“Jacob, I sense the tension between you and your lovely lawyer. Care to tell me what this is all about?” Sarah asks, ignoring Dora. She is not even trying to act like she cares.
“Please refer any comments or questions to me directly, Miss Willcock, not to my client. He is merely an observer at this time and I should caution you that it could be seen that you speaking to him thusly shows your behaviour as intimidating,” Dora says, folding her arms over her chest.
“I’m sorry, but me and Jacob … we go a long way back. I gave your client a chance to provide a comment before the paper went to print, but he told me to go to hell—”
“Actually I told you to go fuck yourself, but you didn’t listen,” I correct her, pinning her with my furious expression. I have no idea who this woman thinks she is, but she is not going to intimidate me. Her paper is going to be finished.
“Jacob,” Dora warns me. “Miss Willcock, may I advise you that whilst this is not an official deposition nor are you under oath, I may use what you say against you in court. You seem willing to risk your reputation and that of your paper, which could lead to your dismissal due to gross misconduct when the court rules in our favour. We are looking for a reasonable settlement, a retraction, and an apology,” Dora points out again, taking no prisoners, sounding like she wants to rip this woman apart. She is in the zone, playing a hard lawyer with nothing to lose. I don’t know why the hell I’m getting hot under the collar when she talks like that.
“Is that a threat, Miss Harrison? Because, let me tell you, I don’t respond well to threats.”
“ A threat? You seem to misunderstand. It’s a promise, Miss Willcock. I have laid out the terms under which we are willing to settle, and unless you wish to move this into the public domain of the courtroom where all future employers will be privy to your nefarious actions, you will discuss this with your employer and find a swift resolution. You have damaged my client’s reputation and his career. In addition to the damage you have caused to personal relationships, the relationship with his mother has been ruined. They are no longer on the speaking terms. The emotional trauma left by the ostracising of my client within his social circle could be worth a few million at least.”
“Is she serious, Jacob? Is that what this is all about? The Mummy issues?” Sarah mocks me.
Dora cuts her off again. “Miss Willcock, may I remind you not to address my client. You may interpret my words as you see fit, but I believe in transparency, so here it is: my practice can easily ruin your paper. This is simply a mediation meeting to lay out our expectations of you and your paper.”
“Dora, may I call you that? My story was accurate. I had a reliable source. Your client had dealt with drugs and he had been seen going into the brothel. I only showed the public what kind of person he was,” she continues, smearing my name with fucking mud. I clench my fists ready to rip her head off, but Dora touches me gently on the forearm, steadying me. Her skin is so warm, and when I look at her, she shoots me that stoic glare to say that she has this under control.
“You still insist on accusing my client, Miss Willcock? I shall allow it whilst there is no one else present. Let me relay to you a onetime deal that my client insists upon my delivering to you today: print the retraction and a public apology. If the deal is agreed upon by close of business today, then he won’t be suing your paper for any damages. Do I make myself clear, Miss Willcock? You have until five thirty this evening to get an agreement to me to the terms aforementioned, and that will be the end of this. If you fail to do so, I will know how to act,” Dora states, using that assertive, stern tone of voice. My dick twitches in my pants; she is such a distraction. I should be feeling guilty over the fact that I’m trying to break her up with her fiancé, but for some reason, I don’t.
“Jacob, I think you need to hire a better lawyer. I’m sticking to what I already told you. There won’t be any other articles, unless you agree for a full interview. My sources were accurate. You took illegal drug—”
“Enough, Miss Wilcock. From now on you will be speaking to me and only me; otherwise, on behalf of my client, I will file harassment and intimidation charges. I also see that you have your priorities sorted out, Miss Willcock, and when we go to court, I need to remind you that you will be asked to reveal your sources. At that time we will be asking the court to award us several million pounds, and then you definitely will be out of work,” Dora states, raising her voice and closing her diary. I can’t get up yet—she has given me a proper hard-on. “Jacob, we are leaving, unless Miss Willcock has something else to say.”
Sarah lets out a really fake laugh and then gets interested in her nails, completely ignoring Dora. I really want to fuck her up. I had been smoking weed just to calm myself down when that shit hit the papers, but she blew this whole thing out of proportion.
“I see we have left you with much to think about. We shall be in touch,” Dora adds as she walks from the room without a backwards glance.
“See you in court, bitch!” I add, before we’re out the door, not even turning around. I’m fucking shaking with fury. A couple of other reporters are staring at us by the lift. My head is all over the place, but I need to calm down. That bitch can’t keep getting away with writing crap about people. Someone needs to teach her a lesson. We both get inside the lift and once the door closes, I exhale sharply, releasing some air. Dora does something to me. I instantly want her, not even thinking about the revenge or consequences.
“I told you not to—”
I don’t let her finish. I push her against the large mirrored wall and bury my face in her neck, inhaling that scent that still makes me crazy about her.
“Jacob, what … what are you doing?” she says, stuttering. I push her legs apart with mine and situate myself between them, so she is aware of how she affects me. All I can think about is taking her back to my apartment and making sweet love to her.
