by Alexa Davis
“Oh, Jack, I do think of you as my dear friend. It’s not that I felt I couldn’t talk to you about it. It’s like I said, it’s just all so complicated that it’s not a conversation I wanted to try to have over a fifteen-minute coffee ‘catch up’ session. Maybe we could talk about it tonight, if you’d like.”
He nodded and got out of the car. I waited and let him open mine for me and then I took the arm he offered and let him lead me into the restaurant. Marco was at the front desk and I could tell by the look in his eyes that he recognized me right away. I smiled at him and said, “Hello again, Marco. This is Jack. He’s a friend from my childhood that is visiting New York from London.”
I was afraid that he’d think I was cheating on Adam. Marco didn’t let on if he did, though. He gave Jack the same welcome that he had given me the first time he had met me. After our boisterous greeting, he upgraded the table Jack had reserved for us to one that he referred to as his “first class, VIP tables” and a complimentary bottle of the best house wine was sent over, as well.
“Wow,” Jack said. “This guy you’re in a relationship with must be really something to merit all of this attention just by knowing him.”
I smiled. “I think he’s really something, and apparently so does Marco.”
“So tell me about him,” Jack said as he poured us both a glass of wine.
“Well, he’s the owner of the firm I work for, for starters.”
“Adam Hanson?” Jack asked with a raised eyebrow.
“Yes, you know of him?”
“I think anyone who is connected to the law in this town, or who picks up a newspaper, knows of Adam Hanson. He’s currently representing the most infamous billionaire in the country, is he not?”
“Yes, which is part of the reason you have been running into me alone so often. Adam has been up to his eyeballs with this case.”
“And the other part,” Jack asked, after the waiter had taken our orders.
“Well, that’s the complicated part. Adam’s in the midst of a messy divorce. His soon to be ex is being extremely difficult, and has even recently moved back in with him, claiming she’s staking out ‘her’ home so that Adam doesn’t take it from her just by virtue that she’s not in residence.”
“Hmm, actually that sounds like a smart move on her part.”
I gave him a look that I hoped conveyed I didn’t appreciate him defending Marjorie in any way before saying, “It was actually her lawyer who gave her the idea. Adam thinks she’s sleeping with him.”
“Alicia, you do know that you deserve better than part of a man’s affections and all of this drama, don’t you?”
“It’s not like that, Jack. Adam is entirely devoted to me. This will all be over soon. I find him to be worth waiting for.” Jack didn’t respond to that, so trying a shot at changing the subject I said,
“Is there anyone special in your life these days? My mother mentioned not long ago that she heard you had gotten engaged.”
A dark cloud passed before Jack’s eyes. “That was a mistake. Alicia, promise me something. If the drama doesn’t stop soon with this man, you’ll reevaluate what you want and need out of a relationship.”
“Jack,” I said, trying to choose my words wisely, “I am quite capable of looking out for myself. This will be over soon, but even if it’s not, I do have the right to choose what I do and do not wish to deal with. I feel that I’m level-headed enough to make that decision on my own.”
Jack nodded. He looked about to say something else when our dinner arrived and interrupted him. By the time we started eating, his mood seemed to have changed again. He was back to being the old witty Jack, telling jokes and funny stories to make me laugh. I wrote off his moodiness to the residual feelings he still harbored and let it go at that for the time being.
The rest of the evening was spent on light conversation and I really enjoyed myself. By the time Jack dropped me at my apartment and gave me a chaste kiss on the cheek goodnight, the uncomfortable feelings about his earlier behavior had all but gone away.
CHAPTER FIVE
ADAM
I made time Saturday afternoon to go pick out a Christmas tree with Alicia. I didn’t really have the time, but I had barely seen her all week and I was having withdrawals. I also knew she’d been out with her “friend” the night before and shamelessly, jealousy was eating away at me.
