Chapter Thirteen
Lori
The next morning Cole and I wake to the news that an arrest has been made in North Carolina, a man arrested for the murders our client was accused of committing, and of course, the press is everywhere. We’re fully dressed in the kitchen, me in a suit with a cream-colored blouse, Cole in a navy suit with a white shirt, and coffee cups in our hands when he finally reaches our client. “You’re vindicated, man,” he says. “You’re free in all ways.” He listens a minute. “We need to do a press conference and you’ll have offers thrown your direction. We have a partnering firm Maxwell, Maxwell, and Maxwell, that can manage them for you and ensure you are well taken care of.” Maxwell, Maxwell, and Maxwell being Cat’s brothers, who handle corporate and contract law.
Once Cole disconnects, I sigh. “This is all pretty surreal.”
“Yes. Yes, it is. And we did this together.”
“And that,” I say. “Is pretty special.”
“Yes, it is, sweetheart. We’re a good team.”
Warmth fills me as he strokes my cheek, and it stays with me on the ride to the office that includes my mother calling me, excited about the case, and the arrest. I love that she has followed it. I love that she is in this with us. And of course, there is a call from Cat. “I can’t believe it’s over. It’s surreal.”
“I said the same thing.”
We chat a few minutes and right before we get to the building, she whispers, “Any other good news?” she asks, obviously talking about my period.
“No,” I say. “None. And you know shopping won’t be easy right now.”
“I’ll grab a test. I can’t get it to you today, but we’re bound to end up together at our place or yours to celebrate. I’ll have it ready.”
“Thank you, Cat.” I disconnect, and Cole gives me a curious look, but before I feel I must explain we are at the rear of the building, and it’s time to exit.
From there it’s pure chaos but the good kind. Everyone wants to talk about the arrest and the press conference and there is not a moment to breathe, most certainly not a moment to think about the birth control pill I don’t have to start for another four days.
There’s no celebration and not because we don’t want to, but the rest of the day is pure insanity that just never lets up and Reese ends up with a client emergency. The closest to celebration Cole and I get is falling into bed together and actually sleeping.
The next two mornings, I’m suffocated by security and we’re on to Wednesday in a blink of an eye, but the press is finally slowing down, the picketers long gone. Finally, we agree that Thursday will be Savage’s last day. Freedom exists and we’re even going to Cat and Reese’s for a celebration Thursday night, and just in time. I have to start back on my pill tomorrow morning.
It’s mid-afternoon, and I’ve just walked into Cole’s office to review a stack of the associates’ cases with him when Ashley buzzes in. “I have the CEO of Carlson Wright on the line. He’s in jail accused of murder. He says he was set up by his partner, and he needs urgent assistance.”
“Tell him to find another attorney,” Cole says. “I’m not him.”
“What?” I gasp at the same moment as Ashley.
“This is huge,” Ashley says.
“Why wouldn’t you at least talk to him?” I demand, forgetting Ashley is on the line and setting the files in my arms on the desk.
He looks up at me, not even bothering to stand, his eyes narrowing sharply, and he’s pissed, really pissed, and I don’t know if it’s the challenge behind a closed door or what exactly. He just is and I am.
“We do not want this case,” he says to me and refocuses on the call. “Tell him now, Ashley,” he orders, “and let the man make appropriate arrangements.”
“I’ll tell him,” she says, disappointment and confusion in her voice.
I cross to the door and shut it, walking back to his desk and pressing my hands on top to lean toward him. “Why did you just turn down that case?” I demand, but I already know. It’s me. He turned it down to ensure I don’t end up in the line of fire again. His demons are alive and well, in fact, they are prospering and winning.
“We do not need another high-profile press nightmare right now to create chaos for the firm.”
“What about helping an innocent man?” I challenge.
“We don’t know that he’s innocent,” he argues.
“Because you won’t even talk to him,” I counter.
“No. I won’t.”
“Explain, Cole.”
His jaw sets hard. “I just did.”
“In other words, when you were training me, you’d give facts and reasons, but now that I’m your wife, I just need to get it.”
“Wife and employee need to understand that I’ve made this decision. It’s done.”
I push off the desk and start walking. By the time I’m at the door, his hand is on the wooden surface by my head, that spicy perfect scent of him, all dominance and man, teasing my nostrils. But I don’t want him to be dominant right now. I want him to be smart. My chin lowers to my chest, my anger, and his now too, palpable. “I will make the decision I need to make to protect you.”
I explode on that and whirl around to face him. “To protect me? So, should we both retire? Surely you should break up the partnership with Reese because you won’t be able to bill what you need to bill to do your part. How much money did you just walk away from? For him and for the employees of this firm who want to grow, learn, and earn?” I grab his lapels. “How much, Cole?”
