by Morgan James
The meeting finally came to an end, and after exchanging polite handshakes, we began to filter from the room. Gavin waylaid me just as I approached the door.
“Are you sure this is what you want?”
I closed my eyes for a moment, steeling myself before meeting his gaze. I’d given Steve years of my life only to be betrayed, my life ripped to shreds. But this was the key to my freedom. He might not approve of my choice, but now I’d have plenty of money for a fresh start. I could do whatever I wanted—and now it was time to do something for me.
“I already gave you my answer. I just—”
He cut me off, his eyes angry, his tone harsh. “Tell me, Kate, because I really need to know.”
Something flickered in the dark depths. Disapproval? Disappointment, maybe? My lips flattened into a straight line, and I drew myself up to my fullest height. Who the hell was he to judge me?
I lifted my chin defiantly. “Excuse me, Mr. Price. I believe we’re done here.”
I strode down the hall and through the lobby, acutely aware of his penetrating glare on my back as I pushed open the door with more force than necessary and stepped into the bright sunlight. No more. Today was the start of something new. I strode forward with purpose, shoulders straight, ready to start the next chapter in my life.
Chapter Two
Gavin
I silently fumed, somehow managing to curse her even as I appreciated the way her hips swayed purposefully toward the door, her feet carrying her farther away from me. Rob moved to stand beside me in the hallway.
“Kind of a spitfire, isn’t she?”
I growled low in my throat, then spun on a heel and stormed into my office. “Stubborn-ass woman. Should’ve gotten the practice.” I threw myself into my chair and glared at the ceiling. “That tool bag doesn’t deserve a penny, and she’s giving him everything. Goddamn it!”
Rob lifted a brow. “Maybe she needs the money.”
I snorted. “She doesn’t need the goddamn money. Her finances are in way better shape than his.”
I had a feeling it was exactly as she’d told me: she just wanted out. But, damn it, she deserved so much more. She needed more than a husband who cheated on her and knocked up some tramp. She’d get a nice chunk of money out of the deal, sure, but it wasn’t nearly enough.
“Why does it bother you so much?”
I dipped my head just enough to glare at him. Kate was why. Because she was the smartest, most amazing, sexiest woman who had ever stepped foot in my office, and I wanted to help her. I wanted to do a hell of a lot more, but she was also my client. It wasn’t as if it never happened, but it was the biggest cliché in the book.
“It just... does.”
I stared at my best friend, debating whether to open up or not. Rob and I met in first grade when Dad had picked up our family and moved us south. Back then, I’d been scrawny and nerdy, an undersized young boy with glasses who’d been teased relentlessly. Rob had intervened one day on the playground when Jeff Sutton, the class bully, had knocked me down and stolen my lunch money. One punch to the jaw had sent Jeff to the ground—and forged our friendship in stone.
A growth spurt in high school put me two inches taller than Rob, but we remained friends all through school. After graduation, we’d enlisted in the military—he in the Army and me in the Marines. After our tours were up, we’d returned home and chosen to go to law school. We’d each had several offers from different firms, but when Walker and Raines had two open slots to fill, we jumped at the chance to work together there as well. The internships turned into full-time positions, and we’d been side by side for the last three years.
I steepled my fingers and rested them against my lips, mind racing. Why the hell was she being so difficult? I could’ve gotten her a good deal, a hell of a lot better than what she was settling for. That asshole should be handing everything over to her, not the other way around. I commended her for wanting to move on with her life and leave the asshat behind, but... why wouldn’t she let me help her?
Rob lifted an eyebrow. “You’ve done this hundreds of times. What’s the big deal with this chick?”
I growled. “She deserves better.”
He shrugged nonchalantly. “So do a lot of the women that come in here.”