I picked her up in the morning and we walked to a nearby coffee shop. We started our day out with hot chocolate and warm croissants before walking to a nearby tree lot. At the sight of the trees, Alicia’s pretty eyes lit up and I watched her in awe as she went from one tree to the next examining them like she was making a lifetime purchase.
“This one is nice and fat, but he has a hole on the other side.”
“Put that to the wall,” I told her.
“No, I’d rather find one full all the way around.”
I tried not to laugh at her as she went to the next one and the next. I saw one that I liked and said, “What about this one?”
She came over and walked a circle around it. “He’s kind of skinny.”
“Maybe we could feed him and fatten him up,” I said with a grin.
She stuck her tongue out at me. “I just want it to be perfect. It will be our first year celebrating together and Mum and Dad will be here, too.”
“I know, baby, I’m just teasing. Pick away.”
An hour later she’d finally picked out the tallest, fattest one on the lot. Thankfully, they delivered. After paying for it, we walked hand in hand back over to Central Park and had lunch. There were a lot of holiday kiosks set up around the park, and Alicia bought some Christmas decorations. We had another cup of hot chocolate and sat on a bench to watch the ice skaters while we sipped it. She slipped her hand into my pocket and laid her head on my shoulder. I watched all of the children playing on the ice, imagining what it might be like to have a child someday with her. I’d never wanted kids before, but I think Alicia would make a wonderful mother and, maybe because I was getting older, I thought I might enjoy being a father myself.
After another hour or so, we walked back to her place. Luis met us at the door and told her that the tree had been delivered. He’d had them set it in the hallway just outside of her apartment. When we got upstairs, I dragged it inside. We set it up…and watched it fall over three times before it was stable enough to decorate. She brought out a pot of coffee and Christmas cookies to enjoy while we dressed up the tree. It was something I hadn’t done since I was a kid, and I had a great time with her doing it.
When she was finally satisfied with it, we lay back on the couch and she snuggled into the crook of my arm while we admired our work. It only took fifteen minutes before we were kissing and my hands were roaming around underneath her clothes.
“Do you want to take this to the bedroom?” she asked with a grin.
“Nope.”
Looking confused she said, “No? You want to do it here on the couch?” I was obviously aroused so there was no denying I wanted to “do it,” as she had so cutely put it.
“Nope.”
“You don’t want me?”
I laughed. “I want you all the time, too much. I walk around with a semi-hard cock all day just thinking about you. I want you, baby. You owe me a shower, though, remember? Or at the very least, a bubble bath.”
She smiled. “A bubble bath would get my vote.”
“Okay, why don’t you go fix it while I put these cups away and pour us a glass of wine.”
She giggled like a little girl as she headed down the hall to the bathroom. I heard the water running as I carried the wine glasses down the hallway toward the bedroom. When I made it into the bathroom, the first thing I noticed was that she’d stripped out of her clothes. I hardly noticed anything else but that. She took the wine glasses out of my hands and instructed, “Strip.”
Laughing, I did as I was told. She watched as I peeled off each garment and once I was fully naked, she sat our wine on t
he wide edge of the now bubble-filled tub and climbed in.
She turned off the water and I watched her sexy body disappear down into the water. I stepped in behind her and she leaned back into me. She had pulled her hair up into a messy bun and her gorgeous neck and shoulders were bare. I kissed across one shoulder and then up her long graceful neck. Then I started massaging them. She moaned and leaned forward slightly. I ran my hands down her spine, massaging with my fingers and when I reached the bottom of it, I slid them up her sides and brushed my fingers lightly against the sides of her breasts.
She shuddered and tipped her head back. I put my mouth to her ear and slipped a hand around her waist. I sucked the delicate lobe in between my lips and used my tongue to tantalize her as I slid her up into my lap.
