I stopped talking, trying to gather my thoughts. Ryan, however, knew the story was about to turn sour. “But?”
“When you came to our office this afternoon to see Adam, did you happen to notice another guy in the lobby when you left?”
“I think there was a guy in a suit. Blond hair?”
“Yep.”
“Yeah, I saw him. The only reason why I even noticed him was he was staring intently at your office door.”
That felt creepy as fuck, but I didn’t have a moment to process it. “Not too intently, because that was Ed O’Malley, the Assistant DA, and he recognized you as the man from the bar that I left with.”
“Let him try to prove it.”
Ryan did have an excellent point. All Ed had was circumstantial evidence. Except…
“Well, Adam didn’t exactly deny anything.”
“What do you mean?”
“After you left, Ed came at Adam with both barrels loaded, threatening to have my license revoked for misconduct. Adam tried to calm him down, but he was ready to report me right then and there. And the pieces are easy to put together, Ryan. Ed and his friends saw us there and, even if his friends don’t remember, they’d back his statement or he’d convince them he was right. Then, of course, there’s my signature on paperwork in your casefile, along with phone calls I made before Adam took over the case.”
“Didn’t you say sexual misconduct? How can this guy prove we did anything after we left the bar?”
I almost smiled. “Obviously, he can’t—but the Bar wouldn’t care. You and I were making out in public. That alone crosses a line and would be enough for me to get in serious trouble.”
“Okay. Got it. But what does that have to do with tonight? If he’s hell bent on turning you in and he has the evidence he needs, then why would it matter if you spent the night with me? It sounds like it wouldn’t make any damn difference.”
I felt slimy even talking about it. “Well…Adam seems to think that, if I pleaded my case with Ed, I could persuade him to drop it. I could emphasize that I’ve never done that sort of thing before and that it will never happen again. Adam believes if I appeal to his sense of justice by letting him know I’ve learned my lesson while also asking him to do me a favor by not saying anything that he will.”
“And how will that work exactly? What do you do for this DA guy in return?”
“Adam seems to think that all I have to do is ask.”
“His crush on you is that bad?”
“I don’t know, actually—but there’s only one way to find out. I’ve got nothing to lose at this point.” I clenched my fists, hoping to let go of the tension that had been building up since I’d begun thinking about this shit again. “And if he’s still not satisfied, I’ll report it myself. I don’t want him policing me.”
“So what happens if you turn yourself in?”
“Hard to say. Could be suspension of my license for six months or a year or more—or I could even be disbarred.”
“I’ve heard that before, but what does it mean exactly?”
“I could never practice law again. Sure, I could play the part of an overqualified paralegal, but that’s not what I spent all those years in school for. If I were disbarred, I probably couldn’t practice again for the rest of my life. Suspension, though, would be for as long as they decided—a year, maybe two. And during that time, I wouldn’t be able to argue in court or sign any legal documents. Hell, I couldn’t even give out advice, even though it’s not like I’d forget everything I knew.”
Ryan’s face fell as he began feeling the weight of my plight. “That fucking sucks.”
“Yeah, it does. But that’s why I’m here tonight.”
“So that guy—he’s the one you were dancing with a while ago?”
“Yeah—I pulled him onto the dance floor so he wouldn’t see you.”
Ryan tilted his head a little. “So you knew I was there?”
I grinned then. “Yeah, I noticed you a little earlier. But now you know why I couldn’t come talk to you or anything. I knew if Ed saw us together, I’d have no chance to try to reason with him.”
“I guess I need to wish you good luck.”
“Thanks. I think I’m gonna need it.” When Ryan pulled me into his arms once more, we kissed softly, a lingering, sweet kiss that I hoped would keep me floating for the rest of the evening. “I should probably get back in there before they send out a search party.”
Ryan smiled but continued holding me close. “Can I call you tomorrow?”
“Are you kidding? I’d be hurt if you didn’t.” I gave him one last quick kiss before we released each other.
“I’ll hang out here a few minutes so we aren’t seen walking in together.”
God, what wasn’t there to love about this guy?
Love? Shit…I had to quit doing that. “Thanks, Ryan.”
“Thank you.”
I almost kissed him one more time, but I knew I was procrastinating again. So I blew him a kiss and started walking quickly. When I got to the corner of the building, I turned and waved to the guy who was maybe my new boyfriend, and then I marched with the conviction of a soldier, ready to face the music.
Chapter Sixteen
As I walked back through the entrance of the night club, I felt the dampness in my panties, leaving me in awe of my body. That wetness wasn’t from Ryan, because he’d been wearing a condom.
Which begged the question…what the hell had he done with that damned thing anyway?
Had I not been feeling nervous and sick, I might have laughed, but it was that strange undeniable attraction I’d felt for Ryan in the first place that had me here ready to beg for my career. If I loved my profession as much as I’d proclaimed to, then it was time to be an adult and take matters into my own hands.
