court tomorrow or Iâll make your life hell.â
âAs opposed to the delight youâre making it right now.â
She throws up her hands and moves to the doorway.
âSee you tomorrow, angel,â I call to her back.
A minute later, Harrison steps sedately into the room after seeing her to the front door.
âAngel?â he wonders.
âSure.â I raise my glass to my lips. âIt was an angel who brought the plagues down on Egypt.â
âAh, I see.â He nods. âBut something tells me the frogs and locusts were easier to handle.â
And I donât disagree.
6
T he next morning, I get to the office early to make up for being sidelined yesterday. I get lost in motions and appeals and before I know it, the building comes alive around meâmidmorning sunshine streaming through the windows, the sound of Mrs. Higgensâs footsteps, the smell of coffee in the air . . . the resounding thump that comes through the wall, rattling my desktop dart game in its box.
What the hell?
Before I reach my door, the thump comes again, this time accompanied by a muffled yellâshocked, pained, and distinctly male.
What the fuck?
I jump up and run into the hallway, and realize the sound came from behind Sofiaâs office door. Jake and Stanton come out of their offices at the same time, their concerned expressions matching mine. When another thump sounds, Stantonâs mouth presses into a hard line and his eyes look like two nukes about to detonate. He takes the lead as we burst through Sofiaâs office door.
Sofiaâs always had the Brazilian bombshell thing going on, but now sheâs sporting an extra curveâthe seven-month baby bump across her middle. Which makes the fact that sheâs holding a guy facedown across her desk, his arm pulled unnaturally far behind his back, even more disturbing. And . . . kind of awesome.
âAaaarrrgh, youâre gonna break my arm!â the guy moans.
âAre you all right?â Stanton asks her.
âDandy.â She actually smiles.
He steps up just as Sofia steps backâthen Stanton grabs the guy and pins him to the wall, his big hand wrapped around the guyâs throat.
âWhat the fuck did you do?â Stanton growls.
The guyâs eyes bulge âMe? She almost broke my goddamn arm!â
Stanton pulls him a few inches from the wall and slams him back against it. âWhatâd you do that made her almost break your arm?â
âI told him he was going to have to do jail time.â Sofia pushes her long, dark hair back, fanning her sweaty neck. âThat there wasnât a deal I could make that wouldnât include two to four years, minimum. He didnât appreciate that, and took a swing at me.â
âYou took a fucking swing at my wif e ?â Stantonâs fingers clench around the guyâs windpipe. âMy pregnant wife!â
Sofia becomes the voice of reason. âIâm okay, Stanton. Really. Please just get him out of here.â Then she gives the piece of shit a look that may kill him faster than Stantonâs grip. âIâm dropping your case and keeping your retainer. Whatever lawyer you end up with wonât be good enough to get you even two to four, so have fun with that, asshole. Get out.â
âLet me help you,â Jake says, low and dangerous. Then he takes the bastard off Stantonâs handsâliterallyâand drags him out the door.
Stantonâs hands run over Sofiaâs stomach, her shoulders. âYou sure youâre okay?â
âTotally fine. He didnât even touch me.â
Stanton nods and hugs her. But by the time Jake is back in the room, heâs all fired up again. âThis is it, Sophâyouâre done.â His hand cuts through the air, his stubborn jaw like a block of granite.
âDonât start that again,â Sofia shoots back.
You might want to grab some popcorn.
Landon Dixon, Giselle Renarde, Beverly Langland