by Alyse Zaftig
Victoria had a date with Andrei that evening, but if she wanted to win this case, she needed to dive into it completely with no distractions. As much as she wanted to see Andrei, he was a distraction she didn’t need. She decided to call him.
He picked up on the second ring. “Hey, beautiful,” Andrei said.
“Hi,” she said, hesitating.
“You okay? You don’t sound too great.”
“Listen, I can’t make it tonight.”
“That’s all you’re worried about? No problem. We can just reschedule for later this week.”
“That’s the thing. My boss just handed me a big case, and I’m not sure how long I’ll be on it or when I’ll be free anytime soon.”
“Victoria, I’m not going anywhere. Take all the time you need. I understand.”
She was quiet. Most of her past relationships suffered because she was too dedicated to her job, and now this guy was letting her do it without getting upset. Was he really into her? Either he respected her space or he didn’t care very much. She hoped it was the former, not the latter.
“Thank you,” she said. “I’ll call you when I can.”
“I’ll look forward to it, beautiful.”
Although he’d given her permission, she still felt guilty for bailing on him. What would that distance mean when or if they ever got back together?
She knew she’d done the right thing. He’d moved out of her place when they’d gotten back, since she was more able to move around, but they hadn’t talked about what they were to each other now after Montego Bay, and she wasn’t sure if that was a good thing or not.
Over the next few days, she focused on nothing but work and pushed Andrei to the back of her mind. He still popped up frequently in her thoughts, but she couldn’t let that mess with her court game plan. Not if she wanted to win and see Vladimir Stavenoff get what he rightfully deserved.
Her first day for Vladimir Stavenoff’s trial felt like déjà vu all over again. Judge Hughes presided over the court yet again. Victoria had done her research on Stavenoff ‘s defense team, but she found out early that morning that he’d fired them and hired a new team to represent him. It was too soon to find out who his new hires were, but that night she was going to research every last person on that defense team.
She wasn’t going to let anything stop her from winning this case. This was her redemption, a way to get back in the game, and no one was going to keep her from completing it. She came to win.
When Vladimir Stavenoff finally walked in with his new team, Victoria felt like the air had been sucked out of the room.
Andrei and his team stood next to Vladimir Stavenoff.
Why didn’t she put the thought together after seeing Roman Vasin’s name on the witness list? She was completely off her game, and it was all because of Andrei Rusak.
She gripped her chair’s armrests so tightly that she thought she’d break them. He seemed just as surprised to see her too. Focus was her main thought. She had to focus, or she’d lose the case before she even gave her opening statement.
Same judge and same defense team. If there was a worse case scenario, she was in it and had no way out. She could feel the flames biting at her skin already, and if she wasn’t careful, they would engulf her completely.
“All rise for the Honorable Judge William Hughes,” the bailiff said. The people in the room stood before the judge came out and took a seat. “You may be seated.”
Judge Hughes spoke, breaking Victoria out of her shock. “The prosecution will now present the case of Vladimir Stavenoff versus the People.”
She rose and took a deep breath. “Your Honor, ladies and gentleman of the jury, I present the case of Vladimir Stavenoff, who has been accused of breaking and entering the residence of Mr. Vasin, stealing his gun and pick-up truck then using it to commit murder. The lab will submit evidence of the DNA ballistic report from the gun and finger prints found in the truck and in the business, which will all be submitted by the Crime Scene Investigation team of the state of New York.” She sat down and waited for Andrei to speak.
“Your Honor, ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” he said, “the prosecution would have you believe that my client broke in and entered the residence of Roman Vasin, stole a firearm and a truck all before committing murder. There is no proof that Vladimir broke into the house, stole the firearm, or stole the car, which I will prove in the duration of this case.
Victoria finally glanced over in his direction, and he met her gaze with one of confusion but determination. As the case continued, they both exchanged looks several times. Victoria could not stop looking at Andrei, remembering that special weekend with him only days before. Now, he was representing one of the most dangerous men in the city. As their eyes met again, Andrei smiled at her. It wasn’t the full one she’d come to enjoy from him, but it was one that still made her hold her breath. A dull pain went through her, but she had to push it away. Apparently, she wasn’t fast enough, because the judge noticed.
“Attorneys Bellamy and Rusak, approach the bench immediately!” The shock of the judge addressing them made her nervous as she walked up to him with Andrei.
They approached with horror in their eyes, because they both knew what he was going to say. There was no avoiding it now.
“What in the hell is going on here! Is there something you want to tell me?” He paused with cold fury in his eyes. “I…am…waiting.”
What could they say that wouldn’t get them thrown off the case? They both remained quiet instead of saying something they might regret later.
“Fine. Have it your way. I am advising both parties to assign another attorney to assume the responsibility of this case. I will be contacting each of your respective offices to ensure my recommendation is taken seriously. Is that understood?”
“Yes, Your Honor,” they both aid at the same time.
