by Jaci Burton
They were supposed to see each other tonight, though Jack said he had to work late and would come over to her place around eight.
She closed up the shop at two like she always did, finishing up the bank deposit paperwork. As usual, she was the last person in the shop but had already locked the doors. When someone knocked, she looked up and shook her head, pointing to the CLOSED sign.
“May I speak with you please, Miss Jameson?” An older gentlemen spoke through the glass door. “I’m with Jack Fellows’s law firm.”
Curious, Callie unlocked the door and motioned the man inside.
“Thank you.” He smiled and held out his hand. “I’m Bob Walters, one of the senior partners at the law firm where Jack works.”
Callie smiled and shook his hand. “Very nice to meet you, Mr. Walters. Please, have a seat.”
“Thank you. And call me Bob.” He sat at the table and folded his hands.
“Would you like some coffee? I’ve already closed everything up, but I’d be happy to make some.”
“No, that’s quite all right, but thank you.”
Okay, so why was someone from Jack’s firm here, and how did he know her name? Curiosity was killing her. She didn’t know whether to hope or dread what this man was about to say.
“Miss Jameson, you’re ruining Jack’s career.”
Her heart dropped to her feet. Well, there was her answer. “Excuse me?”
“Let me be perfectly honest. Jack is an up-and-comer with the firm. He has a very bright future. But he also works for a high-profile company, one with prominent social stature in Silverwood. Society and its connections and influences is vital, especially to someone who is about to become a senior partner.”
“I’m confused, Mr. Walters. I don’t understand why you’ve come here or what you’re trying to say.”
“What I’m trying to say is that I was in the movie theater with you and Jack last night. I know exactly what you two were doing in the back row.”
Oh, God. Oh, God. The senior partner of Jack’s firm was in the movie theater? Shit! What had she done? Flames of embarrassment licked up her neck. She looked down at the paperwork on the table, too ashamed to even look the man in the eye.
“As you can imagine, we cannot entertain that kind of depravity at Walters and Little. If word of what kind of sexual activities Jack is engaged in got out, his career would be ruined.”
Tears pooled in Callie’s eyes. She blinked hard, forcing them back. “I understand.” She would not do anything to hurt Jack’s career. She looked up at the man, trying to muster up whatever shreds of dignity remained. “What do you want me to do?”
“End your relationship with Jack. Let him find a . . . different kind of woman. One who won’t embarrass him.” Bob placed his hand over Callie’s. “If you care at all for him, you’ll do what’s best for him and for his career. He’s worked long and hard for his success, and he’s almost reached the top. Don’t make the mistake of standing in his way now.”
She shook her head, forcing the nausea away. “I would never do that.”
Bob nodded. “Good girl. I knew you cared for him. I could see that.” He stood. “I’m sorry to do this, but I only want the best for Jack. He’s like a son to me.”
She walked to the door and unlocked it, her throat raw. She couldn’t even speak; she just let the man out, locked the door, and pulled the night shade down. Then she fell into the chair and collapsed, letting the racking sobs overtake her.
Oh, God, what had she been thinking? She’d almost ruined Jack’s life with her sexual perversions. Swiping at the tears, she stood and grabbed a towel, cleaned her face, then grabbed the bank deposit, determined to do the right thing.
No way would she stand in the way of Jack and his career. What they had was fun, but fun was one thing, and a man’s career was another. She might love him, but she wasn’t the right woman for him.
Tonight, she’d tell him it was over. It was the right thing to do. Because she did love him, she’d let him go.
She should have known better than to think she and Jack could ever be together.
She should have stayed on her own side of town and kept her sexual fantasies to herself.
* * *
* * *
Jack hoped he wasn’t too late as he knocked on Callie’s door. Anticipation knotted inside him. God, he’d missed her today. She’d been all he could think about since he’d seen her bright smile this morning for coffee, saw the blush tingeing her cheeks when their fingers had brushed as she’d handed his cup over.
And now he felt like a teenager as he stood at her door waiting for her to open it.
So this was love. He grinned, feeling stupid and happy at the same time.
But his smile froze when he saw the look on her face when she opened the door.
“Callie, what’s wrong?”
She looked awful, her eyes swollen, her expression so sad she looked as if someone had died.
“We need to talk. Come in.”
He stepped inside and she shut the door, but she didn’t invite him further into her house.
Uh-oh. Something was up. When he reached for her, she pulled away. “Callie, what’s the matter?”
She wrapped her arms around herself. “I don’t want to see you anymore.”
His heart skipped a beat. “What?”
“The weekend we had was fun and all, but I really don’t want to continue this.”
Okay, something wasn’t right here. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am.”
He dragged his hand through his hair, confused as hell. “This doesn’t make any sense.”
Callie shrugged. “Look, Jack. I’m busy with my career, and you’re busy with yours. I had a nice time this weekend, but you really can’t expect me to behave that way every day, can you? I mean let’s be realistic here. The public sex was hot and all, but it’s not my everyday life. For a one-time fling, great. But that was it.”
