She held up her hand before I could speak. “He’s in rehab, supposedly to get his life back on track. I hope he does. I hope he moves on. I want to move on. What he has done or not done to his partners is between him and them. I don’t care—I just want this done. I think we’ve punished each other enough.”
“How do you think you punished him, Fee?”
She shrugged. “I think maybe I failed him by not being as strong as I should have been. As strong as the person I thought I was years ago. I let him push me around. I allowed him to belittle me and make me into the weak woman I became. He failed me…well, in many ways. But it’s in the past. I don’t want to be filled with bitterness and resentment anymore.” She huffed out a long breath. “It’s all in the past, Halton, and I want it to stay there. Accept the offer please and get me my divorce. Let me move forward with my life—whatever direction that is.”
I disagreed vehemently with her assessment. I opened my mouth, but she shook her head.
“I know you want to go after him and the business. Dig around and find out if he’s hiding money. But it’s my decision. I need closure, and you are the person who can get it for me.”
I had no choice. She was the client, and the decision was hers. I could advise, suggest, and offer my opinion, but the final word was hers.
“I’ll get in touch tomorrow. He’s paying all the legal bills, and I’m adding in a no-contact clause. I don’t want him near you. He breaks that, we go after him.”
“Thank you.” She hesitated. “If Scott is in rehab, can you call off the security?”
I knew she hated the extra security. “Already done.”
She stood. “Okay.”
I watched her go back to her desk and sit. She lowered her head, picking up a pen and going back to work. I thought of the ways I wanted to nail Scott. Reid had sent me information, along with the drive, showing without a doubt Scott was skimming extra money from his firm. He was screwing everyone in his life without regard for anyone but himself. At some point, it was all going to catch up with him.
I rubbed the back of my neck. I would make sure she got her money and was settled. If by chance, one of his partners received a package containing information about a different set of books, it wouldn’t be any skin off my nose. Scott in a dispute with his own firm would be entertaining to witness from afar.
I stored the idea away. Fee would hate me for it, and I’d have to be careful not to let it lead back to me.
The next day, I sent Fee to grab some lunch. With Scott in rehab, I figured she was safe going across the street, but I stood, watching her as she disappeared into the building. I told Rene my idea, and he stared at me, his mouth agape.
“No, Halton. Leave it be.”
“He deserves to lose everything.”
“I agree. But you need to step back. Stop looking at this from a personal point of view.”
“I beg your pardon?”
He crossed his good arm over his chest. “When Wanda Dutton hired you for her divorce, you found out some terrible information on her husband that could destroy him but had nothing to do with her situation. You did exactly what you were supposed to do. You got her the divorce she wanted and walked away. This is the same situation. You are reacting from emotion, not logic. Leave it be.”
I shook my head. “He made it personal, coming after Fee.”
“Tammy Water’s husband came after her. You made sure he went to jail for it. You didn’t set out to personally destroy him. Step back, Halton. Don’t risk your career over someone who isn’t worth it.” He narrowed his eyes. “You aren’t thinking clearly.”
I opened my mouth to argue with him, then snapped it shut.
He was right.
“Fuck,” I swore. His words struck home.
“Give me that memory drive.”
“Why?”
“To stop temptation. Do your job, Halton. Get Fee her freedom, and let the rest of it go.”
I slapped the drive into his hand with more force than was necessary. “I might need it.”
Rene slid it into his pocket. “It will be in a safe place. You tell me what it is needed for, and I will give it to you.”
He paused at the door, looking back at me. “I never thought I would see this day, Halton.”
“What day?” I snapped, flinging myself into my chair.
He laughed, his head falling back in amusement.
“That’s the best part—you have no clue.”
“Stop talking in riddles, old man. Spit it out.”
“Nope. I am enjoying this way too much.”
“Get out of my office.”
His laughter haunted me the rest of the day.
Fee was quiet all evening—contemplative. Her phone had rung a couple of times, then fell silent.
“Anything wrong?” I asked.
She shook her head with a grin. “No. Joanne is in town at a show, and she had an extra ticket. She wanted me to join her.”
“You should go,” I encouraged her, thinking it would help distract her. “I can drop you off. Is it a play?”
Her mouth curled into a grin. “Um, not exactly.”
“A concert?”
“Some might call it that. More of a revue.”
I scratched my head. “A revue?”
She laughed quietly. “Think the Men of Chippendales.”
I widened my eyes in shock. “Oh, ah, I see.”
“I said no.” She picked up her tablet. “I’m not interested.”
I glanced back at my document, the words no longer holding my interest. I looked back up, curious.
“Why not? I thought women liked those shows.”
She lifted one shoulder. “Some women.”
I frowned. “Not you?”
She peeked up, grinning impishly. “Why would I want to go ogle some strange man’s abs when I have perfection in front of me?”
I sat up a little straighter. “Perfection?”
She snorted, the sound making me chuckle. “Give it up, counselor. You know you have a rocking hot body.”
I shot her a leer. “A guy likes to hear it sometimes.”
“You do. If you were performing, I’d go see you. Instead I’ll sit here and imagine it.”
“How would I perform?” I asked, my interest piqued.
She huffed out a breath. “Bare-chested, maybe a tie, and your briefcase. That hat I saw in your closet. Black boxers.”
I raised one eyebrow. “No pants?”
“Not for long.”
I chuckled. “Okay, then.”
“You would strut around flexing your muscles and doing that thrust-y thing.”
I was enjoying this. “Thrust-y thing?”
“You know.” She bent two fingers and waved them up and down. “With your hips.”
“Right.”
“You’d be a hit.”
“I’ll keep it in mind in case the attorney thing doesn’t work out.”
She giggled, once again looking down at her tablet. “Good plan.”
Fiona
My book wasn’t holding my attention, but Halton was still working on one of his files. He had gotten up a few moments ago to get a book from his office. I stretched my arms over my head, wondering how much longer he would be. I was hoping not long so I could tempt him into going to bed early. The talk about him stripping had cemented in my head, and now all I could think about was him naked and thrusting into me.