Sex and the Billionaire Crime Boss - Season 2

Ch. 22: An Uneasy Alliance

"Bullshit, Hadley," Max says, and I feel my jaw drop open.

"The law firm belongs to your grandfather, and thanks to your own actions in Las Vegas you are under my protection. So I suggest you be quiet while Andrew and I work this out."

"Like hell I will! And just because I slept with you," I say to Max, and watch my grandfather wince out of the corner of my eye, "doesn't mean you have any more right to tell me what to do."

"You work for me, young lady," Andrew says, infusing his voice with the authority that probably terrifies associate lawyers and even makes the more senior lawyers in the firm fear for their jobs. "I'll decide to what extent you will continue to represent Max Bennett's business interests, if at all."

I sit here, fuming, trying to think of an appropriate comeback, but I know they are both right. I'm afraid of what Gino or Joey D might do if I'm no longer under Max's protection. I also haven't forgotten that someone threatened to cut me with a knife in the ladies room at Gino's club. And as managing partner of the law firm, Andrew could trump my decision to represent Max, and make it pretty difficult for me to go behind his back and do it anyway.

And on top of all that, I have the FBI following me and making threats.

I absolutely hate feeling this powerless but at the moment I can't think of a single thing I can do about it.

You aren't completely without power, I remind myself. Andrew needs me, not just to expand and continue his law firm now that he's turned 70 and can't keep practicing forever, but also to bring some peace to his beloved Patricia, my grandmother, whom I admit I've fallen in love with myself. I'm convinced that whatever happened between my mother and her parents, it was Andrew who was at the root of it - not Patricia.

And on the subject of love, I can't deny that I do love Max. And the Claddaugh bracelet that is currently on my wrist under the sleeve of my jacket is all the proof I need that Max loves me - even though he said he doesn't want to be romantically involved with me anymore.

"Max," I say, remembering that I haven't had a chance to catch him up to speed yet on the most recent developments, "the man who tried to force me into a car last week was Special Agent Collins from the FBI. He's also the man who I saw following me several times."

Max nods, and doesn't seem all that surprised. "I had a suspicion that might be the case, and it's better than the alternative."

"What alternative?" I ask.

"That's not important now. What is important is that if you caught him watching you, he wanted you to see him. It's a form of intimidation."

"I agree," Andrew says. "And showing up here at our office this morning is just more of the same."

"Him, and his partner," I add. "A woman agent named Jazzmine Davis."

"What did they say they wanted?"

"They wanted me to report back to them on your activities."

Max shakes his head. "That couldn't have seriously been their agenda. Regardless of whether you and I were involved in a personal relationship, they have to know that you have at least been acting as my lawyer with respect to one of my employees."

"They claimed to be unaware," Andrew says.

Max shrugs. "I suppose it's possible, but I consider it unlikely. No, that request was a ruse to send a message to me."

"What message?"

"That they are investigating me. It's not the first time and I'm sure it won't be the last." He leans back in his chair, looks unconcerned. But there's a slight tightening of his jaw that I recognize as a tell. I saw the same expression when we were in the limo with Gino and realized we weren't heading back to our hotel.