"So that is all my client is asking for, your honor. I think her offer is far more generous than her husband's had been." Carol Hamilton's lawyer said, making Lewis Hamilton grimace and his lawyer stand up and approach me.
"The social case you required for is not yet over, your honor." Mr Hamilton's lawyer countered, narrowing his eyes at his colleague.
"That is true indeed, but your honor, the social workers handling it have found nothing wrong with my client or her conduct. They can testify to that any time you like." I glanced behind the two layers at the Hamiltons and noticed Lewis glaring at his ex-wife, whereas Mrs Hamilton kept her head bowed, her blond hair perfectly gathered up in a ponytail.
"What is your client's exact request, again?" Clearing his throat, Mrs Hamilton's lawyer straightened his back, his eyes staring into mine.
"She requests the shared custody of her and Mr Hamilton's children, at the least. As a mother, your honor, Mrs Hamilton misses her children greatly and Mr Hamilton denies her the possibility of visiting them." I couldn't say that surprised me too much. Lewis Hamilton was obviously not one to compromise.
"All right, gentlemen. Given the circumstances and considering the fact that the children must miss their mother a great deal as well, I grant Mrs Hamilton's request and give her the shared custody of her children. Mr and Mrs Hamilton's son and daughter will continue staying with their father for now, but their mother must be allowed to see them on a daily basis. The court is suspended until next week and then I would like to hear what the social services have to say about this case. Mr Hamilton, in case your accusations were unreal, I'm afraid there will be consequences." I stood up from my chair and turned to leave, but not before catching a glimpse of Mrs Hamilton's glowing face. I had a feeling that her ex-husband was a selfish bastard who only wanted his children to himself, but I knew better of how it felt like to grow up without a mother and I wasn't going to make two innocent souls go through it just because their father had too much of an ego.
Without looking back anymore, I opened the back door and stepped into a crowded hallway, my bailif at my side.
"What next, Brandon?" I asked, without stopping or turning to look at him.
"Ms Lindon is waiting for you in your office. She said something about some evidence for the Shaffer case." Oh no! Not again... This was really getting old. When was Cacy going to understand that I wasn't going to help her take Gabriel down? And I wonder why that is. My conscience sarcastically drawled and I did my best to ignore her.
Opening the door to my office for me, Brandon stepped aside so that I could pass him by and then closed the door behind me without coming in as well. My eyes quickly scanned the room, finding Cacy seated onto the couch, a satisfied smile pulling at her lips.
"Ms Lindon, it's good to see you again, but if it's for the same reason as the last time, I must tell you that I'm not gonna be happy about it." Cacy's mouth dropped open in feigned shock, her hand going to her heart.
"But Ms Groves, it's not very nice of you to think of me like that. I understood that you like everything to happen on legal terms and I can only appreciate your righteousness." Standing up from the couch, she grabbed her purse and stopped next to my desk. "I feel terribly sorry for what I'd implied a while ago, but trust me that this time, I'm strictly here on business. The forensic team has finally found the bullet that killed the victim and I happen to be in the possesion of it. I'd like to add it to the evidence file, please." Trying to control both my curiosity and worry at the same time, I went to grab the evidence file for the Shaffer case from my cabinet without even sparing her a glance.
"Here you go, Ms Lindon." I said, pushing the file to her. Cacy opened her bag and took a small envelope containing something out of there, placing it in the file. My heart constricted a little.
"I'll most likely be back later this week with the bullet's analysis." Pulling at the cardigan she was wearing and picking up her bag, Cacy turned her back to me and started for the door. I couldn't let her leave like that, though.
"Ms Lindon?" She turned to face me, impatiently tapping her foot on the floor. "Quit the attitude, please. Your feigned superiority will do none of us no good." Forcing a smile, Cacy visibly took a deep breath.
"I'll be back, judge." Opening the door, she stepped out of my office before giving me the chance to say anything else.
$$$
By 7:30 p.m I was home getting ready for a date I wasn't so sure I wanted to go on. I mean, of course, this could've been my chance of getting some answers to all my questions and to get to know the mysterious man that was Gabriel Shaffer better, but then, I was also quite sure that once he laid his hands on me, there wasn't going to be any talking going on. Damn it! I also knew too damn well that it was too late to back down now.
