Page 95 of Client Privilege

My hand moved faster, twisting slightly on the upstroke, breath coming in harsh pants that echoed against the shower walls. The water beat down on my shoulders as I braced my free hand against the tile, shame and desire warring within me. I imagined Alex’s artist hands on me, his lips trailing down my chest, the sounds he might make as I entered him.

“Alex,” I gasped, the name torn from me as release crashed through my body in pulsing waves splashing against the tile shower walls, my knees nearly buckling with the intensity of it.

I twisted the tap violently, gasping as icy water replaced the comforting warmth. The cold shocked my system, a fitting punishment for my lapse in judgment. I stood under the freezing spray until my teeth chattered and my skin prickled with goosebumps.

What kind of man was I, fantasizing about someone who’d come tome for protection? Someone who’d been controlled and used by a man with power over him? I was no better than Marcus, taking advantage of Alex’s vulnerability.

But even as I castigated myself, I knew the comparison wasn’t fair. I hadn’t acted on my desires. I’d maintained boundaries, kept my feelings hidden behind professional concern. I’d never asked for anything in return for helping him.

The cold water began to numb more than just my body. I shut it off and stepped out, wrapping a towel around my waist. In the fogged mirror, my reflection appeared ghostly, indistinct around the edges. I wiped away the condensation with my palm, forcing myself to look at the man staring back at me.

The truth hit me with the force of a physical blow.

I was in love with Alex Lajeunesse.

Not infatuated. Not attracted. Not professionally concerned. In love. Completely, irrevocably in love with his resilience, his artistic soul, the way he cared for that ridiculous cat, how he apologized too much and sketched when anxious and gradually filled my empty cold house with life, making it a home.

I gripped the edge of the sink, the realization leaving me light-headed. I’d spent my entire career building walls between myself and my clients, maintaining professional distance to ensure objective representation. Now those walls had crumbled, and I couldn’t pretend otherwise.

The question was what to do about it. Alex was still my client. Still healing from years of abuse. Still learning to trust his own judgment again. The last thing he needed was another powerful man in his life complicating his recovery with emotional demands.

I dried off and dressed mechanically, my mind racing through possibilities and discarding each in turn. I could refer him to another lawyer—but that would feel like abandonment when he’d finally begunto trust me. I could confess my feelings—but that would burden him with an obligation he wasn’t ready to shoulder. I could continue as we were—but after this morning, the pretense of mere professional concern seemed impossible to maintain.

There was only one ethical path forward: continue representing him with absolute professionalism until the civil trial was concluded. Then, when he was truly free and independent, when the power imbalance between us had diminished, I could tell him how I felt.

If he still wanted nothing to do with me then, I would respect his decision. But at least he would be making that choice from a position of strength, not vulnerability.

I finished dressing, armouring myself in the familiar costume of lawyer Damian Richards—crisp shirt, perfectly knotted tie, impeccable suit. But underneath, I knew I’d changed irrevocably. For the first time in my carefully controlled life, I’d truly fallen in love. And for the first time, I had absolutely no idea what to do about it.

I STARED ATmy phone, reading Justice Sommers’s clerk’s message for the third time to ensure I hadn’t misunderstood. The confirmation was there—our civil case was scheduled for next Monday.

“Good news?” Alex asked, pouring coffee into two mugs at the kitchen island.

I looked up, momentarily caught off-guard by the sight of him. His hair was still damp from the shower, curling slightly at the nape of his neck. He wore a faded blue t-shirt that somehow made his eyes more intense. I forced my gaze back to my phone.

“We’ve received confirmation for the civil case,” I said, accepting the coffee he offered. Our fingers brushed during the handover, and we both flinched slightly. “We’re on the docket for Monday.”

“That’s…soon.” Alex wrapped his hands around his mug, his knuckles whitening. “Is that good or bad?”

“Definitely good. Marcus’s rapid criminal conviction creates significant precedent for our civil case. The jury tampering alone is grounds for Justice Sommers to rule in our favour on several key points.”

Alex nodded, but I noticed how he avoided direct eye contact, his gaze landing somewhere near my shoulder instead of my face. The memory of this morning—his body pressed against mine, his warmth, the way he’d fled when he realized the effect he had on me—hung between us like an invisible barrier.

“So what happens now?” he asked, voice carefully neutral.

I took a deep breath, settling into the familiar territory of legal strategy. “We’ll need to prepare your testimony again, though it will be considerably easier this time. With the criminal conviction, there’s no question of his guilt so we’re mainly establishing damages now.”

“Damages.” He repeated the word flatly.

“Financial compensation for lost income, emotional distress, medical expenses, therapy costs—both past and future.” I took a sip of coffee, organizing my thoughts. “We’ll need to quantify the impact on your career. Those gallery contacts Sandra tracked down will be crucial.”

Alex shifted uncomfortably on his stool. “It feels strange, putting a dollar value on… everything.”

“I know,” I said softly. “But Marcus used money as a weapon against you. There’s a certain justice in making him pay for what he did.”

Our eyes met briefly before Alex looked away again. A flush crept up his neck, and I wondered if he was thinking about this morning too. I cleared my throat.

“We should also discuss what happens after the civil case concludes.”

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