“Well now that we are all present, let’s begin.” Lindsey knew Mark’s words were aimed at her tardiness, and she felt her cheeks turn red with an anger that she managed just barely to tuck beneath her surface. She was late. No question about it. It had taken her a few minutes to pull herself together after his abrupt exit from her office.
Speaking to the group, Mark continued, “For those of you who don’t know, I’ve taken control of Paxton.”
There was whispering around the table. Several people made remarks about being happy to see him back. Mark went on to explain the state of financial distress the firm was experiencing. Going into detail about caseload and expectations, he ignored the mumbling around the table.
Then he put everything on the line. “We are going to have to make big changes around here. If you don’t like these changes, you are welcome to leave Paxton. Your shares will be purchased at a fair price.”
Mark picked up a stack of papers and asked Lindsey to start passing them around the table. “The requirements for each partner’s performance are detailed in this literature. If you can’t meet your billing requirements, you simply won’t be here. We’re not a nonprofit and we do not do charity work,” he paused for a beat, “contrary to what our current caseload indicates.”
Heads dropped in concentration as each partner read the material. Mark let his eyes trail around the table and then stopped on Lindsey. “Questions thus far?” he asked the room without looking away from her.
Lindsey met his gaze squarely, her eyes full of respect. It wasn’t difficult to see why Paxton needed him. His tactics were hardcore, but she admired his ability to control the room and the firm. There was an inner strength, a power to Mark that drew her like a magnet. Sitting in the midst of a room of her peers, Lindsey understood why he rose to the top. Others found him as compelling as she did. His enemies found him dangerous, a true threat. His clients found him competent, a true defender. His lovers found him caring, as she did. The thought made her pulse quicken as vivid images of their bodies naked and wrapped together swirled through her mind.
Mark’s eyes narrowed as he watched her, as if he sensed her mind was on their relationship and not the business of the meeting. For a moment, they sat absorbed with one another. It was Mark who broke the eye contact as he looked around the room.
“No questions?” he asked again.
Todd Walker, a gruff-looking man Lindsey guessed to be in his fifties, spoke up at that point. “What does Lindsey have to do with this?”
Mark answered. “Lindsey will take over in six months. I won’t be staying. Next question.”
The man sneered. “What? You are going to leave us with some young broad who appears more into style than law?”
Lindsey opened her mouth to offer a tongue-lashing, her eyes throwing daggers at the man, but Mark was already responding. “I assure you, Ms. Paxton’s exterior assets only work as an added plus in the courtroom. She is not only a fine attorney, she’s a member of the FBI. Cross her and you might find yourself learning more about her skills than you’d hoped.”
The room filled with laughter. Lindsey sat dumbstruck by Mark’s sharp response on her behalf. Clearly considering the subject closed, Mark began reviewing case files. It was several hours later when he adjourned the meeting. Lindsey was one of the first to leave as several partners stopped to speak to Mark. She walked through the lobby, ready to get some alone time, deep in thought.
“There you are Lindsey.” She looked up to find Greg. “I was afraid you might have backed out of our date.”
Lindsey stood face to face with Greg, wondering how she’d forgotten something she so dreaded. “No,” she said in a strained voice. “I just need to get my stuff. I’ll be right back.”
Lindsey walked with a quick, long stride, nervous as hell that Greg and Mark would cross paths. And her worst fears were confirmed as she found her way back to the lobby. Mark and Greg were talking. She tensed the minute she saw them, Mark’s stiff demeanor telling her all she needed to know. He’d condemned her without knowing the whole story. Rigid coldness etched his features, and he refused to make eye contact with her. She wished she could explain, but somehow she doubted he would listen. The cobra had not stayed in the conference room. He was alive and well in the lobby.
Greg smiled as she joined them. “There you are, Lindsey,” he said. “I was just asking Mark what your father did to convince him to come back.”
Lindsey’s eyes darted to Mark’s face, but he still didn’t look at her. “What did he say to that?” Lindsey asked tentatively.
“Actually, I don’t believe he answered me.” Greg said.
Mark stared at Greg a moment and then turned his gaze on Lindsey. She hated the coldness in those dark eyes of his. She longed to see them tender and aroused like the night before. And when he spoke, his voice was downright frigid. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. I’ll let you two be on your way.” He turned on his heels and disappeared without another word. Lindsey felt her stomach churn with downright nausea. It took Herculean strength to fight the urge to run after Mark and explain. Yet she also knew she shouldn’t have to explain. Should she? She had no commitments to Mark Reeves, and he had no commitments to her. Yet she couldn’t shake her need to explain things to him.
“Well, let’s go, Lindsey.” Greg smiled with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. As if he knew what he had just done.
Only a few minutes later, Greg and Lindsey settled into the coffee shop chairs. Lindsey felt a ping of displeasure as Greg ordered her a drink, no request for her preference. Steve had done the same thing, and it felt like a friendly, courteous gesture. From Greg, it felt like he was assuming. Try as she might, when he set it in front of her, she couldn’t bring herself to drink it.
“So Lindsey, how have you been?”
She couldn’t manage to hold back a biting response. “Well, my father has cancer, I am handling a murder trial similar to the Hudson case, and I’ve given up my career at the FBI. How do I sound?”
He leaned back as if slapped, but his eyes looked more amused than anything. “Touché.” She could feel his eyes on her even as she averted her eyes to the table.
“Perhaps,” she said, but she wasn’t about to apologize.
“You look beautiful,” he said. She lifted her gaze, but she didn’t speak. There was an uncomfortable silence between them. He leaned back in his chair, one arm dangling behind him. “I thought Mark left your father’s firm for good. I even heard it was a nasty departure.”
“I asked him to return.”
Greg raised a brow. “Why?”
“I was, and still am, not prepared to take over the firm.”
“Why didn’t you come to me, Lindsey?” There was irritation, even a bit of heat, in his voice.
“Greg, please don’t make things more difficult than they have to be.” It took all of her willpower to make the words sound civil.
“I would have helped you.”
Lindsey knew his form of help, and it was all about power and control. She wanted no part of it. She leaned forward, using every bit of mental fortitude she owned to hold back full-blown anger. “I didn’t need help. I needed experience at Paxton, which Mark has. In case you didn’t notice, I am quite capable of taking care of myself.” Though he’d tried damn hard in the past to make her feel she couldn’t.
“Lindsey . . .” he started to speak, but Lindsey held her hand up to stop his speech. “Greg, stop. Let’s change the subject.”
He was silent a long moment, shifting in his chair. “I tried to call you in Washington. You never returned my calls.”
“I know.”
He looked pointedly at her left hand, which cupped her coffee. “I take it you’re not married.”
“No, not married.”
“Me either. I’m still waiting on you, Lindsey.” His voice was a seductive purr.