Chapter 5
Chapter Five
Julian
“I’d take the deal if I were you, Trey.”
“It’s five years in prison, Julian.”
“You robbed a store clerk at gunpoint. You committed a felony, and you’re looking at ten years plus if we take this to trial. You’re lucky I could convince the DA to give you this deal. Be on your best behavior, take some classes, and keep to yourself. You’ll be out in three. It’s better than the alternative, Trey.”
“I can’t go to prison.” He shook his head.
“Fine. We’ll go to trial, the jury will find you guilty of first-degree robbery, and you’ll spend the next ten years or more in prison. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.” I pointed at him.
“You’re my lawyer, Julian. You’re supposed to get me off!”
“I got the best deal I could for you. I’m not God. As much as I’d like to snap my fingers and you’d get no time at all, it isn’t how this works. You were caught red-handed by an officer in the store. And you’re on video. ”
“But I have no priors,” he said.
“And that is why I was able to get the deal for you. Take the next twelve hours and think it over. That’s all the DA is giving us.”
“Yeah. I’ll let you know.” He stood up.
“I hope you’re going straight home after you leave here,” I said.
He pulled up his pant leg, revealing the monitor attached to his ankle. “Do I have a choice?”
As soon as Trey walked out, Roman walked in.
“Did he take the deal?”
“He has to think about it.” I rolled my eyes.
“Stupid man.” Roman shook his head. “How are things going with Laurel?”
“Fine. Why?”
“Just wondering.” He shrugged. “So, you told her you didn’t want to sleep with her anymore because she has kids?”
“Yeah. And?”
“Why do you have to be such a douchebag?” my brother asked.
“I wanted to let her know because I hate the tension. As long as she thinks I want to sleep with her, there will always be tension. Now, there is no more tension.” I smiled.
“I love you, brother, but sometimes—” He shook his head.
“Yeah. Yeah. I know.”
“I’m heading to Harrison’s. Are you coming?” I asked Melinda on my way out of the office .
“Yes. I have a quick errand to run, and then I’ll see you there.” She smiled.
“Okay.” I headed toward the elevator.
I stepped into Harrison’s and smiled. Balloons filled the space, and a large banner read: Happy Birthday Calista.
“Happy birthday, Mom.” I hugged her.
“Thank you, Julian.” She smiled, placing her hands on each side of my face.
“Hello there. You must be Julian.” A strange man walked up and touched my mother’s lower back.
“I am. And you are?” I narrowed my left eye.
“Julian, this is Declan Ross. He’s—” She glanced at him with a smile. “A friend.”
“It’s nice to meet you.” Declan extended his hand.
“Yeah. Nice to meet you, too.” I placed my hand in his.
“Courtney just walked in,” my mother said. “We’ll chat later, darling.” She kissed my cheek before walking away.
“I see you met Declan.” Roman walked over and hooked his arm around me.
“Who the hell is that guy?”
“We’ll find out soon enough. I already have Morgan working on it.” He smirked.
“God, I need a drink.” I sighed, walking over to the bar.
“Evening, Julian. Scotch?” Bart asked.
“Make it a double, Bart.”
“Hey, is your father coming tonight?” he asked.
“God, I hope not. He should know better. But then again, he doesn’t care.”
He chuckled, handing me my drink.
“Thanks, Bart.” I held up my glass and turned around.
The bar door opened, and my brows furrowed when I saw Laurel enter .
“What’s that look for?” Parker asked, walking up to the bar. “Another scotch, Bart.”
“What is she doing here?”
“Roman invited her.”
“Why?” I tipped the glass to my lips.
“Why not? I thought you two made peace.”
“We did. But this is a family thing, and she’s not family.”
“She works for the firm. She’s family, bro.” He patted my back and walked away.
“Hi.” Laurel walked up.
“Hey. So, Roman invited you?”
“Yes. Is that a problem for you?” She cocked her head.
“No. Why would it be? What are you drinking?”
“I’ll have a Cosmopolitan.”
“One Cosmo for the lady, Bart.”
“Coming right up.”
“So, which one is your mom?” Laurel asked.
“Uh, see that woman in the black dress over there?” I pointed.
“She’s pretty.”
“And that woman over there in the maroon dress.” I pointed. “And that woman over there in the dark pantsuit.”
“Huh?” She glanced at me with furrowed brows.
“All three of them are my mothers. Welcome to my dysfunctional family.”
“I don’t understand,” she said.
“Calista, the woman in the black dress, is my birth mother. But all three women raised us together.”
“Interesting. Are you and your brothers the same age?”
“We are. My father was cheating on all three of them, knocked them up at the same time, and here we are.” I smirked.
“Oh.” She drew out the word .
“Like I said. Welcome to my dysfunctional family.”
“Julian, who is this lovely woman?” My mother smiled, walking over to us.
“Mom, this is Laurel. She’s the new attorney we hired. Laurel, my mother, Calista.”
“I’m a hugger,” my mother said, hugging her. “It’s wonderful to meet you.”
“It’s wonderful to meet you, too. Happy birthday.”
“So, Mom. What does this Declan guy do for a living?” I asked.
“He’s a Portfolio Manager at Sterling Capital.”
“He works for Shaun Kind?” My brows furrowed.
“Yes. You be nice, Julian. I really like him,” she said, patting my chest and walking away.
“I’m always nice, Mom!” I shouted.
“Are you, though?” Laurel smirked. “I may beg to differ.”
“Differ all you want. I don’t care.” I finished my drink.
“Laurel, come with me.” Morgan ran over, grabbed her hand, and took her to the other side of the bar.
“Julian, my attorney and friend.” Shaun Kind grinned, hooking his arm around me. “Any way you can escape the office tomorrow and fly to San Francisco with me for the day?”
“Why are you going to San Francisco?”
“Pierce Finley called, and he’s ready to negotiate his company. We’ll be back in the early evening.”
“I don’t have court tomorrow. What time?”
“The plane will be ready to leave at seven-thirty a.m. I’ll pick you up at seven.”
“Sounds good. Now, talk to me about Declan Ross.”
“What about him?” Shaun’s brows furrowed.
“He and Calista are seeing each other,” I said .
“Ah. Good for him.” Shaun smiled. “Calista is a great woman.”
“She is. That’s why I’m concerned,” I said.
“Declan is a good guy. If he weren’t, he wouldn’t be working for me.”
I couldn’t keep my eyes off Laurel, who stood on the other side of the bar, talking to Morgan and Melinda. She was so damn beautiful, and it sucked that she had three kids. Placing my hand in my pocket, I stopped my cock from misbehaving as I envisioned what her body looked like out of her clothes. My imagination ran wild, and no matter how hard I tried to stop thinking about her and bending her over my desk, I couldn’t.