Impeached

by Brenda Trim

  “You like?” he asked, wondering why her cheeks were tinged pink.

  “Huh?” she replied and swallowed as she stared at his mouth.

  “The pizza? Do you like it?”

  “Oh, um, yeah. It’s ridiculous. Best pizza I’ve had in a while,” she muttered then wiped her mouth with her napkin. She swiped the linen cloth across her forehead, as well, and Bart smirked.

  Erika might not want to pursue a relationship, but Bart could tell he affected her just as much as she did him. At least he wasn’t the only one struggling with his desires.

  “If you like the pizza, you should try the tiramisu. It’s the best I’ve ever had. I wish I’d brought you here to begin with. I don’t know why I bothered with that other place. Tony’s can’t be beat,” he admitted as he grabbed a slice and stuffed it in his mouth.

  “This is way more my speed. That other place was a little too frou-frou for me. I’ll definitely come back here,” she admitted and took another bite.

  “They deliver, too, so keep that in mind. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had Tony send over about a dozen pies for a meeting. Cassie and Liv were regulars here on Wednesdays. Fifty-cent beers and dollar wings,” Bart shared as he took a drink of wine.

  “Oh, speaking of Liv. Guess what?” she beamed excitedly.

  “What?”

  “She’s pregnant,” Erika blurted, and Bart choked on his food.

  “Seriously?”

  “Yep. They announced it to the pack last night at dinner. You should’ve seen them. They’re so happy,” she gushed.

  Bart was stunned. He didn’t expect them to start a family this soon. Seemed like they would want to wait a while and enjoy each other. And, what did that mean for Liv to give birth to a shifter baby. Would her child be part wolf? How did that work, anyway?

  “Hey, you alright? I didn’t upset you, did I?” Erika asked, drawing Bart from his ruminations.

  “Yeah, I’m fine. Surprised maybe, but not upset. I’m happy for them. Liv will be a terrific mother. I’ll have to give her a call and congratulate them. I bet the pack is super excited,” he said as he took another bite of pizza.

  He always envisioned Liv giving birth to his child. Not that he wanted her back, but it was strange to think of her mated and carrying another man’s child. Funny how life worked out.

  “You got that right. Lawson’s already overprotective where Liv’s concerned. He’s going to be a basket case until the baby is born,” Erika quipped.

  Bart’s cell phone chimed, and he cursed himself for not setting it to silent after he called Thomas. He glanced at the screen and saw a text from an unknown number. He pulled up the message and let out a breath as he read it.

  “What?” Erika asked and his gaze lifted, meeting hers.

  “Elaine’s preliminary hearing is scheduled for the day after tomorrow,” Bart told her and he and Erika put their food down simultaneously.

  That fast, his appetite was gone.

  Chapter 10

  “So, what are our chances tomorrow?” Bart asked Lloyd Greene, the District Attorney overseeing Elaine Jensen’s case.

  Lloyd pushed his glasses up the bridge of his nose then clasped his hands on the conference table. “I wish I knew. I’m not happy that Elaine’s request for Judge Maynor to preside was granted. Gregory is a mean sonovabitch that supposedly has a grudge against shifters.”

  “He’s not the only one,” Kelly murmured, making Bart look her way.

  She immediately clammed up and went back to scribbling onto a notepad. Why did he say she could sit in on the meeting? It wasn’t like she supported the shifters. Bart needed Erika in the room, but she rushed back to Hollow Rock to see if Lawson needed her to do anything before the hearing. It was times like this that Erika calmed Bart when he was on the edge of destruction.

  “How is that fair?” Bart blurted and stood up so fast his chair toppled over. He paced in front of the table like a caged lion.

  “It’s not, but that’s politics for you. Elaine Jensen has friends in low places, thanks to her late husband. However, we have one aspect in our favor,” Lloyd offered, and Bart stopped pacing.

  “What’s that?” he asked, and stared at Lloyd.

  “Witnesses. Between you, Miss Pittman, Ryan and Lawson Scott, I don’t see how Gregory can ignore the obvious facts. If we can get an impartial jury, I’m certain Elaine will be found guilty,” Lloyd offered with a shrug.