One-time fling? What the fuck? Hurt knifed hot in his stomach, leaving him at a loss for words. He couldn’t believe this was the same Callie he’d just spent the weekend with. Something was off, but he couldn’t figure it out.
“Tell me what’s really going on, Callie. This isn’t you.”
Her gaze narrowed. “Isn’t it? You really don’t know me at all, Jack. You know nothing about me. We had a fun fuck, but that was it. You were a bet I made with my friends. A weekend of wanton sex. I fulfilled the terms of the bet, and now it’s over.”
“A bet?”
“Yes. We’ve been making bets since we were in high school. It was a game. A silly little game.”
“I see.”
He couldn’t breathe. This wasn’t happening. He’d been thinking forever with Callie, and all the while she’d been thinking weekend fuck. A bet. He was a goddamn bet. Shit. How could he have been so off base?
“Look, Jack, I’m sorry if I led you on in any way. I didn’t mean to. I had fun. But really, I’m tired and I have to get up early for work.” She opened the door and looked at him expectantly. “If you don’t mind ...”
He looked at the open door, then back at her. “Wow. I was really off base about you. About us. I’m sorry, Callie.” He turned and walked out the door, wincing at the sound of it closing behind him.
He turned and watched as the lights went out in Callie’s house, but as he climbed into his car and drummed his fingers on the steering wheel, he shook his head.
His instincts had never been wrong. They’d seen him through years of college and numerous cases at work. Instinct told him now that Callie had been lying.
Something was off about her performance back there. And that’s what it had just been: a performance.
Callie was many things, but a cold, heartless bitch wasn’t one of them.
She was warm, caring, generous.
He wanted that Callie ba
ck, and he was going to find out what the hell had happened to cause her turnaround.
* * *
* * *
Callie stood at the window and watched Jack get into his car, then just sit there.
“Drive away, Jack. Just drive away.”
Her heart ached so much she was afraid she was going to die from the pain. It was like losing Bobby all over again, that heart-wrenching, stabbing feeling of loss.
The hurt in Jack’s eyes as she’d flung her noncaring attitude at him had torn her apart. She’d never felt so callous before. God, it hurt. She wanted to open her door and run out to his car, throw her arms around him, and tell him she was lying, that the weekend they’d spend together had meant everything to her. That she was sorry for hurting him, that she hadn’t meant anything she’d just said.
But if she did that, she’d ruin his life. Everything he’d worked so hard to achieve.
Finally, he drove away.
She sank to the floor and sobbed.
seven
Jack searched the restaurant for two familiar faces, finally locating Blair and Abby at a corner booth. He maneuvered his way through the crowd and slipped in the empty side of the booth.
“I appreciate you both agreeing to meet with me.”
Blair shrugged. “No problem. What’s up?”
“I was hoping you could tell me. What’s up with Callie, that is.”
Abby frowned. “What do you mean?”
He relayed what happened the other night, feeling strangely comforted when both women’s eyes widened.
“That’s not like Callie at all,” Abby said.
“She doesn’t have a mean bone in her body,” Blair added. “And about the bet? She’d never throw it out to you like that. No way.”
“Have you spoken to her at all about the weekend we spent together and what happened afterward?”
Blair shook her head. “She’s been strangely unavailable. Says she’s busy. Which is really unusual for her.”
“I think she’s avoiding talking to us. We know she’s upset, she said it didn’t work out for the two of you, but we thought it was the whole social status thing,” Abby said.
“Social status?” Jack asked.
“She was worried about you two being so different socioeconomically,” Blair explained.
Jack shook his head. “That’s bullshit. And we talked about it. I told her my roots. I grew up on a farm, for the love of God. We come from the same type of background, so that wasn’t an issue for her.”
“Hmm, then you’re right. That can’t be it,” Blair said, tapping her nails on the table.
“Maybe it had something to do with that guy from your firm stopping by her shop the other day,” Abby said.
Jack’s gaze shot to Abby. “What guy?”
“She didn’t say. Only that one of the senior partners of your firm came by after she’d closed up shop, and that she didn’t care very much for him. Some Walters guy. Monday, I think.”
And Monday night was when she’d had her little good-bye talk with him. “Ah. I see.”
“What?” Blair asked.
“I think I have an idea what might have happened.”
“Does it have something to do with that guy from your firm?” Abby asked.
“I think it has everything to do with that guy from my firm.” He reached for Abby and Blair’s hands. “Thank you, ladies. I appreciate the information. Now I have to go talk to someone and hopefully get this cleared up with Callie.”
“You do that,” Blair said. “Because I don’t think she’s very happy right now.”
“Well, I’m sure as hell not happy without her. I want her back.”
“That’s what we like to hear.” Abby squeezed his hand.
Jack left the restaurant and hopped in his car, trying not to let fury overtake him. The last thing he needed was a car wreck. He forced himself to calm down while he drove, but it was damned difficult. He had an idea, a really good idea, of what had transpired between Callie and Bob.
It was really too damn bad that murder was illegal, because it was first and foremost on his mind right now.
Even though it was late, he knew Bob would still be at the office. Bob was always at the office. Jack practiced breathing in through his nose and out through his mouth while he rode the elevator to the penthouse offices, then found Bob exactly where he knew he’d be: in his office, working. He must have one understanding wife.
