Forbidden Sins

by J. Margot Critch

  He took a seat at his desk, and was about to start in on his day when Kellen buzzed in. “Ian Smith is here to see you, Gabe.”

  Gabe frowned. He didn’t have a meeting with Ian, and he certainly didn’t want to talk to him socially. He knew it had something to do with their encounter at Di Terrestres. He’d expected it earlier, but he was ready for whatever he had to say. “Send him in.”

  Ian walked into his office. His smirk was slick, and Gabe wanted to punch it off his face.

  “What can I do for you, Ian?”

  He sat across from Gabe. “We can’t have a social visit?”

  “We never have before.”

  “You’re right.” He passed his cell phone between his hands.

  “I just wanted to see how you felt about both of us being up for the partner position. The vote is happening today.”

  “Yes, I’m aware.”

  “And I just wanted to see if you were interested in withdrawing from consideration? Telling Burnham and the other partners that you don’t want it. Then we wouldn’t need to waste everybody’s time with a vote.”

  Gabe laughed. “Why would I do that?”

  “I have some information that you might want to keep covered.”

  Gabe straightened in his chair. Did he know about his ownership stake in Di Terrestres? Have more details about his relationship with Ellie? He tried to play it cool. “And what’s that?”

  “That day, in the law library. I saw you with Burnham’s daughter. I was waiting for the right time to reveal the information. I think that’s today if you don’t do what I want.”

  Gabe tried to hold his panic at bay. “Is that right?”

  “Yeah, it was quite a show you guys put on. That Ellie looks like a pretty decent lay.”

  “Keep her out of this.” Gabe clenched his fists and stood. “And I won’t be blackmailed, especially by someone like you. You should leave,” he warned the other man.

  Ian made no move. “I can assume the old man doesn’t know that you’ve been fucking his daughter. But that’s not all.”

  If Smith exposed Ellie, he had nothing else to lose. “What else you got?”

  “I’ve learned that you’re one of the principle partners of Di Terrestres. The club that Charles Burnham is working so hard to shut down.”

  Gabe tried to not let his feelings show, played it cool. “How do you know that?”

  “There are some good private investigators in this city.”

  “You son of a bitch.”

  “I know your old man used to run this place, but I don’t think he would appreciate your ownership of a sex club. So if I were you, I wouldn’t worry so much about you becoming partner. And of course, when Charles fires you, maybe I’d be down to mentor your girl, myself.” Ian laughed and stood, then walked to the door. Gabe sat for several moments, frozen with the rage that pulsed through him.

  He stalked out of his office and caught up to Ian, who was already in the hallway. So early in the morning, it was already full of his colleagues milling about, socializing, warming up for the day. But Gabe didn’t care about what any of them thought.

  “Ian,” he ground out between clenched teeth. When the man turned to face him, his smirk was the perfect target and Gabe couldn’t resist reacting.

  He reached back and punched Ian with enough force to knock the other man back. When Ian regained his equilibrium, he tackled Gabe, forcing him against the wall, before they took it to the ground. Screams echoed in the halls as the men scuffled on the floor, throwing punches, and Gabe quickly maintained the upper hand, until they were finally separated by some other workers.

  Gabe brushed off the peacemakers. He straightened and wiped his mouth, and his hand came away bloodied. “You son of a bitch,” he muttered to Ian, who was nursing his own wounds. “You stay the fuck away from Ellie.”

  “Gabe, what’s going on?” he heard Ellie cry behind him. He turned and saw her on the edge of the onlookers who’d congregated. She came to him. “Are you okay?”

  “Yeah, I’m fine,” he told her, hoping that he didn’t look as bad as he felt.

  “Hey, Ellie,” Ian called. “Want to nurse me back to health?”

  Gabe made a start for the man again, ready to tear him apart, but he was held back by a couple of his colleagues.

  “Gabe, no!” Ellie’s hands were on his chest, holding him back, and her pleading eyes kept him from pursuing Ian any further.

  “Fine,” he told her. He stared at Ian, who was already looking at him. He knew his career was done, but it didn’t strike him with regret like he thought it would have, when he put his arm around Ellie. “He isn’t worth it.”

  * * *

  “Who wants to start?” Charles Burnham looked between Gabe and Ian.

  “I’m sorry I embarrassed the firm, sir.” Gabe’s jaw ached, and he knew a bruise was forming on his cheek. When he threw the first punch, he knew he would have to answer to the boss. But he hadn’t cared about that when it came to defending Ellie’s honor from the snake beside him.

  “What was the fight about?”

  Gabe paused, before answering. “It was about Ellie,” he said, with a look at Ian, daring the other man to stay silent. He did.

  “Can I ask what my daughter has to do with anything here?”

  “She’s my wife, sir.” He hadn’t meant to say it, it just came out.

  Gabe could feel the shock coming from both Charles and Ian.

  “Your wife?”

  Gabe nodded.

  “How—You married my daughter, and didn’t tell me.”

  “I know I should have come to you—”

  “You’re goddamn right you should have. But that still doesn’t explain why two of my more promising associates were grappling in my hallway.”