  Bart’s hope rose over the mere thought. “You’re right. We have the ammunition. It’s about getting the opportunity to use it. I’ve got to believe the judge will push through to trial,” he agreed as his pacing resumed.

  “I’m counting on it,” Lloyd responded. “So, we’ll meet at the courthouse tomorrow at seven a.m.?” he asked as he gathered his papers from the table.

  “Yes. I’ll call Lawson and let the others know. Thank you for stopping by. Is there anything else you need?” Bart asked as he walked him to the door.

  “No. I’ve got everything. Try to get some rest, if you can,” Lloyd advised and extended his hand.

  Bart grasped his palm and gave it a firm shake. “I’ll try. See you in the morning,” he said and shut the door after Lloyd left the office.

  He raked a hand through his hair and walked to the window, deep in thought. He needed to call Erika and make sure she would be there in the morning. He also had to call his driver, Steve, and tell him to pick them up around five-thirty. No doubt traffic would be a nightmare if they left any later than that. And, there was the pile of documents on his desk that needed his attention. It was going to be a long night, he deduced as he stared at the garden through the glass window.

  Bart startled when a hand cupped his groin and squeezed gently. “You seem stressed, baby,” Kelly purred in his ear as her body pressed against his back. He completely forgot she was in the room.

  Against his will, Bart’s body hardened from her attention. This was not what he wanted, but his unruly cock disagreed. Bart grabbed Kelly’s hand and removed it from his crotch.

  “Not now, Kelly. I’ve got a lot to do before tomorrow morning. See if Patricia needs anything,” he ordered as he walked over to the conference table and grabbed his cell phone.

  “You need me more than Patricia does,” Kelly murmured as she reached behind her back and unzipped her dress. The garment slipped off her shoulders and puddled on the carpet.

  She wore nothing beneath her dress. Bart couldn’t help but stare when her bare breasts and shaved mons made an appearance. He met her lustful gaze and shook his head. “No, I don’t. Get dressed, Kelly. You need to leave.”

  “That bulge in your pants says otherwise,” she said with a smirk. He couldn’t deny her naked body made him horny. His damnable cock didn’t discriminate when it came to pussy. But Bart did. And, he wasn’t interested in Kelly.

  “It’s over, Kelly,” he blurted. He didn’t want to intentionally hurt her, but subtle hints didn’t work with the woman.

  “Why? I thought we were having a great time together,” she countered. Bart cringed when he saw the hurt on her face. He didn’t want to be that cold-hearted guy, but he had to stand his ground or he’d never escape an unwanted relationship with Kelly.

  “It’s not you, it’s me. I’m just not looking for a serious relationship right now. I’ve got a lot on my plate, and I need to stay focused. You need a man that can give you the attention you deserve,” Bart explained as he picked up Kelly’s dress and handed it to her.

  She snatched the garment from him, and glared daggers his way. “Don’t give me that it’s not you, it’s me bullshit. I’ve never asked for a commitment, Bart, so don’t act like I have. Who said anything about us being serious?” Kelly shouted as she flailed her arms.

  “Put on your fucking clothes, Kelly. And, did you, or did you not, tell Erika we were a couple?” he spat. It was more an accusation than a question.

  “Is that what this is about? So what if I said that? I did you a favor,” she quippe
d as her brown eyes blazed with contempt. She made no move to get dressed and Bart wanted to grab the garment and do it for her.

  “How do you figure?”

  “C’mon, Bart. You can’t possibly want that dog sniffing around you. I just put her in her place, that’s all,” Kelly offered without pause. Bart knew she didn’t like Erika but clearly her hatred went much deeper. He didn’t need or want anyone like her on his staff.

  “You make me sick. Get out,” he shouted and pointed toward the door.

  “What? You can’t be serious,” she scoffed and tossed her dress at Bart’s face. “Take a good look at me. You can’t tell me you’d rather have that mutt in your bed when you could have this,” Kelly taunted as she placed a hand on her cocked hip, giving him an eyeful.

  “Erika is a thousand times the woman you are,” he snarled as he threw the dress at Kelly’s head. It smacked her in the face, and she snatched it before it fell to the floor.

