We traded, and I got a strange sense of satisfaction watching her eat part of my lunch. She needed the protein and calories. I made a big deal of eating her little sandwich, humming and smacking my lips over the cheap peanut butter. It was worth eating, knowing I had, in some small way, cared for her.
She stood when she finished. “Thanks for the break.”
“My pleasure.”
She stopped in the doorway. “Rene told me you always eat at your desk alone, Halton.”
I grinned, unabashed at being caught. “Guilty as charged, but you are much prettier, and I’ve heard all his stories before.”
“You were being sweet.”
I snorted. Sweet was a word never used to describe me, but somehow, I liked knowing she thought about me that way.
“Keep that to yourself. I have a reputation to uphold.”
A flush stole over her cheeks, and her smile broke through. “I will.”
I winked. “Good job.”
She left me smiling and determined to repeat our lunch.
It was a conundrum. I wasn’t sure I had ever liked a woman before now. I wanted to get to know her even more. The conversation we’d had about her last name stuck with me. I was proud of her decision and the reasons behind it. She was stronger than she thought she was—wanting to move forward with her life. Eager to embrace the future. Listening to her talk about her parents—even briefly—brought forth an urge to tell her about my parents, which had shocked me. I never shared my past with anyone. But I wanted to share it with her. And I had no idea how to handle it.
“Anyway,” I said, setting down my empty cup and pushing my confusing thoughts aside. “I don’t want you to hurry back. Take some more time, then ease back in.”
“How is her case coming?”
“I’ve been waiting to see if he makes the first move, but nothing has happened. It’s been almost two weeks since she came to see me, and four since he kicked her out. I’m done waiting. Fee is ready, so I have the documents set to go. He’s going to be served on Wednesday. I’ll go over everything with her tomorrow. I’m going for half of everything, and I’m fighting to get the business agreement struck down. It was signed under duress.” I ran a hand over the back of my neck. “I think her entire marriage the past few years has been duress.” I leaned forward, resting my elbows on my knees. “He’s gonna fucking lose it when he sees she has hired me. It’s going to be interesting, to say the least.”
“He thought she’d roll over and take what he offered?”
“Without a doubt. He thought he had broken her and he had her exactly where he wanted. That she’d agree and walk away. The cocky bastard even offered to get her a lawyer. Promised her he would look after her,” I scoffed. “Look after himself, he meant.”
“I guess he didn’t know her as well as he thought.”
“No, he didn’t. She is way stronger than he gave her credit for. He weakened her, but he didn’t break her. And I’ll make sure she comes out even stronger.”
He picked up his cup with a knowing look. “I have no doubt.”
I ignored his hidden meaning.
Fee’s hand shook as she signed all the documents I gave her. I sat back, worried. I had taken my time, discussed every outcome with her, made sure she understood all the steps, and determined how to hit him to get the maximum benefit. Letting him drag it out had actually been beneficial for us. I made sure Fee was prepared, but now, I had my doubts. Maybe it was still too overwhelming for her.
“Are you sure you’re ready for this, Fee?”
Her gaze flitted around the room—one of her tells when she was nervous or upset. It amazed me how many things I knew about her simply from watching and listening over the past days. It had never happened to me until now.
“Fee?” I prompted.
“It makes me nervous wondering how he’ll react…” She swallowed, her voice shaking. "What he’ll do.”
Something in her voice made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. “Is there something you haven’t told me?” I asked.
She didn’t respond.
“Did he hit you, Fee?” I demanded, my hands curling into fists of rage.
“One time,” she whispered. “One day, it struck me that this was my life. Scott had come home, already angry when he walked in the door. He got angrier because I hadn’t picked up his suit at the cleaners. I forgot—I was busy and I forgot. He berated me, and for the first time, I got angry back. I told him I was tired of being his maid and his whipping boy—that I wanted out of our marriage.” She shut her eyes as she relived the memory. “He became enraged and grabbed me, shouting and yelling. He threatened me and told me he would never allow it. He screamed all sorts of obscenities at me and told me to forget that idea. He owned me, and he would be the one to decide if the marriage was over. He shook me so hard, I got dizzy. We were standing on the landing midway up the stairs. When he pushed me away, I fell.” She swallowed. “He insisted it was my fault.”
“Bullshit.”
“He told the paramedics I slipped. They believed him.” She lifted a shoulder. “By the time I came home from the hospital, I had heard him tell the story so often, I almost believed him.”
“What were your injuries?”
“Cracked ribs, a sprained wrist, and a concussion.”
“I want those hospital records.” Anger exploded in me, and I smacked the table. “Why didn’t you say anything? I told you I needed honesty!”
She drew in a deep breath, not meeting my eyes. “Because it embarrassed me, Halton. I stayed with him. I let him get away with it. He never did it again. In fact, unless we were out, he never touched me again. But from that day onward, I was afraid of him in a way I had never thought I would be.”
Her words dissipated my anger. I scrubbed my face then leaned toward her, sliding my fingers under her chin and making her meet my eyes.
“I understand. But no more. You swear it was one time?”