With the dress on, my hair falling in perfect red curls over my shoulders and my shoes waiting for me at the door, I went to the bathroom to add the final touches that would complete my outfit. Checking my black, buttoned peplum, high slit dress again, I decided to go for some smokey eyes and burgundy lips and started applying the make up that was sure to blow Gabriel's mind -and that was perfect. If I wanted my answers, blowing his mind was exactly what I had to do to get them.
Just as I finished applying the eye shadow, a knock at my door had me dropping the lipstick I was currently holding and go to open up. My friend smiled at me from the doorway, her eyes widening a fraction at the sight of me and I couldn't help but give her a forceful smile myself.
"All this for a night out with the girls? Jules, sweety, I might turn gay." A laugh escaped my lips as I stepped aside so that Lila could step inside the apartment. The truth was that I'd completly forgotten about the girls night out and now I had to think of something to say to her that wouldn't make her go balistic on me. Oh, who the fuck am I kidding? She was going to go balistic no matter what.
"Actually..." I said, without getting the chance to say anything else though, two knocks at my door interrupting me -yet again. Getting cut off all the time was really starting to get boring. Glancing at the clock on the wall, I noticed it was eight sharp. The punctual son of a bastard...
"Expecting company?" Lila asked, one of her brows sarcastically raised, her eyes fixing the door. When I failed to answer, she turned her head to look at me, her eyes narrowed on my face, her brows knitted. "Please don't tell me it's him..." She knew too damn well it was him, so why would have I lied to her?
"I'm sorry. He asked me on a date and I didn't really have a choice." And I wasn't even lying. He hadn't asked me if I wanted to go out with him. He'd told me that he'd pick me up for a date, end of.
"What did I tell you about a low profile, Jules? Do you have any idea what you're getting yourself into here?" Yes, I happened to have an idea actually.
"Look. I'm really sorry, but I promise that starting tomorrow, I'm all yours." Are you really? My conscience asked, being her sweet, sweet self. I simply chose to ignore the fucking bitch.
"Unless he calls you and asks you out again, of course." Lila said, her judgemental tone representing the carbon copy of my conscience's.
Ignoring the huffs, puffs and general displeasure coming from my best friend, I went to the bathroom and picked up the lipstick again, applying a thin layer of it onto my lips. I didn't exactly have the time to argue at that moment. Passing through the living room again, I stopped next to Lila for a brief moment and opened my arms to hug her. She didn't even budge.
"Please don't be mad at me and please lock the door when you leave." Another two knocks at said door made me jump. Gabriel was growing impatient and I knew better than to let him wait further. "Tell Kevin I said hi." I called over my shoulder right before being faced with the hot brooding criminal that was Mr Shaffer. His features relaxed at the sight of me, a smirk pulling at the corner of his lips.
"That's a hell of a dress, Ms Groves, but I doubt you can walk barefoot out of the building." Following his gaze, I noticed I had indeed forgotten to put on my shoes. Damn it! I doubt I could've looked more stupid than that. Walking back into my apartment, I found the black Valentino stilettos I was planning to wear and put them on. Now I needed a comeback line that would have made me stop looking like the fucking idiot I was. Grabbing my clutch and reopening the door, I was faced with a cocky Gabriel who almost took my breath away. "Ready, Ms Groves?" Raising a sarcastic brow at him, I allowed my lips to turn upwards into a confident smile.
"What? No flowers?" Oh God! That had sounded a lot better in my head. Out loud it seemed simply... Pathetic. Smirking that damn superior smirk of his, Gabriel shrugged.
"I thought the flowers I sent you last night would be enough. My mistake Ms Groves. It won't happen again." Of course he had to be the perfect gentleman and make me feel even worse. God! I felt like a damn petulant child.
"We should go, shouldn't we?" I asked, trying to cut it short and maybe even keep what little was left of my dignity.
"Of course, judge. After you." Gabriel said, motioning for me to go ahead towards the exit. "This no bra thing is becoming quite a custom to you, isn't it?" He mumbled from behind me and I couldn't help but smile. I knew that he'd be against it and that was exactly why I'd chosen to quit the bra tonight. Pushing the front door of my building open, I waited for the hot murderer that was my date to reach me and then followed his lead towards our ride.