True, but Kate Winfield was different. I’d never—not since the moment she walked through these doors—been able to call her by her married name. Wishful thinking on my part, maybe, but I’d known within seconds of meeting her that I wanted her. More than that, ridiculous as it was, I adamantly refused to accept that she in any way belonged to another man. There’d been a spark between us the first time we spoke, and when she smiled at me... my reaction to her was like grabbing an electric fence.
Despite trying to talk myself out of it, I couldn’t get her off my mind. I wanted her to see me in a different light—as a flesh-and-blood male instead of just her lawyer. Right now, I meant literally nothing to her other than the fact that I had the power to grant her freedom from the idiot she’d called her husband for the past several years.
“That dickhead treated her like shit.” I could hear the derision in my voice, and I quickly cleared my throat. “I’m just trying to get her what she deserves.”
“Sounds like you’re trying to get something else.”
I met Rob’s pointed stare with one of my own. “Not sure what you’re implying.”
His friend snorted a laugh. “Don’t gimme that shit. I’ve known you too long. You got something going on with this broad?”
“Not yet, but...” My gaze darted toward the door where a curvy blonde lounged against the doorjamb, clearly eavesdropping, and I stifled a groan.
Shannon Raines—as in my boss, Larry’s, daughter—wore a pleased expression, as if my words were meant for her. Twenty-one if she was a day, she was pretty enough, but damn she was about as dumb as a brick wall. And unfortunately, it wasn’t a learning curve. She’d been here for nearly a year, yet she continued to make the same stupid mistakes every day. Knowing she was a partner’s daughter, everyone here had tried to be polite, but their patience was wearing thin—and so was mine.
Shannon had spent the past few months doing her best to fall on my dick. She’d started by making small talk, pulling me aside from time to time to ask questions. At first, I hadn’t minded helping her—until I realized it was a ruse. I’d almost given in one night when she’d invited me back to her place, but thank God I’d had the presence of mind to decline. She’d become increasingly aggressive in her pursuit, and I almost snorted out loud as my eyes swept over her. The clothes themselves would have been acceptable for any office job, but the way she wore them was far from it. The red button-down shirt matched her vibrant lipstick and pulled tightly across her breasts, unbuttoned so far that I could see the lacy material of her bra in the open V of the neckline. Her demeanor screamed for attention. Too bad she wouldn’t be getting it from me.
Despite her best attempts to win my favor, I had no intention of going there—ever. Especially not now. Not when I was so close to getting what I really wanted, which was a fiery redheaded doctor with a temper to match. I lifted my chin at the blonde still draped against my doorway. “Yes, Shannon?”
She sashayed into the office, hips fluid with the movement, and practically laid herself over my desk as she passed me a sheaf of papers. “Here’s your deposition for the Lyle-Mills case, Mr. Price.”
I watched Rob’s eyes drop to her ass as she leaned over right in front of him, and I barely refrained from rolling my eyes.
“Thank you.” I accepted the file and dropped it into the tray at the corner of my desk. When she made no move to leave the room, I met her gaze with a frosty glare of my own. “That will be all. Please close the door on your way out.”
Shannon’s lips tightened into a firm line of displeasure, but she flounced out of the office, slamming the door in her wake. I flinched at the sound and met Rob’s amused eyes.
“Looks like she was less than i
mpressed with your handling of the situation.”
I shook my head. “I’ll never be desperate enough to stoop that low.”
“Aw, come on. She’s not that bad.”
“Yeah, I noticed you were enjoying the show.” I leveled a stare at my best friend, wondering how the man could be so naïve sometimes. “The chick’s a succubus. Go near that and you’ll pay for it.”
Rob chuckled. “I’ll keep that in mind. So what is it about this broad?”
“Did you not see that?” I pointed toward the door. “She’d been trying to nail me down since she walked in the door, like she singled me out.”
“Not Shannon.” He tapped a finger on Kate’s file. “Ms. Winfield.”
I hesitated. Besides the fact that she was drop-dead gorgeous, I wanted her—had to have her. I couldn’t explain it, but from the very moment I’d laid eyes on her, I’d known she was different. She was a game changer.
