“Never,” I promise.
“Well then,” his father says. “Sounds like we need to plan a family day in the Hamptons.”
A family day, I think. Are these two men now my family? We start strolling the corridor, and as we laugh and talk, the clear moral compass of father and son, echo within each other, stirring admiration in me. I decide, that yes, I’d like very much to call them family and I have this sudden realization that I’m not so alone anymore. I tighten my grip on Grayson’s arm and when he automatically covers my hand with his, I decide he’s a part of me now. I not only won’t let go of him, I can’t.
CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN
Mia
The present…
The room is silent for several beats after Grayson’s guttural declaration from the other side of the dining room table that he can’t live without me. Everyone stares at us. He stares at me. I stare at him. I just want to run into his arms and tell everyone to leave and that’s what he wants, too, but that’s not possible. That’s not what can happen. We have to end this. He’s only letting me do this to ensure Ri can’t come between us again through this crazy plot to take him down.
“What now?” I force myself to ask, looking around the room.
“I for one,” Kara states, “have to go.” She starts walking backward. “See you soon, Mia!” she calls out and then rotates and hurries away.
Blake reaches in a bag and pulls out a blonde wig as well as a scarf. “These are for you, Mia.” He closes the space between us and hands it to me. “I’ll follow you out of the building and onto the subway. I’ll be with you the entire time. Once you’re in the tunnel, find a bathroom and dump the wig.” He glances at his watch. “Do it now.”
I nod and hurry to the bathroom off the foyer, pull on the wig and scarf, and barely look at the stranger in the mirror. I just want out of here. I want to get this meeting with Ri behind me and know if I’ve kept him oblivious to us being onto him. The minute I step back into the foyer, Blake hands me a lightweight unlined trench coat. “Put it on to hide your clothes and then dump it with the wig. Now, back to you exiting this building. Walk out like you belong here, not like you don’t want to be seen.”
“Got it,” I say, mentally comparing it to the first day of court. You’re nervous but you fake confidence until you feel it.
Grayson joins us in the foyer and steps to Blake’s side, but it’s me that’s on his mind, me he’s focused on, though he doesn’t comment on the wig and like me, I think he barely notices. We both have too much else on our minds to care about my fake hair. Instead, he pulls me to him. “Remember what I told you. Just contain Ri and then do your job. Focus on your client and let us focus on Ri.”
“I will,” I say, my hand resting on his chest, his heart thundering beneath my palm, telling me how worried he is right now, which is why I add, “I promise.”
He kisses me, a deep, drugging kiss, and then with obvious reluctance, he releases me “Let me just do this,” I say, to both of them. “I go to this job every day. This is not going to be a big deal.”
Eric steps into the foyer and gives me a nod, admiration and friendship in his eyes. We both love Grayson and in that there is a bond several years strong, a bond of understanding. He knows I have to protect Grayson and while I plan to keep my promise to Grayson, Eric knows me well enough to know that I’d sacrifice myself for the man I love. I turn away from Eric and I can’t seem to look at Grayson again and actually walk out of the door. Right now he and I are making each other crazy and I just have to push forward and leave.
I exit the apartment into the hallway and Blake is quick to step to my side. “I’m riding down with you,” he says, “but don’t acknowledge me once we’re in the car. There are cameras. I’ll exit after you when we reach the lobby. I’ll be with you all the way to the building even if you think I’m not there.”
“What don’t I know?” I ask, focused on my man, not myself. “Somehow Grayson is more on edge than he was before you arrived, and yet, he’s letting me go to work.”
“He needed to know that I take your safety seriously,” Blake says. “I told him a personal story that shook him. One I’m not telling you now, but I’ll summarize. He trusts me now. You can, too.”
We round the corner and I punch the elevator button. “Grayson doesn’t get rattled,” I say. “What the heck kind of story was it?”
“A necessary one,” he says. “And from my read on Grayson, he doesn’t get rattled unless it’s over you, which could be said of me with Kara.”
