Chapter 33
RYDER
Warm hands slid over my back in the early morning light.
Rolling over, I let my lips wander over Bianca’s slim figure.
Her smooth, buttery-soft skin was something that had always driven me wild.
I never thought I would ever want a woman as refined as her, but the moment I met her on a trip in England, I knew my life would never be the same.
“Morning,” I rumbled, my voice rough from a hard night’s sleep.
Grinning against my lips, her hands wandered south, wrapping around my hard length. “Morning, love. Sleep well?”
She knew I had, and the way she jerked me just went to show how easily she could manipulate me into doing whatever she wanted. Just like she had last night when I was too tired, too fucking exhausted from my long workday for anything other than a night in.
But she got her way, and we ended up going to the latest restaurant opening. It should have been impossible to get in, but since our firm represented the owner, all it took was a phone call, and all her dreams came true.
And I fucking loved seeing that sparkle in her eyes when she got what she wanted.
“You know what would be brilliant?”
I hummed against her lips, having a pretty damn good idea of what I needed right now. “Let me guess. You want fries.”
Chuckling, she released my cock and smacked my chest. “A fry-up, Ryder. When are you going to learn?”
“I don’t speak Londonese.”
“That’s not a thing. Brekky?”
“I can’t,” I groaned, pulling away from her. I narrowly avoided her grabby hands as I stood and walked over to the window, pulling the shade to let in the light.
“You always leave so early for work. Can’t they spare you for one morning?”
“Donovan set an early meeting. It’s probably a new case, which means—”
“You won’t be home for supper,” she sighed, flopping back in bed.
“Probably not. But I’ll make it up to you.”
“You always say that.”
Striding over, I sat next to her, my arms caging her in as I lowered my lips to hers. “And I always make it up to you,” I whispered.
The disappointment on her face killed me, but what was worse was how frequently I saw that expression lately. Work was taking over my life, and what I thought I wanted somehow didn’t seem as great as it used to. Bianca didn’t move here to warm my bed. She needed more, and I knew that.
“I have to go,” I whispered, pressing a soft kiss to her lips. “I’ll see you tonight.”
She gave me a faint smile, but I knew what that really meant. She didn’t think I’d make it home before she was asleep. And she was probably right.
But I didn’t have a choice in the matter. This was my job, and I’d worked my ass off to get where I was. After my last case, I was up for partner, but I didn’t tell Bianca that. The last thing I wanted was to get her hopes up, only for them to be dashed if they didn’t offer it to me.
If she thought my schedule was hectic now, it would be even worse if I made partner.
Yet another reason I kept that information to myself.
I quickly showered and dressed, disappointed when Bianca was already back to sleep by the time I was ready to go.
After a quick peck on the cheek, I headed downstairs, giving a quick nod to the doorman before rushing out into the warm New York air.
The town car was waiting for me as usual. It was one of the perks of being one of the top lawyers at Hanson and Walther. They took care of their employees, and the car to drive me around was one of the lesser perks.
“Straight to the office?” Simon asked.
“Yeah. No coffee this morning.”
He glanced in the mirror, raising an eyebrow.
“I thought you might say that.” Reaching over the seat, he handed me a black coffee from the coffee shop next to his apartment.
This had become a regular thing between us.
He knew I hated the fancy coffee at the shop near the office, and brought me just a regular black from time to time.
“How did you know?”
“You got home late. You took Bianca out to dinner last night, even though I know you just wanted to have a night in. And you have an early meeting. Figured you’d need the good stuff.”
Grinning, I took a sip, sighing at how good it was. It might seem silly. Black coffee was black coffee, but this stuff reminded me of home, and that was something I was desperately missing right now.
“I can’t slip anything past you.”
“That’s because I’ve known you for so long.”
He did. It was strange that I had a better relationship with my driver than I did with my own family.
But they were back in Montana, somewhere I desperately wanted to get away from after college.
It had been a great place to grow up, but I was determined to get off the ranch and carve out a life for myself.
But sometimes I missed it.
There were times when the sounds of the city and the constant people surrounding me became too much. Days like that, I wanted nothing more than the open blue skies of Montana. I hadn’t been back there since I left, and my parents refused to come to the big city after their disaster of a first time.
We pulled up to the building fifteen minutes later, and I thanked Simon once again for the coffee. He didn’t realize how much he saved my sanity this morning.
“Morning, Virginia,” I said as I passed the front desk.
“Morning, Ryder,” she grinned, shooting me a flirtatious wink. “Got any plans tonight?”
“You know I have a girlfriend,” I called over my shoulder.
“Girlfriends can be replaced!”
Laughing to myself, I got on the elevator and hit the button for the top floor. “Five minutes early,” I muttered to myself as we started rising.
“Headed up to see old man Hanson?”
I glanced over at Matt Brooks, an associate and complete ass. The man had it out for me since the moment I was promoted ahead of him. He thought it was unfair that I had been there a year less than him. I thought he was a shithead who liked to hand off his work to others while he went golfing.
“Early meeting.”
He scoffed, shaking his head. “So, they’re giving you partner.”
“Even if I knew what the meeting was about, I wouldn’t tell you.”
“Right, because you’re such a good, morally upstanding guy. Tell it to someone who cares.”
The elevator dinged and the doors opened. Matt got off, but I held the doors. “You know, if you weren’t such a dick, you might actually get that promotion you want.”
“Fuck you, Lawson.”
“Thanks, but Bianca keeps me busy.”
I released the doors with a grin, then straightened my tie as the elevator continued its upward path.
Now that the meeting was about to start, I was actually getting nervous.
Did I really want partner? I’d been working toward it since I’d been out here, fighting for the best cases and staying late to prove myself to the company.
