Chapter Three
Damian was waiting outside the office building when Ryan arrived Monday morning.
There was no way to avoid him without causing a scene, and Ryan had only a few moments to decide how to handle it.
There were many reasons for Damian’s appearance, but the most obvious was that Ryan had ignored and deliberately avoided him since they spent the night together.
Just seeing him made Ryan’s heart skip, and Ryan hated that feeling.
Of course, the second most obvious possibility was that Damian was there to kick Ryan’s ass for how Ryan had treated Callie.
Ryan stopped and waited for Damian to approach.
“We should talk,” Damian said once he was close enough that they couldn’t be overheard.
Ryan debated turning Damian away or denying there was anything to discuss.
But Damian was also a client, and the outcome of his trial would directly affect Ryan’s reputation.
Ryan nodded to Damian and invited him to follow.
He led him to his office. The floor was still mostly empty because of the early hour.
Once inside, he motioned for Damian to take a chair at his desk.
To Ryan’s frustration, Damian closed the door and didn’t sit.
It was almost as if he were guarding the door to keep Ryan from fleeing.
“How can I help you?” Ryan said, standing behind his desk. He didn’t want Damian to have any upper hand by standing.
“I think it’s how I can help you,” Damian said softly, concern in his eyes.
“And why would I need help?” Ryan challenged.
“Because you keep screwing up with your girlfriend,” Damian replied, and Ryan recoiled.
Ryan knew that Callie and Damian had only met for coffee, which was unusual because Damian never passed up an opportunity to seduce Callie. After their fight, Damian would have had the perfect opportunity. But both respected Ryan’s feelings.
“I think we need to talk about what happened the other night to make sure it doesn’t get worse,” Damian continued after Ryan stayed silent.
“Why?” Ryan said defensively.
“Because it’s time,” Damian replied. “If you don’t, things will only get worse between you, Callie, and me.”
Ryan moved to the front of his desk and leaned against it, folding his arms across his chest, while Damian stayed near the door. There was definitely no escape, but Ryan didn’t want to look as though he were hiding behind his desk.
“There was nothing wrong with what happened between us,” Damian continued.
Ryan fell silent. He faced a choice: keep denying his feelings and risk damaging his relationship with Callie, or finally open up.
He thought it might be easier to talk to Damian than to Callie, and it was only fair to explain himself to Damian.
He cared for Damian, but he didn’t want to keep feeling something that went deeper than that.
“I wasn’t raised to believe that,” Ryan said softly. “I was raised to be a husband, to respect my partner, and to practice monogamy.”
“Like your father did?” Damian said. He didn’t mean it as an insult.
“I get my values from my mother,” Ryan smirked. “But the main thing is, I always believed that, at least for me, intimacy was only enjoyed with a woman.”
“Why is it wrong to enjoy more than that?” Damian asked.
“I don’t know,” Ryan admitted. “I’m really confused, and I hate feeling that way.”
“You remember what I told you?” Damian asked, but he didn’t wait for a reply. “I don’t think people should try to define and label everything. Do what makes you happy, as long as it doesn’t hurt anyone.”
“But how can Callie and I be together and true to each other while still doing that with you?”
“If that’s something everyone wants and agrees to,” Damian replied. “Then why is it wrong?”
Damian stopped talking and watched Ryan.
Ryan didn’t know what to say. He wished it were as simple as Damian had said.
But he was raised differently, and as much as he didn’t judge others for their choices, he couldn’t understand how he could be attracted to both Callie and Damian without something being seriously wrong with him.
"It’s not wrong,” Damian said again, reading his mind. “Many people believe that, too. Society judges so quickly, and people are terrified of admitting their true feelings when they don’t conform to the perceived norm. But there’s nothing wrong with what we did.”
“I’m not sure how I can believe that,” Ryan replied honestly.
“You participated in a sex party two nights ago,” Damian said. “Was that wrong?”
“Probably,” Ryan said. “We were really drunk.”
“You weren’t drunk when you were on your balcony or in the photocopy room,” Damian continued.
“Does Callie tell you everything?” Ryan questioned.
“Yeah, pretty much,” Damian said, grinning. “I really want you to believe you're allowed to have what makes you happy. But since I know you don’t, I promise I won’t touch you or Callie again unless you ask me to.”