I lifted one shoulder. “There’s nothing going on.”
“Yet.” Rob met my hard glare with one of his own. “Spill it. You’ve been pushing to get this resolved for weeks. You want her that bad?”
I blew out an exasperated breath. Why the hell couldn’t Rob just leave it alone? Ever since that time on the playground nearly twenty-five years ago, Rob had considered himself my protector. And if that meant dragging the information out of me, I had no doubt he’d find a way to accomplish it.
“Honestly? I don’t know what it is about her, but I want her. I need to get this shit wrapped up so I can finally go talk to her. That’s why I needed to get that asshole on board. He cheated on her, for Christ’s sake. The least he could do was give her the damn practice she’s worked all her life for.”
“Can’t make her take something she doesn’t want,” Rob chided.
No, I couldn’t, but that didn’t make me want to throttle the asshole any less. “Regardless, she deserves better.”
“And that’s you?” Rob lifted a brow, and I flipped him the bird.
“I just want a chance with her. That’s all.”
He nodded. “Maybe that’ll get the message across to Shannon loud and clear.”
I seriously doubted it. All I could do was avoid her and hope she eventually turned her attention elsewhere. “How quickly do you think we can get Howard to sign off on the decree?”
Rob lifted a shoulder. “He owes me. I’ll request he get it approved ASAP. I’ll just add that tally to your list of favors, too.”
I reached over and fist-bumped him. “You’re the best.”
Chapter Three
Kate
I flopped to my back and threw one arm over my eyes to block out the light as I slowly came awake. I felt exhausted, emotionally drained, like the last six months had leached all of the energy from my body. I was definitely in a funk, one I wasn’t quite sure how to get out of. I knew moving on was for the best—new house, new job. Outwardly, it was all coming together. Inside, I felt like I was falling apart. It didn’t make sense; I’d finally decided on a course of action for my life, so why did I feel so... broken?
I knew part of it was Steve and our marriage, or lack thereof. What had been a constant in my life for so long was... gone. No matter how badly he’d hurt me, I couldn’t bring myself to hate him. I really did wish him the best. I just wished that I was happy, too.
For several long minutes, I just lay there, eyes closed, trying not to think at all. Finally, I rolled my head to the left and glared at the chair next to the bed. A stack of clothes and a pair of running shoes taunted me with their presence. I had to put them there where I would see them as soon as I got out of bed, otherwise I would put it off. I’d promised myself I was going to start being healthy again, and I wasn’t going to give up now, damn it. Forcing myself to move, I sat up and swung my legs over the edge of the mattress, then reluctantly dressed and laced up the shoes before I could change my mind.
The routine had been the same for the last four days. It was time for me to move on, to take back control of my life, and working out was just one element to that. After I used the bathroom, I bounded downstairs and whipped up a quick protein shake to drink before I headed out. Peanut danced around my feet, and I let him out into the backyard to relieve himself as I sipped at my strawberry shake.
The morning was clear and bright, still a little cool but carrying the promise of heat later in the afternoon. It was the perfect time for a run, and I found myself looking forward to it. Peanut darted back inside, and I locked up, then poured some food and water into his bowls before snatching up my phone and earbuds. Pulling up my favorite playlist, I popped the wireless headphones into my ears, then made my way out the front door.
I took a minute to stretch in my driveway as I looked around, enjoying the calm morning. The condo complex was located just out of town before the landscape transitioned into farmland. I’d seen a few kids out and about in the afternoons, but the residents seemed to be mostly middle-aged nine-to-fivers.
The last few days, I’d run through the neighboring allotment back toward town. Today I wanted to try something new. Turning left out of my driveway, I walked for a couple of blocks before easing into a slow jog. My muscles ached with the familiar burn, but it felt good. As I warmed up, my muscles became looser, my steps longer and more graceful. It was amazing how quickly I’d gotten my stride back, even after being stagnant for so many years. I couldn’t remember exactly when or why I stopped running. I loved it once, so much so that I’d run cross country in both high school and college.
