Page 115 of The Redemption of Remy St. Claire

Henrikson glanced over at the conferring pair and then turned back to her. “You’re bluffin’. You’re just some high-and-mighty bitch who thinks she can get off talking down to men.” He leered at her menacingly. “You just need a real man to show you your place.”

“And you’re that man, aren’t you?”

“You bet your uppity, pretty little ass I am. You and me, we could have some fun. I’ll show you how a woman deserves to be treated.” He gestured to Zach. “I bet pretty boy there never showed you a good time, did he?”

She leaned forward. “You mean like tying me up? You mean like slapping me around.” Despite her roiling stomach, she smiled. “I like it a little rough, you know.”

“Yeah, I figured that about you.” Henrikson leaned forward.

She fought her urge to gag.

“The tighter they’re wound—the rougher they like it. I could make you scream.”

She sensed Zach and Lance sitting down, but still she didn’t break away from her staredown with Henrikson.

“We’ve agreed to life with the possibility of parole.”

“Like hell we have.” Henrikson exploded in rage. “You’re just some dumbass lawyer. What the hell are you doing? You gotta do what I say, and I ain’t takin’ no life deal.”

“At least you’ll have the chance at parole.” Remy pointed this fact out as sweetly as possible. Of course, his first chance would be twenty-five years from now. If the courts labeled him a dangerous offender, he might never breathe free air again.

“Take the deal.” Lance’s defeat was obvious. “I don’t think we’ll find a jury in the world that won’t convict you.”

Later, Remy was absorbed in a mountain of paperwork when Zach appeared in her doorway.

He held up a Starbucks cup. “Eggnog latté?”

“You remembered.” She hadn’t had one in a year, but trust her boss to remember such a small detail.

“I think we should go out tonight and celebrate.”

She surveyed the paperwork that’d piled up while she’d been working the Henrikson file.

“It can wait.” His dark eyes were lit with amusement.

“Maybe, but I want to get through it so I can get home to my family.”

Her boss examined her. “You’re a changed woman.” He held up his hand before she could protest. “Change is good, but it’s taking me time to get used to. We’ve shared many a drink in celebration. I thought tonight it’d be nice.”

“If you come home with me, you can have whole-wheat pizza and chocolate milk.”

A quick and easy grin. “Okay, I get the picture. Leave the work, Remy. It’ll be here tomorrow when you get here.

“Gee, Zach, I figured I could get tomorrow off…”

“You’re already getting time off on Friday, don’t push it.” At her stricken expression, he cringed. “Sorry, that was thoughtless of me. I know you’re worried about the custody hearing. Inappropriate of me to joke about it.”

She stood on less-than-steady legs. “I know you didn’t mean anything by it. But you’re right on one count. I am worried. I’m sorry I’m a little off. I think the stress is getting to me.”

“Then go.”

As she was about to put some files in her briefcase, he tisked.

“I told you it can wait.”

“You did.” She pulled on her coat, and a wave of fatigue overtook her. She picked up her empty briefcase and took the proffered cup. “Thanks for this. I’ll drink it once I get home.”

“You did good today, kid.”

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