The parking lot was empty except for the two of us and five parked cars. Searching my surroundings, I started scanning the cars in front of me for his, realizing which one it was from the moment my eyes found the damn thing. Gently pushing me towards the silver, convertible Jaguar F-type, Gabriel only stopped us next to the car, his eyes roaming over my face, trying to gauge my reaction.
"You like?" He asked smiling, after noticing my gaping mouth.
"I thought you owned an SUV." His smile just grew bigger, his eyes sparkling wildly.
"I own many SUVs, Julia. And many cars that are not SUVs as well. Come on now! Get in the car. We're already late." Late for what? I wondered idly, but then he opened the car's door for me and I snapped out of my trance. I couldn't climb into that thing.
"Um... I'm not climbing into this." I panted, taking a step back. His brows shot up in surprise.
"You wanted to surprise me again, you got it. No woman has ever refused to get into a car with me before. Now, get in." I had to laugh at his poor choice of words. How many women could there have been, for God's sake?
"I'm sorry, but I mean it. I'm not getting into that car." His eyes widened further, his lips slightly parting.
"And may I ask why, except for the pure reason of pissing me off?" I was pissing him off? What about me? Why couldn't he understand that I just couldn't get into that car with him?
"Because I don't do sports cars." I spat the words at him, my blood boiling with anger. The bastard actually had the nerve to smile at my outburst.
"You didn't use to do murderers either, but look at you now. And I'd say you're quite good at it too." I could have actually killed him at that point, that's how angry I was with him.
"You know what? You can take your dinner and drink and shove them into..." His hands suddenly grabbed my upper arms, savagely pulling me into him, his lips crushing mine. I tried to shove him off of me, my lips refusing to part for him, but he was restless in his caressing and as my mouth opened, he slipped his tongue inside, gently stroking mine. I couldn't help but melt into his body and let his strong, muscular arms envelope me.
When he finally broke the kiss, I felt strangely abandoned, even though I was still in his arms.
"Do you trust me?" I nodded my head, though I couldn't say why I did it. Did I trust him? Could have I trusted him? "Then please get in the car. I promise you we'll be all right." And out of an unknown reason to me, I believed him. That's why I climbed into the damn thing when he opened the door for me again. Walking to the other side of the car and opening the door, he climbed into the driver's seat as well, briefly glancing at me before buckling up himself and turning the key into the ignition. Pushing a button was all he had to do for Usher to start singing something about screaming all around us. "Ready?" Gabriel asked, pulling the car out of its parking space and watching me expectantly.
I nodded my head just as Usher's 'uhs' and 'babies' ended and Gabriel stepped on it, making my entire body go backwards and mold into the seat. He was driving like a fucking maniac and judging by the self satisfied look on his face he knew that too, the fucker.
"Are you ok, Julia?" Ok? Bugs were flying by my ears, the wind was ruining my curls and I was so scared I could've pissed my pants. I was not ok. "I guess that not talking to me is a little bit better than screaming at me, isn't it?" Oh, that was it. The bastard had simply asked for it.
"Drive slower, you idiot. I'd like to get to the destination in one piece, thank you very much." Gabriel smirked again and if I wasn't afraid that we'd crash into another car, I would've punched the fucker in the face.
"Sorry, but I told you we're late." Late for what? Our own deaths? "Julia?" He said tentatively, trying to catch my attention, but I was too scared to think of anything else but the speed he was driving at. "Julia! Look at me." His harsh tone was what really made me obey his command and glance up at him. "I have no interest in hurting any of us, ok? Please, relax."
"Why are we in a hurry? Why are we late?" I urgently asked, hoping to find an argument that could make him slow down.
"Because I'd made reservations and I never make reservations." That was all it took for me to relax. The fact that it was the first time he ever cared enough as to make reservations for a date was enough to put my fear in the background.
"Where are we going?" I asked, feeling far better now.
"I guess you'll have to wait and see." The bastard answered smirking. Well, if he wasn't going to tell me then I had to find out for myself, right? Searching my surroundings for a sign to tell me where we might have been, all I could see was darkness. And by darkness I mean no lights. And by no lights, I mean no city. Where the fuck were we? And more importantly, how fast was he driving considering we were already out of the fucking city?
"Ok, where are you taking me?" I asked, feeling the panic settle back in.