I settled in, listening to the soft music playing in my ears, the familiar rhythm of my feet slapping the pavement with every step. Though I kept a watchful eye on my surroundings, checking constantly for cars or other people, I allowed my mind to drift. I had a phone preliminary interview with a small local branch of the VA coming up tomorrow, and I was incredibly nervous. Mentally preparing responses for my interview, I crested a small knoll, then turned right and broke away from the main road. An older-style farmhouse sat back from the road a little bit, and I waved to the woman puttering around a small garden in the front yard.
I continued another mile or so down the road, where corn rose up along both sides. Knee-high by the Fourth of July. I smiled as the old adage came back to me from my youth. According to farmers, if corn was knee-high by July, it would be a prosperous year. Judging from the size of the stalks, it looked like this year was going to be a good one.
Suddenly, something came crashing through the leafy green stalks, and a small yelp left my throat as I reared back in surprise. I quickly looked around, thankful that no cars were coming, before turning my attention back to the mangy-looking dog in front of me. His brown fur was matted and muddy in places, and he clutched a large bone in his mouth. I couldn’t help the laugh that bubbled up. The dog wasn’t small, maybe seventy pounds or so, but the bone protruding from either side of his mouth looked abnormally huge. He eyed me warily and let out a little growl as if warning me away from his treasure.
Smiling at the dog, I slipped the headphones from my ears and tucked them into the waistband of my shorts. “Whatcha got there?” I crooned to him. “Looks yummy.”
The dog eyed me but didn’t move, and the smile slipped from my face as I inspected the bone more closely. Unease spread through my gut as I took in the ball joint on one end, then down to the familiar nubs at the opposite end. I’d taken too many anatomy classes to not know exactly what I was looking at. It was a femur—a human one by the looks of it.
“Where did you get that?” I asked softly. The dog tipped his head slightly to one side, almost as if he could understand what I was saying.
“Show me,” I encouraged him. “Where is it?”
The dog turned and started back through the cornfield, and I hesitated for a long moment before hopping over the ditch and following him. I briefly acknowledged this was one of the stupidest things I’d ever done. Not only was I venturing away from the road where I could get lost, but I’d also potentially f
ind a crime scene at the end of this trek. I mentally crossed my fingers that I wouldn’t meet any ill-meaning humans wherever the dog was taking me. Thank God I at least had my cell phone in case anything happened.
Leaves slapped at my legs, slowing my progress, but I brushed them away as I hurried to catch up with the dog. What felt like an interminably long time later, the cornfield came to an abrupt end, opening up to a large grassy field. The dog tossed a look over his shoulder without breaking stride as he trotted through the weeds brushing at his shoulders. I grimaced and carefully picked my way through the field, keeping one eye peeled as my sneakers squished into the wet ground. I prayed to God that the dog made enough noise to scare off any critters hanging around before I stumbled upon them. The last thing I needed was to be out here all alone and fall victim to a startled rattlesnake.
About thirty yards in front of me, two birds took flight, startled by the dog as it loped a little too close. The dog stopped right where the birds had been, his tail beating the air enthusiastically. A faint buzzing noise filled the air, unmistakably flies that had already settled in to feast. I smelled it before I saw it, and dread curdled in my stomach as the body came into view. Though most of the body was intact, the flesh and bone of one leg had been stripped away, presumably by the dog.
This close, the scent was overpowering, and I turned away, covering my nose, willing the nausea to subside before pulling my phone out and dialing 911.
“This is Dr. Kate Winfield,” I introduced myself when the dispatcher answered the call. “I’ve found a deceased person in a field somewhere off Hartwell Road.”
She assured me that police had been dispatched but asked me to remain on the line until they arrived. Meanwhile, I watched the dog out of the corner of my eye, still reluctant to relinquish his treasure.
