to help augment the project and his contract was safe.”
“Is that a fact?” I asked dryly.
“It is. He does great work. He doesn’t like going out into the real world much. So, I’m playing messenger.”
There was another knock at my door, and Rene walked in without waiting for a response. He set a hot cup of coffee beside me. “I’ll hold your calls. I have Fee busy in the file room.”
“Thanks, Rene.”
He left, pulling the door shut behind him.
Reid sipped his coffee, grinning over the rim. “So, it’s true. Fee is working here?”
I waved my hand. “She had experience in a law office, and Rene needs the assistance.”
“Uh-huh.” He winked. “I caught a glimpse of her. She rocks that silver hair. Very sexy.”
I glared at him, ignoring his remarks, knowing he was trying to goad me. “What did you two come up with?”
He opened the laptop, getting serious. “Wyatt was right. We’re not PIs, Hal. I can’t tell you ab
out his personal habits. I can only tell you what his computer shows me.”
“I know. Wyatt was pissing me off—I needed to light a fire under him.”
Reid chuckled. “You did. Wyatt got the message. I can tell you this. Scott is behaving erratically, and I suspect you’re right. There are constant withdrawals from his accounts. His billing hours at the law practice are down. Personal bills are overdue. He’s taken a second mortgage out on his house.” He sucked in a deep breath. “It all started about nine months ago and has been escalating.”
“Okay. So, he’s using, and his life is falling apart.”
“Coincidently, he hired a new assistant around the same time as his behavior became erratic. I checked her out. She isn’t good news.”
I sat back, rubbing my chin. “Sounds as if she’s a bad influence.”
“She was up on drug-related charges. And guess who the lawyer was who got her off on those charges?”
I lifted one eyebrow. “Then the stupid fucker hired her?”
“I think so.”
I whistled. “How is the company structured?”
“In his favor. He has the final say, the largest shareholder. No one can bring him down.” He turned the laptop to face me. “Their financials are good, even with his lack of hours. The firm is solid.”
I frowned as I studied the numbers. They were decent, but they seemed wrong somehow. Given the large number of cases they took on, I would have thought their bottom line would have been higher. Personally, Scott was spending a lot of money. There were constant large cash withdrawals. If he had a bad drug habit, it was only going to get worse. He was still comfortable, but if he carried on this way, in a year or so, that would change drastically.
“He threw out an offer on Friday to Fee. Maybe I should tell her to accept.”
Reid lifted a shoulder. “We just started digging. Give us a couple more days.”
I reached into my drawer and handed Reid the memory stick Fee had given me. “This is information off his private home computer. It has financials on it.”
Reid plugged it in, and for a few moments, there was only the sound of the keyboard strokes and his quiet mutterings. He glanced up with a frown.
“Interesting.”
“What?”
“There is a completely different set of numbers here. And there is one name that keeps coming up—and I don’t remember seeing it in the other books as billable. I did see it noted pro-bono a few times.”
I barked out a laugh. “The ass is screwing his partners too? Skimming and hiding it?”
“We need to do some cross-referencing and checking, but I think that, yes, he is.”
“What a total bastard.”
Reid pushed his hair off his forehead. “I don’t think that is big news.”
“No. The way he has treated Fee, no. But screwing his partners as well? God knows what other illegal things he has his hands in.”
Reid typed fast, studying his screen. “The name is a huge, well-known drug lord. He’s constantly in the paper.”
“Jesus.” I ran a hand over my face. “I need to get Fee out of this and fast.”
“Yes.” He stood. “Wyatt and I will run with this. You do what you do—”
My personal line rang, interrupting him. I glanced at the screen and held up my finger, hitting the speaker button.
“Smithers.”
“Hal, it’s Jonas Peters.”
“Scott’s guy,” I mouthed to Reid.
“Right. What can I do for you?”
“Scott is willing to make a flat, one-time offer so they can move ahead with the divorce and start fresh.”
I snorted. “Your client needs more than a fresh start, Peters. Based on what I saw, he needs a stint in rehab.”
There was a pause, then Jonas cleared his throat. “I can’t comment on that, Hal. You should advise your client to take the offer. She seems like a nice enough person, and I’d hate to make this ugly. Scott has no issue pushing back. As for the company, you can’t get meat from bones, if you catch my drift.”
My patience snapped.
“Send an offer, and I’ll review it with my client. One million isn’t going to cut it. As for the company, I don’t care how much bone is showing—I can find all the hidden flesh. And since Fiona isn’t in the same rush your client is, we’re happy to go to trial, have auditors comb the books, and dig through personal finances for the past ten years. I have an incredibly diligent and thorough investigative team. I bet we’ll find a feast fit for a king.” I paused. “You can pass that along to your client. Get it to me ASAP—the longer I wait, the more I’m going to fight you.”
I hung up.
