by A. A. Dark
CHAPTER 3
They ordered in Chinese food, and made love into the night, but now it was morning, and Lauren was up and about. She had to be at work in two hours, and the excitement was making her stomach flip. She sat on their sofa, quietly having a cup of coffee. In her mind’s eye, she went through her day, trying to foresee events and prepare herself for what the day could potentially hold. Peter was still in bed. He has been with his firm for years, so he was way past the point of nervousness and first-day jitters. She envied him.
Her legs bounced as she sipped her coffee, staring at the clock, second hand ticking away. Ever an over-achiever, Lauren set the cup down, and gave herself one last look over in the mirror before heading out. Being early was better than being on time.
Lauren was pleased with her reflection. Her auburn hair was smooth and fell straight, just below her shoulders. She tucked a stray strand behind her ear as she further examined herself. Her skin was a soft porcelain, dappled with freckles that matched her hair. Her green eyes sparkled brilliantly under dark, lush, black mascara-covered lashes. She had overdone the eyeliner this morning, due to her nerves, but she decided to leave it. No sense in causing raccoon eyes trying to take some of it off. She couldn’t risk it now.
Her pant suit was a dark, charcoal-colored skirt with a matching single-buttoned blazer. It was perfectly tailored to her taut frame. Her silk shirt shirt was a soft green color that accented her skin tone and hair color. To Lauren, she felt she looked the part. Now she just needed to act it. It was time to go.
She left a note for Peter thanking him for de-stressing her, grabbed her things, and headed out the door. Thirty minutes later, she stood in front of the impressive law office, with its glass doors and windows accessorized with brass trim. Staring up at it, Lauren thought about how she had bumped into Darla Lovell yesterday, and how the building itself reminded her of Darla, ‘Tall drink of water’. While she couldn’t put her finger on it at the moment, Lauren felt uneasy about seeing Darla in her modest apartment building. Darla was just so out of place there. She buried that uneasy feeling in the back of her mind. Now she had more important things to do – like start her new job!
Upon entering the main lobby, Lauren confidently flashed her ID as though she had been doing it every day. She always tried to give the impression that she belonged. Today she did, but it was something she struggled with her whole life. Now, she felt as if she finally made it. She had a handsome fiancé, the perfect job, and while it was no Triumph Towers, she did have a nice place to live. Lauren was on the path to great success and happiness – the kind all young career women wished for. As she rode the elevator, she contemplated getting a puppy. That was, after all, the logical next step.
Bridget Muller was waiting for Lauren at the reception desk.
“Lauren Holden?” she asked. When Lauren offered a smile and a nod, Bridget introduced herself, “Excellent. I’m Bridget Muller, the office administrator. I’ll show you to your desk.”
Lauren followed Bridget dutifully, and glanced around the office. She offered simple, but friendly, greetings to all that caught her eye. Once at her desk, Bridget helped her get settled in.
“Now, you have a staff meeting at 10 a.m. in the conference room. Be sure to be on time.”
Lauren laughed at this warning, since both she and Bridget were apparently early birds.
“I don’t think that will be a problem.”
With that, Bridget gave her a stoic nod, and walked her through everything else Lauren needed to know to get through her busy day. When Bridget finally left her, Lauren pulled out the engraved desk sign that her mother had given her as a gift. It read, ‘Lauren Holden, Attorney at Law’. She put it on the desk and took a selfie with it. Only when she looked at the photo, did she notice Darla Lovell in the background.
Across the hall, Darla stood in the conference room watching her. When Lauren turned her head to look at the door, Darla was gone. No trace of her except the photo now in her phone. Lauren frowned to herself, “Great - first embarrassing moment on the job.”
CHAPTER 4
The glass doors of the conference room swung open and Darla stopped, mid-sentence. She glared at the secretary standing in the doorway. She did not like intrusions.
“What is the matter, Marta?” she asked without attempting to mask the dissatisfaction in her voice.
Marta stammered as she attempted to answer, hoping she wouldn’t get her head chewed off.
