Fletcher sneers at her. “What the—”
I shoot Fletcher a hard look intending to silence him.
“Are you saying you had oral sex with Mr. McClain on April twenty-seventh, two months after you broke up?”
“Sure did.”
Right now I need a paper bag to breathe into because I’m about to start hyperventilating. I do everything in my power to keep my face neutral.
“And where did you supposedly have oral sex with Mr. McClain?”
“In the backseat of his Lincoln Town Car in the parking lot at Karma Entertainment. His driver Lester can testify to that.”
I steal a quick glance at Fletcher, who appears to be shrinking right before my eyes. His reaction to Bliss’ testimony tells me she is speaking the truth and nothing but.
“So you’re saying that you obtained Mr. McClain’s semen during oral sex on April twenty-seventh of last year?”
“Asked and answered,” Girlie interjects.
But Bliss is eager to answer this question. “Sure did.”
“And after you obtained Mr. McClain’s semen during oral sex, what did you do with it?”
“I spit it into a cervical cap.”
Fletcher pounds the table with his fist. “You friggin’ psycho!”
“Counselor,” Girlie exclaims, “if you can’t control Mr. McClain’s harassing and intimidating conduct, we’re going to have to suspend the deposition. I won’t allow my client to be harassed and intimidated like this.”
Normally, I would’ve taken a disruptive client out in the hallway for a short lecture. But we’re at a crucial point in the deposition so I don’t want to take a break. I glare over at Fletcher and simultaneously kick him in the shin. No audible scolding is necessary. I do, however, need to make amends for his behavior on the record.
“Understandably, Ms. Fenton’s testimony is quite shocking for my client.” I try to sound genuinely contrite. “I apologize for his outburst. It won’t happen again.”
Bliss leers at Fletcher. She’s obviously proud of herself.
“You just testified that you had oral sex with Mr. McClain on April twenty-seventh and spit his semen into a cervical cap. Is that correct?”
“Yes.”
“Can you explain what a cervical cap is?”
“It’s a device women can use for artificial insemination. It looks like a small plastic cup. Sort of like a diaphragm, but smaller.”
“Okay, so what did you do after spitting Mr. McClain’s sperm into the cervical cap?”
“I inserted it into my vagina.”
“Right there in the car?”
“Yep.”
“And where was Mr. McClain while you were doing that?”
She hunches her shoulders. “Sitting right there. He was busy zipping up his pants. He wasn’t paying any attention to what I was doing. I wasn’t wearing any panties so it was easy. It only took a few seconds to insert it. He probably thought I was cleaning up down there.”
“And after you inserted the cervical cap, then what did you do?”
“I got out of the car and Fletcher and Lester drove off.”
“Did you ever retain Mr. McClain’s semen using this method on any other occasion?”
“Nope.”
“What did you do with Mr. McClain’s semen on other occasions when you gave him a blow—I mean— when you had oral sex?”
Bliss smiles big. “I swallowed it.”
I take a second to glance over my notes. I’m not looking for anything in particular. I just need a minute to settle my nerves. I want to slug Fletcher and his baby mama.
“And when did you find out you were pregnant?”
“About eight weeks later.”
“Have you ever used the technique you just described to get pregnant with any other guy?”
“Nope. Just Fletcher.”
“And how did you learn about this technique?”
“On the Internet. They also include instructions along with the cervical cap. It’s for women who want to do artificial insemination at home. It’s easier than using a syringe.”
My head is spinning over how nonchalantly Bliss has just recounted her outrageous behavior.
“Did you tell Mr. McClain that you were on the pill and didn’t want any more children?”
“Yes.”
“Yet you intentionally conceived a child without his knowledge?”
“Sure did.”
“When did you stop taking the pill?
“When he broke up with me.”
“How did you end up in Mr. McClain’s car on April twenty-seventh?”
“I showed up at his office and asked to speak to him.”
“And what did you want to speak to him about?”
“About us getting back together.”
“And what did Mr. McClain do?”
“He had his assistant tell me to leave.”
“Did you leave?”
“Yeah, but I waited outside until he left the building. When I saw him walking toward his car, I begged him to talk to me. He told Lester to wait outside while we got into the backseat.”
“And once you were in the car, what happened?”
“I told him how much I loved him and missed him and wanted him back.”
“And what did Mr. McClain say?”
“He said he was sorry, but he was in love with Mia.”
“And then what happened?”
“I asked him if I could give him head one last time for the road.” She grins. “He always said I gave the best blow jobs ever. Then, he unzipped his pants and I went to work.”
“When you showed up at Mr. McClain’s office, was it your intention to get pregnant and conceive a child?”
“Yep.”
“A child you knew Mr. McClain did not want?”
Girlie jumps in before Bliss can respond. “Objection asked and answered.”
“You can answer my question,” I say.
This time, instead of addressing her response to me, Bliss locks eyes with Fletcher.