The elevator opens and my chance to find out more does as well. We step inside and it begins; the day I pretend to be oblivious to all of Ri’s bad deeds even as they work to destroy the man I love. The idea that I may have helped him by distracting Grayson grinds through me and by the time I exit the elevator and head for the exit, that’s all I can think about.
The walk to the subway is short. I enter and hurry to the bathroom, and because it’s busy, I dump my wig and coat in a bathroom stall, because that’s the only way I won’t be seen doing it. Once I leave my disguise behind, I rush out of the bathroom and toward the stairs leading to my train. I don’t see Blake again, but I can feel his energy nearby, which is far more comforting than I realized it would be considering this is my normal route to work. It’s safe, or rather it always felt as safe as you can be in New York City.
The ride is short and crowded. Once the train arrives at my stop, I exit the car, and then the tunnel, and check my watch. I have just enough time to make my normal coffee run and get to my desk and “normal” seems like a smart move today. I’m just paying for my coffee when I wonder how Blake dealt with anyone following me from my apartment, but I assume they have a plan. The fake me probably changed clothes and hair like I just did.
With my white mocha in hand, I finish my short walk to work, enter the corporate offices for the Montgomery firm and wave to the security guard, Josh, as I always do. All normal things. This is a normal day, I tell myself. Just be normal. The lecture doesn’t work. Nerves assail me but I refocus on this day being just like any other. As Grayson pointed out, I have a client who needs me. I’ll use my energy to process her case. I step onto the elevator and end up chatting with a co-worker which while awkward at first, helps me settle into a calmer spot.
Soon, I’m inside the main offices, walking toward my own when I spy Kara. She’s at a desk in the cubicle area, not far from my office, and talking to my supervisor, Kevin Murphy. All is well. I’m safe. Grayson will know that I’m safe. Ri could come at me here and never get to touch me though I doubt he’d come at me. I mean, why would he?
I enter my office, put my things away and my phone buzzes immediately. “Mia?”
At the sound of Ri’s secretary’s voice, my lips tighten. I punch the button on my speaker. “Yes, Tabitha?”
“Ri’s confirming that you’re on your way to his office?”
I curl my fingers into my palm. “I am,” I say, and releasing the button, I grab my phone, stuff it in my skirt pocket and then round my desk to walk toward my door.
I’m about to exit when my boss steps in my path. “How’s your case looking? I know you’re passionate about this one.”
Kevin’ s a tall, dark, and good-looking guy that might be a hottie to some, but for me, he has always had this big brother quality that feels safe and friendly. He cares about people. He loves the legal system. He’s the one who’s made it possible for me to pretend I don’t work for Ri. “It’s shaping up well,” I say, “but I have to be in Ri’s office now. Tabitha just called my desk to make sure I’m on the way.”
“Again,” he states with obvious disapproval.
“Yes. Again. You should know that he found out that I am looking for a job.”
He blanches. “A job? Mia, why? You’re successful here. Is it money? Do I need to fight for a raise?”
“No,” I say, “but thank you. It’s personal.”
“It’s becau
se of Ri,” he says, and it’s not a question. “He’s always coming at you. I knew that was going to get old for you.”
“It’s complicated. I’ll update you on my status after I talk to him but thank you for caring.”
“Caring and doing something to help are two different things. I can’t help you with Ri but I wish I could. I’ll try though. Let me know and I’ll try.” Words that could cost him his job and I won’t let that happen. I do, however, let him walk away. He’s better off staying away, too.
I watch him depart and Kara glances in my direction but doesn’t acknowledge me. I cut down the hallway, turn a corner, and then enter Ri’s private space through glass doors that lead me directly to Tabitha’s desk. “He’s waiting on you,” she says, shoving her long red hair from her beautiful blue eyes. She’s pretty, and I’ve often thought her to be involved with Ri, and yet he keeps coming at me, but then, really he’s coming at Grayson through me.
