A string of curse words ran through his head. “I was just looking over one of his contracts for my old friend here.” He tipped his head, waiting for Martin to pick up the lie and carry it to the next level.
Martin pressed his lips together until a thin white line was all that was left.
Orion glanced behind him and shut the door. “I’m highly interested.”
Charles might just hate him.
“It’s a personal matter,” cut in Martin. He shifted closer to the door, no doubt wanting to make a break for it.
Orion grinned, showing his sharp canine teeth, and Charles fought back a shudder. “Even better. I don’t want my name or the firm associated with this business in any way.” Orion bustled around the desk and entered his password to get into the mainframe. In a second, a new document was on Charles’s screen. The two of them leaned in, and Martin scooted closer. “This is Duke Moreau’s will. There’s a clause in here that you might be able to exploit … should the need arise.”
Charles read and re-read the clause, his mind filling with possibilities. “How did you get this?”
“His fool clerk filed it as proof of ownership to block the injunction.” Orion straightened. “Of course, you didn’t get this from me.” He saved the document to Charles’s desktop and logged out of the system. He nodded once and left, his leather shoes wheezing with each step.
Charles sensed the hesitancy in Martin—the guy had more scruples than brains. He put an arm around the old man’s shoulders and ushered him towards the exit. “Thank you for stopping by today. I’m going to look into this new development and see if there’s anything we can do for your case.”
“But—”
Charles held up his palm to stop Martin’s protests. “It’s the least I can do for the woman I love.”
“But—”
“Good day.” He dropped his arm and left Martin standing at the receptionist’s desk. Terrance, the security guard, would make sure he didn’t follow Charles back into his office.
Charles rubbed his palms together. It was time to get his hands dirty. On the way back, he caught a glimpse of Lee in the break room, talking to a woman who had legs for days. Charles looked her over and found several flaws, the biggest one being she laughed like a clown, yukking it up.
“Lee?” His assistant jumped at the crack of his name and scuttled away from the amused brunette. “Get in here and clean this place up.” Charles gathered the papers he’d need and his laptop and headed to the door. “I’m working from the coffee shop. Call me when you have the filing under control.”
Lee stammered an answer.
“And I don’t want to see this happen again.”
What Orion had to say, and didn’t outright say, had Charles’s complete attention. This was his chance to prove he had what it took to run with the big boys. The possibilities sparkled like jewels on a crown.
Chapter Eleven
Bella
Bella once again stood in the private wing, her heart hammering as memories of Mr. Moreau’s deep voice pounded through her entire being. He’d been upset at her intrusion, and rightly so, but he’d come after her—saved her from the wolves. If it hadn’t been for his timely arrival, she would have lost the case, the injunction would have stood, and her father would have lost the contract.
Adam, as she was beginning to think of him with softness, had every reason to let her fail—it would have saved him hundreds of thousands of dollars. But he didn’t. A pessimist would argue that he’d come to save Phase II, but there had been something in his eyes, something that told her he was there to protectherand not himself.
That’s why she was outside his bedroom door. Talk about the lair of the Beast. No one, save Ben, was allowed beyond these doors, and here she stood, ready to throw them open and charge inside.
Her heart pounded and her stomach wobbled. She glanced behind her at Mrs. Poole, who shooed her forward. It was Mrs. Poole who had given her permission to come up here.
“Okay. I can do this,” she told herself.
She pushed open the heavy, ornately carved wooden door and squinted into the dim light. There was a man-sized lump covered in blankets on the bed. She checked behind her again. Mrs. Poole nodded her encouragement. What a fool idea this was, but Adam hadn’t been out of his room in over a week. Not since he’d fought the wolves—and a fight it was. Bella had no idea the law was so, so…personal. Watching Adam calmly state his evidence when she had become so flustered made her want to be better, stronger like him. More than that, it had lit something inside of her, something she didn’t know was waiting to be discovered—a desire to be a part of the law, to practice law and use her knowledge to help others. It took failing for her to see what she’d been missing all this time.
Adam’s plastic surgeon had checked on him yesterday, confirming that his exhaustion was from doing too much too soon after surgery. Anesthesia wasn’t something to mess with. But he’d also said that Adam needed sunshine, and today they had a surprise February visit from Mr. Sunshine.
“In for a penny …” Bella strode to the brocade curtains, grabbed them by the handful, and flung them open, allowing sunshine to drench the dreary room.
Adam groaned and rolled, pulling the pillow over his face.
“Come on, sleepyhead. There’s something you need to see.” Bella tugged the pillow.