Reid threw back his head in laughter. “Thank God I’m not on the opposing team.”
“Use that drive and find me everything you can. If he plans to fight, he is going to regret it.”
He slid the drive into his pocket. “Done.”
It was well after six when Fiona came into my office, carrying a stack of folders and a cup of coffee.
“It’s decaf,” she informed me, setting it beside my elbow.
I grimaced. “It’s hot water, then—why bother?”
“Maybe one of the reasons you have trouble sleeping is the fact that you drink coffee constantly. And your fridge is filled with soda—sugary, caffeine-laden soda. You need to cut back, and that might help.”
“Your perfect ass pressed against me helps a lot,” I retorted. “So does fucking you hard.”
Rene froze partway through the door. I met his amused but startled gaze.
“Sorry, I thought you had left,” I mumbled.
“I am most certainly leaving now.” He spun on his heel, calling over his shoulder. “I’d wish you a good evening, but apparently, you are well ahead of me on that.”
I heard the door close, and I dared to look at Fee.
Her eyes were fixed on the carpet, and her fingers worked nervously on the hem of the jacket she had draped around her shoulders.
I drew in a deep breath. “Fee, I’m sorry,” I said sincerely. “I thought we were alone. I didn’t mean to embarrass you.”
Her mouth twitched, once, twice. She leaned back and laughed. Long, melodious peals of laughter. For a moment, I stared, drinking in the sight of her amusement, then I joined her.
“I’m such an ass,” I stated.
She wiped her eyes. “Yes. Yes, you are, Halton.”
“I’m sorry.”
“You’re forgiven. Try to rein it in, okay?”
I picked up my coffee and took a sip. It wasn’t bad as far as caffeine-free shit went. “Thanks.” I lifted my mug in salute of it and her acceptance. Her easygoing nature was amazing to witness. I had never known another woman like her.
“May I talk to you?” Fee asked.
I grimaced. “Of course. You know that.” The look on her face made me anxious. “Which hat am I wearing for this conversation?”
“My attorney.”
“Ah.” Her answer eased some of the tension I felt. What I had been expecting her to say, I wasn’t sure, but her attorney, I could handle. I made an over-the-top action of doffing a hat which made her smile. “Ready.”
“I’ve been thinking about Friday.”
“And?” I prompted. I had been waiting for this conversation.
“I want to accept Scott’s offer and be done with it.”
I wasn’t surprised, but I had to admit, I was disappointed. I wanted to go after the bastard and make him pay for everything he had done.
“Let’s not jump too fast, Fee. In fact, Jonas called earlier, and I told him to send an offer—an official, written one—not something thrown on the table by his client while high.”
She looked past me, over my shoulder, her gaze unfocused. “I’m not a vindictive person, Halton.”
I snorted. “Yeah, I got that.”
She held up her hand. “I grew up simply. My father wasn’t wealthy, and when he died, there wasn’t anything left for me exce
pt enough to pay for the funeral. He didn’t even have life insurance. I worked while putting myself, then Scott, through university. I enjoyed working until Scott decided I wasn’t good enough to be part of his firm. I volunteered as much as I could since he insisted I wasn’t allowed to work anymore. He felt it would reflect badly on him if his wife worked, while none of the other partners’ wives did. But I liked to stay busy. Maybe his offer doesn’t seem like much to you, but I can get a little place, put the rest aside, and move on with my life. Find a job I enjoy and work there instead of having to work someplace I dislike. I don’t plan on sitting around and spending money. That isn’t me.”
I resisted asking her if she disliked working here—for me. It made sense she would want a clean break once her case was settled. I didn’t like it for some reason, but it made sense.
I knitted my fingers together and studied her. “I’m going to be blunt. As Scott’s spouse, legally you are entitled to fifty percent of your net worth as a married couple. Including his shares in his company since I plan to get that ridiculous piece of paper struck down. That also means you inherit half of the debt.”
She blinked. “Debt? Scott never had any debt. He paid the house off quickly and…” Her voice trailed off as I shook my head.
“Reid was here earlier with some information. Scott took a second mortgage out some months ago. I can argue the house was solely in his name, therefore the debt is his, but we could lose. Reid also found a lot of cash withdrawals from various accounts—even from Scott’s retirement fund.”
“Is he broke?”
I shook my head. “No. But he is depleting his resources, and it worries me. At some point, there won’t be anything left.” I didn’t say anything about the idea he was skimming from his own company and hiding the money. I would use that when and if needed.
Fee’s eyes widened and filled with sadness. “You were right, weren’t you? It’s drugs.”
“I haven’t confirmed it yet, but I think so, yes.”
She shook her head. “I can’t believe he’s throwing his life away like that.” Her gaze dropped, her voice quiet. “I feel as if I need to reach out to him to try to stop it.”
Vested Interest Box Set Books 4-7 Page 65