I nod and walk around her desk and stop at Ri’s door where I knock. “Come in!” he shouts.
I mentally steel myself for this encounter and enter to find him standing with his back to me at the window to the right of his massive black oval desk. “Shut the door,” he says without turning.
Shut the door.
I do not want to shut the door and yet it’s not an unreasonable request. I have to shut the door.
I shut the door and just like that, I’m alone with Ri. No, I’m alone with the devil himself.
CHAPTER THIRTY-EIGHT
Mia
Ri turns to face me the minute the door shuts, running a hand through his blond sleek hair. “Really, Mia? I helped you in a time of need and you’re looking for a job?”
That sets me off and I forget fear. “Helped me? Are you serious? What happened to you’re a fine attorney and we want to win the bidding war? What happened to me being a damn good attorney?” I walk further into the room, stopping in front of his desk between the two visitor’s chairs but facing him at the window. “It was never about me now, was it? It was about fucking Grayson by fucking his woman if you could make it happen.”
“His woman?”
“Oh my God, Ri. Stop. I’m talking past tense. You wanted to fuck me to fuck him and now that you know you can’t, you act like a total asshole to me. You throw files on my desk. You demand updates on my cases. I don’t even report directly to you. I can’t believe I was this stupid.” I rotate and start to walk away.
He closes the space between us and grabs my arm, whirling me around. “That’s not how it is.”
“Let go of me, Ri, or I swear the next knee I give you will do permanent damage and right now, I think it would be a good thing to prevent you from ever producing a mini-me.”
“Did you really just say that to me?”
“Let go of me Ri. You have about thirty seconds or I will knee you and scream.”
His jaw clenches. “Fuck, Mia.” He releases me. “Happy?”
“No,” I say. “I cannot be happy in the middle of this war. That’s the problem but I have a client I really care about that I want to help. If you can’t let me do my job then at least let me bring another attorney that I pick up to speed. You owe me that for using me like you have.”
“I didn’t use you. I want you. I want to be what he couldn’t be for you and you know that. That’s why you agreed to go out with me.”
“I went to dinner with you because—it was a bad night. It was—I’d seen—”
“Grayson all over the papers with another woman. I know. I thought finally you saw the truth. He was always a ladies’ man. Always, Mia. He fucked my woman in college. He fucked everyone’s woman and yet, you said his fucking name in my home. You can’t get over him.”
“Maybe I never will,” I say. “My heart is still with him. I can’t change that, and you can’t change it because you’re like his stalker ex-girlfriend. All you care about is hurting him. You never wanted me.”
His cellphone rings and he ignores it. “Stalker ex-girlfriend? Holy fuck, Mia. Did you write out that insult before coming in here?”
“You’re obsessed to the point of it being scary. I don’t want to be in the middle of this. Part of me wants to move to another city. I just want out.”
“If I proved you wrong about Grayson—if I made you see that you matter, not him? Then what?”
“My God, Ri. What would happen if you did fuck me? Would you take out an announcement in The New York Times to make sure Grayson knew? Stop trying to fuck me already and if you can’t, then let me out of my contract. Be a decent person and let me go.”
He scrubs his jaw and looks away before fixing me in a stare. “You’re a damn good attorney. I won’t let you out of your contract. I’ll back off and hope that one day you see that I have a sincere interest.”
“The day you stop going after Grayson, I won’t even know who you are. Maybe introduce yourself then.”
“I’m not going after Grayson.”
“Maybe not actively, but we both know if you get the chance, you’ll take it. I don’t want to be a part of that, Ri. Am I staying or are you letting me go?”
The phone on his desk buzzes and Tabitha speaks over the intercom. “Someone named RJ says it’s urgent. He’s on line two. Do you want it?”
Ri positively scowls. “Yeah. I want it.” He looks at me. “Don’t move.” He stalks to his phone, grabs it, and picks up the line. “I told you not to call me at the office. I fucking meant it. I’ll call you back.” He hangs up and looks at me. “You have a contract, Mia. I’m not letting you out of it.” His jaw sets hard. “Go back to work.”