I used the hand on her waist to caress her stomach and then slid it up to her breasts. She let out a little cry as I pinched one nipple firmly between my thumb and forefinger. I moved my hand over and did the same to the other one and then I slid my hand down between her legs. She squirmed against my hard cock, which she was sitting directly on top of, as I put my fingers against her clit and began to rub it in small circles. She had her head all the way back and pressed into my shoulder and her breaths were coming in short gasps. I rubbed hard and fast and loved the way her sliding against my cock felt as I did.
It didn’t take long to bring her to her first orgasm. She shivered and shook in my arms as she came and then relaxed back into me once she was finished. I could feel her legs shaking against mine. When she caught her breath, she pushed up and slid around to face me. She was straddling my waist with a knee on either side of me. I pulled her up on top of my cock and let the tip slide into her. I reached behind her and unplugged the tub…we were about to make one hell of a mess. She wrapped her legs around my waist and sat down, taking the rest of me inside of her as she did.
I started thrusting my hips up, and she clutched onto my shoulders and rode me as the water sloshed from side to side and over the edges of the tub. I didn’t care if we flooded the whole place. I’d buy her a new one.
I slid my hands down and gripped the firm cheeks of her ass and squeezed them. I used them as leverage to slide her up and down on my hard pole, striking deep and hard each time. Alicia was returning each one of my thrusts with one of her own. Her soapy breasts and hard nipples were pressed into me, and the sight of her and the smells of the perfumed bath and the sounds she was making that echoed off the walls filled my senses. When I couldn’t hold back any longer, I plunged into her all the way and held myself there as I came. It was another earth-shattering orgasm and once again, I reminded myself that I needed to get rid of Marjorie so that I could have this every day…and soon.
I held her in the tub until all of the water drained and then we got out and into the shower. Things got wild again and I ended up fucking her up against the cold tile wall before we could both concentrate on an actual shower. Once we were clean and dried off, I reluctantly told her I had to go. Brigham’s jet was picking me up at JFK in an hour.
“You’re going back out to his estate?”
“Yeah. I’d rather stay with you…”
She smiled. “Most people would rather stick needles in their eyes than spend an evening with those crazy people, I think.”
I laughed. “That, too. But I really would rather be with you than with anyone at any time.”
“I know,” she said as she leaned into me. “Me, too.”
“Want to go with me?”
She grimaced. “Do you need me to go…for business?”
“No, baby, this part is about the civil case.”
“Then, not a chance,” she told me with a grin. I didn’t blame her, at all. I kissed her again before dressing and forcing myself to leave. On my way out, I looked at the tree we’d decorated together once again. My heart swelled in my chest.
It was the little things like that I wanted to do with her forever. I’d never had fun with Marjorie – or any woman really for that matter. My marriage to Marjorie had always been more like an unpleasant business arrangement and any women I was with before her had been strictly for sex. With Alicia, I wanted it all, and no matter what I had to do, I was going to have it. I was beginning to think fighting Marjorie over “things” was completely moronic when it took time away that I could be spending with the most beautiful, amazing girl on earth. I’d have to call my attorney before we went to court on Monday. Maybe I would be willing to change my terms to please her…and get rid of her.
CHAPTER SIX
ALICIA
I actually spent a lazy Sunday just reading and catching up on housework and laundry. I didn’t hear from Adam, but I knew he was stuck at the Brigham mansion all weekend, so I didn’t worry about it. I thought it was a lot better than the alternative actually: being stuck at the penthouse with Marjorie. On Monday morning, I called him to wish him luck with his and Marjorie’s court date.
“Thanks, baby, but I don’t think I’ll need much luck today. I think she’s finally going to agree to our terms and accept them.” I wasn’t sure what had changed, but he sounded excited and hopeful for the first time in quite a while, and I was happy about that.
“Well, luck or no luck I hope all goes well. I miss you,” I told him.
“I miss you, too. Dinner tonight?”
My mood elevated at the mere thought. “Absolutely.” We made plans to talk later and after saying good-bye, I got ready for work and got my own day started. I was humming when I stepped off the elevator until I saw Carla’s face. Suddenly, I knew for sure it was Monday.