“Yes. The rest of the time, he used words.” She swallowed, the action moving her throat against my fingers. “Those left marks no one can see, but I feel them every day.”
Her eyes were fathomless, the green so vivid and verdant. I could see her pain and again felt the odd pull to erase it.
“I’m sorry,” was all I could offer. “But don’t be scared, Fee. He’s shown poor judgment, but he isn’t a complete idiot. He’ll get his own counsel, and they’ll handle the case. You won’t have to put up with him or his words anymore. Just to be safe, I’ll pick you up and take you home for a while, okay?”
Her eyes widened. “You don’t have…”
I cut her off by tightening my fingers on her chin. “Yes, I do. Let me, please.”
Her shoulders sagged. “Okay.”
Realizing I was still holding her chin, I released it and sat back. I picked up the documents and slid them into the envelope.
“Ready?” I asked.
She raised her chin. “Yes.”
I winked. “Good, FeeNelly. Good girl.”
Her laughter made me grin.
I wasn’t smiling when I walked into the office on Saturday morning and found her there.
I hadn’t been able to settle Friday evening, and I’d tossed and turned even more than usual all night. Insomnia had me pacing the floor, so I gave up and came in to get some work done while the office was quiet. There had been no word from Scott, but I knew that would change soon. Monday was a holiday, and the following short week was going to be a busy one.
I was wary when I opened the door and found the alarm turned off. I saw Fee’s purse by the desk and wondered why she was here. My suspicious nature had me check to make sure my office door was locked, then I shook my head. She had already proven herself to me. She was probably feeling anxious and decided to do some work herself. I opened the library door and stopped.
She was asleep in the chair, silhouetted by the dim light coming in the window. Her coat was draped over her, and beside her on the floor was a suit
case.
What the hell was going on?
I sat across from her, taking in her appearance. Her hair was disheveled and unkempt, her face pale and wan. It was obvious she had been crying. My anxiety grew looking at her fingers that clutched her coat tightly, even in sleep. The nailbeds were bloody and raw. She had been fine when I left yesterday. She had plans for a quiet weekend, knowing she would no doubt have to face the start of Scott’s battle against her.
Something was terribly wrong.
I laid my hand on top of hers and spoke her name in a low voice. She jerked away with a gasp, her body jackknifing into an upright position.
“Shh, Fee,” I crooned. “It’s me.”
Before I could say anything else, she launched herself at me with such force, it pushed me back into the chair. Feeling the sobs ripping from her chest, I held her tight, talking to her, trying to calm her down.
“It’s okay. You’re safe.”
“I’ve got you.”
“Fee, love, please calm down. I’m here. I’m right here.”
I had no idea where those words came from, but they seemed to reach her. She shuddered, but her sobs diminished and she began to relax. I kept her close, running my hand up and down her back in a soothing motion.
Finally, she lifted her head, her eyes red, swollen, and exhausted. Her hands shook as she scrubbed at her cheeks, and I grabbed some tissues for her. She sighed, the sound long and deep, then spoke.
“I’m sorry.”
“No. Whatever happened that did this to you, don’t be sorry.” When she didn’t reply, I cradled her face between my hands, making her look at me. “Go wash your face. I’m going to make us coffee, and you can tell me what happened.”
“Scott happened,” she whispered.
My hands tightened. “Did he touch you?”
“No.”
“Threatened you?”
She didn’t respond, and I had my answer. The stupid bastard. Whatever he had done, he was going to regret it. I would see to that.
“Go,” I said as gently as I could. “It’s going to be fine, Fee. I promise.”
She slid from my lap, heading toward the door leading to the main office. I stood.
“No, Fee. Use my private one. Have a shower and give yourself a little time to calm down. I’ll wait for you here.”
“Your-your private one?”
We both knew what I was offering.
“Yes.” I pulled out my keys and unlocked the door between the two rooms. I carried her suitcase into the bathroom and left her.
“Take your time.”
I made coffee, then stared blindly at the wall. I didn’t understand my reaction to her tears. I’d had lots of clients weep in front of me, and I never felt helpless. I never felt the overwhelming need to fix whatever upset them. To find the person responsible and use my fists until they felt the same hurt. I’d certainly never called a client “love” before. It was a pet name my father used to call my mother back a long time ago when they were happy. When we were a family. Why it slipped from my lips when I was holding Fee, I had no idea.
What the hell was going on with me?
What the hell was Fiona doing to me? And why did the thought of those green eyes filled with tears make my chest ache so hard?
I had no idea, but I knew I had to figure it out.
She sat across from me, dressed in casual clothes, her hair piled on top of her head. She looked younger than thirty, although her exhaustion was evident.
I pushed the coffee toward her. “Drink.”
She sipped the coffee, holding the mug with trembling hands.
“When did you see Scott?”
“He showed up at Joanne’s last night. I was having a shower, and I heard yelling. I went to see what was going on, and he was there.”
“Did he touch you?”
She hesitated.
“I want the truth, Fee. All of it.”
“He grabbed my arms. He was livid, and he had been drinking. I could smell it on him. And his eyes—they frightened me. There was something weird about them. He was screaming at me that I was using you, of all lawyers.” Her gaze flickered to mine before dropping again. “He called you ‘that low-life do-gooder’ and said you liked to mess with him.”