I get the sense he suddenly wants me out of his office and that it’s connected to that call. I don’t fight his demand. I don’t have to. He doesn’t know about me and Grayson. I’d know. He’s just pissed at me, but he won’t let me go. Not when I’m a weapon against Grayson. I open the door to exit and instinct has me turning to face his office before I push his door shut, and just in time to see him reach in his left draw and pull out a phone and it’s not the one that was normally in his pocket.
I quickly shut the door and I don’t look at Tabitha. I walk past her and to my office that I enter and shut the door. The minute I’m inside, I pull my phone from my pocket and send a group text: Someone named RJ called the office phone and Ri got pissed. He told him not to call him here. When I was leaving he didn’t know I turned around and saw him open his left drawer and pull out a phone and it wasn’t the one he normally had in his pocket. I think it was a burner phone and I think he was calling that RJ person.
Blake answers immediately: We’ll get the number off the phone and tap it.
But how? I think. Surely Ri will take that phone home tonight. I’m shocked he kept it in his desk at all but he must have a reason.
My phone buzzes again with another message from Blake: You did good, Mia. FYI we haven’t swept your office yet. Don’t hold conversations that could be damaging.
I inhale and fight the urge to call Grayson. That’s what he was telling me. Don’t call Grayson and Grayson can’t call me or text me. He’s silent and I wonder if he was listening. I wonder if there was something I said that he didn’t like and it’s killing me. I can’t take it. I dial his number. “Mia,” he breathes out into the phone.
“Did you—”
“Every word.”
“You didn’t—”
“You don’t want in the middle of this war. I heard you. You said that to me, too.”
“I was hurt and angry when I said that to you.”
“You were telling the truth,” he replies. “And I don’t want you in the middle of it and yet, there you are today, right in the middle.”
“That’s not your fault.”
“Yes. It is. I didn’t end this a year ago when he sent Becky to my office to fuck us the way he wants to fuck you. That’s right. Asher found electronic proof that Mitch and Becky were working for Ri. We no longer have to specula
te. You won’t be in the middle long, Mia. Of that, you can be certain.”
“What does that mean?”
“A conversation better had in person.”
My stomach knots. “You’re not talking about us, right?”
“No, Mia, I am not talking about us. We do not end ever again. Stay out of his way today. And I’ll make sure he stays out of your way from this point forward.” My phone on my desk buzzes and he says, “I’ll be close, baby.” Grayson hangs up and the receptionist says, “Delaney Wittmore is on the line.”
My client, who I need to talk to. “Put her through,” I say, trying to shake off the idea that the worst thing that ever happened to Ri was for Grayson to hear that conversation which wouldn’t bother me if I knew what that meant, but I don’t. What is Grayson about to do and what consequences will that have for him and us? I need to see him. I need to talk to him, and yet, I cannot. I’m here, trapped inside a world that Ri controls.
I grab the phone. “Hi, Delaney.”
“Mia, how are things coming along? Do we have a trial date? Is there any hope of ending this without one?”
“There’s always hope.” We talk a good fifteen minutes and we’ve just hung up when Kevin pops his head in the door.
“You’re still on staff?”
“Yes,” I confirm. “For now, all remains the same.”
“Are you looking for a job?”
“Not anymore.”
“Good. Then we have a team meeting at six. It’s the only way to get past everyone’s court schedule.”
“Six. Yes. Okay. I’ll be here.”
He disappears and now I officially know that I’ll be here late, after hours and exposed in a sparsely occupied office. I grab my phone and decide against a group text that might make it to Grayson and set him off. I text Kara instead: I have to be here for a six pm staff meeting.
She replies: I know. I overheard Ri telling Kevin to set it up. He’s behind the meeting. Stay alert and I’ll stay close.
Dirty Rich Betrayal Page 17
