Chapter 4 #2
“You had me stumped there for a while. It was bold of you to presume I’d figure out a location in a city I’ve never spent a considerable amount of time in.” She took another sip from her martini before continuing. “Luckily for you, I don’t like to fail.”
“I would have never given you a task you couldn’t complete.”
“I’m learning that. You can’t play a game with someone unless both sides can make forward progress.” The look she gave was pointed in a way that said, I see what you’re doing, and I’m allowing it.
Nell raised a brow, swirling her drink. “Paranoid, are we?”
Sarah smirked. “Cautious. There’s a difference.”
Nell laughed again, warmth spreading in her chest. She was enjoying this too much. “Go on, then. How did you solve it?” she asked, tilting her head in amusement.
Sarah took another sip. “Sheer dumb luck.”
The smile that spread across her face was as infectious as the laugh that followed, and Nell couldn’t help but smile, too. She let out a long breath, letting herself be pleased—very pleased. This was exactly why she had picked Sarah.
She was intelligent. But also grounded. She was the type of woman who took herself seriously, but not too seriously. A mind worthy of Nell’s attention.
The waiter returned, offering a variety of small plates Nell had preselected. Sarah glanced at the spread before picking up her fork and testing a delicate bite from one of the expertly plated dishes.
“The scallops are all yours. I’m allergic to shellfish,” Sarah said, gesturing to the plate closest to her.
Nell froze for a moment in horror. A mistake. How had she overlooked that? How had that piece of information slipped through her thorough research?
She flagged the waiter, who appeared quickly and quietly beside them.
“Please remove this dish. We have a shellfish allergy at the table. Extend my apologies to the chef and assure her it is not indicative of her cooking. Please amend our dinner selection to include duck instead of lobster.”
The waiter listened to her intently and nodded before removing the plate of scallops, disappearing without a word. She turned to Sarah, who held a small, thoughtful smile.
“You didn’t have to do that,” she said quietly.
“I’m not about to have you in hives for the rest of the evening, or worse. Consider your allergy noted for all future meals.”
“Future meals?” Sarah asked, with a hint of smugness that Nell found incredibly attractive.
“If you play your cards right,” Nell said, her own smile pushing through as she pivoted topics. “How was the flight?”
Sarah let out a thoughtful hum as she searched for her words. “Efficient,” she finally landed on.
“Only efficient?”
Sarah put her fork down, lightly tapping her fingers against the stem of her martini glass. “The jet was comfortable.” She paused. “But next time, I’d prefer flying commercial.”
That caught Nell’s attention. She lifted her glass, intrigued.
“No taste for luxury?”
Sarah smirked, just slightly. “Plenty. But smaller jets have a higher rate of accidents.”
Ah. So Sarah was careful. Another piece of the puzzle falling neatly into place. But that wasn’t what interested Nell, because all she had heard was next time. Next time. A quiet satisfaction spread through her as she took another measured sip of her martini. She met Sarah’s gaze.
“Noted.” A pause for dramatic effect. “First class, though—that is nonnegotiable—and there may still be times when the jet is needed.”
Sarah exhaled a laugh, shaking her head. “I’d expect nothing less.”
They continued talking, shifting effortlessly between subjects—business, law, investments, power. Sarah matched her in every way Nell had anticipated, and in a few ways she hadn’t.
Sarah had a way with words, a meticulous handling of them that reminded Nell of herself.
Conversing with her was like playing a mental game of chess.
There was strategy, sleight of hand, power plays.
It was all a game—an intelligent, purposeful, polished, beautiful game—and Nell enjoyed every second of it.
After the plates had been cleared, after Sarah had studied Nell with that same pointed gaze she had carried since the moment she walked in, she leaned forward slightly, tilting her head.
“Why am I really here, Nell?”
Nell smirked, swirling the last of her martini before finishing it off in one final sip. She leaned in, just enough that Sarah would have to lean in, too. Just enough to make her wait. To make her want it.
Her fingers idly traced the rim of her glass as if the cool crystal were a tool for calculation.
Her posture was the very definition of composed control, utterly in command of her world.
Across from her, Sarah sat with an expression that betrayed nothing but quiet curiosity.
Nell’s gaze swept over Sarah with the certainty of a statement of intent.
After a pause, Nell’s voice, smooth and emotionless, cut through the low whirr of conversation that surrounded them. “I imagine a woman as quick as yourself has ambitions that extend beyond the courtroom.”
Two new martinis materialized in front of them. Both she and Sarah reached out to grab their own.
She took her time with her drink, using her sips to punctuate her words. Sarah’s eyes moved quickly over Nell as she processed what she had said. For a heartbeat, silence reigned, then Sarah spoke, her tone steady yet inquisitive.
“Meaning?”
Nell tilted her head slightly, considering how best to articulate what was already a foregone conclusion. “I’m a powerful woman, Sarah. I can open many doors for you.” Her words were precise, every syllable measured for maximum impact.
There was a pause, and Nell let the implication settle. “And if that’s of interest to you, I’m more than happy to connect you with the right people—people who can change the course of your career. In exchange, I expect one thing.”
Her eyes locked on to Sarah’s, calm and unwavering, as she continued. “From time to time, I will require a plus-one for events. Someone who not only stands beside me but enhances my presence. Who understands the rooms I walk into.”
Nell set her glass down with a gentle clink of crystal against the wooden table, her fingertips trailing along the condensation as if marking the significance of the moment. “I’m known for being incredibly selective, Sarah, and I picked you.”
Sarah raised an eyebrow, curiosity and intrigue tucked away in her gaze. “What exactly are you offering?” she asked in a low, even voice.
Her question caused a small, knowing smile to play across Nell’s lips. “Access. Influence. Connections that would take years to cultivate on your own.” She stopped for a moment to let the tension build. “And, in return, I get you.”
The words hung in the air, not rushed or overburdened with emotion. This wasn’t emotional. It was business. They were, however, a declaration of power and pleasure, made in the language of ambition rather than affection.
Nell’s eyes swept over Sarah’s body as she allowed herself a glance of unspoken appreciation.
There was no romantic longing for Sarah.
She knew she could have Sarah in an instant if she wanted—and she did—but this feeling was the fierce, unapologetic desire to claim the best, both in business and in life.
Sarah’s gaze softened, though she never lost that calculating glint. “You’re offering me what, exactly?” she said carefully, testing the edges of the proposition.
“I’m offering you a strategic companionship in which both parties benefit.”
“Companionship?” Sarah questioned. Always with the questions.
“Precisely.” Nell’s tone was even, as if discussing the weather. “I don’t do half measures, Sarah. You come into my world, and I expect you to be all in—no reservations.”
A silence fell again as she watched Sarah’s mind work. Sarah’s voice was low but clear when she asked, “And what if I wanted something different?”
Nell could hear her own amusement as she replied, “Then you would have said something, remember? Rule number one: you have a voice. Use it.” Her voice was smooth, almost teasing, with the slightest inflection suggesting she took delight in this game of verbal chess.
Sarah took another sip from her martini. “I suppose,” she said carefully, “if I had desired something else, I’d have said so by now.” Her tone was deliberate, matching Nell’s cadence perfectly.
Nell’s smile deepened as she leaned back, satisfied with the exchange. “Good,” she murmured, her voice dropping even lower, “because I trust a woman who knows what she wants, and I trust you to have your decision by the end of the week.”
A statement. An invitation with power behind it. And Nell thoroughly enjoyed the way it left Sarah momentarily speechless, a rare occurrence that only deepened her satisfaction.