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“You say that but I feel the hesitation in you. I know you are trying to get a grip on your need to protect me and after tonight, it’s got to be rekindled. But after tonight, I need to say something to you.” She sets her food aside. “That wall you say I have?”
“You admit you have a wall?”
“Not consciously, but I was thinking about that on the ride over here and in the tub. I do have ways of protecting myself.”
“Like my mental box, I shoved the past in.”
“Yes. Pushing you away at first was part of that. That kept you from being able to hurt me like my father hurt me and my mother. I pushed everyone away but Cat, and she’s the reason I found you.” She waves that off. “The point is that if I stay away from the courtroom for much longer, I fear that Roger cripples me. I need to get back on the proverbial bicycle. When I said I need to do more, I meant I need to do more and I think you do too. We need to just do it. Take a case. Get past this. Stop letting it control us. We need to do that now.”
She’s opened that shut door. She’s really talked to me about her fears. She’s allowed herself to be completely vulnerable and what’s more, she’s right and so I say that. I pull her to me. “Yes. We both need this. It’s time to take another case and win.”
Chapter seventy-seven
Cole
Iwake with Lori in my arms and mentally issue a vow to keep her here and safe, but I also warn myself that holding on too tightly will destroy her and us. I don’t just love this woman. I admire her strength and what I saw in her last night was not fear of Roger, but fear of losing herself to fear itself. And so, I set aside everything but waking up with this woman, sharing a life, and of course, her picking out my light blue silk tie for the day to match the pinstripe in my gray suit. I pick a red dress for her, because a) her ass is perfect in it and b) I don’t plan to suffocate her and hide her. The dress is bold like I hope she will feel again, soon. She knows this instantly, I am certain, as the choice earns me a kiss and a smile.
I head downstairs before Lori to receive a call from Royce. “Roger tried to kill himself with a sheet last night. He’s being sent back to the hospital.”
My jaw hardens. “In other words, I’m a shitty person for feeling relief right now.”
“You’re human. He was unstable and he now can’t get to your wife. More later.” He disconnects and Lori joins me.
“That was about Roger, wasn’t it?” she asks stepping in front of me.
My hands come down on her shoulders. “He tried to commit suicide, but he’s alive and being moved to the hospital again.”
She inhales a breath and lets it out. “Let’s go to work and find that case to take.”
“Yes, let’s.”
We arrive at the office early and Lori is quick to make coffee and huddle up with Ashley. Reese is quick to check on Lori and I update him on what I know thus far. After which, Lori takes residence in my office at the conference table with a stack of files, determined to find our case while I deal with two junior attorneys and a case gone wrong. In other words, I’m going to court this afternoon, and that means Reid will have to wait until I get back.
When the junior associates leave my office, my phone buzzes. “Alexander Montgomery on the line,” Ashley says. “Are you finally going to tell me what this business proposal is?”
“Why do you ask so many questions?” I ask, not ready to mention the word “partner” to her when that change may not even happen. And change makes people uneasy, even if it’s a good change. She doesn’t need more uneasiness right now.
“It makes me good at my job. I know all. I see all.”
“Put him through,” I say, motioning for Lori to shut the door.
“Cole Brooks,” he says. “You’ve been busy, winning cases and moving. I had no fucking clue you’d left Houston.”
“Bullshit, Alex. You were glad I left and gave you a chance to get the good cases.”
“And yet, you’re calling me now,” he says. “I must be good for something.”
“I want you to come here and talk about a business proposition,” I say.
“Give me more than that. I have a trial starting in a week.”
I fill him in. “I’m possibly intrigued,” he says when I’m done. “Honestly, man, until I get through this case—”
“There will always be another case. Fly in. Meet Reese. Talk to us. This weekend. Hell, we’ll prep for your case over dinner.”
His pen taps on his desk in a steady five beats before he says, “Let me see what I can work out. I’ll call you late tonight.”
We disconnect and Lori gives me a hopeful look. “That sounded promising.”
