Chapter 23
TWENTY-THREE
ROMAN
She did it. Addison absolutely killed it today.
Seven hours straight of questioning from both sides.
Bit by bit, she tore the VP of LevelUp apart, leading him to trip up and admit things that would destroy him in front of a jury.
Bill Reeves used every tactic in his book to shake her, to befuddle and confuse her, but Addison persevered with confidence and poise and irrefutable arguments for her line of questioning.
She never once cowered, never once showed fear.
It didn’t show on Bill’s face, but I saw it in his eyes; my father was impressed, and maybe even a little awestruck.
We worked damn hard preparing for today, but I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t a little nervous going in.
If she failed, it would have been bad all around—for the firm, our client, and, I suspect, me and her.
Because if she’d started to truly struggle, I would have had to jump in and take over, and despite her claiming to understand and promising to not get upset if things came to that, it wouldn’t have gone over well with her. Thank Christ it hadn’t been necessary.
In the end, opposing counsel will have no choice but to advise their client to settle, and everyone in this room knows it. My father might be a shark, but it turns out my girl is every bit as cutthroat as he is. In time, I might not be the only one around here with the nickname of Ruthless.
As soon as Maggie sees the clients out of the conference room, the rest of us begin to pack up our things.
Addison stands and I retrieve her black, fitted jacket from the back of her chair and hold it up for her as she slips her arms in.
She turns to face me while she fastens the button, her face radiant with the rush of a win, but her smile subdued with professionalism.
Fuck, this woman makes me hot. I do my best to school my features into a look that says “Well done, I couldn’t be happier with the outcome,” and not “I want to fuck you where you stand.”
My father closes his briefcase with a snap, effectively reminding me that now is not the time to indulge in my office sex fantasies.
“Well, Ms. Paige,” he says, donning his suit jacket, “I have to say it was a pleasure losing to such a competent young attorney, such as yourself. I enjoyed watching you work immensely.”
Addison’s attempts at downplaying her emotions have come to an end as she beams at him. “Thank you, Mr. Reeves. That means a great deal coming from you. But I can’t take all the credit.” She spares a glance in my direction. “I’m learning from the best.”
I try not to actively puff out my chest with the swell of pride I feel at hearing her say those words. “Doesn’t matter how good the teacher is if the student can’t execute the lessons,” I say.
“He’s right about that, Ms. Paige.” My dad walks around the table and holds out his hand.
I grip it in a firm handshake, foregoing the hug I usually give him in more casual settings.
When Addison offers her hand, he takes it in both of his like he’s saying farewell to a dear acquaintance.
Though it probably shouldn’t, it gets under my skin.
I’m territorial as fuck when it comes to this woman and affection.
“If you’re ever in the market for a new job, I’d be honored to have someone like you at Reeves, Rotier, & Davis. ”
He winks at me to soften the blow of his half-joking faux pas, but it doesn’t do any good.
The very thought of losing Addison—whether personally or professionally—makes me want to put my fist through the nearest wall.
“Did you seriously just try to poach my employee, right in front of me, no less? That’s bad form, Bill. ”
Shrugging, his smile firmly in place despite my obvious displeasure, he counters, “As a young man once said to me after informing me he was striking out on his own, ‘It’s just business.’”
Before I have the chance to rebut, Addison steps in. “That’s very kind of you, Mr. Reeves, but I’m very happy here.”
“Please, call me Bill, and I understand completely. I didn’t mean to infer otherwise, only to let you know you have options if things ever change.” He pats her hand gently—since he hasn’t let it go yet—and gives her an almost fatherly look. “Roman’s very lucky to have you.”
Addison blushes, confirming my suspicion.
That my dad’s no longer talking about her role as my junior attorney.
She peers up at me, the question of whether I told him about us in her eyes.
I give her the barest shake of my head to let her know I didn’t betray her confidence.
Not that we’re being secretive among our friends and family, but my dad falls into a gray area because he’s also in our professional circle, so I kept our relationship status to myself where he was concerned.
“Hey, let’s all go out for sushi,” he says, abruptly changing the subject. “It’s Friday. No work tomorrow means we don’t have to worry about having too much sake. Dinner’s on me, what do you say?”