It was everything a lawyer wanted.
But there was a pit forming in my stomach, telling me that I might not like it when I finally got it.
I didn’t have time to think about it now. Before I knew it, Sheila was directing me to the boss’s office, and my feet were moving.
“Ryder!” He called out just as I was about to knock. “Come in, son.”
I hated that he called me son, but I smiled at him and pretended I was completely fine with the asshole. Maybe the reason for the pit in my stomach was the fact that if I made partner, I’d have to work with Hanson on a daily basis.
The man was a schemer and a narcissistic asshole, but worse, I wasn’t entirely sure any of my morals and values aligned with his.
“You wanted to see me?”
“Did you have a good drive in?” he asked, deflecting from the reason I was here.
“Pretty uneventful.”
“Good. Good. And your girlfriend…”
“Bianca,” I finished for him. “She’s doing just fine.”
The gleam in his eyes revolted me. “Hot piece of ass. You did well with her.”
“Thank you, sir,” I said, biting back the urge to kick his ass for being such a jerk.
“So, I’m sure you’re wondering why I called you up here today. I know you’ve been working toward partner, and I’ve talked with Walther. He agrees that you’d be a good candidate.”
“Thank you, sir.”
He leaned forward and grabbed a folder. “I just have one case I’d like you to finish up before we make it official. This is a personal favor for me.”
He tossed the folder across the desk and leaned back in his chair as I studied the file. I knew immediately who he was talking about and why the guy needed a lawyer.
“Greg Matthis? Sir, the man is a rapist.”
“Everyone needs a lawyer,” he shrugged.
“And what exactly are you hoping I’ll get?” I asked warily.
“Get them to drop all the charges.”
I snorted in amusement, but he didn’t laugh. He was serious. “No.”
“Excuse me?”
“I can’t represent him.”
“And why not? You represent criminals. Hell, half our clients are guilty.”
“Yes, but half our clients don’t rape and beat women.”
He leaned forward, his face hard as he stared at me. “This isn’t a request. If you want to be a partner, you’ll do this.”
“Tell me why,” I said, my jaw nearly cracking with how hard I was gnashing my teeth.
“Matthis is an old friend. He has his proclivities, but he has excellent business contacts. Hell, he’s half the reason this firm became the best in New York.”
“So, he deserves a free pass?”
“He is a trusted friend, and you will do this,” he snarled. “You’re the best, and he needs the best.”
It was all on the line—everything I had worked for depended on what I decided to do.
I could take the case and look past the horrible things this man had done, and I’d become a partner.
Or I could say no and lose everything. Every goddamn second of my time that I’d given to this firm would be swept away in an instant.
And for what? Because I refused to take this case?
Hell, even OJ had to have a lawyer.
What was I really giving up by taking this?
I hadn’t spent all these years working my ass off to walk away now.
And what about Bianca? What would she say about me if I walked away from such a great opportunity?
This would be good for us. I could give her anything she wanted, all the dresses and diamonds that she eyed every time we walked past a shop.
She’d be happy, and I’d finally have what I worked so damn hard for.
All I had to do was say yes.
I shut the door to my apartment, setting down the brown box that contained all the contents of my life from my office. Disheveled and home mid-day, it was no wonder when Bianca came around the corner, shocked as hell to see me.
Her eyes dropped to the box, and disappointment filled her eyes. “They fired you?”
“Something like that.”
Tossing my jacket on the back of a chair, I walked over to her and wrapped her up in my arms, taking in her floral scent. This was all I needed—the comfort of her arms.
“What happened?” she asked, pulling away. “I thought things were going really well.”
“They were. Hanson called me up to his office for an early morning meeting. All I had to do was take one case, and it would be mine.”
I walked over to the fridge and grabbed a beer, then popped the top and drank half of it.
“All what would be yours?” she asked hesitantly.
“Partner.”
“What was the case?”
I laughed humorlessly, my head hanging in despair. I still couldn’t wrap my head around the fact that I had turned it down.
“They wanted me to defend a rapist,” I said, finally bringing my eyes up to meet hers.
I thought I would see shock or horror, but instead, I saw confusion. “So, why didn’t you take it?”
“Because I don’t want to defend a rapist.”
She walked over to me like I was a wild animal who might run away. “Hear me out. You take the case, you just get through it, and then you have everything you’ve worked for. What’s so hard about that?”
I set the beer on the counter, surprised she was even asking that. “Bianca, this man beat and raped women. There’s photographic evidence of his crimes. How do you expect me to even defend someone like that?”
“You just do it!” she laughed. “You have the chance to be a partner in a top law firm, and you’re throwing it away over one stupid case?”
I couldn’t believe it. I mean, I was hearing it, but this was not the woman I met in England. What woman would want me to defend a rapist? And all for what? Money? A position in a law firm?
“Do you even hear yourself? You want me to go against everything I feel is right to defend some piece of scum, all so I can get a corner office?”
“And a huge pay raise!”
“I don’t care about the money!”
“Well, I do! This isn’t just about you, Ryder. You said we’d be here and build a life together. But all you do is work!”
“Do you really think that will change if I become a partner? If anything, I’ll work more hours.”
“Yes, but you’ll be compensated for it. We’ll have more than we could possibly ever want!”
I couldn’t believe it.
“So, this is about money.”
“This is about building our lives together. This is about getting out of this funk we’re in, finally living the life we should have. Just think of all the things we could do when you’re finally a partner.”
I wanted all those things too, but this wasn’t the way it was supposed to happen. Getting rich doing terrible things was no way to live life. Karma would come calling, and I didn’t want to be at the door when she knocked.