“Yeah, I knew he didn’t want a kid. But I did. If he didn’t want to be a father, he should’ve kept his pants zipped.”
CHAPTER 41
As we leave the conference room and walk the short distance to my office, I don’t say one word to Fletcher. I’m disgusted with Bliss Fenton, but I’m enraged at my lying client.
I barely wait for Fletcher to close the door to my office before lighting into him.
“You lied to me.”
“Excuse me? Shouldn’t we be discussing what Bliss just admitted in there?”
“You swore to me that you hadn’t had sex with her in almost a year.”
“I didn’t swear.” He said with a grin. “I said Scout’s honor. That’s different.”
“You think this is funny?”
“A lot of people don’t consider a blow job to be sex.” His lips arch into a crooked smile. “Bill Clinton didn’t.”
I throw up my hands. “Do you understand the implications of this?”
“Yep. I’m about to win my fraud case. What she did was even more outrageous than stealing a used condom. Her actions were intentional and malicious. All we need is a few men and a bunch of married women on the jury. The verdict should be at least ten million dollars. Then we can call it a wash.”
“I’ve repeatedly told you the fraud case is by no means a slam dunk. It may not even get to a jury. And even if you win, all of her income is judgment proof.”
“I don’t care. I’ll take her townhouse, her clothes and whatever else she has. And I should definitely win the emotional distress claim.”
“Are you hard of hearing? You have no evidence that you’ve suffered any emotional distress.”
“So what do I need to do? S
tart going to a shrink and pretending to be crazy? I can do even better than that. I have a staff meeting tomorrow morning. Right in the middle of the meeting I’m going to break down and cry.”
“This isn’t funny, Fletcher. When Mia finds out about your little backseat rendezvous with Bliss, she’s going to kill you.”
That seems to sober him up.
He rubs his chin. “Yeah, that could be a problem. A big one. We have to figure out how we’re going to keep Mia from finding out.”
“We? That’s not my job.”
He takes out his phone and punches a few buttons. “Hey, Gabriella, please send three dozen yellow roses to Mia’s office. Pronto. The card should read: To the love of my life. Just because.”
“So that’s it? You send her roses and that solves everything?”
“Nope. But it’s a start.”
“She’s going to leave you,” I say.
He chuckles. “Mia’s not going anywhere. For one, I’m rich. She loves the lifestyle and, like most women, she’ll take whatever I dish out so she can continue enjoying the luxuries that I provide. And two, she hates Bliss Fenton with a passion. She’d slit her own wrists before letting Bliss come between us.”
“You’re way too cocky.”
“No, I’m just being real. Women don’t leave rich, powerful men. Even when the whole world knows about their man’s sexual indiscretions, they stay. Hillary didn’t leave Bill. Camille is standing by Cosby and Kobe Bryant appeased his wife with a four million dollar diamond ring. I don’t care how smart the woman is or whether she has her own money. The majority of women don’t leave.”
My temple starts to throb as if a major migraine is coming on. “Your arrogance is unbelievable.”
“Now you,” he continues, pointing a finger my way, “you’d leave. You’d even leave a man like me. You like standing on your own two feet. That’s what attracted me to you. A man for you is a desire, not a necessity. I saw that in you even at nineteen and it was quite a turn on. There aren’t a lot of women out there like you.”
“You’re wrong about Mia,” I insist.
“No, I’m not. Now, she’ll definitely give me hell. She’ll whine and throw it in my face. And I’ll let her do that for a month or two. And when I’ve had enough, I’ll tell her that if she brings it up again, I’m out. And I guarantee you, she’ll never mention it again.”
“You arrogant son of a bitch.”
His voice hardens. “I’m still a paying client. So treat me like one.”
I slap my legal pad on my desk. “Maybe you should find yourself a new lawyer.”
Fletcher holds up both hands in surrender. “C’mon, Vernetta, let’s both chill. I don’t want a new lawyer. I want you. I don’t understand why you’re not more psyched about Bliss’ testimony. If that isn’t fraud, I don’t know what is.”
“It isn’t that simple Fletcher.”
“She set me up. What’s more fraudulent than that?”
“You lied to me and you lied under oath when you said you hadn’t had sex with her after February.”
“It was just a friggin’ blow job.”
“No, it was not just a blow job. It was a blow job that produced a child that’s going to cost you millions of dollars in child support.”
Fletcher grins. “I will say this, though. Bliss may be evil as hell, but the girl blows out of this world. I’ve never experienced anything like it before or since.”
“Fine.” I fall into the chair behind my desk. “If you’re okay with what your little blow job is going to cost you, so am I. Bliss wants more than eighty-thousand dollars a month, remember?”
“She’s not getting that much of my money. I’ll take her out first.”
“I told you before, please don’t talk crazy like that in my presence.”
“I’m not talking crazy. I’m rich. I have people who can do all kinds of things and it will never lead back to me.”
“I’m going to pretend you didn’t just say that.”