  He heard Ian snicker. “Yeah. Gabe, why did you pull that first punch?”

  Charles made a disgusted sound, and hit the intercom button to his assistant. “Rosa, call Ellie and get her up here immediately.”

  “Yes, sir.”

  “Ian, get out of here. I need to sort this mess out. I’ll deal with you later.”

  Ian stood and quickly left the office, his head bowed.

  Gabe turned back to his mentor, who looked at him through narrowed, angry eyes.

  * * *

  Ellie put her hand on the doorknob to her father’s office. She knew that the call would be coming. She entered, and both her father and Gabe watched her. She sat and put her hand on Gabe’s arm in a gesture of support. When her father folded his hands together in front of his face, she knew that he was pissed.

  He cleared his throat. “I’m not sure what’s going on here,” he said, raising an eyebrow at her hand on Gabe’s. “I was told there was a physical fight between two of our most promising attorneys, who are in line to become partner, and I learn that you’re married.”

  Ellie’s mouth dropped and she looked to Gabe.

  “I told him, Ell. I’m sorry.”

  “You’re married? How? When?”

  “It happened a few weeks ago.”

  His mouth dropped. “Weeks,” he said, not a question. “And neither of you thought it was important to tell me.” He was addressing both of them but his gaze fell solely on Ellie.

  “It’s not her fault, sir. I take full responsibility.”

  “Anyone planning on telling me how this happened?”

  “There is no real explanation. We met one night. And we got married. I didn’t know she was your daughter, or that she was working at the firm. I’d just gotten back from Hong Kong. We were on the Strip—”

  Her father sat back in his chair, and he nodded. His eyes were still cold and mean. “Ah, I think I finally understand. I see the old Ellie has finally shown her true colors again. It was only a matter of time.”

  Ellie’s stomach
dropped. Her father’s judgment of her hurt. Every move forward they had made had been lost. She realized that her father hadn’t changed his opinion of her, and he never would. But she still had a chance to save Gabe. He could come out of this whole debacle unscathed. She just had to cut the ties.

  She released Gabe’s hand, and smiled bitterly at the older man. “You know what, Dad? You’re right. I haven’t changed at all. Gabe and I got drunk, we got married. Possibly the most reckless, impulsive thing I’d ever done. I was doing this to get back at you, and it was the only way to do it.”

  Gabe looked from Charles to Ellie. “What?” She could see the hurt and confusion written on his face, but she ignored it. She had to.

  “Yeah, Gabe, this had nothing to do with you. It was all about getting under my father’s skin. You know, bad seed that I am, and all.”

  “Ellie, what—”

  “Gabe, just stop. You’re embarrassing yourself.” She slid the ring she always kept near out of her pocket and put it in Gabe’s palm, trying not to look in his eyes. “I’m going to get out of here. Thanks for the fun, Gabe.” She turned on her heel and walked out without even looking back.

  * * *

  He caught up to her in the hallway. “Ellie, what the fuck was that?” he demanded.

  “He’s right, wasn’t he? Your career has already been jeopardized by me. Just like he said would happen. You can’t throw everything away.”

  Gabe shook his head. “But you didn’t mean what you said in there. I know it. There’s no way you were faking things between us.”

  Ellie said nothing.

  “You must be one hell of an actress, but I don’t think so. Because I don’t believe you right now.”

  Ellie shrugged indifferently, making him feel like punching a wall. But he got his anger and hurt under control.

  He put the ring in her hand. “But I meant what I said earlier. The ring is yours. In fact, I meant everything I said to you.” He turned and strode down the hall.

  “Gabe, wait!”

  Instead of facing her, he waved casually over his shoulder, dismissing her, without even looking back.

  Gabe stood outside of his office. His most fucked-up day was just getting worse and worse. Kellen looked up at him but said nothing, most likely stunned at seeing his boss anything but put together. He quickly averted his eyes and looked back to his computer, but his fingers didn’t move over the keyboard.

  Gabe put his hand on the doorknob, about to enter his office and try to see how he could even go about salvaging his career. But something stopped him. Instead of opening his door, he turned around and went back down the hall to Charles’s office.

  Striding past Charles’s assistant, he walked right into his mentor’s office. The older man was clearly surprised to see him. “Yes, Gabe?”

  He watched Charles’s hand shake as he brought the scotch tumbler to his lips. “I need to talk to you.”

  He waved at him to proceed.

  “I’m in love with Ellie.” Charles nodded, but didn’t say anything. “It might be too late for us, but you need to rethink your relationship with her. She’s kind, smart, funny, compassionate, and your approximation of her, that she’s still the irresponsible party girl she used to be, is bullshit.”

  “My relationship with my daughter is none of your concern.”

  “That’s where you’re wrong. Ellie concerns me. Her desire to be close to you touched every aspect of our relationship.”

  “You don’t know what she’s put me through. The headlines, the gossip.”

  “She was a teenager. Get to know her, sir. You won’t regret it.” He paused. “I don’t.”