"It's a surprise, Julia. Now could you stop trying to ruin it?" I was ruining his surprise? Well, too bad because he was ruining my fucking peace of mind.
Concentrating on nothing else but Usher's voice, now put on repeat, I was surprised to discover we were slowing down. Since that right turn Gabriel had taken ten minutes ago or so, after we found ourselves driving on a country road, I really stopped thinking about anything, or I would've lost my damn mind. I only dared raise my eyes and take in my surroundings the moment the car came to a complete halt and my hot murderer climbed out to open the door for me as well. We were standing in front of a freaking mansion surrounded by vines full of ripe grapes.
"Oh my God!" I whispered, my voice all breathy and weak. This place was beautiful. It might have been in the middle of nowhere, but it was beautiful nonetheless.
"Beautiful, right? Only a few people know of it. It's a pity really. They have the best damn wine I've ever tasted." His hand went to the small of my back sending shivers down to my toes and gently pushed me forward. "Come on! We're being awaited." Awaited? The place seemed deserted.
Keeping his hand where it was, Gabriel gently guided me around the mansion, to a small garden in full bloom. Dear God! The damn place must have been Heaven on Earth. A small bush full of beautiful purple roses caught my attention, making me stop for a moment to admire it. And then a feeling of loss went through me the moment my murderer backed away. Removing his hand from my back, Gabriel headed straight for the flower bed ahead of us and bending down, he gripped the stem of a rose, slowly picking it up and presenting it to me.
"I'm sorry for overlooking the flowers today." Taking the rose from him, I slowly shook my head.
"I'm not sure you're allowed to do this." Letting out a sarcastic laugh, he motioned around us.
"Look at this place. Do you really think that one rose will be missed?" One rose was nothing compared to the hundreds that still decorated the garden, I had to admit that.
"Mr Shaffer?" A nice lady with a thick Italian accent, wearing a blue dress asked from behind him. Gabriel smiled and then turned to face the woman while nodding his head.
"That would be me. You must be Manuela. Maria has told me about you." I wanted to ask who Maria was, but I doubted this was the place or the time for that.
"Well, she's told me a lot about you too, sir. Only good things, don't worry. Now, if you followed me, your table is ready." It was hard for me to understand everything she'd said, given her accent, but judging by Gabriel's approving nods, he could understand everything very well. But then, of course he could. He had Italian blood coursing through his veins.
Manuela, as I'd remembered the woman's name to be led us to our table -a table in the middle of yet another small garden surrounded by jasmine and with a bed of ivy serving it as a roof. Heading for the table, Gabriel took one of the chairs from under it, holding it out for me. I took my seat without thinking twice.
"Grazie, Manuela. Puoi andare ora." Listening to him as he spoke Italian so fluently made me understand just how much I still didn't know about this man.
"Certamente, signore." The woman answered, taking her leave. And then there I was, alone with the man I knew so much and yet so little about again. Taking the bottle of wine resting in the cooler, at the foot of the table, Gabriel opened it, filling our glasses with the red liquid. Taking the drink to his lips, he sipped his wine, letting a sigh escape him, before looking at me again.
"I know that a lot has happened lately and that things have been moving fast, so I also know that you must have a lot of questions to ask me. That's the main purpose of us being here. Tonight you're getting your answers and I'm getting mine. This way there will be no more misunderstandings -such as the one from the other night- between us. This way we'll know exactly what to expect from each other." He was interrupted when two men appeared out of nowhere, placing our dishes on the table, in front of us. My jaw dropped at the realization that I was looking at my favorite food. The bastard had ordered pastas.
"Are you stalking me, Mr Shaffer?" I asked on a laugh, incapable of thinking of any other way that he might've known what my favorite food was. His mouth twitched.
"Of course not, Ms Groves. I'm just following you around." I really really didn't find that funny. "Grazie, ragazzi." He said and the two waiters nodded, smiling at him before curtly nodding their heads at me as well and leaving. "Now, where were we?"
"You were admitting to having followed me around." A laugh went past his lips and I found myself enjoying the sound more than I should have.
"I meant before that." I narrowed my eyes while picking up my fork and having a bite of my pastas. They were amazing.
"You were saying something about some questions and answers." I replied, sighing.