  “That’s just it. She’s not a woman, she’s an animal. I warned you about your blinders where Erika was concerned. She’s going to bring you down, and I’m going to enjoy my ringside seat,” Kelly screeched and stormed from his office, naked as the day she was born.

  “Well, that went well,” Bart muttered with a shrug then picked up his cell phone.

  He pressed the call button and waited.

  “Hello?”

  “Hey, Erika. What’s up?”

  “On my way to you, actually. Everything okay?”

  “It is now,” he replied with a smile. Just hearing her voice made everything better.

  “Hey, Mr. Greene called Lawson about the hearing in the morning. It’s such a long drive from Hollow rock to Chattanooga, I told Lawson they could stay with me in the guest house tonight. I hope you don’t mind. If it’s a problem, they can check into a hotel,” she explained. Bart could hear voices in the background and figured Liv and Lawson were with her.

  “Of course, they can stay here. There’s plenty of rooms at the main house. Your place only has the two bedrooms,” Bart replied as his mind scattered in a million directions.

  Did he need Patricia to prepare rooms and make a meal? He needed to call Steve back and tell him they needed a larger vehicle to the courthouse. Should they eat before they left or grab something on the way?

  “Oh, no, that’s not necessary. We’ll make due at the guest house. I’ve been craving Tony’s pizza since we ate there, so we’re going to stop by his place and grab a few pies to go. You should come over and eat with us,” Erika suggested, making Bart’s heart leap in his chest. Did she want to see him?

  “Okay. Yeah, that sounds great. Text me when you get here and I’ll bring the beer and wine,” Bart replied.

  “I’ve got plenty of wine, but this crew likes beer so if you have some on hand, that would be great. See you shortly,” Erika chimed then ended the call.

  You’re a glutton for punishment, he mentally scolded. If he were smart, he’d keep his distance from the sexy shifter. Then again, intelligence was highly overrated.

  Bart put down the latest proposal regarding state defense and rubbed his eyes. He’d been at it for hours and the words were starting to blur. His phone buzzed, alerting him of a text, and Bart picked up his cell then glanced at the screen. It was seven p.m. He’d missed two calls from Erika in the past hour. Where had the time gone? Last time he checked it was four-thirty. He noticed there was also one unread message from her. They were at the guest house and she said to stop by whenever.

  He was so engrossed in work he hadn’t heard a damn thing. Bart raked a hand through his hair, contemplating if he should go or not. He still had plenty of work to do, and needed to get to bed early for the hearing. He set his alarm then typed a quick reply, telling her thank you but that he was swamped. Said he’d see them bright and early, and wished her a good evening.

  It was for the best, he decided. He was spending too much time with Erika and needed to nip it in the bud before he got in any deeper.

  He stood from his chair, stretched his arms, then walked to the window. He had a perfect view of the guest house from his office, and Bart wondered what Erika and the others were doing. A large part of him wanted to go to her, but he stayed his ground. He would help her as much as possible where the job was concerned, but, other than that, he would stay away.

  Bart made his way to the sofa and laid down on the soft, leather cushions. Admittedly, he was more tired than he realized. A quick power nap would give him a much-needed boost of energy. He shut his eyes, thinking thirty minutes would do the job. Moments later, he dozed off.

  At some point, Bart felt a tug on his foot. “Wake up, sleepy-head,” intruded a feminine voice.

  His eyes cracked open but struggled to focus. The office was dark except for the moonlight shining in from the window. How long was he asleep?

  A nearby figure moved, and Bart squinted, trying to see who it was. “Erika?” he croaked.

  “Yes, silly,” she replied and stepped closer.

  Bart sat up, propping his weight on his elbow. His vision remained fuzzy, but he could see she was wearing the hoodie she borrowed. Her long, black hair fell to her waist and his gaze lowered. Instantly, he noted she wasn’t wearing any pants. In fact, the sweatshirt barely covered her bare ass.

  “What are you doing here?” His brain was a total fog and he couldn’t make sense of his surroundings. He felt drunk but knew that wasn’t the case.

