Chapter 30 – Vivian
“ T his doesn’t hold ground, Scott, and you know it.” Weston tapped the stack of charges.
My fingers itched to page through the papers.
Grant Fitzgerald, the lead on the opposing counsel, droned on about something dumb, but the precedent he was referencing caught my attention. That was one that was related to the ’94 trial of Hobbs vs Finch. I knew it because it had been part of a mock trial.
There was a tablet in front of Weston, but he hadn’t touched it once.
I bit my tongue, determined to stay quiet.
It lasted all of five seconds. “Wes, may I?”
The lawyer slid a look to me. Those deep brown eyes considered me. Whatever spool of thought he kept behind that solid mask, he didn’t show it.
Luka shifted in the seat next to me. He wasn’t a still individual. It was a good thing the chair he rocked in didn’t creak.
The tablet scooted across the table to me. I snatched it, tapped the stylus into his firm’s library, and used the mini keyboard to instantly tap some search terms.
Luka leaned over. The fresh, woodsy scent brushed against me. It was my turn to avoid squirming. What the hell had I been thinking in the elevator? Acting in that ridiculous manner? It was insanity.
“Greene? What is this?” Fitzgerald waved his hand at me. “We have serious matters here.”
Ignoring his outburst, I pulled up the synopsis page, double-checked the facts, and congratulated myself that I remembered. I pushed the tablet back to Weston. “This ruling made his obsolete.” I gave the three attorneys on the opposing counsel a sickly smile. “Years ago. I would think the public offices would have a better research department.”
“Who are you?” Fitzgerald sneered.
Weston closed his tablet. “My newest assistant.”
Leaning back in my chair, I steepled my hands, saving my myriad of questions until the others left.
***
The moment we were alone, I turned to Weston. “Assistant?”
He arched a brow. “Do you have a license to practice in the State of Illinois?”
I dropped my gaze to my hands.
“You know that your husband asked me to look into that case, right?” Weston continued, tapping on the table.
I arched a brow. “I did not know that.”
“It doesn’t look good, Vivy.”
I scowled at the nickname. “Look, I can work under you, but I draw the line at that god-awful name.”
“Fair.” Weston shot a look through the glass window in the direction Luka had sauntered off moments after opposing counsel left. “But if I want to keep my head attached to my body, there will be no going under me, Vivian.”
It took a moment to realize this humorless man had made a joke.
“Ew!” I rolled away from the board table to glare at him. “Not funny.”
“Then why are you smiling?” One dark blond brow arched.
I shook my head. “You’re impossible. Same old Wes.”
Weston smoothed his tie, stood, and buttoned his suit jacket. “I’ve missed you, Viv.”
I stretched. “I missed this. ”
“I bet. You were made to battle it out in the board room. Your name should be up there too; this firm is your legacy, after all.” There seemed like there was more he wanted to say.
“Yes?” I encouraged.
“Why did you never go out with me in law school?”
Or the years before that? “You weren’t interested in more than conquering me.”
“Fool that I was. Women like you aren’t tamed.”
“Enough, Wes.” I pressed my fingertips into the table and pushed to my feet. “If we’re going to work together, we can’t do this.”
“No, we can’t.” He blew a short laugh through his nose. “And if you repeat what I’m about to say, I’ll deny it. But now that the psychotic Vlasov has you, there is no force on earth that can take you from him. I would like to think I can defeat any man, but Luka Vlasov is barely human.”
A chill slithered down my spine.
“That’s why he and my brother make good friends,” Weston added with a roll of his eyes. “They bring out the worst in each other. Be careful, Viv.”
I should take that warning and run. A sane person would. But…there was an undeniable rush that accompanied the fear. It was like being hauled in the air, knowing I would drop seconds later.
Luka Vlasov had made a thrill junkie out of me, and I was hooked.
Weston opened the conference’s glass door and held it for me. We walked in silence back to his office, where he said he would set me up in his department and give me access to his caseload.
I was doing this. I was going back into the arena! It was better than nothing. Most of the work could be done remotely, which would please the overprotective steak in my mobster husband.
Husband.
The mental realization was jarring. Weston droned on about some important items, but I tuned him out. That was the first time I thought of Luka like that. It came naturally, and I didn’t have the urge to vomit. Absently my thumb traced the sore mark on my ring finger.
There was a shout. Several people rushed down the hall. Luka came sauntering in against the sudden rush. He gave us a smile.
“Hey, beautiful, almost done?” Luka leaned against the secretary’s podium while Weston asked his secretary what was happening. “Someone passed out in the bathroom. Hit his head.”
Something crawled over my skin. I fought to keep it from showing.
“For fuck’s sake, Vlasov, what the hell did you do?” Weston shoved Luka into his office.
“It wasn’t me. I was just taking a piss,” Luka said defensively. “Lights went out, and I left.”
“Sure you did.” Weston pinched his eyes. “Your cousin promised this wouldn’t happen.”
“Dimitri knows better than to make promises about me.” Luka reached for a decorative glass ball on the coffee table.
I slapped it out of his hand. It bounced on the floor once, twice, and then rolled toward the far wall. “I can’t believe you. The first solid break I get in months, and you have to ruin it because someone looked at you wrong?”
Luka narrowed his eyes. His normally active body stilled.
But Weston cut in. “You still have a job here, Vivian, and I’m not giving up on the complaint lodged against you with the bar.”
“At least someone’s on my side,” I hissed. Spinning I stuck out of my hand. “As always, Wes, it’s been a pleasure. Follow-up with the details?”
“I don’t have your number.”
“I don’t have a phone.”
He nodded slowly. “I’ll send the necessary equipment via Dimitri, then.”
“I’ll look forward to it.” Not even looking to see when my damn shadow followed, because he would, I left. So much for the momentary feeling of warmth toward him!