“Court is dismissed until further notice,” Judge Hughes said before banging his gavel. He looked at them both and said, “I’ll see both of you in my office. Now!”
Victoria and Andrei sat as the judge paced in his chambers.
“I won’t tolerate this behavior in my courtroom.”
“What behavior, sir?” Andrei asked.
The judge snorted. “You know. You must find alternate attorneys for your replacements.”
“We’ll be happy to request a substitute for each of us, Your Honor,” Andrei said.
Victoria shot him a look. Of course he’d be fine. This wasn’t the case of a lifetime for him.
“Ms. Bellamy, do I have your word as well?”
“I’ll do my best, Your Honor,” she finally said.
“Oh, you’ll need to do better than that if either of you hope to present in my courtroom again,” Judge Hughes said. “What you’re doing could be seen as ethically immoral for those in your position. I suggest you figure this out sooner rather than later. Now if you are kind enough to excuse me, I have a job to get done that doesn’t involve personal matters. We’re done here.”
They left his chambers, and Andrei pulled her to the side. “We need to talk.”
“I’m not in the mood right now, Andrei.”
“We need to figure this out together. The sooner the better.”
“Fine,” she said. In her head she was slowly watching years of hard work flushing down a clogged drain, and it made her sick to her stomach thinking about it. A weekend fling was going to ruin everything.
“Dinner at my place tonight, and I won’t accept no for an answer, Victoria.”
“Okay. I’ll be there. Can I go now?” She could hear the anger in her voice, but she was too angry to care.
“Go,” he said. “But if you’re not over at my place by eight, I’m coming to you. I still have a key.”
She walked away before she could say anything else in the heated anger that filled her. What bothered her most was that she didn’t know who she was angrier at, Andrei or herself. She had a headache.
Chapter 9
Andrei
Whenever Andrei was troubled, he went to visit his longtime friend Erik. He always knew what to do. Although Erik wasn’t book smart, the man had street smarts and sage advice to offer anyone who listened. The man loved to read, despite not having a traditional education.
Although Erik wasn’t ever the smartest man in the room, Erik was like a therapist. The guy had read a lot of self-help and psychology books in his spare time, and he lived for solving people’s problems — life-coaching had become a hobby.
They both had been so busy lately that they had not seen each other in a while, almost two weeks. Still, he’d called Erik and told him about Victoria.
Erik lived in one of the high rises on the other side of town. He could afford the place only because the owner also owned the bar below, where Erik was a bartender. They didn’t see each other every day, but they were still close.
“Hey, man.”
“Hey.”
“Lunch?”
“Sounds good. When and where?”
“Seafood. Casper’s. Twelve thirty.”
“See you there.” He hung up.
Andrei needed his friend’s advice before he met Victoria that evening.
Erik arrived first, and he spotted Andrei as he came across the street.
“Andrei, over here, man.” He raised his hand and beckoned to him. They had to stand in line, because it was a popular restaurant and always packed. “We have a fifteen minute wait. Is that all right with you?” Erik asked.
“Sure. That’s fine. So, how have you been?”
Erik smiled. “Great. Life is always as great as you make it. How about you?”
Andrei laughed at his friend’s philosophy. “Good. Could be better.”
“Does that have anything to do with that new lady you’ve been talking about?”
“Maybe. How about you? You seeing anyone?”
Erik said. “No, man. Can’t seem to find the right one.”
One of the other customers sitting in the waiting room seemed to be listening to them, so Andrei nudged Erik, gestured to her, and shut up. They sat in companionable silence. The dinner line moved forward, and finally they were seated at a table.
“You’ve seen a lot of women since you divorced Trish. You’ve told me all about your one-night conquests, like that woman who could bend like a contortionist. You said that she was a crazy bunny boiler, though. You haven’t bothered to hit it even twice in a while. So tell me about this Victoria,” Erik said.
Andrei smiled. “She’s amazing, a beautiful woman with intelligence to back it. I’ve never met anyone like her.”
“Then what’s the problem?” Erik asked.
Andrei answers “I don’t know. I think our jobs are going to be a problem. She was in court this morning prosecuting a client of mine.”
“Isn’t that how you met?”
“Apparently, the court system wants us thrown together until we crash.”
“Do you love her?” Erik asked.
“I don’t know. It’s kind of soon for that, isn’t it?”
“Lawyers, some of the best bullshitters around, I swear.”
“It’s not bullshit.”
“Trust me. If you love her, you’d know.”
“You’re an ass sometimes. You know that, right?”
“That’s why you come to me for advice. I’m the ass who tells the truth, no bullshit.”
They ordered the seafood platter with fish, oysters, crab, and shrimp. Andrei wasn’t sure why they loved the place so much, since it was fancier than he liked with chandeliers, a Koi fish pond, and wallpaper with huge fishing boats in the ocean catching large hordes of fish, lobsters and oysters. There was even a large lobster hanging from the ceiling, caught in a fishing net.