I snorted. “I do like to mess with him, but he’s mixing his metaphors. Am I a low-life or a do-gooder?”
She shook her head, still not meeting my gaze. “Neither,” she whispered. “You are a champion of those of us in need.”
Her words did something to me. Fractured a small part of the wall I kept around myself, splitting it open enough to make me reach out to her. I captured her hand in mine, holding it tight.
“Thank you, Fee.”
“It’s the truth.”
I squeezed her fingers. “What happened?”
“He said a lot of things. That I chose you to get back at him. That I was going to regret my decision. He said if I had listened to him, he would have looked after me. That this could have been done with no acrimony, but instead, I had stabbed him in the back by going to you. He swore I would walk away with nothing and I would be begging for mercy when he was done with me. He said I was worthless and a lousy excuse for a wife.” She stopped, but I knew there was more.
I almost laughed at his choice of words. He ended their marriage, made her feel like nothing, and didn’t think there would be any acrimony? He was more of an idiot than I thought.
“Truth,” I repeated, needing the entire story.
“He said I was a lousy lay, but I was probably screwing you behind his back. He swore he had proof. I think he’s going to try to damage your reputation.”
I wanted to get up and go find him. Beat the shit out of him until he begged for mercy. But that wouldn’t do either Fiona or me any good. I had to stay calm for her. “He’s desperate and stupid, Fee. He has no proof of any such thing. I’m not the least bit concerned.”
“He warned me it was going to get ugly and he was going to make sure I paid for this embarrassment.” She let out a quivering sigh. “By that point, he was screaming and shaking me.”
She ran a hand over her head, resting her forehead against her palm. “Joanne came into the room and said she was calling the police. He shouted and cursed some more, and her neighbor showed up. Scott left after that.”
“Of course he did. Bullies always leave when threatened. And make no mistake, he is a bully. A stupid one at that.” I shook my head. “He’s digging his own grave here. Did the police show up?”
“No, Joanne hadn’t called them yet.”
“Dammit,” I cursed. “I would have liked that on the record. But we have witnesses, so that works too.”
“He scared Joanne. I don’t know what he said to her, but she was so frightened, she was in tears. She had an abusive boyfriend years ago, and it left her skittish. I knew she was scared that he might come back, so I lied and told her I had another place to go. She didn’t believe me at first, but I convinced her. I told her I was leaving in the morning, but I left after she was asleep.”
I shook my head in disbelief. Fee was more concerned about her friend than herself.
“So, you left? With nowhere to go?”
“I waited until it was late. I knew Scott was gone—we had heard tires squealing after he left. I think he was driving intoxicated.”
“A shame he hadn’t hit a wall and taken himself out,” I stated wryly.
She offered me a small smile, knowing I had been joking.
Sort of.
“Anyway, I waited until about two and left. I walked a few blocks away to a coffee shop and called an Uber. I came here because I knew he wouldn’t think to look for me at my lawyer’s office in the middle of the night.”
“Why didn’t you call me?”
“It was late, Halton. I didn’t want to disturb you.”
“Disturb or bother me, you mean?”
She shrugged, and I knew I was right. I hated the thought of her out in the middle of
the night alone, scared, with nowhere to go.
“Fee, I’m your attorney. You can call me anytime. Especially for something like this. Understand?”
“All right,” she said quietly.
I glanced at her suitcase. “Were you planning on staying here all weekend?”
“I hadn’t really thought about it. I knew I couldn’t stay with Joanne anymore, and I had nowhere else to go.”
I frowned. “You can’t stay here. Sleeping in a chair, living out of a suitcase.”
Alone, I added in my mind.
“I called around when I got here, but with the long weekend, a bunch of conventions in town, and some hockey games, the hotels that were close were all booked. I’ll make some more calls in a while and find a place.”
She shifted, taking her hand away. I hadn’t even realized I was still holding it.
She rubbed her arms, wincing slightly.
“Let me see.”
She pulled up her sleeves, and I had to hold myself back from cursing and going to find Scott, regardless of the outcome. Bruises were forming on her upper arms. Dark, angry bruises with the distinctive outline of a hand. Scott’s hands. I couldn’t risk him finding her again. She needed to be somewhere safe.
She looked away as I took pictures of her arms. That bastard was going to pay for this.
Studying her, I made another snap decision. They seemed to come easy when it involved Fiona.
I retrieved her suitcase. “Get your purse, Fee. You’re coming with me.”
She followed me to the elevator, nervous. I stood close, letting her know I was right there for her. We were silent as I made sure she got into the car. I stowed her small suitcase in the back seat and pulled out of the garage.
“Where are you taking me?” she asked.
“To my place.”
Halton
I opened the door to the guest room, placing Fiona’s bag on the floor beside the bed.
“The bathroom is across the hall. I know there are towels and things in there. My housekeeper makes sure it’s well stocked.”
She looked around, obviously still in shock. Aside from gaping at me in the car when I told her where I was taking her, she hadn’t said a word.
Halton: Vested Interest #6 Page 7