If it was just me, it wouldn’t be so bad. Hell, the way I was beginning to feel about Ryan made everything I’d done feel like it had been worth it. He was worth that stupid sacrifice. But Adam’s livelihood also hung in the balance. I knew he could make it on his own, but we’d really only become what I would consider successful over the past two years. That was when we’d been able to start giving Janae raises and we were able to stop advertising in the local paper. I tried to convince myself that I’d be able to figure something out, that I’d manage somehow if I couldn’t practice law—but I had Adam relying on me, too.
I had to do this for him just as much as for me, no matter how much it felt like I’d be groveling.
When I got back to the table, there were some people gone who’d been there earlier. Nolan Price’s absence, in particular, struck me, as he was often the life of the party. But there were a couple of new faces, one a younger woman I’d never met before. When I got close enough that people noticed me, Adam said, “There you are. I was beginning to think you fell in.”
I gave him a fake smile. “Ha ha.”
Ed, though, all but got in my face. “We were worried sick about you.”
I was going to stretch the truth without outright lying. “When I was leaving the restroom, I ran into an old friend. We talked for a while, and I lost track of time.” All true…except that we did lots more than talk.
“Well,” Ed said, giving me a small smile, “we’re just glad you’re back.” He raised his voice then, sounding very much like the Assistant DA I’d heard in the courtroom on occasion. “My turn to buy a round of drinks. What’ll everyone have?”
It was mostly beers again. God, we were a predictable bunch.
When Ed turned to me, I shook my head. “You already bought me a drink, remember?” No way in hell did I want to feel obligated to him anymore than I already did.
“Samantha, what kind of jerk would I look like if I bought everyone a drink but you? You can owe me one, okay?”
I forced myself to not grit my teeth. The last thing I wanted was to owe Ed O’Malley anything, especially right now—but I knew I had to play nice. No, I had to play more than nice—I had to play fri
endly. “Ed, what am I gonna do with you?”
“That’s what I like to hear.”
“Do you need help carrying everything back?”
“Nope. There aren’t as many of us here now. I got it.”
As he walked away, I realized that maybe Ed wasn’t such a bad guy after all. I could appreciate the fact that, as a prosecutor, he wanted people to be punished if they broke the law and I had in essence done that. But it didn’t mean he couldn’t be reasoned with and it didn’t mean we couldn’t reach some kind of bargain. That he was warming up and being friendly gave me hope.
After Ed walked off, Adam took the time to introduce me to the newcomers, including Rae, a gorgeous young newly minted attorney with a small firm on the south side of town. After I’d offered her a warm welcome and she’d started talking again to a friend next to her, Adam cocked an eyebrow at me. “Four-to-one odds.”
My face lit up. “Yeah? You going for it?”
“Laying the groundwork. What do you think?”
“Go for it, my friend.” I giggled, a laugh brought on by a combination of amazing sex and overwrought nerves.
Adam smiled but his eyes were searching mine. “How much have you had to drink?”
“Just a coupla beers and a shot.”
I could tell my friend was feeling great with his next smart-ass comment. “You sure you just haven’t lost count?”
I shook my head, my lips pursed together in a tight grin. I couldn’t help but think about how much the sex had dampened the effects of the alcohol, and I actually felt better because of it. And thinking about Ryan made me glance over at his table. He was also looking my way, so I gave him a tiny wave that I didn’t think anyone else could see.
But my partner was no idiot. “Is that…?” I just nodded. “I suppose he’s the old friend you ran into?”
I lowered my voice even more than it had been. “Yeah, but he’s keeping his distance until I can talk to Ed.”
“You haven’t done that yet?”
“No. I wanted to warm up to it. It wouldn’t have seemed natural if I’d just started begging him to be nice.”
“Fair enough.”
I needed to change the subject. “So you think you have a chance with her?”
“Yeah, pretty sure. She kept touching my arm while we were talking.”
“Good sign.” I glanced over at the raven-haired beauty and saw another guy trying to get chummy even while in the midst of a group conversation. “Better get to work, my friend.”
“And abandon my partner?”
I nodded my head toward Ed who was heading back with a tray full of drinks. “I’ve got my own work to do, buddy.” I took a few steps toward the Assistant DA. “Need some help?”
“Sure.”
We passed out the drinks and then Ed handed me a cocktail glass with a light blue crushed ice beverage that had a paper umbrella sticking out of it. The umbrella was attached to a long toothpick that speared two maraschino cherries and a chunk of pineapple. Not my kind of beverage—but I needed to be gracious and friendly. And, frankly, I hadn’t been specific about what I wanted to drink, so I guessed that was on me. “What is it?”
“House specialty. I asked the bartender what kind of drink I should get for the most beautiful woman at the table.”
“Thanks, Ed.” I didn’t like mixing the kind of alcohol I drank, simply because I halfway believed the myth that it would make me sick—but I definitely didn’t want to appear ungrateful to the man to whom my career hung in the balance. “Did you try it?”
“No. I got myself a Tom Collins. Is it good?”
All I could taste was vodka with a citrusy undertone. “Yeah, thanks.” I smiled and pulled my chair up close to the table as Ed sat down next to me, sipping his drink.
No better time than the present.
“Can I talk to you, Ed?”
