“Come on, pretty boy. Let’s see your best attack.” Light on my feet, I’m bouncing side to side mirroring him. “You’ve got nothing.” I’m full of mouth today, not afraid to gear him up.
“Oh, you think you’ve got a chance against the master, little man? Watch and learn, buddy, this is how it’s done.” He spins to the left to roll around me, but I jump at the same time, anticipating his move, and the ball is vulnerable in his hand about to shoot. I tap it at the right time and it’s loose behind him. My feet hit the ground and I’m off with the perfect bounce into my hand. My legs pumping me down the court as he recovers, turning to chase me.
“Shit,” I hear Grayson yell as he realizes that the ball is loose.
“Yeah, Lex!” Mason yells as I start my lay-up and dunk the ball in the hoop. I might be smaller than them, but I’m still a tall man.
Tate reaches me as my feet land on the ground.
“Correction, brother, that there, is how it’s done,” I tease. I jog backwards up the court as he retrieves the ball, and Mason passes me for a high five as we prepare for the next attack.
“Fuck, you are an angry little man today, aren’t you? No being nice now. Shit just got real.” Tate and Gray have a little word and they are on the attack.
In the fifteen minutes since I’ve been here, I can already feel my body starting to unwind and my tension about to be laid out on the basketball court for the next thirty minutes.
I love these guys.
Man, it’s so hot that the sweat is dripping off all of us as we wind down from the game. I pour water over my head to cool down, knowing I’m going to need a cold shower at the office before I can get this sweaty body back into a suit for the afternoon. I feel like that’s all I ever get to wear. Stuffy suits and ties. I hate them so much. It’s all I can remember from an early age of being suited up by my mother and paraded around at her social functions as the next future Chief Judge of the district court of the Northern District of Illinois. From the age of four all I can remember is her telling me I was going to become a lawyer, then judge, then on to politics. My father is a lawyer but has never progressed any further than that, so I’m not sure what makes her think I want to.
“Want to tell us what’s up your ass today, Lex?” Grayson’s voice snaps me out of my thoughts.
I can’t even tell them because I’m not entirely sure what has me off rhythm. Of course, there is the normal stress which I’m happy to share, but I know deep down there is more to it and it’s just frustrating the shit out of me trying to work it out. I’m a man of facts and solutions. I hate the unknown. My life has always been black and white, with nothing in the middle.
“Just a shit morning in court. This case is tough, man. How can you drive a car drunk and high on drugs? Kill two people and show no remorse and then blame the deceased, saying he should have swerved to miss the truck. For fuck’s sake, I just want to grab the jerk and beat the shit out him.”
“Wow, that’s not the right attitude, Counselor.” Tate smirks at me.
“What a dick. Surely the blood tests will prove that. Isn’t that just a fact that should make the case cut and dry?” Mason asks, before chugging more water down.
“Except the idiots who handled the first blood samples messed it up, and by the time the second samples were taken, then of course there were only traces in his system. He and his team know that I will struggle to prove how bad he was. Jacinta will make sure he uses it to her advantage. I just wish I knew what she has up her sleeve.” Running my hand through my wet hair, I can’t stop myself from thinking about her again. I feel the muscles in my shoulders tense up.
“What is it about that woman that you find appealing? She’s a dragon, in my opinion,” Tate blurts out without any care.
“Tate!” I growl at him. No matter my feelings towards her, he doesn’t get to say that.
“What? It’s true. You just can’t see it. Fuck if I know why, maybe you’re blinded by the witch spell she casts over you,” he continues, totally oblivious to the death stare I’m giving him. Time for me to leave before I say something I don’t really mean.
“I’m out. Need to get back to the office, sort out shit for court tomorrow.” Standing, my legs feel a little stiff after a tough game.
“Thanks for letting me whip your ass today, Tate. I must say it felt great. Look forward to next week, I’ll make sure my whip is warmed up and ready.” Mason and Gray both spray water out of their mouth and are laughing and coughing at the same time.
“Fuck off, Lex. You got lucky. Won’t happen again,” Tate grumbles. If there’s one thing Tate hates, it’s being beaten. Competitive is his middle name.
“Blah, blah, all I hear is white noise,” I yell over my shoulder as I walk to my car.
Anyone hearing us would think we hate each other. It’s totally the opposite, I couldn’t live without these guys. It’s just how Tate and I are. I’m black and white and he is all shades of gray in the middle. Pushing the boundary of every shade there is, which of course drives me crazy.
The afternoon dragged out as Greta and I pawed over all the case notes. Analyzing what had come out in court today and trying to be prepared for what tomorrow might bring. By the time I leave the office for the day, I know we need to find a golden ticket. Something to nail this bastard. I just don’t what that is yet. I need the check mate move.
Finally, I’m home and sitting on my balcony sipping a smooth scotch.
Just breathing.
Taking in the stillness of the night. I can hear the noise of the city, but it’s a relaxing noise. I feel calm because the chaos is out there. Where all the lights glisten, the horns sound, and the music blares. The voices are a mixture of laughing, talking, and the occasional scream. Yet it’s still peaceful because it’s not here.
My personal bubble is quiet and calm.
Everything is in its place and just the quiet music playing in the background. The smell of my dinner in the oven keeping warm, which Ari my housekeeper left for me. One of the privileges of being a trust-fund baby. More money than I can ever spend and a lifestyle that I have never known any different. A life of someone always taking care of me, life has been easy. Whatever I want is at my fingertips, and if it’s not, then it can be within a blink of the eye.
It wasn’t until I met the guys in high school that I saw what other families were like. They all had money but nothing like the old-money wealth of my parents. One that just accumulates and grows as it is handed down through the generations. No one person will ever be able to spend that amount of wealth in a lifetime.
My phone buzzes on the table from a message. I want to ignore it, but it then starts ringing.
Seeing her name light up, I’m torn. I don’t have the energy for her mouth tonight, but I could certainly do with the endorphin release.
Before I make a decision, it stops ringing. But another message is already buzzing through.
Jacinta: I know you’re home. Tell your henchman on the door to let me up.
Living in the penthouse, I have an exclusive elevator, and the doorman knows who is allowed up without permission and that is only a very select group. Which does not include the impatient woman standing in the foyer. I’m sure she will be tapping her foot and have a stare that could strip the paint off the walls.