“Uh … I’m … I’m very sorry to interrupt, but there’s a Jasper Connor on the phone, calling from prison, and he insists he needs to speak with you.”
Darla smirked and arched a perfectly shaped brow.
“Always with the drama" she muttered.
Darla was never one for anyone interrupting her process, and this included well-paying ones accused of murder.
“Take a message.” She flicked her hand at Marta as if she was a fly, and then suddenly stopped her, “Wait. Lauren … go take the call. See if you can help Jasper while I finish the meeting.”
Lauren had been hanging on Darla’s every word as she first introduced her to the group, and then went over the current cases. They hadn’t yet discussed Jasper’s case, so Lauren was not prepared to speak with him in the slightest. Still, she rose from the table and asked Marta to bring her Jasper’s file, and to transfer the call to her office. She closed the door and waited for the line to blink.
*
Jasper leaned his large form against the wall, waiting for Darla to get on the phone. Generally, anyone that found out that Darla Lovell was Jasper’s attorney was shocked by the news. They were first surprised that a high-powered attorney such as Darla would represent a Brass Bonds MC member. The Brass Bonds was known as a small-time gang, with a bike garage and tattoo shop on the outskirts of the city. Most often, they were brought in for small-time, gang-related crimes, mostly guns and drug charges. Not to mention, the fact that most people thought a biker couldn’t afford an attorney like Darla Lovell, but, as usual, there was more going on than meets the eye.
“C’mon you bitch, get on the phone.” Jasper was getting antsy.
Finally, a female voice on the other line spoke.
“Hello … this is Lauren Holden. I’m a new associate here, at Bliss, Lovell, and Wiseman. Darla Lovell is …”
Jasper cut her off.
“Wait. Who are you? Where is Darla? Put Darla on the phone now!” the volume of his voice beginning to rise.
It caught the attention of the guard standing nearby, who threatened to end Jasper’s call early. Jasper lowered his voice, but kept his tone insistent. “I don’t care who you are, but you go get Darla, right now, and tell her to get her ass on this phone. You tell her it’s Jasper Conner. She knows the deal. Get her now. I’m not dealing with a secretary.”
Lauren held the phone away from her ear, and took a deep breath before answering back.
“I’m not her secretary. I’m an attorney here, and she asked me to assist you, which I am more than capable of doing, while she’s finishes her staff meeting.”
Jasper lost his mind.
“A staff meeting? Get her on the phone now! I don’t give a shit about her staff! You tell her they found Lucas’ body and I want her on the phone now!”
The guard came around and stood next to Jasper. Jasper held his hand up to indicate that he had it under control. He was bigger than the guard, and could easily take him down, but that would mean solitary, and a beating later on by more than one guard.
Lauren remained calm, even though Jasper was yelling at her on the other end of the phone.
“I understand you prefer the expertise of Ms. Lovell, and I will relay the message that you are displeased that she didn’t get on the phone herself. Is there a number she can call you back?” As soon as Lauren said it, she winced knowing she just asked the wrong question.
“IS THERE A NUMBER SHE CAN CALL ME BACK?” Jasper lost his control. “Yeah, it’s 1-800-KISS MY ASS!”
The guard was on him now, taking the phone from his hand, and hanging it up. Jasper didn’t fight him, even though anger surged through his body. His fists clenched until his knuckles were white.
“Let’s go Jas … back in the cell. I’m sure lover-girl will show up tomorrow with muffins or something.” The guards had a bet that the only way Jasper could afford Darla was by banging her. Jasper may have been a low-life criminal in their eyes, but no one could doubt that every woman fell for Jasper – all women, from the lawyers to the whores.
*
Lauren stared at the phone a moment, before putting it back in its cradle. She didn’t see Darla in the doorway. The woman moved like the wind.
“Don’t worry too much about Jasper,” Darla said. Lauren looked up surprised, then shook her head.
“I’m sorry, Ms. Lovell. I really didn’t handle this well. He’s really upset, and said ‘they found Lucas Jackson’s body.’”