He didn’t even bother to knock, instead stepped in and said, “Bob, I need to know what the hell you said to Callie.”
Bob swiveled around in his chair and smiled. “I saw the two of you in the movie theater the other night.”
Bob was there? Ah, that explained some things. “I see. And?”
“So I told Ms. Jameson I saw the two of you and what you did. I said what you should have said to her. I told her to get lost.”
Blind spots sparked in front of Jack’s eyes. He didn’t think he’d ever been this angry before.
Stay calm. Don’t kill him. Oh, but he really wanted to. “What the fuck did you think gave you the right to go to her and say anything?”
“Because you weren’t going to do it, and I will do anything I have to do to protect this firm.”
Jack clenched his fists at his sides. He so wanted to hit the smug bastard right now. “Callie is no threat to the firm.”
“Isn’t she? We have a reputation to uphold, and we can’t have sexually perverted partners in our firm. I like you, Jack. You have a killer instinct, and you’re going to make a phenomenal senior partner. But it won’t be with that depraved woman at your side. Now, you’re going to find a socially acceptable woman and marry her, and have normal sex with that woman, and that’s all I’m going to say on the subject.”
“You can’t dictate my private life, Bob.”
Bob smirked. “Can’t I? How fast do you think your career will sink once word gets out about your predilections for public sex?”
“You wouldn’t do that.”
Bob arched a brow. “Wouldn’t I? You know me, Jack. I’ll do whatever it takes to get what I want. And what I want is you in this firm as senior partner. And without that Jameson woman at your side. You continue to see her, that rather unpleasant information about you goes public.”
“You can’t prove it.”
“I won’t have to. All it takes is my word of what I saw in that movie theater. Once a background investigation is started, I’m sure we’ll be able to uncover many sordid little secrets about you.”
He could not fucking believe this was happening. “And to think I used to respect you.”
“I don’t care if you respect me or not, Jack. As long as you continue to make this firm millions of dollars a year, you can hate my guts. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have work to do.”
“This isn’t over, Bob.”
Bob smiled, his lips curling in an ugly grin. “Yes, my son, it is.”
Jack pivoted and left the office before he decided to do something he regretted. Like smashing his fist right through the son of a bitch’s face. As he rode the elevator back down to the parking garage, he had to satisfy himself with imagined visuals of Bob’s shattered nose and blood spattered all over his legal brief. Not quite as satisfying as the real thing, but it would have to do for now.
Bob thought he had won. But he was wrong. It wasn’t over. Not by a long shot. He might think he had the last word, but Jack was a shark in this business, too, and he knew a few things. Things Bob wasn’t aware he knew.
All he needed now was proof. In a few days, he’d be back in Bob’s office, and this time, the senior partner wouldn’t be smiling.
Bob had just challenged the wrong guy.
* * *
* * *
One week later Jack was back in Bob’s office, a thick envelope in his hand. He tossed it on Bob’s desk.
/> Bob looked up at him. “What’s this?”
“You can open it if you’d like, but I’ll tell you right now what’s in it. First is my letter of resignation, effective immediately. Second is a packet of pictures of you engaged in a little oral sex with your mistress.”
Bob gasped.
“Oh, yeah, Bob, did you think I didn’t know about you and Janet? I’ve known for a long time about your three-times-a-week trysts with that hot little number. The pictures are nice. I’m sure your wife would love to know about them. Or, shall we say, her attorney would love to know about these pictures. And yes, they’re just copies. I have the originals. Maybe you’d better start minding your own perversions instead of worrying about what everyone else is doing.”
Bob tore open the envelope and pulled out the photos, his face going pale. He looked up at Jack. “What do you want?”
“You breathe one word of my personal life anywhere to anyone, and these pictures will not only be delivered to your home but to every other competing law firm and newspaper and legal publication in town. You take me down, I take you down.”
Bob’s face was turning now, going from stark white to an ugly mottled shade of red. “You dirty son of a bitch.”
Jack shrugged. “Hey, I learned from the best, Bob.”
“I’ll have you disbarred for this.”
Jack laughed. “You aren’t going to do a goddamn thing to me. You leave me alone, and I’m going to leave you alone. And you leave Callie alone, too.” He placed his palms down hard on Bob’s desk. So hard, in fact, that Bob pushed back, fear showing on his sweating face.
“If I find out you’ve gone anywhere near her, I will personally come up here and beat the living shit out of you. I grew up on a farm, Bob. Remember my roots? I’m not a lily-white rich boy. I can get my hands dirty when I need to, and don’t you ever forget that. And I know where to hide the bodies.”
Bob’s eyes widened, but before he could speak, Jack leaned in and said, “Don’t you ever challenge me again.”
He pushed back from Bob’s desk and started to walk out, then stopped, paused, and turned around. “Oh, and by the way. I’m opening up my own firm, where I’ll be competing with this so-called top-notch firm of yours. Get ready for it, Bob, because I’m about to go head-to-head with you. And, frankly, I think I’m better than you.”