GUILTY (Gabe's Trials)

Epilogue

San Diego, California (some years later)

The heavy footsteps coming down the stairs distracted me from my current conversation, my brief pause giving Mr Helstrom the time to complain about how his wife was trying to take advantage of the unfortunate circumstances that had led to their divorce.

"Mrs Shaffer?" Doing my best to snap out of it, I gave my client a small, reassuring smile. After all, he didn't need to find out that I hadn't been paying the least bit of attention to him. "What are you suggesting, ma'am?" I suggest you crawl back to your wife and beg her to forget she ever caught you fucking that busty, blond Barbie doll that you call your assistant. 

"Well, Mr Helstrom, I suggest you at least try to discuss reconciliation with your wife, sir. You do have a business together after all." And I thanked God a business was all I had to worry about them having together. God forbid these two had any children.

"You don't understand. That bitch filed for a divorce. I'm not going to humiliate myself any further." And there it was. The huge male ego Robert Helstrom was known and despised for. 

"Mr Helstrom, your wife -that bitch, as you call her- witnessed something that might just be considered a breach of your prenup. Now, if keeping your reputation intact is what you are after, then you have come to the wrong person." The man's face turned crimson as what I guessed to be anger made him uncomfortably squirm in his seat.  And then the door to my office was banged open, my husband's handsome, brooding face coming into my line of sight and making me smile -genuinely this time.

"We need to talk." Was all Gabriel said before suspiciously eyeing my client, who was apparently frozen to the spot while staring at my murderer. I couldn't blame the poor man though. Gabriel had a way of freaking people out -especially when it came to women and insecure little men.

"Um... Mr Helstrom, I'm afraid something obviously came up. We'll have to reschedule this meeting, or I can always refer you to my associate, Ms Mathews. Just give me a call and let me know whatever you decided." Robert Helstrom absently nodded his head in my direction, before swiftly standing up from his seat and heading for the door. I anxiously watched him slip past my husband's huge frame and then walked to the front of my desk, leaning most of my weight on the edge of it. Folding my arms over my chest, I waited for Gabriel to start talking and was rewarded with nothing but his scowl. "I believe this law firm thing is not going to work if you keep scaring my clients away." A small, amused smile pulled at those damned lips of his, making me smile right back at him.

"Please tell me the young man waiting in the hallway is here seeking your professional help!" Sighing, I made a show of pulling at the light green silk of my blouse, licking my lips the moment I felt the scorching heat of Gabriel's hazels igniting my skin through my clothes. 

"He's not." Giving him the most seductive smile I was capable of, I allowed my hand to trail to the top of my high waisted, black, pencil skirt, hooking my thumb into the expensive fabric. 

"Who is he then and what is he doing here?" His voice was a deliberately low growl that made my insides clench. The bastard knew exactly what I was playing at and he was using my own methods against me. 

"His name is Aidan Hunter and he's here to take Mia out on a date." My husband's face became expressionless, his eyes immediately darkening and I found myself wishing Mathew was here to help calm his friend down. I was not so sure I was going to be able to keep my husband from doing something oh so stupid by myself. 

"The hell he is!" His angry rumble went right through me, making my body vibrate from its intensity. "Mia's way too young for any dating shit." A laugh almost went past my lips, but fortunately enough, I managed to hold it back before it was too late.