When the food arrived, he was reminded of why he dealt with the pompous scenery. It smelled incredible, and the chef knew exactly the right spices to make the dishes come alive. He thought about Victoria and wondered if she’d like it there. She might enjoy the ambiance.
“Erik, what do you think about me dating a black female lawyer?” Andrei asked.
“I think it’s beautiful, man. It’s not about the race. No matter the shit people spit out these days. It’s about the soul, the mind, the heart, and the love.”
“Leave it to you to sound like a hippie. But it’s not about her race…it’s the possible professional implications if we’re seeing each other,” Andrei said.
“Are you happy?” Erik asked.
“Actually, for the first time in my life, I am happy,” Andrei said.
“Well that’s all that counts,” said Erik. “True love is hard to find.”
“There’s just one thing. I haven’t told her about Asya and Naida.”
“You haven’t told her about the kids? Man, that’s all kinds of messed up. Stuff like that will mess with your karma.”
“I know. I know. I want to tell her, but you should’ve seen the look she gave me in court today, like she was disappointed and angry at the same time. I fucking hated it.”
“People fight. It may not be as bad as you think, but if you keep lying to her, that’s going to blow up before you know it. It might be a lie of omission, but you need to tell her.”
“That’s what I’m worried about.”
“You should trust her to accept that part of you. Grab hold of this one and never let go. If she’s as amazing as she sounds, it’ll work itself out.”
“You need to start charging for this. It’s gold.”
“I know, but bartending lets me impart my wisdom to the masses. I’m good with that.”
“I’ll have to bring her by one night, so you can meet her,” Andrei said.
“I would love to meet her. Must be a spectacular woman to have you all worked up like this,” Erik said.
“Yeah, she is.”
After talking it over with Erik, Andrei knew that he had to give this relationship some serious thought. He knew that his life, career, and his eternal happiness would depend on the type of decisions that he made over the next few days.
Problems hit him as soon as he got back to the office. His father was there to greet him as soon as he got off the damn elevator.
“What the hell did you do now?” his father roared. His father obviously didn’t care that the staff heard him. They knew better than to stare though. Otherwise, they’d be in the receiving end of his anger.
Andrei refused to play. Not when he has so much on his mind already. He started walking to his office, hoping his father waited until they got there to have one of his blowouts. “I’m sure you’ll tell me sooner or later.”
“Judge Hughes called me. He wants someone else on the Stavenoff case. Are you involved with the ADA?”
“It’s not what it looks like,” he said. He closed the door after his father followed him into his office.
“Good because it looks like you’re sleeping with the ADA and ruining this firm’s reputation.”
“That’s all you see, but—”
“I will not have our reputation ruined just because you wanted to get your rocks off.”
“Would you let me talk?! Her name is Victoria, and she’s more than just someone I want to get my rocks off with. We didn’t even know that we would be on the same case today.”
“You expect me to believe that?”
“You’re going to believe what you want to believe. I have no control over that. Never did. But believe me when I tell you that this is more than just some fling.”
“I don’t care what it is. You end it and you end it now, or you won’t like the repercussions.” His father didn’t give him a chance to respond. Instead, he stormed out of his office and slammed the door shut.
His father had riled him up. He gripped the edge of his desk tightly to keep from running after the man and setting him straight, but he knew it wouldn’t do any good. When his father made up his mind about something, he stayed that way. He was stubborn like a mule.
End i
t? He only had a few hours to go before he saw Victoria again, but his father made things more difficult. The last thing he ever want to do was hurt her, but maybe they both need a reality check about what their relationship meant for the careers and their futures.
Chapter 10
Andrei
Victoria met him at his place at seven thirty. He realized, oddly, that she didn’t know where he lived, until he texted her his address after his encounter with his father. Of course he lived in a swanky high rise, but he made his place his own with interesting artwork that filled his walls and gave life to the dead space around the open area.
“Wine?” he asked her.
“Yes, please,” she said.
“Dinner will be ready soon,” he said, sitting on the couch. He’d gotten it from a meal service that just told him to pop it into the oven for 15 minutes before serving. He was grateful that she followed him into the living room. He wasn’t enjoying the fact that she sat so far away from him, but he would go with whatever made her comfortable.
“We must figure this thing out, Victoria. Exactly where do we stand?”
Victoria took a deep breath. “I like you, Andrei. I really do. Honestly, I can’t get you off my mind.”
He grinned at her words. “Really?” He was going to say she invaded his thoughts, too, but he waited. He liked the fact that she thought about, and got him hard thinking about the fantasies that probably crossed her mind as much as he did his.
He moved closer to her, crowding her space. He wanted her to think of nothing but hum as she chose her next words carefully.
“This is insane,” she said. “I can’t do this if it’s going to impact my work.”
“Why do I hear a but in there?” He placed a hand on her bare knee and made circles on the smooth skin.
“My job is my life. I’ve worked hard to get where I am today. The last thing that I need is a distraction, and you distract the hell out of me.”
His hands slid up her leg. “Sometimes distractions can be amazing.”