Lovable Lawyer

by Karen Deen

  KAREN DEEN

  Contents

  About the Author

  Contact

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Epilogue

  Bonus

  More from Karen

  Gorgeous Gyno

  Love’s Wall

  Acknowledgments

  Lovable Lawyer

  Copyright © 2020 by Karen Deen

  All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or transmitted in either, electronic, paper hard copy, photocopying, recorded or any other form of reproduction without the written permission of the author. No part of this book either in part or whole may be reproduced into or stored in a retrieval system or distributed without the written permission of the author.

  This book is a work of fiction. Characters, names, places and incidents are products of the author’s imagination. Any resemblance to actual events, locations or persons living or dead is purely coincidental.

  The author acknowledges the trademark status and owners of products referred to in this fiction which have been used without permission. The publication and use of these trademarks is not authorized, associated with or sponsored by the trademark owners.

  Published by Karen Deen

  Formatted by Kellie Clarke

  Edited by Contagious Edits

  Cover Design by Opium House Creatives

  About the Author

  Karen Deen has been a lover of romance novels and happily-ever-after stories for as long as she can remember. Reaching a point in her life where she wanted to explore her own dreams, Karen decided now was the time to finally write some of her own stories. For years, all of her characters have been forming story lines in her head, just waiting for the right time to bust free.

  In 2016, Karen put pen to paper for the first time, with Zach and Emily being the first characters fighting to have their story written. From that first word, she hasn’t been able to stop. Publishing Love’s Wall (her first novel in the Time to Love Series) in 2017 has ignited her passion to continue writing and bring more of her characters to life.

  Karen is married to her loving husband and high school sweetheart. Together, they live the crazy life of parents to three children. She is balancing her life between a career as an accountant by day and writer of romance novels by night. Living in the beautiful coastal town of Kiama, Australia, Karen loves to enjoy time with her family and friends in her beautiful surroundings.

  Contact

  For all the news on upcoming books, visit Karen at:

  www.karendeen.com.au

  Karen@karendeen.com.au

  Facebook: Karen Deen Author

  Instagram: karendeen_author

  DEDICATION

  To the power of imagination and dreams and the places they take us.

  Lovable Lawyer

  Karen Deen

  Chapter One

  LEX

  “Thank you, Counselor, is that all?” The judge looks straight through me like I don’t exist. Pompous Prick.

  Actually, asshole probably suits better.

  “Yes, thank you, Your Honor.” Taking my seat, I look at my client Michelle, trying to put her at ease. This woman has been through enough. It’s the shitty part of the court system. The victim has to sit here, in the same room, mere feet from the person that has totally turned their life upside down.

  Sometimes you take on cases where you just want to do more than stand in a courtroom and argue points of law trying to get justice for your client. Like today, where I want to jump the table and grab the smug guy on the stand who has completely destroyed Michelle and her family. Staring at him, I know he has no remorse, what-so-ever. My fist could teach him what it’s like to feel the pain that his victims are battling through every single day.

  That noise, of the chair legs scraping across the floor, sends shivers across my skin.

  Then the clicking of her heels as she strides to her client.

  Counselor Jacinta Nordick.

  The woman who tortures me most days both in and out of the courtroom. Her back to me, I eye her slender body. The way she dresses portrays an image of power. Her shoulders back, posture straight as an arrow. Her hair always the same for court, pulled tight into a ponytail high on her head. It sways back and forth as she walks.

  Her voice then fills the courtroom. It’s forceful and her words are always sharp, in a take-no-nonsense way.

  “Mr. Digby, tell me what you were doing the night of the car accident,” Jacinta says to her client while still standing ramrod straight waiting for his answer.

  “I was at my office working hard as I always do. Sometimes I’m there late into the night, trying to keep my business afloat and support my children. Then I realized I was supposed to be at my ex-wife’s house to pick up my kids. She gets mad if I’m late. She always starts carrying on, asking me what woman I was with.”

  “Mr. Digby, just the facts, please,” Jacinta snaps.

  “Argh sorry, yes. I left my office and hurried to my car. Driving out from the underground parking lot, I saw it was raining. I proceeded to drive cautiously in the weather to my ex-wife’s place. I was on route then the Lewisham’s car just stopped suddenly in front of me. They didn’t give me any time to stop. With the water on the road, my car just skidded, and I couldn’t stop in time. It wasn’t my fault their car then went into the path of the truck…it was just an accident, they should have swerved around the truck.”

  Hearing Michelle gasp next to me, I stand abruptly.

  “Objection, Your Honor. Mr. Digby is not qualified to make that statement.” The judge looks at me and nods.

