Chapter One
Death comes in all forms. Asher Davis usually wasn’t this morbid or pensive reviewing divorce or separation agreements that passed his desk, but the dissolution of a marriage after only six months seemed depressing, even to a jaded and cynical person such as himself. All the dreams the happy couple had planned must have crashed and burned in an inferno of pain and anger so devastating, any thought of repair was impossible.
“Let this be a lesson to you, Walker.” Ash slid the file to the associate sitting across from him at the conference table. “It probably would’ve happened sooner or later. For some reason, men and women insist on pairing off and remaining faithful, despite evidence to the contrary that it isn’t normal to do so.”
The newest member of Frank and Davis shot him an uneasy smile, and Ash suddenly remembered Walker himself was a recently engaged man.
Even though he’d never been married, never even come close to a relationship with anyone, for that matter, he’d seen and heard enough gruesome stories to know how hard people had to work to make a marriage work. Compromise, trust, and that thing called love. He shuddered, swallowing hard.
Not his problem. He was there to make sure his client, the young and lovely Jackie Klein, got out of her marriage with everything she had coming to her so her rich daddy could pay the firm’s retainer. The rumor of her immediate postmarital infidelity didn’t trouble him in the least. He wasn’t being paid to care about anything.
“Have you finished reviewing the file, Walker?”
“Yes, Mr. Davis. It appears Mrs. Klein was seen on numerous occasions leaving the brownstone of David Westlake. These appointments would take place at random times of the day, while her husband was at work.”
“Walker.” The associate’s gaze met his over the table. “Mrs. Klein is our client. I’m not interested in who else she was fucking.”
Walker’s face flushed, and he gulped. “Um, right. So, Drew Klein, from everything we can see, went to work at the same time every morning, came home at the same time each evening, and aside from a weekly night out with his friends, stayed home every night.”
“Sounds like a crashing bore,” drawled Ash. “No wonder she cheated on him.” He flicked his fingers on the table. “Go on. Please tell me something interesting.”
“I’m afraid that’s it, sir.”
“So it’s basically a no-fault. They’ve passed that magic six-month period, and now we, the greedy legal team, get to hammer out all the goodies in the divorce agreement. At the end of the day, she gets her freedom to screw her way through the city if she wants, he gets his freedom from a cheating bitch, and we get our money.” He stood and smiled down at Walker, who closed and stacked the files in preparation for the client meeting. “Let’s go and end this farce. I’ll meet you in the conference room in five.”
He watched Walker stride down the hallway to the conference room where the parties were meeting. As he did before every meeting, Ash took a moment inside his office’s private restroom to check his reflection in the mirror. Navy-blue suit, white shirt, and bright green tie, all sharp, clean, and fresh. No matter that this was his firm and his name now joined Jacob Frank’s on the door, he still had something to prove to himself, that he wasn’t that poor little gay kid from the wrong side of the tracks. The one whose parents had abandoned him.
He was Asher Davis, and he mattered.
From his wallet he pulled out the only snapshot he’d ever possessed. It was taken on his law-school graduation day, of him and the firm’s founder, Jacob Frank. He towered over the tiny man, but only physically did he best Mr. Frank. The man was his better in every way possible. Asher had managed to secure the scholarship Mr. Frank set up at his law school, and had worked like a dog to make sure he would have a place at the law firm of Jacob Frank when he graduated. No one had been a tougher negotiator than his boss, and there was no one he’d wanted to work for more.
Why Jacob Frank took to him, Ash would never know. Mr. Frank often joked that Asher was the son he’d never wanted, but it was said with such fondness in his warm brown eyes that Ash would get a funny feeling in his chest. Then Mr. Frank would brusquely ask him to recite the facts of his next case and drill him to make sure he was always prepared for class.
Looking down at the picture in his hand, Asher blinked against the surprising burn in his eyes. Though he’d been gone two years now, some days Jacob Frank’s presence was still as strong as if he’d risen from his chair a moment before. Ash would never forget Mr. Frank’s final words to him.
“Ash, my son. Let go of your past. It’s the only way you can take control of your future. Rise above your pain. Don’t grow old, alone and unloved, like me. You have been the greatest source of comfort and joy to me. I wish you love and peace in your heart.”
“I’ll always try to make you proud, Mr. Frank.” He touched the man’s face. “You did fine on your own, and so will I.”
Replacing the picture carefully, he smoothed back his hair and, like a chameleon, wiped away any evidence of sorrow and loneliness, replacing it instead with his confident, devil-may-care smile. He left his office and closed the door behind him.
As he pushed open the doors of the conference room, Ash scanned the room. Of course he’d already met his client and her father, Richard Sachs. “Hello, Jackie, dear. Hello, Richard.” He kissed Jackie Klein’s cheek and shook her father’s hand, then turned to greet her soon-to-be ex-husband, Dr. Drew Klein, and Klein’s attorney, Peter Dent.
“Peter, how the hell have you been?” The two shook hands, and Ash smiled his first real smile of the day. He and Peter had been inseparable in law school since they sat next to one another in their section, and neither would’ve made it past that horrific first year without each other’s help. “It’s been way too long.” Peter Dent was lucky in that his father was one of the premier family lawyers in the city, ensuring him a job when he graduated. Ash had needed to keep his grades high enough to hold his scholarship.
“Ash, my man, I’ve been meaning to call, but you know how it is with the wife and kids.” A faint tinge of red crossed Peter’s cheeks, but Ash let it ride. He didn’t begrudge Peter his family life; heck, he actually liked his wife, Lisa, even if she did think she was the gay matchmaking princess with all the men she’d tried to fix him up with over the years.
Ash’s gaze slid to the pale, dejected man at Peter’s side, and extended his hand. “Dr. Klein, I presume? I’m Asher Davis.”
Drew Klein met his gaze, and an iron fist punched Ash in the stomach. Holy fuck. The man was gorgeous. Too thin and too pale, but even that couldn’t hide the high cheekbones, straight nose, and strong chin of a perfectly sculpted face. Sadness and defeat radiated off him in waves. His dry palm, however, was warm and solid, and for some inexplicable reason, Ash’s heart beat a bit faster as they shook hands.
“Hello, Mr. Davis.” There was no friendly smile to Klein’s lips, nor did his green eyes show any spark of life. Even his voice was low and quiet, as if he hadn’t the strength or desire to expend any effort. Obviously the dissolution of his marriage weighed much more heavily on his mind than on his soon-to-be ex-wife’s, who was busy chatting with her father and texting on her phone.
Somewhat taken aback by his unorthodox response to this man,this obviously straight man, Ash cleared his throat and backed away. “Shall we get on with the meeting?” For some inexplicable reason, his voice shook. He strode to the side table and poured himself a glass of water. After gulping down the cold liquid, his throat loosened, and he felt more like himself. Perhaps that third cup of coffee had messed with his equilibrium.
“This should all go quite seamlessly, as I see it. Mrs. Klein is not contesting the divorce, and Peter, I think your client is aware that under the terms of the prenup, the parties will be leaving the marriage in the same position as when they entered it.”
Dr. Klein snorted, and Ash caught his eye. He cocked his head. “Dr. Klein?”
