Heartbroken? What a wonderfully horrible thought.He arched an eyebrow. “Is there anything I can do?”
“Not unless you can find a way to break a contract.”
Intriguing. Contract loopholes were his specialty—one that he had yet to put to good use at Wolfe, Wolfe & Wolfe. So far, all they’d trusted him with were low-profile cases. He hungered for a case he could sink his teeth into.
Lee arrived holding two cups, one with each of their names. Charles took them both, handing Lee’s to Martin and leading Martin to a nearby table. “Sit down. You don’t look so good.”
Lee huffed at the loss of his coffee. Instead of getting back in line, he pulled an extra chair up to the table for two and sat at Charles’s elbow. The poor man was beside himself with hero worship, and Charles could hardly blame him. After all, he had secured a position with the city’s top firm.
Charles crossed his arms and leaned against the table. “What’s this about a contract?”
Martin took the lid off his cup and added two packets of sugar. “It’s all my fault. I should be the one working for the Beast, not Bella. Instead, I’m stuck in a rehab center for a while.” He glanced towards the door as if expecting someone.
“Bella works for the Beast?” asked Lee, bringing Martin’s attention back to the table. He scooted his chair forward a fraction of an inch. “Charles’s Bella?”
Martin eyed them both. “I was under the impression Bella had broken off the engagement.”
“It was a mutual decision.” Charles took a sip of his coffee. “But how did she end up with the Beast?”
“She sacrificed herself for me, I’m afraid. I’m the one who should be locked away in that castle for the next three months. Unfortunately, the contract is airtight.”
“Nonsense. No contract is that good.” Charles scoffed. The Beast’s reputation was well known—he wasn’t one to trifle with. In fact, it surprised him that Martin had taken the job in the first place. “I’d be happy to take a look at it.”
Martin rubbed his eyes with his forefinger and thumb. “Perhaps an outside opinion would be a good idea.”
Charles leaned back. “Send it to my office. I won’t even bill you.”
Martin smiled. “Thanks, Charles. That’s very kind of you.” He pushed away from the table as a woman in scrubs burst through the door. “That’s my signal.” Martin lifted his cup in farewell and met the nurse at the door. She waved her hands in the air as she reprimanded him. He didn’t look good, but to have a nurse indicated a health problem much larger than a simple cold.
Lee rested his chin on his fist and stared at Charles. “You’re already working on your philanthropy hours. That’s commendable.”
“Bah.” Charles let his smile fall. He gulped the slightly warm liquid down. “Do you know what will happen if I find a loophole in a contract written by the Beast?”
Lee shook his head. The poor, innocent clerk.
“I’ll be made partner.”
Understanding slowly spread over Lee’s pudgy face. “You’d be the youngest partner in the firm.”
“And my workload will be cut in half. No more silly patent disputes or squabbling mom-and-pop stores. I’ll finally get recognized for my abilities.” He rose to his feet, confidence surging through him like a bull ready to charge the matador. “Bring me the Beast’s contract as soon as it comes through. I’ll tear it to shreds.”
Charles strode from the shop, thrusting the door open with one smack of his palm. He took in a deep breath of Seattle air. With one blow, he’d take down the Beast and gain his rightful place among Seattle’s elite.
He adjusted his tie—a man must always look his best.
Once he’d freed Bella from the Beast, she’d beg to be his girlfriend once again. She may have thought she was doing what was best for him when she’d handed back the ring, but she was useful, and pretty. His first assessment of her was correct. She’d make a good lawyer’s wife. As a partner, he’d need a wife, and he didn’t have time to find one now. Yes, Bella would do just fine.
Chapter Seven
Adam
“Where is she off to this time?” Adam stood at the window, his hands clasped behind his back. Below him, the hot-rod-red golf cart jetted across the lawn.
“I believe she is checking on the movers.”
“Lot 2 is moving in today,” Adam muttered. The Wongs from Singapore. They were one of the few families to purchase a lot. Most of the other tenants were single men and women. He hadn’t meant for the development to be a bachelor cove, but it turned out that the amenities he offered, around-the-clock security and grounds keeping, attracted a single crowd.
The Wongs’ home design spoke loudly of the traditional Malay houses built on stilts in Singapore. However, the stilts used for this mansion were made from reinforced steel and driven deeply into the rock to provide stability. With the general contractor overseeing the building and Martin managing the legal end of things, they’d done most of the work. Adam had kept a keen eye on the building process, finding it fascinating.