“Sure. What’s on your mind?”
Like he didn’t know—but he was probably enjoying watching me sweat a little. I took a deep breath along with another long sip of the drink before speaking again. “Adam told me you know about an error I made in judgment.”
The smile on his face seemed tight, but his tone wasn’t unkind. “You know, Samantha, what you did is a pretty serious offense.”
“I know. Believe me—I know.” I didn’t want to explore the specifics of my indiscretion, but I needed to appear repentant. “But I want you to know that I’ve never done that before and I will never do it again. I’ve learned a valuable lesson.”
“I would hope so.”
I didn’t know what to say except to ask. Taking another sip of my drink first, I hoped the vodka and whatever else was in there would help steel my courage—but my stomach was starting to feel sour. “I know you think my license should be suspended. Adam and I talked about that. If I couldn’t practice law, it would cripple us. Adam really needs me at full capacity. He can’t run that office by himself.”
“Are you saying you think you should get off scot-free?”
Taking another small sip of my drink, I forced myself to remain calm. “No, that’s not what I’m saying. I’m trying to do the right thing. Right after it happened, Adam took over the case—”
“Wait a second. You mean this guy was your client first?”
Oh, shit. Maybe Ryan had been right. Maybe I should have denied it all. But it was too late. I’d already stepped in it.
I was waist-deep in confession.
Before I could speak, Ed continued. “That just makes it worse, Samantha.”
“I know—but I also knew giving Adam the case was the right thing to do. And I told my former client that what I’d done was wrong. This whole thing has been eating at me.” Taking another sip on the blue drink, I wished the alcohol would kick in already—although it was probably better that I was completely sober at the moment. “Look…if you think I should be punished, I understand. And if you insist upon that, all I ask is that you let me do it myself. Let me take my own medicine.”
“I need to think it over.”
“I understand, Ed. This isn’t easy.”
“Give me some time.”
“Sure.”
He smiled—but I couldn’t register if it was friendly and kind or not. And then he stood up. “It’s time for me to use the facilities. Be right back.”
As I watched Ed make his way toward the restrooms, I let go of a deep breath, relieved that it was over. The worst part was behind me. I didn’t have to do any more explaining or pleading, and I hadn’t had to lie to get through it. Now the ball was in Ed’s court.
I looked across the large dance space toward Ryan’s group again, and he saw me. I couldn’t help but give him a small smile and I hoped he could see it in the dimness. I gave him a thumbs-up, hoping he knew that it meant I’d had my talk.
My partner was getting pretty cozy with the gorgeous lawyer, so I didn’t want to get his attention to tell him I’d pleaded my case with the jury and was simply awaiting the verdict.
I took another drink of the blue beverage, marveling that I’d already drunk more than half of it. My tummy had been gurgling earlier, but now it was full-on churning—and I was feeling lightheaded. Pulling in a deep breath, I tried to calm my nerves. It had been a long day and I was glad it was almost over.
Worst. Monday. Ever.
When my hands started shaking, I placed them flat on the table before pushing myself up to stand. What the fuck was going on? Taking another deep gulp of air, I realized I felt like I was going to throw up.
Shit. I’d known better than to mix drinks.
Glancing in Adam’s direction again, I tried getting his attention. I wanted to go home—even though I didn’t want to ruin his chances with the new girl. But it didn’t look like I would get the opportunity, because they were pretty into each other. Adam had no clue I existed at the moment.
Maybe I could hold onto the table and make my way closer to him…
Before I heard Ed’s voice, I felt his hand holding
my arm at the elbow. “Are you all right, Samantha?”
My head felt heavy, but I forced myself to look up at him. “No. I feel like I’m going to be sick.” Had I really had that much to drink? Since when couldn’t I hold down a little vodka?
“Why don’t you sit down for a minute?”
I tried to shake my head. “I don’t want to sit.” As I inhaled a deep breath of air, a new wave of dizziness washed over me. There was no denying I was fucked up. “I think I need to go to the restroom.”
His arm underneath my elbow steadied me as I stood upright. “Let me help you.”
My knees buckled, so Ed moved his arm around my back for more support. As we moved, I leaned my head against his shoulder, feeling unable to support it anymore. He was half-dragging me in the direction of the bathrooms and, soon, my head hung from my neck like a rag doll as I got closer to the verge of passing out. Whatever was happening to me was progressing quickly—and it wasn’t until I tried to communicate that I realize I was even losing the ability to speak. “Hop-i…tal.” I didn’t know if Ed could understand that I needed to go to the emergency room, but my mouth wouldn’t obey. Although my brain was fuzzy, the rest of my body was in worse condition—my muscles were limp as my arms began feeling as heavy as anvils.
But Ed kept me on a slow, steady path toward the bathrooms. Except he didn’t turn toward them when we got there. Instead, he took me out the entrance. “I think you need some fresh air, Samantha.”
The air did feel better as I took small breaths into my lungs, and he helped me sit on the iron bench. But I needed Ed to understand that I wasn’t okay. “Can’t…can’t…”
Love and Lust (Small Town Secrets Book 2) Page 15
