"I don't think 'love' is the right word. What do you want?" I snapped.
"To see you. To grab a coffee..."He could have just admitted he wanted to make my life miserable, but he’d never be that honest.
"I’ll be in New York on Friday. Meet me at the Plaza at 4:00 p.m."
"Afternoon tea with my wife.. sounds perfect."he mused.
"Ex-wife. Don’t test my patience, Peter. And don't even dream of trying to blackmail me without grounds."
"Never. I’ll see you there."He hung up, leaving me with a burning urge to hurl my phone against the front seat.
I immediately tried calling Sarki, but she didn't pick up. After the third attempt, I dialed Vanessa, knowing Kelsey was in a meeting and wouldn't have her phone on her. Vanessa answered, her voice soft and composed, informing me she was only two rooms away from the boardroom.
"Would you like me to ask her to call you back?"she asked, her tone almost soothing.
"Will she be much longer?" I murmured, nervously biting my fingertip.
"I don't think so. Give me a moment stay on the line."
"Vanessa, wait, you really don't need to disturb her…" I was ignored. A moment later, Kelsey’s voice came through the line, sending my heart into a frantic race. "Hi, Kels. I didn't mean to pull you out of your meeting."
"It’s just a room full of people who can afford to wait for me,"she dismissed casually."You come first."
"Even so, I didn't want to be a disruption." I pressed my fingertips against my temples, squeezing in a futile attempt to dull the budding headache.
"Vanessa said you sounded apprehensive. What happened?"Kelsey asked, her voice instantly shifting into a protective tone. I sighed, finally letting my head fall back against the seat.
"Just Peter. He called, and I agreed to meet him at the Plaza this Friday," I admitted.
"It’s a good thing I’ll be in the city with you. I’ll stay close enough to hear everything and ready to send security to restrain him if he oversteps,"she stated firmly. My laughter felt lighter, more centered.
"Do you think he actually has proof of anything?" I questioned, the doubt still lingering.
"About us? I highly doubt it. If he had anything real, a man like him would have played that card immediately. Stay as calm as possible, Kitty. Everything will be fine,"she reassured me.
"And the meetings? Did your deputy screw up again?"
"As always. It’s been tedious,"she sighed, but then her tone brightened. I could hear the change in her voice through the lineand could practically visualize her smile."But I have some good news: I’ve already made an appointment with Charlie. No one will disturb us on Saturday."
"I truly hope so. Goodnight, Kels," I whispered.
I spent the better part of the night buried in work, reviewing cases and drafting opinions. I drank my wine slowly, and by the time I looked at the clock, it was past three in the morning.
The next morning, I arrived at the courthouse late. I summoned my assistant, gesturing for him to take the seat across from my desk.
“Ms. Woods, everything has been quiet while you were away,” he reported. “The court won't be back in full session until February.”
“I’m aware, but I need to review some files in person. Pull several records for me,” I asked, my voice carrying its usual authority.
He scribbled down the case numbers. These were files from investigations into Peter's clients. During my late-night research, I’d stumbled upon a suspicious correlation between one of them and a judge I currently sit with on the bench.
“You have a visitor, Your Honor,” my assistant interrupted, looking uncharacteristically rattled.
“I don’t have anything on the schedule.”
“You've never been one for strict schedules, Your Honor,” a voice echoed from the doorway.
A tall woman stepped into the room. She wore a sharply tailored pantsuit and Louboutin heels. Her sky-blue eyes conveyed ablend of hardness and gravitas. Her hair was pulled back into a sleek ponytail.
