Page 27 of Barristers & Bones

My shoulders loosened and I glanced around. “I was about to say thank you. How’d you find me, anyway?”

“I had Ivan track your cell phone.”

Stopping short, I turned to him incredulously. “Oh, my God. See, this is what I’m talking about. Boundaries.”

He held up his hands. “I was worried. Come on, let’s go.”

Roman followed me home, and I ran up to my apartment to feed Carl. Then we walked over to Luigi’s.

Sophia smiled and hugged me at the host desk. “I think your favorite table is open. You okay to seat yourselves?”

“Absolutely.” I led him to our favorite booth, tucked away in the corner. I didn’t bother with a menu, and a few minutes later, a server came over and took our order.

Roman eyed me. “How often do you come here?”

“Two, maybe three times a week. When Sophia sprained her ankle last year, I helped them over the holiday break and got to know everyone pretty well.”

Roman leaned back and put his arm up. “Ezra mentioned you work funerals sometimes too. That’s a strange part-time job.”

The server brought us the house wine. “It’s not that strange. Okay, there have been a few odd moments, but if the funeral is over thirty people, then Alexa and I dress in black, slap on discreet gold name tags, and help out wherever Sylvie and Ezra need us.”

“I bet you asked Ezra about the whole process.”

I smiled and took a sip of wine. “One of my favorite memories is when I first moved here, and I took a tour through the whole facility with him.”

“Did he answer all your questions?”

“He did. I have my mortician apprentice license too.”

“I did not know that.” He studied me. “What’s your proposal regarding these boundaries?”

The way he abruptly changed the subject was a typical attorney technique to catch witnesses off guard. “The other student interns say they put in five to ten hours a week. None of them are required to study at their respective firms, andno onecarpools with their mentor. It’s overkill.”

I paused as the server dropped off our meals. I’d ordered chicken parmesan and Roman got the boneless pork in red sauce.

Roman’s pork smelled so good that I leaned over, stabbed a piece with my fork, and stuck it in my mouth. My eyes rolled back and I moaned. “That’s delicious. How’d you know to order it?”

Then I realized what I’d done. “Oh, shit. Sorry. I usually come here with Sylvie or Alexa, and we always share whatever we get. Here.” Slicing off a piece of chicken, I swirled it into their world-famous marinara sauce and slid it onto his plate.

“Thanks. And there’s no way I’m agreeing to just five hours a week. I like picking you up, we can work on weekends, and you study just fine in my office. Text me your class times, and I’ll give you a schedule.”

I wasn’t going to let this asshole get to me. I stuck a piece of broccoli in my mouth and growled at him.

Chapter 8

Roman

Ivan could be a fucking prick sometimes, and Luna admitted he’d said something to set her off on Friday, but she wouldn’t tell me what. I just hoped he hadn’t scared her away for good.

The partners came over to the house on Sunday evening to grill, watch some football, and discuss a new business we were considering buying. Now, we sat in my oversized spa, sipping bourbon, enjoying the mild evening, and gazing out at the Las Vegas skyline. Xander was in the pool, swimming laps. He spent a lot of time moving and playing sports to try and keep his demons at bay. Dusk fell early now, and the blinking neon casinos and hotels glittered in the distance.

“What did you say to her?” I asked Ivan quietly.

He didn’t pretend to misunderstand. “The truth.”

“Which was?”

He shrugged and sipped his whiskey. “That she’s smart as fuck, has a mostly boring background, but at twelve she accused her father of taking bribes, which you’re well aware of, and she got… disowned for it.”

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