I kiss her neck gently and she lets out the most erotic sound I ever heard. My hands start to wander over the curves of her body.
I press my hips further against her and look at her, grinning like it’s Christmas morning.
“You were amazing up there. You made me realise that you always had it in you, Dora,” I say and then kiss her without any warning or preparation. I capture her lips and feel her warmth. She tries to resist at first, but only a little, before she lets me devour her mouth completely. My dick is so hard that it’s painfully pressed to the teeth of my zipper. Only Dora can strip me of all my self-control. She may have been the one to break my heart, but she is the one who can set it on fire too. I intensify the kiss, and she lets me in completely, melting in my arms, forgetting about that other guy.
Dora is tempting me to take her here and now. That would end badly for both of us, but she is not saying no to me.
When I move my lips down to her cleavage, capturing her sensitive nipples with my deft fingers, she moans loudly. For a split second I forget where I am until the lift dings and a moment later it stops on the bottom floor and the door opens up.
I move away from her as quickly as I can, but two guys dressed in suits are staring at us with slightly amused expressions on their faces. Dora is breathing hard, glancing anywhere in the lift but at me, desperately trying to smooth her hair into place.
I grab her hand and we both leave the lift and head towards the exit. I no longer care that everyone can see my boner. People can write whatever they want. It looks like this is going to be an interesting journey home.
Dora
That kiss, holy hell. I forgot myself for a moment there, lost in the haze of unbelievable sensations. What the hell was I thinking letting him kiss me like that, making me feel alive again?
“You can’t do that again. We aren’t together and it was totally unprofessional,” I say shakily, taking a deep breath when he opens the door to his car. I’m so aroused and he is everything that I remembered and more. My life was perfectly normal until he came around.
His eyes are
hooded, warm, and I want to tell him the truth, explain to him that I was a coward in the past.
“Why not? Because I’m your client or because you’re engaged to some boring hedge fund manager?” he asks, not taking his eyes from my lips. I need to get this whole thing under control. Jacob can’t be the love that I’ve been looking for all my life. He is the past and that should matter.
“Both actually,” I tell him, pretty much aware how hard my heart is thumping in my chest. “Let’s get back to the office. I’ll talk to my father about handing this case to someone else.”
“No, Dora, I don’t want anyone else. You know me. You could see that this woman has some kind of personal vendetta against me,” he says, then closes the door to the car and walks up to me. My head hurts and I need something sharp. It’s the only way I can forget what kind of scum I am.
“This isn’t a reconciliation of any kind. Our personal history is ugly. I hurt you terribly and I can’t believe that you would want me after that. I’m a horrible, terrible person. Nothing has changed in that respect, are we clear?”
Jacob eyes darken, as the coldness settles in his expression. He remembers, he knows exactly what happened between us five years ago.
“Yeah, we’re clear. Why, though? Why did you do it? We were perfectly happy and I thought everything was great between us. You were the love of my life. I bet that you’re not that happy with Rob, you can’t be,” he challenges me.
“I don’t want to talk about it, and yes, I’m happy with Rob. He is great. History won’t repeat itself. I won’t cheat on him with you if this is what you’re after. You can’t create your own karma and make me destroy my relationship, ” I warn him, even knowing that my soul cries out to be loved again. How many years have I been lying to myself and others, pretending that sleeping around made me happy? Even my useless, inattentive father has been asking me how long it will be before I finally settle down.
“Good, but what happened in the lift wasn’t a one-sided attack. You wanted me too. Your body told me. Your perfect nipples were stiff beneath my hands and you moaned that little moan from the back of your throat. God, I bet you’re wet for me right now. I know you, Dora, better than you know yourself. Never forget that,” he adds, stroking my cheek softly whilst giving me that smile that always breaks my resolve.
I close my eyes, shutting away the heat and pretending that his words don’t affect me. It takes a hell of a lot of will power to push him away and get into the passenger seat. He is right—the pulsing heat between my thighs is only making me more agitated and chipping away at my self-control. Maybe I should start seeing a shrink to deal with my problems.
A moment later Jacob slides in beside me and I am surrounded by his delicious scent.
“I don’t want you, Jacob. The past is in the past. I never even loved you,” I lie again, feeling like the worst person on this planet.
Chapter Eight
Meltdown.
Dora
“Don’t lie to me, Dora. I know you loved me. We were good together. There was something special between us,” he states, and drives off, moving through the street faster than he should.
Jacob had always been that one person that could see through me. I’m so pathetic. For once I have this chance to fix everything and instead I keep lying to myself, to him. I open my mouth to tell him that he is wrong, but then I change my mind as he continues to speed through the streets of London.
Finally when he stops the car outside the office, I can breathe again.
“I’ll call you if I have any updates. Goodbye, Jacob,” I say and get out of the car as soon as I can. He doesn’t stop me and I’m glad that he doesn’t insist on dwelling on the subject. Maybe he understands that we have nothing else to talk about. That hot kiss in the lift was part of my wild imagination.
