Legal Attraction: A Romantic Suspense Novel (Legally Suspenseful Romance)

Chapter 10

Rand walked out of Cass Taylor’s office with barely a civil word in his brain. Another associate went straight into Muskanza’s docket. And Rand had yet to get a glimpse. Something was definitely being kept from him, purposefully. It griped him to be beat out by a new associate, but in Coral’s case, he was more concerned for her welfare. She had almost no knowledge of the law as it applied to law firms and their clients. And she could easily be fooled or pressured or dubbed into doing something that would come back to haunt her. Did Rand think his law firm was involved in shady business? Nothing illegal certainly. And he really did assume that things were not too nefarious to worry about. But he felt protective of Coral. He couldn’t help it. And he wished she were far away.

So much for not calling her. Here she was. Never more impossible for him than at that moment. And yet under his skin every day. It might be time for him to travel for work some more. The Mediterranean was looking pretty good right about now. More client networking, business development. All knowing Coral would be right here in his law firm offices. There was no where he could go and avoid that distraction.

He growled to himself. How could he leave her there? Already the sight of her in a suit, heels, hair pulled back like she was about to spend hours reading legal briefs. It was doing things to him. He rotated his shoulders. Nothing about this would even be of note if he hadn’t already tasted the salt of the ocean on her lips. And danced with her, and witnessed her bravery and ease under pressure. She was an impressive woman on all counts and now he knew she was also impressive enough to be hired by his law firm. How had he not been paying attention to the new associates? Because he’d grown tired of it all. What would Coral do when someone first said to her. “The firm likes it when its associates are happily married.” Or. “Children add stability and a family friendly appearance to Goldstein and Smithson.” Rand had thus far avoided the pressure to settle down with a woman. But he suspected that part of his discussion was related to the fact that he was not a family man. It’s not like he didn’t want a family. He just hadn’t met the woman, or tried to meet the woman, who would make settling down sound appealing. And Coral. She was a whole different question altogether. The second royal hired by Goldstein and Smithson raised questions in Rand’s mind. Why were they trying to get a footing in the Mediterranean? And what did it have to do with Muskanza?

Maybe he could get Coral to share with him. He rubbed his face. That would involve having conversations with her, seeing her outside of work, earning her trust, or perhaps tricking her naivety? It would involve Rand very nearly falling for the woman. He stepped into his office. He could keep things professional.

The two women he’d left reading briefs both looked up and smiled eager expressions at him. Why had he been assigned the two of them? They were intelligent enough and seemed driven to please. Surely another partner could have been saddled with them. He’d pile them with so much work they wouldn’t know what to do with themselves. And then he’d focus on getting more information about Muskanza.

“I need opinions from you both on what you’ve just read. I’ll expect them in my inbox by the end of today.”

“Already sent.” Mel lifted a new file. “I’ve been working on the next one, and I think you’re going in the wrong direction.”

His irritation and amusement battled one another a moment. Another day he might have humored her comment and opened a discussion. But not today, not with Coral down the hall.

Before he could answer at all, the alarm in the building went off. It was the particular intruder signal. He locked his door, slipped his gun in his pants, and then gestured for the women to lean up against the wall shared by his door, the one not covered in floor to ceiling glass, not seen from the hall.

“What’s going on?” Mel whispered.

She and Jaden had each taken a seat on the floor on either side of him. All three of their backs leaned against the wall.

“This is our active shooter drill.” He didn’t tell them that it wasn’t a drill. He’d keep that to himself unless necessary. “We have protocol in place if someone gets past our security,”

“You have really tight security though, don’t you?” Jaden frowned. “I sort of felt like I was at the airport.”

“We’re careful. Some of our clients require that we take precautions.”

“Wow, who do we represent? The drug cartel?” Jaden laughed. But Rand frowned.

He’d never discounted the possibility. But then he noticed both women watching him closely so he forced a laugh. “Our security is not to protect the drug cartel. This room is sound proof so we can talk freely but other offices are sitting in silence for this drill, just in case next time you’re in your own space.” He cleared his throat. “So tell me about why you chose Goldstein and Smithson.”

His watch alerted him with an update he scanned and then hid. Intruder was being pursued. There had been a bomb threat.

Immediately he thought of Coral and their experience at the Palisades. He hoped she was okay. It couldn’t be easy to have two threats in the same week. But maybe she was used to these sorts of situations.

His door handle jiggled.

Jaden gasped. And then held a hand over her mouth. She whispered. “This isn’t a drill, is it?”

He shook his head.

The women gripped his arms and closed their eyes. But to their credit, they remained perfectly still.

His door handle jiggled again, but then the room went silent. Rand held his body taut, ready to spring. His gun felt uncomfortably reassuringly wedged in the back of his pants under his belt and against his bare back.

His watched vibrated again. Shots had been fired. Goldstein and Smith’s security detail should be replaced. They spent much more time being overly concerned about the attorneys hired to work at the office than about protecting anyone from situations like this one. Too many minutes had passed with no resolution. “I think we should move back into my bathroom.”