"Right. So... Do you have something to ask me, Julia?" I had lots to ask him, but one thing was overtaking the rest at that exact moment. I had to know what I was getting myself into.
"Can we talk here?" Gabriel nodded his head.
"Yes. As you can see, we benefit of a lot of intimacy and also of the staff's entire discretion." I needed to know no more.
"Have you killed him?" He didn't even flinch, proving that he was probably expecting that question from me.
"You'll have to be a little more specific." More specific than that? How many persons could have he killed?
"I mean the person whose murder you're being charged for." Not letting his cool facade crack, Gabriel nodded.
"Yes, I have, but you already know that." I nodded thoughtfully. I did know that.
"Are you feeling sorry about it?" He smiled a little before answering.
"No. I wouldn't be the most respected man in my business if i felt sorry for or regretted my actions. Mercy and remorse make you weak. I'm strong." I wanted to tell him that he was wrong. That mercy and remorse didn't make you weak, but rather they made you human. I didn't say those things to him though.
"How did you get like this?" Because I was sure as hell that something had happened that had made him the way he was. "What makes you strong?"
"The fact that everybody knows I've got nothing to lose." That was sort of sad. Nothing to lose meant nothing to love which made me think of another question.
"What do you mean you have nothing to lose?"
"You already know the answer to that judge, but to be more specific... One can only ever lose what one loves. And since I don't believe in any other kind of love but for my parents and they are at a safe distance from here and well guarded, no, I've got nothing to lose." No other kind of love? What the fuck was I even doing here? "I don't believe in romance, Julia. I most certainly don't believe in the words 'I love you'. They have too much in common with magic and I don't believe in that either. So, if I led you to believe that this was where we're headed, I'm sorry. Love is the only thing I can't give you." Damn it! I was close to fucking tears. And that was fucked up considering the night had started so well... "You know what I believe in, though?" Gabriel asked, extending his hand over the table and covering mine with it. "I believe in caring for someone and feeling protective of that person. And well, I care for you and God knows that protective doesn't begin to cover how I feel about you." I slightly shook my head in disbelief.
"So you've never believed in love?" A weak laugh went past his lips.
"Oh, there was a time... A time when I was still so young and stupid." And that reminded me that I had no idea how old the man I was sleeping with was.
"How old are you?" I tentatively asked. The laugh that escaped Gabriel this time was a real laugh. An amused one. A carefree one.
"32, Ms Groves. A little old for you, I'm afraid." Once again, my father had been right. Gabriel was too old for me, even by his own admission.
"I wish you'd told me that sooner, Mr Shaffer." A lazy smile took over his face.
"And risk pushing you away before I even had the chance to win you over? No, thank you." How could this man not believe in love and yet say things like that? It wasn't fair.
"Earlier you said that you're the most respected man in your business. Is that business?..." I couldn't say it and Gabriel gave me one of his kindest smiles.
"The mob? Yes..."
"And you inherited this business from your?..."
"Father? Yes..."
"Are you a pimp?" The question rolled off my tongue before I could stop it. Gabriel gave me an incredulous look, his mouth opening in shock.
"For fuck's sake, Julia! Where the fuck did that come from? Of course I'm not a pimp. Why would you even say that?" He seemed so offended by my words that it made me feel like an idiot for even implying it.
"You can't blame me for believing that. You must admit that you do have many... odd looking girls staying at your place." His laugh took me aback, especially since only a few moments before he was so offended by what I'd said.
"They're not my girls and I'm not their pimp, Julia. They're my proteges." He explained and I could feel my eyebrows furrowing in confusion. They were his what? "A protege is a person I have a moral duty towards. I owe them my protection because at some point in time, they or their families were of great help to me or my family. Do you understand?"
"Is that all? They're all under your protection because there was a time when they helped you?" Because that didn't seem enough of a reason to me.
"There have been cases in which a capo chose his proteges depending on what they meant to him, but that is not my case, Julia." And yet...
"Have you slept with them?" That was a stupid question and I already knew what his answer was going to be.
"With some of them, yes. But only the ones willing to do it." He seemed ashamed of sharing this new piece of information with me and I could see why he would be. Now me, his new conquest had to face his old ones knowing that they'd meant something to him at some point in his life. Knowing that each and every woman living at his place, had once shared a bed with him. That they'd once ate pastas with him in a beautiful place just like this one. "You're not like them."