Lauren looked up confused. Marta still hadn’t brought in the case file. Darla waved it off.
“Don’t worry, really. Jasper is just under an enormous amount of pressure with the state trying to frame him for the murder. Nothing I can’t handle. In fact, I’d like you to go to the prison and meet with him. You’ll be working the case with me, so you may as well meet with him now and get acquainted. I will warn you, he is quite the good-looking bad boy, so be careful of his … charms.”
Darla flashed a wicked grin toward Lauren that made Lauren wonder if Darla had engaged in something other than a professional relationship with the man. Plus, the woman seemed incredibly confident in handling the case. Lauren, on the other hand, was beginning to panic about meeting Jasper – especially after how he spoke to her on the phone.
“I’ll head over there, right away, Ms. Lovell.”
Lauren watched Darla turn to leave the room. Marta passed her in the hall, carrying the file. She dropped it on the desk, but didn’t stick around for questions, leaving Lauren there to figure it out for herself. When Lauren flipped open the file, she saw a photo of Jasper Connor, and her heart skipped a beat.
CHAPTER 5
“Jasper Conner. Your attorney, Lauren Holden. Miss … when you’re ready to leave just come to the door. No touching. No pens. Don’t leave anything behind.”
The guard went the through the rules with her. Jasper, dressed in an orange jumpsuit with white thermal underneath, sat cuffed to a chair across from the wide metal table. Lauren entered the otherwise empty room, and took a seat. The door closed behind her.
“Hello, Jasper. I’m Lauren Holden.”
She smiled softly at him and studied his features. She couldn’t help it. While she wouldn’t admit it, she was instantly attracted to him. The buttons over the chest were open, revealing the tight white thermal underneath. The sleeves of the thermal were pushed up to reveal his tattooed, muscular forearms. Lauren found herself staring at them, wondering if he was tattooed all over. She shook her head free of her thoughts, and focused on his face, which may have been even more distracting than his tall, muscular build.
His face was beautiful. He had thick, dark, hair that was messy at the moment, as if he had been running his fingers through it all day. His eyes were a deep brown, hooded by thick lashes, the kind that any woman would envy. His jaw was sharp and covered in stubble. He hadn’t shaved yet, but the feature Lauren couldn’t take her eyes off most, was his lips. They were full and kissable, even when clearly angry. Right now, they were moving a mile a minute, but Lauren didn’t notice the words coming out of his mouth.
“Hello? Are you listening to me?” Jasper waved his hand in front of her face. “Have you been listening to a word I said?” His tone was rising.
Lauren shook herself out of her trance
“Oh yes … I’m sorry. You mentioned, on the phone this morning, that they found Lucas Jackson’s body.”
She hadn’t been listening to a word he said, but she picked up from her last recollection of their conversation, “Are you familiar with the area where they found his body?”
Jasper nodded.
“They found his body by the Triumph Tower Three. It’s a new building that’s going up by the other two.” He used his finger to draw an imaginary map on the table. “The Triumph construction site is here.” He marked a spot with an ‘x’. He continued, “The Bonds' club house is here …” He marked another spot across a wide span of the table. “The club house was the last place that Lucas was seen, with me and a few other Brass Bonds Brothers. The clubhouse is our turf. One of our guys owns it. It backs onto an open field. That field is adjacent to the Triumph construction site.”
Lauren listened, and processed the information he was giving her. She then asked, “You know the lay of the land, Jasper. That won’t look good.” She looked up at him.
“Your eyes are very green, and I know the lay of the land, because the club uses a backroad that crosses the field for deliveries. Once the construction is done, that road will be closed off. That creates problems for the club.”
He didn’t go into further details. He didn’t know who might be listening even though their conversation was protected under attorney-client privilege. Jasper watched Lauren process his words before asking, “Why didn’t Darla come? Why did she send you?”
Lauren had been taking a few notes based on what Jasper was telling her. She looked up and shrugged.
“Busy, I guess. She took me on to help with the workload. She’s still going to oversee the case.” Lauren then offered a soft, reassuring smile. “She just couldn’t be in two places at once, and wanted to make sure you spoke to someone today. She didn’t want to leave you feeling like you were … isolated.”