“What’s up?” I asked.
She gestured her head to the waiting room to the left. I glanced over, and in the waiting area sat DA Dawson. He was dressed to kill in what I could only imagine was a suit he had purchased in the children’s department, and his bald little head was so shiny that I almost couldn’t look directly at it.
He stood when he saw me notice him. “Ms. Winston,” he said, holding out his pudgy little hand with the stubby fingers on it for me to shake. I had to force myself to take it.
“Mr. Dawson, to what do I owe the pleasure of an early morning visit from the District Attorney?”
Dawson looked at Carla as if he was concerned she may be a spy and then said, “Perhaps we could discuss it in your office.”
“Sure, this way.” As I passed Carla’s desk, I rolled my eyes and made a face. I could tell she was trying not to laugh. Once inside the office, I offered Dawson a seat and a bottle of water. After he was settled, I asked again, “How can I help you, Mr. Dawson?”
“Well, Ms. Winston, I believe I am actually here to help you.”
“And how is that?”
“Well, I have a warrant for the arrest of one of your current clients, and I wanted to offer you the chance to surrender him, as opposed to me sending the state police to fetch him at his home or his office.”
Knowing who it was without asking, I asked anyways, “Who is this client, and what is he suspected of?”
Dawson smiled his little gnome-like smile. “The great man, Miles Brigham IV is the client, and I think you and I both know that the crime he is suspected of, as you so delicately put it, is murder.”
I could feel a headache beginning to start just slightly behind my eyes and in my temples. I had a feeling that it would only get worse as the day went on and by sundown I might be sporting a full-blown migraine.
“Murder?” I said to Dawson in a skeptical tone. “May I ask what evidence this is based on?”
“You may, indeed,” he answered smugly. “First of all, your client had motive. He had recently discovered two things about Vick Landon, the first being that he was sleeping with his daughter’s boyfriend. I’m sure that set his teeth on edge.”
He smiled that nasty little smile of his and then went on, “Secondly, Mr. Brigham had also recently discovered that much of the monies he believed had been sunk into the Presidential campaign had actually been diverted into Vick’s own accou
nt and used to keep his stripper girlfriend set up at the Plaza and in designer shoes.”
“Okay, so he had reason to dislike the man and possibly have him arrested for embezzlement or misappropriation of funds,” I agreed. “But kill him? I do think that if the affair had pushed him too far, perhaps David would have been the target of a murder, rather than Vick?”
“Yes, I thought about that. But, have you seen David since any of this took place? The man is hiding out, running for his life. I don’t believe Brigham intended to leave him as a loose string. The night that Vick died, he and David had made plans to rendezvous. I believe Brigham got impatient and scared David off before he could kill them both.”
“Fancy little theories you have there, Mr. Dawson,” I said with a smile. “But there is the small matter of proof. You haven’t forgotten that, have you?”
Dawson snorted out a laugh before saying, “I have a ninety percent conviction rate, my dear. No, I have not overlooked the proof. Vick lived in a very swank apartment building in SoHo. There are security cameras everywhere. Mr. Brigham, be he a formidable business man, is not skilled at playing the dress-up game.”
I continued to sit silently. I had the feeling that Dawson was about to tell me they have Miles on tape, which was definitely a game changer. I waited for him to continue, however.
“He wore a plaid flannel shirt and a pair of jeans. The ball cap that he wore was pulled low, almost over his eyes. His tennis shoes were well-worn. He made it through most of the place without getting his face on camera. I’ll guess he’s become pretty good at that over the years. Unfortunately for Mr. Brigham, there was one camera in the back stairwell that was not obvious. In fact, a pigeon had actually built a nest on the brackets that held it to the wall. We almost didn’t find it ourselves.”
“So, you have a man who resembles my client leaving the building on the night of the murder. No smoking gun? No witness?”