"How can you know that?"
"Because you're the only one refusing to obey me. Because you're the only one capable of saying no to me. That's how I know you're different." He said, squeezing my hand a little.
"But you don't love me and you didn't love them."
"We've been through that. I just don't believe in love."
"You let them call you Gabriel..." I was desperate for an answer to that, but the answer never came. Instead of that, he just released his grip of me, taking his hand to the inside pocket of his suit jacket and taking some papers out of there. "What are these?" I asked when he placed the papers in front of me.
"These are my blood tests." He said pointing at one set of papers. "And these are yours." He pointed at the other set and my mouth dropped open. How the hell did he get my blood tests? "I had a friend look for your latest ones and get them for me." He said, answering to my unspoken question.
"And why would you do that?" Smirking, he nonchalantly shrugged.
"Because starting tomorrow we quit the condoms in favor of birth control pills, considering we're both very healthy."
"Oh, are we now?"
"Oh, yes Ms Groves. And I can't wait to feel all of you."
$$$
Three hours later, Gabriel was pulling his car in front of his huge monster of a house, my head rising gently from the chair's headrest and taking in the view.
"This isn't my place." I mumbled sleepily.
"No, it isn't." I smiled as he came into my line of sight. He had mischief written all over that handsome face of his. "Come on, Ms Groves. I have big plans for you tonight." Climbing out of the car and coming to open my door for me too, Gabriel didn't wait for me to start climbing out as well, picking me up in his arms instead. "It's ok. I'll carry you inside, if I must." I rolled my eyes at him and his feigned ordeal. He was carrying me because he wanted to, not because I couldn't walk for myself.
Taking me up the two flights of stairs to his floor, Gabriel didn't stop us in the living room this time, heading straight for the bedroom instead and carefully taking my dress off, until I stood in front of him in only my panties. Gently placing me on one side of the bed, he started getting rid of his clothes as well, turning the music on in the process, Usher's 'Climax' starting to softly play in the background.
The bed dipped under his weight and even in my tiredness, I could feel the muscles deep in my belly clench in anticipation. And then his arm snaked around my waist, pulling my back flat against his chest and simply cuddling me.
"No sex?" I mumbled, pouting, understanding what cuddling meant.
"Not tonight. Go to sleep." And I did. I went to sleep, feeling safe in my murderer's embrace and letting Usher's voice seep into my ears.
$$$
It was still dark when I woke up later that night, but that didn't matter to me. I needed to get out of the mansion and I needed to do that unnoticed. Slowly turning in Gabriel's embrace, I succeeded in removing his arm from me, also standing up from the bed before he could get a grip of me again. Heading to the place where I knew to have left my clothes, I fumbled for them in the darkness, finding nothing. The light coming from one of the bedside lamps told me that my murderer had also woken up, before he got the chance to talk and tell me that himself.
"Looking for something?" Sarcasm was dripping off his voice.
"Where are my clothes, Gabriel?" A deep sigh came from him and I turned to look at the hot specimen of a man glaring at me.
"I'm really starting to feel offended. Why don't you like sleeping here?" Because I don't feel comfortable sleeping under the same roof as your former whores... I couldn't have said that to him though.
"I do. I just need to be in court early in the morning tomorrow." He frowned.
"Mathew's heard that before..."
"This time it's true. Tomorrow's wednesday. It's a working day for me."
"It's a working day for all of us, Julia. I'll take you to court."
"Wearing the same dress I wore tonight?" He huffed once.
"God, no!" A small laugh escaped my lips.
"I didn't think so... That's why I have to go home. I can't deal with all this in the morning. I won't have the time." Standing up from the bed, Gabriel only stopped in front of me, swiftly bending down and picking me up in his arms. Taking me back to the bed, he unceremoniously dropped me onto my side and then, crawling back to his side of the bed, wrapped his arms around me again.
"Then let me think about all this in the morning, ok? I may have not gotten any sex tonight, but I'll be damned if I won't have you in my bed all night any way I can." Burring his nose into my hair and keeping a firm grip of me, he somehow succeeded in making me relax again and fall asleep. Plus, I didn't really have any other choice but to go back to sleep since I wasn't going anywhere apparently.