I drag my legs up to the tenth floor, filled with guilt and heartache. Jacob’s case seems like a challenge, but I can win this, show the judge that, based on the evidence, Sarah Willcock ruined his reputation by writing lies about him. Dad doesn’t believe that I have the skills or abilities to be a good lawyer, but I can show him that he is wrong by winning this case. This whole suit will bring a lot of money to the practise. Maybe then Dad will finally start to acknowledge me.
Yesterday after that disastrous night with Jacob, I hired a new secretary. She most definitely will make my life easier. There are so many other cases that I’m involved in that it’s a constant juggling act, so I need to start taking my job more seriously. The girl isn’t Lindsey, but she will learn fast, grasp the important tasks.
I have a heap of messages when I get to the office—one saying Dad wants to see me urgently. I sigh, flopping at the desk, when Mike appears at the door, looking serious.
“We need to talk, like right now,” Mike states, closing the door once I drop into the chair. I roll my eyes, wondering if Sarah Willcock will change her tune soon. She must know that her paper won’t risk dragging this case all the way to court.
“Mike, I really haven’t got time for this right now. I have so much work to do. Jacob is my client, that’s all. There is nothing going on between us,” I tell him, checking through my emails.
“Darling, look at me. I have something important to tell you, so stop fobbing me off,” he says. I lift my eyes, sighing, and then sit back. Mike looks serious, and he never looks serious.
“I don’t like that look on your face. What’s happened?”
“Jacob’s old teammate Patrick Sweeney leaked information about him to get him thrown off the team. That’s why that bitch Sarah Willcock wrote an article about him. He added the stuff about hookers and the brothel to make sure that this would ruin your Jacob,” Mike says, with that strange gleam in his eye.
My jaw drops and that shaky feeling in my spine just goes through me.
“What are you talking about? This can’t be the truth.”
“Oh my god, you just insulted me.”
“Mike, be serious. There is no way something like that would even happen. Jacob is so likeable,” I say, wondering what the hell he’s talking about. Sarah Willcock must have had more than this.
“Oh, Dora, you really have no idea what is going on around you. When you told me about this case last night I knew that this whole thing sounded dodgy, so I went out and did a bit of my own digging. It turns out that Jack, a guy I used to hang out with, is Patrick’s cousin. I bought him a few drinks and, before he knew what was going on, he started telling me all about his cousin. I had a clear picture of your beloved before the night was over. I don’t know, darling. Patrick held some kind of grudge against Jacob, and he wanted him off the team. This whole set-up worked. When the article came out, Jacob was thrown out, and his mother cursed him out. He went back to London. That is the whole story.”
My head feels like it’s still in a bubble from the morning. Mike knows a lot of people in London. He used to work as a PR rep for one of sports celebrities, so I shouldn’t really be surprised.
“An hour ago we were in Sarah Willcock’s office threatening her with the lawsuit. She didn’t budge, and I presume that she is ready to go all the way.”
“I have done all this for you, darling, so you can kick that bitch’s arse and get your boy back.” He chuckles, playing with my stationary.
“Thank you, Mike, but you should know we are not going to get back together. I’ll win the case, and he will go back to his life–“
“Why, because you told him all the lies that you’re in love?”
“It’s easier this way. I was the one that cheated on him, not the other way around. He’s only using me right now because he wants to shag me again,” I say sadly, feeling even more pathetic now. This whole thing doesn’t make any sense. I’m lying to him, like I have been for the last five years.
“Dora, sorry to interrupt, but your father wants to see you now,” says Angela, popping into my office. Mike has that smirk on his face, the one that says that he is up to something. Maybe I should tell him th
e whole truth, everything from start to finish. I’ve been hiding my true self from everyone.
“Go, go, you can thank me later. Just tell your boy toy to introduce me to a hot guy from his team, preferably gay,” Mike calls after me. My father’s office is at the back of the building. He seems busy there. I knock lightly, feeling my nerves churning in my stomach. He will most probably treat me like an idiot again, not like the daughter that he hasn’t spoken to properly for years.
“Dora, there you are. Close the door. I need to talk to you about the Radcliffe case,” he says, giving me his usual clipped tone of voice. Cold and detached as always, like he wants nothing to do with me. I obey him and then sit down on the chair, knowing that I will have the urge to self-harm shortly because I’m not enough. I’m never good enough for him. He treats his staff better.
“What do you want to talk about?” I ask. He clears his throat and smiles. This is odd because he never smiles.
“I’m stunned that you took on the case of your ex-boyfriend. According to your new assistant you were with him this morning, confronting this journalist,” he states, sounding like he is proud of me. God, do I need to start panicking already? Something must be wrong for him to be so pleasant.
“Yes, we dated when I was at Braxton. I was ready to hand the file out to someone else, but Jacob can be persistent,” I explain, shifting on the chair.
“Good, I’m glad. This is a great advert for our practice, and if this verdict swings our way, he will open the door for other professional athletes to choose our firm. Well done, Dora. I know that I can be hard on you sometimes, but I’m glad that you put aside your differences and are acting so professional.”