  “This matter with Ellie aside. You started a physical relationship with another associate. You’re her mentor. You know that is highly inappropriate.”

  Gabe nodded. “Yes, sir.”

  “If I can’t trust you, how could I propose you as partner?”

  Gabe shook his head. “You know what? I don’t care anymore.”

  “Excuse me?”

  “You’ve held that goddamn partnership over my head, dangling the carrot for far too long. I don’t care. I don’t want it anymore. And now that I think about it, I don’t even want to work at this firm anymore. Consider this my resignation.” Gabe turned without saying anything else, but before he reached the door, Charles called to him.

  “Gabe,” he said, in a sad tone that almost made Gabe pity him.

  “What?”

  “What was the fight about, between you and Ian?”

  “He discovered some things about me that I didn’t really want you to know.” Gabe didn’t care about revealing the truth about himself, if it took the focus off Ellie. “Ian had me investigated and found out that I not only serve as counsel for the owners of Di Terrestres, but I’m an owner, as well.”

  “You what? You own that...that...den of sin?” Charles sputtered so dramatically Gabe rolled his eyes.

  “With my friends, yes.” His chuckle held little humor. “You know, it’s ridiculous how long I was wary of you finding out. But really, the fight was that he saw me with Ellie, and had some comments about her.”

  “You gave up on your career for Ellie?”

  “I’d give up a lot more than that for her.” He extended his hand to his former mentor. “But, Charles, I want to thank you for the opportunity you’ve given me here. I really appreciate it. But it’s over. I’ll go pack up my office now.”

  CHAPTER FIFTEEN

  GABE SAT BEHIND his piano, his right hand pressing a sequence of keys that should have combined melodically with those played by the left hand, if only that hand hadn’t been holding a tumbler of scotch. He drained his glass, put it down and filled it again with the bottle that sat on the top, not taking his right hand from the keys.

  He looked up, just as he had the night Ellie had seen him playing and they’d made love on the piano. But this time the marble hallway was empty. He sighed and swallowed more scotch past the lump in his throat.

  He’d spent most of the day just as he had the others since Ellie had left him—lost, listless, drinking. Who was he? He wasn’t Gabe, the lawyer. He wasn’t Gabe, the husband. His doorbell chimed, ricocheting off the bare hallways. He stood and walked to the door, and saw it was Alana. He frowned, remembering their fight, and how wrong he’d been. He felt stupid. He wasn’t even Gabe, the friend, anymore.

  “Hey,” he said, turning and leading her into his house. He knew she followed when he heard her close the door, the click of her high heels on the floor.

  He walked into the kitchen. “Can I get you anything?”

  “I’ll have a Perrier, if you’ve got one.”

  He passed her one, and opened a beer for himself. “Are you here to gloat?”

  “About what?”

  “You were right about Ellie. It was all a mistake. And guess what, she even told me that it was all to mess with her dad.”

  Her eyes widened. “Really. Did you believe that?”

  “No. But she said it. And she believes it.”

  “I think I may have put that thought into her head.” She looked to the floor. “Sorry about that.”

  “Whatever.”

  “Are you okay?”

  “Just fucking peachy, Lana.” He punctuated it with a swallow of beer. “What can I do for you?”

  “That’s all you have to say to me?” She sighed. “Fine. I’m sorry, okay?”

  “You’re sorry? Didn’t I just tell you that you were right?”

  “It’s not about being right or wrong. I know I was wrong. You shouldn’t have given up so easily. And maybe you were right, too. Maybe I was just a little jealous. You and all the guys have so much going on personally right now. Maybe I feel, sometimes, like the odd man out.”

  “I don’t want to hear this right now.”

  Alan
a looked at him closely. He knew she saw his unshaven face, his sweatpants. “Did you not go to work today?”

  He laughed. “Didn’t you hear? I quit.”

  “You quit your job?”

  He shrugged. “Yeah, I was tired of the whole goddamn thing. The career I spent years building.” He chuckled without mirth. “It’s over.”

  “Have you been playing?” she asked, looking over at the piano, seeing the almost empty bottle and his glass sitting atop it.

  “A little. Ellie said I should play at the club. Think that could be my new job? I’m not exactly looking forward to being unemployed.”

  Alana smiled. “You know, I think that’s a pretty good idea.” Her phone beeped in her purse. “Damn, I’ve got an appointment. But are you going to be okay? Why don’t you call the guys over?”

  “I’m fine.”

  “And think about doing a show, Gabe. Take a chance. Do the unexpected. It could be great.”

  * * *

  Ellie was sitting in front of her television, a glass of red wine in one hand and a frosted cinnamon roll in the other, when her phone rang. Her eyes were still red-rimmed and burned, and she looked over at the papers she’d left on the coffee table in front of her. The annulment papers that Gabe had given her more than a month ago. The proceedings were winding their way through the legal system. Their day in court was quickly approaching, and she didn’t know if she could face Gabe in front of the judge.

  She briefly considered ignoring her ringing phone, but she picked it up, and saw her father’s name on the screen.