Page 23 of The Plan

“I am so not listening. I will never find myself on a man’s conference table, Ronnie. I just won’t. Have some dignity, girl.”

“Never say never. Remember that.”

Now, she had a job to do. Starting with fixing the mess the man had made of her filing system. She could see where Giavonna had tried to keep up with it, but she only had part-time hours to help her big brother. George, that man was a full-time job in every single way. The rest—including her inconvenient attraction to said lawyer and the tiny alien they'd created—would have to wait.

Not to mention, she had to find a way to convince her brothers not to turn him into fish bait the first chance they had. What was he thinking? Murdoch and Cam could have both arrested him for this morning. George had just peeled out too fast for them to catch him.

It was only a matter of time before those three showed up again and finished what Anthony had threatened to start with George. And Anthony was the nice one of her brothers.

This was not going to be good at all.

17

Holland adjustedhis robe and sat down, feeling the familiar scratch of polyester against his shoulders. The courthouse smelled like stale coffee and old paper, same as it always did, but today it made his stomach turn. He didn't look up right away. He didn’t have to. He could feel Hiller’s eyes on him now. That man could see through to someone’s soul.

Holland didn’t squirm. Not yet.

But damn it, he always hated it when Hiller was in his courtroom. Especially since the Tolben case. When Holland had screwed up—now Hiller watched every move he made and second-guessed every word Holland said. Judge or not, Hiller didn’t give a damn.

He cleared his throat and shuffled the papers on the bench, avoiding the bold header glaring up at him. His fingers itched to crumple it up and toss it in the wastebasket. Instead, he smoothed it out and lifted his eyes.

Hiller sat there, cool and like he was the man in charge instead of Holland. The man always looked like that. Hiller was going important places someday. It shocked the hell out of Holland that Hiller hadn’t been snapped up by the biggest,best firm out of Barrattville. Barratt, Barratt, & Barratt had a reputation for only wanting the best. For head-hunting. Holland had heard B-3 was looking for junior partners now, as well. Expanding.

Hiller had been headhunted as far back as first-year law school at FCU. But he’d wanted Value, Hiller had said.

Because Value was home.

Holland swallowed the bitterness creeping up his throat and looked past him, scanning the rows of people in the gallery. And there he was.

Ward.

Leaning against the back wall, arms folded, watching. His uniform made him fucking hard to miss.

“We’ll begin with opening statements now. Mr. Hiller, you may begin.”

Hiller stood. No hurry. He adjusted his tie, shot Holland a glance that made the judge’s gut twist, and stepped forward. Hiller was a man on the hunt.

“Your Honor, we’re here today to revisit established case law. Specifically, precedents that have stood in this state for over twenty years.” His voice was even, but there was something underneath it. A bite.

A fucking taunt, that was what it was.

Holland’s grip tightened on the gavel.

Hiller continued, “Hobbart v. Kingston, 2008,set clear guidelines for contested land sales. Guidelines that were ignored in the Tolben ruling.”

Holland’s fingers curled tighter. He knew Hiller was right—and so did Hiller. “Stick to the current case, Counselor.”

Hiller just watched him for a long moment.

Judging the judge.

“Of course…Your Honor.” Hiller turned his attention to the courtroom, but Holland felt the words were still aimed at him.“Today’s case raises similar concerns. Established law should not be ignored to benefit outside interests. That’s not how justice works.”

Holland could hear the unspoken accusation.But it’s howyouwork, isn’t it, Judge?

He cleared his throat. “Proceed.”

Hiller sat down, not bothering to look at Holland again, which somehow felt worse than when he had been staring.

---