  “Sustained. Proceed, Mr. Digby, and leave out the judgements of what anyone else should have done. I’m more concerned what you did or did not do that night.”

  My heart’s pounding in my chest.

  My blood pressure just hit the roof, which is solely from the urge to kill him.

  How dare this man judge another driver. The fuckwit was drunk, under the influence of drugs, and there were no signs of him braking at all. My anger is peaking, but I have to keep it under control.

  My father always told me don’t get attached to the client. Ignore the emotions. It’s just about the truth, and it’s your job to argue the facts.

  Maybe that works for him, but never for me.

  How can you ignore another human in such pain?

  The morning continues on with the cross examination and more witnesses. Michelle having to take the stand and battle through the pain of retelling the events that led up to the death of her parents in the car accident where she was the backseat passenger. How she sat in the rain holding her mother’s hand as her spirit left her, while her father, lying motionless next to her, had already died on impact, taking the full force of the truck that hit them.

  Court recesses for the remainder of the day and we head back to one of the meeting rooms with my assistant and Sam, Michelle’s husband. Giving her time to pull herself together before leaving the courthouse. Also, so she doesn’t have to face the dickhead that hit her car. Hopefully he’ll lea
ve straight away. As I brief her on tomorrow’s procedure, her husband wraps her in his arms. When they start to leave for the day, Sam stops at the doorway and goes to shake my hand.

  “Thanks, Alexander. We appreciate all you’re doing for us.” We shake and he guides Michelle out of the room.

  Watching them go, I can see how much he loves her and wants to protect her from the hurt. It’s eating him up that he is so helpless.

  One of the biggest things I struggle with in life is feeling powerless. I need control, and right now I don’t have it.

  That just makes me a very pissed-off man.

  “How do you think she’ll cope with another day on the stand tomorrow?” Greta my junior lawyer asks as we pack up our files.

  “She’s a strong woman and has support. I just hope to god it will be enough to get her through another round of questioning.” With my arms full and my coat over my arm, my head is full of all the evidence that was submitted this morning.

  Court is like playing chess.

  Strategic moves, analyzing your opponent and patience.

  Backing them into a corner when they least expect it.

  Check mate is so sweet coming off my lips.

  Unfortunately, it doesn’t always happen, and those days truly suck.

  That voice comes from behind me as I’m walking down the corridor. The one that has the hairs on my neck standing up.

  “Better bring your A-game tomorrow, Counselor. It’s going to take more than a few tears to get the jury on your side. It’s me you’re up against, not some useless duty lawyer.” That smug grin on Jacinta’s face as she passes us gets to me every time.

  And so the game of cat and mouse begins.

  Being against her in a case just adds a whole new level of angst.

  “See, that’s the thing. The game I need to bring to the table with you on the other side of it is far lower on the alphabet than an A, Counselor. Walk in the park when all the facts are on my side. See you tomorrow.” Turning to walk down the hallway to the elevators that will take me to the garage, I hear that laugh of sarcasm as I get farther away.

  “Every time you’re up against her, I see your shoulders pull back and that little eyebrow twitch starts going. It’s sort of funny.” Greta smirks as we enter the elevator.

  “Not funny, Greta, she drives me wild,” I grumble. “Makes me want to go all crazy. So, make sure you keep me on a short leash in there tomorrow. You never know what I’m capable of when she’s around.”

  If only Greta knew what sort of crazy she makes me. No woman has ever drawn this type of reaction out of me before. Make me lose sleep or have her in my head at ridiculous times of the night. I can’t seem to shake it, and that’s not a good thing.

  I always know what is happening in my head and where I’m at. It pisses me off that she is burrowing in somewhere I’ve always managed to keep solely for me.

  Arriving back in my office, I unload my files and run through this morning’s proceedings with Greta. I give her the instructions of what we need researched and the information we need for court tomorrow.

  “How do you think Jacinta is going to try to argue past the point of him being under the influence?” She looks up at me from her laptop.

  “Fuck if I know, that’s the annoying part. I’m trying to get into her head and it’s always a challenge. One that actually gets my blood going, I must say.” Rubbing my neck, I look out the window of my office.

  “Well, to me she is just a stuck-up bitch. It’s like she has a stick shoved up her ass most days. No one likes her,” Greta mumbles as she types away.

  “She’s not all that she seems on the outside,” I say, turning to look at Greta. Running my hand through my hair, my watch alarm starts to buzz on my arm.

  “Okay, are you all right with that? I’m heading out to lunch now.”

  She stands and starts to pack up her laptop and the files she needs. “Lunch, yeah right. I wish I could eat any part of that lunch.”

  “Greta,” I grumble at her.

  “What, we go through his every Thursday. Yet you still won’t take me to ‘lunch’ with those hot men. You are so mean.”