“You don’t have to. This discussion is attorney-client privileged. You can’t divulge anything we discuss anyway.”
“I can if it involves the commission of a future crime.”
“I’m not worried. You’d never sell me out.”
“If Bliss ends up dead, you’ll be the number one suspect.”
“Won’t matter. I’m a bright guy. I’ll be halfway around the world when it happens.”
“When what happens?”
“When somebody blows her pretty little brains out.” Fletcher winks. “Hypothetically speaking, that is.”
CHAPTER 42
“I’m not saying it’s a problem,” Darius explained. “I’m just saying next time, I’d prefer to get a call first.”
Special was standing in Darius’ living room in the midst of what was turning out to be their first fight. She’d just dropped by his place unannounced and was stunned by the reception she received.
“I’m not used to dating a man who requires me to call before dropping by. Exactly what do you have to hide?”
“I don’t have anything to hide. It’s just a matter of common courtesy. Next time, just call first. Now let’s talk about something else.”
Special refused to let it go. “I don’t see why it’s a problem.”
“So you’d have no problem if I dropped by your place without calling first?”
“Not at all.”
“Well, I’m sorry. I feel differently.”
Darius turned away from her and rolled his wheelchair toward the kitchen.
“Don’t walk away from me.” Oops! She probably shouldn’t have said that. “Um, you know what I mean.”
Darius spun back around. “Special, I really like you and enjoy hanging out with you, but I don’t need this kind of drama in my life. I didn’t think you were the insecure type.”
“I ain’t insecure.” Her hands were planted on her hips and her head tilted to the side. “I just have some basic expectations when I’m dating somebody.”
“And so do I. You respect my rules and I’ll respect yours.”
Special wasn’t even sure she wanted to be with this man and here she was acting like a jealous, stalker girlfriend.
“Who’s Wilson?” she blurted out.
“What?”
“When you were at my house the other night, you got a call, from someone named Wilson.”
“So you’re checking my phone now?”
“I wasn’t checking your phone. You turned it over to look at it and I saw the name Wilson. Is that a man or a woman?”
“Like I said, I don’t need this kind of drama.”
“Who is Wilson?” she demanded.
Darius threw up his hand. “A co-worker.”
“Male or female?”
“Female.”
“Do your female co-workers usually call you at night?”
“If there’s a reason to, yeah.” He opened the refrigerator, grabbed a beer and popped it open. “I’m done with the fifty questions. If this is what you’re about, we should cut this thing short right now.”
Special couldn’t believe this man was trying to give her the ax. Did he know how many men on MyHarmony.com would give their left testicle to be with her?
“I’m serious. I dig you, but I don’t do drama.”
Darius continued into the kitchen and Special followed.
“To hell with you then,” she blubbered, as she started to tear up. She should just leave, but her feet stayed planted in place.
“Don’t cry. I hate crying. Please don’t cry.”
Darius reached out and pulled her into his lap.
“My co-worker was calling me so late because she couldn’t make a meeting the next morning and wanted me to cover for her. That’s it. And if you saw her, you wouldn’t be worried at
all. She’s over fifty and could pass for my mother. I’m not seeing anyone else. I don’t want to be with anyone else. It’s all about you. Okay?”
Special sniffled into his shoulder. “Are you telling me the truth?”
“Yes, but you’re going to have to trust me.”
Special kissed him and enjoyed the feeling of being in his arms. She hoped this man wasn’t playing any games because she was actually falling for him.
CHAPTER 43
I’m still steaming by the time I get home. I should’ve known Fletcher hadn’t told me the entire story.
“What’s wrong with you?”
My husband can read me like I have words stamped across my forehead. I’m about to lie and say I’m fine, but I need to vent. We still hadn’t discussed his walking out the other night. We just pretended as if it hadn’t happened. I know I owe him an apology. I need to address that issue first.
“I’m sorry I didn’t let you know I’d be home late the other night.”
Jefferson scratches his jaw. “Okay.”
That’s what I like most about my husband. He never holds a grudge. He’d just said everything was okay and he meant it. I flop down next to him on the couch.
“What’s going on with you? You look hella stressed.”
I kick off my pumps and Jefferson pulls my feet into his lap and starts massaging them.
“I took Bliss Fenton’s deposition today. You were right. Fletcher was lying to me. He was with Bliss after he started dating Mia.”
Jefferson doesn’t say I-told-you-so, but there is a self-satisfied look on his face.
“And I didn’t mention it before, but Bliss is represented by Girlie Cortez.”
“Oh, poor baby. You’re going another round with her? I guess you have a reason to be stressed.”
“That’s an understatement. You’ll never guess in a million years how Bliss got pregnant.”
“I’m listening,” Jefferson says, as he flexes my right foot.
When I finish explaining, his hands stop moving. “That’s crazy. She actually admitted doing that?”
“In fact, she acted quite proud of herself.”
“I’m on Fletcher’s team now. He shouldn’t have to pay child support when a chick does some underhanded crap like that.”
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