  “You didn’t come by earlier, and I have a surprise for you. Thought I’d bring it in person,” Erika murmured, and that’s when he realized she was holding a paper plate in her hand. This didn’t make a bit of sense.

  Bart sat up and rubbed his face, trying to clear the haze. Erika sat on the sofa beside him and he glanced at the object in her hand. “Is that tiramisu?”

  “You said Tony’s was the best, and you were right. Want a bite?” she purred, and Bart gazed into hypnotic blue orbs. In the soft light, they appeared to glow. Okay, now he knew something was off.

  He looked at the dessert again. “I don’t see a fork,” he replied and immediately wanted to smack his own face. A half-naked Erika brings him a treat and his response is to criticize her effort? What the fuck was wrong with him?

  She giggled then placed her finger on the creamy topping and scooped. “Who needs a fork?” Erika replied suggestively then placed her finger to his lips.

  Bart didn’t know what was happening but he sure as hell didn’t want to ruin it by asking stupid questions, so he opened his mouth and sucked her finger. Hell, she could offer him a pile of shit and he’d eat it. Admittedly, the dessert was good but not near as tasty as Erika’s flesh. Her finger lingered in his mouth and he took his time licking it clean.

  “Hungry for more?” she murmured, and her eyes hooded with lust.

  Without hesitation, Bart took the plate from her hand and tossed it to the floor. He grabbed Erika around the waist, pulling her onto his lap. She straddled his hips and his cock jerked when her molten core rubbed against his groin.

  “I’m starving,” he husked then grabbed her face, claiming her luscious lips.

  Erika moaned and Bart plundered her depths, stroking his tongue along hers, mimicking what he wanted to do to other parts of her body. Had she changed her mind about them? Maybe she couldn’t deny her feelings any longer. Whatever the reason, Bart was grateful because he truly believed he’d never taste her sweet lips again.

  “Touch me,” she whispered against his mouth, and Bart didn’t hesitate. He yanked the sweatshirt over her head and flung it aside.

  The moonlight filtering into the room showcased her swollen breasts and his mouth watered at the sight. His gaze traveled up to meet hers, and he nearly lost his seed at the unspent desire. His heart galloped in his chest as he memorized every feature on her beautiful face.

  “You’re so fucking sexy,” he murmured as his hands traveled from her thighs upward.

  Silky flesh had him itching for more. The curve of her hips an
d the small of her waist were his undoing. Bart gripped the supple skin and his thumbs roamed inward to stroke across her belly button.

  “That feels so good,” Erika moaned, and her hips swiveled from his ministrations.

  His cock jerked with painful need, and Bart groaned. Closing his eyes, Bart reined in his desire. Not yet, he mentally commanded his unruly shaft.

  His eyes opened to see Erika smiling down at him as she loosened his tie. She quickly threw it over her shoulder then her slender fingers slowly traced the top button of his shirt. Suddenly, she grabbed the cotton fabric, and yanked. Buttons scattered as the material gave way. Her hands roamed his chest with abandon as she gazed down at Bart with a hunger he’d never seen.

  He palmed her lush globes, squeezing the soft flesh. Erika arched and threw her head back as her nails dug into his chest. Bart pinched and tugged her taut nipples as he watched her inhibitions slip away. She was wild with need and he couldn’t take his eyes off her.

  “More,” she panted. Bart was eager to satisfy, and his hand slipped between her thighs. Wetness greeted him as his fingers slipped through her feminine folds.

  “So fucking sexy, Erika,” Bart muttered as she writhed against his hand. Her arousal permeated the air and Bart knew he couldn’t wait much longer. He wanted to sink balls deep into her welcoming heat.

  “Mmmm, don’t stop,” she pleaded as she ground her hips and leaned down to claim his mouth.

  Teeth and tongues clashed as they sought pleasure. Erika’s hands went to the button on his slacks and, moments later, she shoved the fabric to his knees as he continued to explore her body. Nothing before Erika mattered. It felt like his first time with a woman, and one thing was certain. A taste of Erika would ruin him for any that followed after her.

  “Erika, I can’t wait. I need you now,” he hissed through clenched teeth. His cock ached so bad he thought it might explode if he didn’t get inside her.