“Thank you,” Ryan said.
“But you need to stop screwing it up with Callie,” Damian continued. “If you hurt her, the deal is off, and I’ll be there to support her.”
Ryan agreed. If the situation were reversed and Damian were pushing Callie away, he wouldn’t just stand by. In fact, Damian was showing him far more consideration than he deserved. Ryan knew he needed to apologize to Callie.
Just then, there was a knock at the office door. Damian stepped aside as Ryan went to answer it. He found Caleb at the door, holding his laptop.
“Oh, I'm sorry,” Caleb said. “I didn’t mean to interrupt your meeting. Your calendar looked open.”
“It’s OK, Caleb. You should come in,” Ryan said. “This is our client, Damian Mayer.”
“Oh!” Caleb exclaimed, shaking Damian’s hand quickly. “It’s good to finally meet you in person.”
Damian accepted the greeting, then said he would excuse himself, but Caleb objected quickly.
“Actually, I’m here to speak with Mr. Grant about your case,” Caleb said.
He handed his laptop to Ryan and waited.
Ryan walked around his desk, sat down, and began reading the screen.
Caleb took a seat across the desk, and Damian followed.
They waited in silence for Ryan to speak.
When he finished reading, he handed the laptop back to Caleb and leaned back, deep in thought.
“They are suing for an additional million,” Ryan said at last. “Her parents want more compensation.”
“No,” Damain said, shaking his head. “Ryan, this needs to go away. I can’t get in deeper.”
“I understand,” Ryan replied calmly. “That’s why we’re going to countersue.”
“Countersue?” Damian asked.
“For deformation of character,” Ryan explained. “We will ask for your money back and for additional costs for pain and suffering.”
Ryan continued to explain the legal process for filing a countersuit.
He told Damian he was confident they would win the appeal and that this would also ensure he would be properly compensated for his losses when they did.
Unfortunately, it sends a hard message back to Brittnay’s parents, but it also shows they weren’t going to be intimidated by their actions.
“You need to stand up for yourself,” Ryan concluded. “Trust me. It’s the right approach.”
“OK,” Damian nodded. “This is your area of expertise. I trust you.”
Caleb had taken extensive notes and confirmed he would prepare the documents for the countersuit. He excused himself, leaving Ryan and Damian alone once more.
“Will you be OK?” Ryan asked, genuine concern in his voice. Damian looked overwhelmed.
“Yeah,” he replied, standing. “You clearly know what you’re doing, and it’s hot when you get assertive and lawyerly.”
Ryan's confidence waned quickly, and he blushed at the compliment as Damian grinned at him. Suddenly, images of their night together flashed through Ryan’s mind, making his heart race.
He stood to signal the end of the meeting, but Damian kept smiling at him for a moment longer.
Ryan offered to escort Damian to the elevator, but as it arrived, Callie stepped out and paused, surprised to see them together.
“We’re all friends again,” Damian said, stepping past her. Before he stepped into the elevator, he whispered in her ear, “But no benefits.”
Callie watched as the doors closed. Then she turned to Ryan, who was looking at her with remorse.
“I’m sorry,” he said, taking her hand. He led her into his office.
Knowing no one saw them, he quickly closed the door, pulled her into his arms, and kissed her.
“I’m sorry,” he repeated.
“You may have to say that one more time,” she said with a grin.
“I’m sorry,” he said, kissing her again.
Damian sank onto his sofa when he got home.
He felt things were better with Ryan, but now he was worried about the lawsuit.
Ryan was confident they would win not only the appeal but also the countersuit.
Yet Damian was still terrified. He would once again have to relive the worst day of his life in court.
He didn’t want to hurt Brittnay’s parents any further.
They had already been through so much. Damian had blamed himself, but now he knew it wasn’t his fault and that there was nothing he could have done.
Ryan was highly skilled at his job, but Damian was hesitant, even though he had been the one to request the appeal.
He was apprehensive about reliving the experience, especially with Ryan and Callie in the front row.
After Brittnay’s death, most of his friends had drifted away.
Those who hadn’t disappeared after the trial and the verdict against him.