  I just roll my eyes at her.

  “Because I know all you would do is drool the whole time and make yourself look pathetic. I’m saving you from losing your self-respect. Plus, they’re a little old for you.” I walk to open the door for her.

  “Pfft mere details, Lex. You should know I would find a counter argument for your issue. I don’t want to touch, just watch and drool. But whatever. Have fun.” With that she’s walking down the corridor to her office. I see her stop to talk to Theresa, my secretary, and they both laugh. Probably laughing at me, I’m sure.

  Thank god it’s Thursday!

  Stripping out of my suit and into my shorts and tank top, I know this is what I need. Basketball with the boys. I try never to miss our weekly Thursday match. Grayson, Mason, and Tate are my best friends and more like family. They’re the ones who are always there no matter what. They put up with my sorry ass even when I’m a grumpy, moody bastard, like today.

  If I was to describe the four of us, people would wonder why we’re friends.

  But we just are.

  It’s that simple.

  Since that first day at high school, we fit together like the perfect puzzle pieces. Well, maybe not perfect, but we joined to make the picture whole.

  Grayson’s the softest of all of us. Gentle in nature which suits his job as an OB/GYN. Yet he loves a good joke and thinks he’s the prankster of the group. He’s always been the glue that holds us together, made us part of his family. There were times I didn’t even realize how much I needed that. His dad and his sister Bella are part of my circle. You know, the people you would move heaven and earth for.

  Although they are both doctors, Tate is not like Gray. He’s the shithead of the group. Pain in the ass and the one I will most likely be bailing out of jail one day, and probably more than once. You can guarantee it will all revolve around a woman. Being the top neurosurgeon at Mercy Hospital here in Chicago, he plays the field well. It’s bound to bring him unstuck sooner rather than later. Despite what Gray thinks, Tate wears the crown for the class idiot.

  Mason is quieter like me but is my friend who carries the most baggage in the group. Understandable after spending time as a pilot in the military. His deployment was hard on him, and while we did what we could with the goofy care packages we would send him, nothing can erase the memory of life in a war zone. I doubt it’s possible to come out from being in a war and not be carrying something deep inside. Regardless, he is the protector of the group. If it came down to it in a crisis, he would be the one to stop the bullet and save your life.

  Pulling into the parking lot, I see none of them have arrived yet. While we would love to be able to meet here every week, it’s not always possible. Mason never knows his flight schedule because it can change last minute. His current job of being a private jet pilot for the owner of a multi-billion-dollar company has him flying her all over the country. Plus, Tate and Gray, being doctors, we’re never sure when they’ll get called for an emergency. So, the days that we can all make it for a game together are precious.

  Deep in thought, I sit in the sun on the short fence that surrounds the parkade. Feeling the warmth seeping into my skin, my muscles start to relax for the first time today. Every time I’m in court with Jacinta she sends me into a tense state. Watching her has me turned on and that makes it hard to concentrate. The power she exudes must be what has my heart racing a bit. Yet I’m not entirely convinced it’s not just the thrill of the chase and my determination to defeat her. I can’t seem to work it out. Either way, she infuriates me, and I wish to hell she didn’t.

  Pain radiating in my right ear alerts me to Tate arriving. His signature move, a flick on the back of the earlobe when you least expect it. He used to do it all the time in high school when he sat behind me in English. Pissed me off then and still does now.

&nb
sp; “How’s it hanging, sexy Lexy?” he says, already laughing at himself.

  “You are such a dick, you know that, right?” I stand up to start walking towards the court.

  “A big dick, you said? Well thanks for the compliment, but don’t say it too loud, it’s weird when another guy talks about the size of your dick.”

  “Hard of hearing as per usual. There was no use of the word big in that sentence, my friend. In fact, not sure that could ever be used in relation to your manhood.” Smiling for the first time today, I watch Tate scowl at me.

  “Always the serious one, aren’t you, lawyer boy. You need to loosen up a bit. Let me tell you a secret, sex is the best natural relaxant known to man.”

  I just roll my eyes at him as the other two guys walk up to us.

  “Who’s needing sex to relax?” Mason comments with a smirk knowing full well who Tate is referring too.

  “Old grumpy here. The one whose nuts are strung so tight they can’t breathe.” Tate takes the basketball from Mason’s hands and starts to dribble it.

  “Fuck off, Tate. You have no idea how tightly I’m strung. If you knew Jacinta, then you would understand. That woman has a vice around my dick on the best of days, and I have no fucking idea why. Now shut up and let’s play ball. I need to whip someone’s ass badly.” Looking at Tate about to open his mouth, I hold my finger up to him.