Page 28 of The Law of Attraction

‘A girl can have roots and wings.’

Her words make me pause, my hand holding my bottle midway between the bar and my mouth. I’m familiar with those words. Very familiar.

‘So?’ She bites her bottom lip, and it takes every ounce of willpower in my body not to lean forward and take it between my own teeth. ‘You said he thought you were out to steal his client, right? And he wanted to do this work himself, even though he’s not really clued up enough on that type of law to do it. So, my guess is, you do work that maybe the guys on the forty-sixth floor don’t think you should do sometimes?’ Her words end on a cautious question.

‘It’s different. Real estate work is easy. I could do that stuff with my eyes closed.’

She takes an exaggerated breath and sits back on her stool, looking self-satisfied, like she just won the biggest case of her career. Well, okay, not quite that smug.

‘You think I should hand over some cases?’

She shrugs. ‘You wanted my advice. Give them something that isn’t just important to them but that shows a concession on your part. A change in your ways. If you really want to have your name on the door, you’ll need to start spreading the wealth. I don’t mean to speak out of turn, but since you asked… You need to consider yourself less and firm more.’

‘Ah, British Becky, what are you doing to me?’

As soon as the words are out of my mouth, I focus on the top shelf of the bar. Those words have so many meanings.

9

DREW

I hate every goddamn second of this, and it hasn’t even begun. I knock on Malcolm Eddy’s office door. He doesn’t look pleased to see me, nor does he beckon me in. But he does lean back in his chair and rest his hands on the arms. I recognize that as an invitation.

I close his door behind me. I don’t need support staff in earshot of what’s going down this morning. If I could turn the volume of my own ears to mute, I would.

‘Malcolm.’ Even his name sounds strained as it leaves me. ‘I’m sorry. Maybe I should have been more forceful in telling you to register rights.’If you’d told me the facts, I would have been. ‘I’d like to help you put things right. It’s my bag. I can fix this for you. But I understand your reservations. That’s why I’m giving you this, if you have time to take it on.’

I hand over a file from one of my medium-size clients. ‘My client is interested in buying a commercial plot of land to build a warehouse. It’s your territory, not mine. So, I was thinking we could trade. Share our expertise.’

He takes the file from me and looks inside. ‘This is a decent client.’

All my clients are decent, dumbass.

He stands from his desk and waves the file at me in the way he might point a finger.

God, I’d like to rip his hand right off.

‘I know you’re doing this to win my vote, Drew.’

I hold up my hands. ‘Malcolm, I want your vote. No doubt about it. And hopefully you recognize that my billables mean making me named partner over Patrick would be the best thing for this firm. But right now, all I’m trying to show you is that you were right.’ The words physically burn like acid in my throat. ‘Sometimes I put myself before the firm. This file is my way of telling you that from here on, I promise to put the firm first. Always. That means placing work with the best partner to service the client and, in this case, that’s you.’

He stares at me, then drops my file to his desk and puts his hands on his hips. ‘I’ll think about it.’

Goddamned motherfu—‘I appreciate it.’

I walk away, silently fuming. Back in my office, I pace the floor, trying to contain my anger. Just as I’m beginning to find a bearable level of proverbial red mist, Malcolm appears, holding a bundle of documents.

‘The case. It’s yours. I respect that you came up to my office, and I respect your apology. Don’t prove me wrong.’

I take the bundle from him in my left hand and hold out my right. He shakes it and switches his miserable mug into a condescending smile. As he leaves, he calls over his shoulder, ‘And a free dinner might not hurt, Harrington.’

What a dickhead.

‘Uh, what was that?’ Sarah stands in her familiar pose: one leg straight, the other pointed out to the side. Her hands are on her hips. Her Hollywood pout is in place.

‘Just making sure we get our name on the door.’

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