A moment of silence passed between the two of them, and Lauren felt herself blush as Jasper kept his eyes on her, during that moment of silence. He liked her. He didn’t want to like her, but now he found that he was the one staring at her.
“You’re very pretty, you know.”
Lauren cleared her throat and shifted in her seat a bit.
“Thank you. Let’s get back to the night you last saw Lucas Jackson.”
“Your hair has this pretty shine to it.”
Jasper licked his lips and leaned in as far as the restraints would allow him to go.
“I’m not trying to be forward, but you smell real pretty too.”
He smiled softly at her, and Lauren felt herself giggle nervously, like a school girl. Inside she was dying! What on earth was she doing, flirting with an alleged murderer? Plus she was engaged! Still she felt an instant attraction to Jasper, and the more she spoke with him, the gentler he seemed to be. Yes, he was tall, and looming, and muscular, and incredibly charming and sexy, but she noticed that he was also smart. He had this brilliance in his eyes, as if his mind was always working to solve a problem, which he was. He was trying to get himself out of prison! He just didn’t seem like a murderer to her.
“That’s really nice of you to say, Jasper.” She rolled her lips inward, pressing them together. “Now tell me about the night Lucas Jackson died.”
Jasper smiled to her and relented.
“He was at the bar, drinking and carrying on. The clubhouse is not a place Lucas Jackson would normally go. When he walked in, we were actually surprised that a wannabe politician would even be there, especially since he was the guy pushing for Triumph Tower Three to be built on that particular piece of land. Whitey Smith, the president of the Club, had words with Lucas about closing the road. Lucas claimed he was there that night to ‘break bread’ with Whitey. He didn’t want any bad blood with the MC. See … a lot of people think that the Brass Bonds MC is nothing more than a low-life biker gang. That’s not true. The gang’s ties go high up in this city.” He tapped the table, as if it marked his statement fact. Perhaps it was, perhaps it wasn’t. Lauren wasn’t sure she fully believed him, yet, but so far, she was getting the feeling this case was about much more than a biker fight gone wrong.
“Now here’s my predicament, Lauren.
”
If Jasper could have taken her hand, he would have. He wanted to touch her. Maybe it was being without a woman for so long, and locked up in that tiny cell, or maybe it was something specifically about her, but he definitely wanted to touch her. He put his hands on the table, and splayed his fingers out, as if they had the possibility of grazing hers. They didn’t, but he tried, nonetheless.
“I didn’t kill Lucas Jackson, but I also can’t rat on a brother. So you and Darla need to be crafty enough to connect the dots and get me out of here, understand?” He flashed his deep chocolate eyes at her. “I’m trusting you, Lauren.” Then his voice went soft, almost seductive. “Can I trust you?”
Lauren was falling right into his spell.
“Yes. Jasper. You can trust me. I’m on your case now.”
For a moment, Lauren felt like a superhero, declaring how she would protect and serve him. If she could touch him, she would. She needed to touch him. She felt it was necessary, to assure him she was on his side. She looked over at the door to see if the guard was looking, then glanced at the overhead camera in the room. Casually, she placed her palms on the table and splayed her fingers like his. Slowly she let them inch closer toward his, until just the tips of their fingers grazed each other. An electricity passed between the two of them. That simple finger touch was as intimate as a kiss shared by their lips. Jasper’s eyes fell on where they were touching, and Lauren pulled her fingers back, not wanting to push her luck.
“I’m going to check out this road and Lucas’ connection to the Triumph Tower Three. I’ll come back later today, or tomorrow, to speak with you again.”
She rose from the chair, and the guard opened the door for her. As he escorted Lauren out, Georgie moved in to return Jasper to his cell.
“What do you think, Jas?” Georgie asked him quietly, as he brought him back to the 6 x 8.
“She’ll make a great little pawn, Georgie. You just get word to the guys to hold them off. Then, once I get out of here, I’m going to settle all open business.”