Addison tucks her hair behind her ear and licks her lips as her eyes dart back and forth between us. “Oh, that sounds great, and it’s so generous of you to offer, Bill, but I’m afraid I have dinner plans with my cousin.”
We hadn’t made any definitive plans other than spending time together tonight at my place, but I didn’t realize she had other things going on.
Then again, it’s entirely possible my dad’s making her uncomfortable and she’s trying to get out of dinner with a white lie.
I raise a brow, but play the part of polite colleague.
“That sounds nice. I’m sure you’ll have a great time. ”
“I’m sure we will. Sam travels a lot for work, so we don’t see each other very often.
H—um, she’s only in town for a couple of days, so it’s kind of a last minute, impromptu thing.
She texted me earlier, and I called her back during one of our breaks and we made plans.
Otherwise I would gladly join you for dinner. ”
She’s over-explaining, bordering on babbling, and Addison doesn’t babble.
I can only assume the idea of my father discovering our relationship over some sake and dragon rolls is what’s making her more nervous than a con in front of a parole board.
I need to get him out of here so she can breathe.
“No problem, Addison, we can do it another time. Like the next time you kick Bill’s ass. ”
That makes my dad and Addie laugh and at least relieves the tension around her eyes.
My dad refuses to take no for an answer from me, and since I apparently won’t be seeing my girl until later tonight, I accept.
Since starting up Reeves & Cooper, I haven’t had a chance to really visit with him.
It’ll be good to catch up with each other.
He tells me he’ll head over to the restaurant and wait for me in the bar, unknowingly—or maybe knowingly—giving me time to talk with Addison before we go. I walk her down to my office under the pretense of discussing the day’s results.
As soon as the door is shut, I press her back against it.
“I’m so goddamn proud of you, baby.” I grab her face, slam my mouth on hers—the one I’d watched challenge my father all damn day, her intelligence and cunning turning me on like she was sitting there naked—and kiss her long and hard and deep.
Her hands slip inside my jacket and fist the front of my shirt, then open flat to rub over my chest. When we come up for air, she has a goofy kind of grin on her face. “What is it?” I ask.
She opens her mouth but then closes it and shakes her head. “You’ll laugh.”
“Possibly. Say it anyway.”
“Why don’t you have your nipples pierced?”
She was right. I laugh. Addison playfully twists my nipples in retaliation, which I answer by pinning her wrists by her head.
“I’d say it’s my turn to pinch yours, but I’d rather wait for when I have you naked.
I’ll make up for it later tonight.” My promise makes her breath hitch, satisfying me that she’ll be thinking about that all through dinner with her cousin.
“Why do you ask? Disappointed they’re not accessorized like the rest of me? ”
“Not that I would complain if they were, but no, I’m not disappointed. More curious as to why they were spared when, as you said, the ‘rest of you’ wasn’t.”
I chuckle and dip my head to kiss and nip the side of her neck as I answer. “Every mod and tattoo I have can be hidden or removed. I don’t like the way nipple rings look on men, and you’d be able to see barbells through my dress shirts.”
“Mmm,” she says in understanding. The delicious vibration of her hum sinks into my lips and travels straight to my dick, bringing it to full-fucking-attention. “Then, are you also against the way rings look on women?”
I stop what I’m doing and pull back to gauge her expression. If there’s a fucking God, she’s asking for a very specific reason. “Are you referring to anyone in particular?”
She pulls free from my hold to unbutton her jacket, then shrugs it off and lets it drop to her feet. Smoothing her hands over the front of her tits, she peers up at me with a coquettish grin. “Maybe I am.”
“Fuck me, Addie,” I growl, my gaze now helplessly riveted to where her nipples are already straining through the thin silk of her sleeveless dove-gray dress.
Imagining them adorned with small, gold hoops, I brush my thumbs over the hard nubs.
A shiver rolls through her, and I want to chase it with my tongue, all the way to where I know it gathers between her legs.
Raising my eyes to meet hers again, I make a promise.
“Say yes, and I’ll take you to my guy tomorrow.
” I’m mentally making a note to call him for an appointment until an image of Silas’s gloved hands manipulating her nipples flashes in my mind.
My lips twist into a grimace. “Fuck that. I’ll take you as soon as we find a female piercer. ”