“We’re on the heels of living hell.”
“We’re on the heels of a huge win. We’re going to see Cat and Reese to celebrate. We’re married. We’re happy. This is not hell.”
He cups my face. “I will not—”
“I resign,” I say. “I quit, Cole. This is my two-week notice. I’ll go to HR and make it official.”
“What?” He releases me and presses his hands on the door on either side of me, his arm caging me in. “What the hell are you talking about?”
“This is your career. You love your career. You love what you do and when you stop doing it for me, you will wake up one day and hate me and us.”
“That’s not going to happen.”
“Exactly. Because I’m going to go to work with someone else. I’m going to give you space to be you again and then we can help each other, but—”
“No,” he says, his tone absolute. “We like working together. We’re good together and I never thought I’d say that about anyone. I never thought I’d want to partner with anyone. You aren’t leaving. Not when I know it’s not what you really want.”
“It is,” I say. “It’s what’s good for you, me, us, and this firm.”
“You’re wrong,” he says. “And I hope when you get over your anger, you change your mind because not taking this case right now, is as much about you as it is me and us. And even this firm.”
“When will it be okay to take another high-profile case, Cole?”
“You haven’t even dealt with the fact that you were attacked. And I haven’t either. We need to fucking breathe, Lori. I’m not my best right now and neither are you. And that’s not fair to the client or this firm. There will be ten offers or more in the next week. This one wasn’t the one. I’ll know when it is.”
His phone buzzes again. “The district attorney is on the line,” Ashley states.
Cole’s lips thin. “And we aren’t done with the last case yet or the DA wouldn’t personally be on the line to talk to me right now.” He pushes off the door and walks to his desk in what will obviously be a conversation about the lawsuit he’s promised to file.
I don’t stay. I open the door and exit without looking at Ashley, needing time to think. Was I wrong in there? Was I right? I cross the lobby, stopping to speak to Maria like normal. I enter my office and shut the door. Cole doesn’t follow. Fifteen minutes later, I haven’t heard from him. My files are in his office and I have no choice but to return when my phone buzzes with a text from Cole: I’m on my way to the DA’s office. I cancelled our dinner with Cat and Reese.
I’m glad he cancelled because I’ll want to talk to Cat, and if I do, I’ll have to tell her Cole turned down a huge case for the firm. I would never do that. She’s a friend, but she’s also the wife of Cole’s partner. I need to talk to my husband. I need to think. I need to take a pregnancy test. I pull up my computer screen and google: What if you take the birth control pill and you’re pregnant?
Per the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), no evidence has been found that supports taking birth control pills while pregnant will harm your baby, or cause birth defects or complications.
I breathe out a sigh of relief. I don’t need to take a test today. I don’t need to know today. I need to talk to my husband. I dial his number. He answers on the first ring. “Are you already gone?”
“Yes. I’m walking to my meeting now. It’s only a few blocks away.”
“Okay.”
“Okay?”
“You didn’t even stop by and see me.”
“Because if I walked into your office I would have shoved your skirt up, fucked you, and then left for my meeting angry anyway.”
“Oh,” I say.
“Oh?”
“I think I would have liked that better than you just leaving.”
“You were wrong in there, Lori but that was my fault. I opened us up to this when I told you what I told you.”
“Are you saying you shouldn’t have told me?”
“I don’t know what I’m saying. I need to think and so do you.”
“I don’t like how that sounds.”
“I love you, Lori. It doesn’t mean anything besides I love you, I have a meeting, and I need to think. I need to go.” He disconnects, and I suck in a breath. Was I wrong when I challenged him? Or was I right and he doesn’t want me to be right? And who can I even talk to about this? No one. I can talk to no one.
It’s nearly seven when Cole finally calls. “I have a problem I need to deal with. Savage is going to take you home.”
“What problem?”
“The DA offered us a settlement. I’m meeting with Gabe Maxwell, one of Cat’s brothers, to negotiate the civil settlement for us, our client, and the victims’ families, and unless you have a problem with it, I’d like to donate our portion to the victims’ families.”
My heart swells with love for this man. “I love that you want to do that.”
“Good. I might be late. I want Savage to take you home just to be sure that there are no lingering press issues.”
I open my mouth to argue and decide I’ve done enough of that today. “That sounds good.”
“I’ll be home as soon as possible and then we can talk.”
“That sounds good,” I say again. There’s a voice in the background.
“I have to go, Lori. We’ll talk.” He disconnects, and I feel disconnected in more ways than the phone line. I need to fix that and fix it tonight.