Mel widened her eyes but then nodded.

“You too inch along this wall, out of sight of the windows until you get to the bathroom door then open it, slip inside and close and lock it behind you.”

“What about you?” Jaden’s lips quivered.

“You both have been so brave. Awesome under pressure. I don’t know what’s going on out there, but the intruder is still not caught. And that concerns me. No need to sit here waiting for them to come in through the door.”

“And you?” Mel studied his face.

“I’ll take care of things out here.”

When they looked like they might argue the point, he added, “And I’ll join you as soon as I can.”

Jaden nodded and started scooting along the wall away from Rand. Mel had to lift herself up and around Rand.

“Just stay as close as possible to me.” He pulled her close, on his lap as she moved over his body and then to the other side of him along the wall.

In just a few moments, both women were in his bathroom with the door locked.

Rand checked his phone. The more detailed update looked grim. Their security detail had been locked in a room. The intruder was still at large. And no one was certain of whereabouts.

Another text came in.

“Nico gave me your number. You okay?” Coral.

The relief at hearing from her pounded through him.

“Yes, you?”

“I’m in my office. Alone.”

“Stay there. Do you have a bathroom?”

“No.”

“The intruder is still at large. Security is locked in their offices for now. Shots were fired somewhere.” He wasn’t sure why but he felt like Coral could handle the information and needed to know.

“I’m feeling trapped. This isn’t a good place to be. No escape.”

“I know. I’ll tell you as soon as I hear anything else. For now, it’s the best you’ve got. In the hall, you could be shot.”

“Where is the intruder?”

Rand checked his watch again. “I don’t know.” Shots were fired again. No silencers. They came from around the corner, closer to Coral’s office.

“You okay?”

“Yes, but that was next door. I’ve got to get out of here, or at least get a weapon or something.”

“I have a gun. I’m coming.”

“Wait, no Rand.”

He pocketed the phone and reached for his gun. As soon as he found out the security detail would be no help, he knew he’d be making his way out there. Someone had to do it and that’s why he’d joined the military. That’s why he’d been stationed in Iraq. He saw himself as that someone.

His hall was empty. He opened his door and then closed and locked it with no movement on his hall. The rooms all looked empty. At least the firm attorneys and staff were practicing protocol. If guns were involved and shots fired somewhere, the lock down procedures were probably saving lives. Had police been called? Something was not right, besides the obvious. He hurried down the hall, hugging one wall until he got to the corner. Coral’s hall. He’d head there first. Her office was partway down the hall. He peeked around the corner. Empty. And no sign of anyone. No blood. Who was firing shots and at whom? He checked behind him again and up and down the hall and then ran for Coral’s office with the phone up to his ear. It rang once and then he tapped. She picked up.

“It’s me.”

The door opened, and he slipped inside, locking it behind him.

Immediately she was in his arms. “You alright?”

She nodded and then shook her head. “I don’t know. This is worse than the Palisades. I feel exposed. I have nowhere to go. What’s wrong with their security?”

“I don’t know. We have better protocol in place and a robust team. I don’t know what’s going on. This is weird.” He rested his chin on her head. “And never happens. I promise. We don’t get people with guns roaming our halls.”

She snorted. “So you’re saying this is a welcome party for me?”

He pulled back and held her face in his hands. “I just can’t believe it. Wouldn’t be related to the Palisades situation, would it?”

“Or a client?” She pressed her lips together.

“Do you know something?”

When she looked away, he knew his irritation was rising. But now was not the time to cling to a dumb office drama. “What can you tell me?”

She shook her head. “Nothing now.” She turned away and moved back up against the wall. “We’re visible.”

“I have to go.”

She shook her head. “No. Rand. No.”

“No one is stopping him. Nothing is being down. I’m not just going to sit here…” He ran a hand through his hair. “I can sit here for a minute. I’ll see what I can find out by phone.”

“Thank you. I just don’t think anyone needs to be a hero right now. We don’t know enough. I can call in my team.”

“Let me see if I can find out anything.”

They both inched down against the wall and he got out his phone. A text to the partners might do it. “What is going on? Update on security situation? Have police been notified? Standing by. Can help.”

“Stay put. The situation is being monitored.” Mr. Goldstein could have offered any more info, even a hint.

Coral’s breathing started to pick up. A line of sweat beaded on her forehead.

“Oh hey, come on now. We’ve been through worse.” He reached an arm around her shoulders to pull her close. “We survived a shark attack…”

She snorted and then leaned into him. “I’m sorry. I just. I can’t help but think this is my problem? And I don’t have my team. My parents might be right. What if I can’t have a normal life? What if I need a team with me all the time?”

Rand pressed his lips to the top of her head and held her close. “We’ll find out. We will figure this out. Would it be the worst thing in the world if they staked out the front curb?”

“Who? My security?”

“Right. Since everything here seems to have failed. Couldn’t be a bad thing.”

She nodded. “I’m sure when father hears about this, they will be doing more than that.”