Empire of Sin (Empire #2)(30)

She snatches the laptop from my fingers, and even though I saw it coming, I don’t stop her.

A gleeful, victorious expression covers her features. “And I’m not the type who easily gives up.”





*



“I’m in.” I slide to the seat across from Aspen and focus on the man sitting behind the desk.

Nate, the Weaver of Weaver & Shaw and the managing partner of the firm stares at me as if I’ve grown two heads.

He’s in his late thirties, has a strong bone structure, and is strict as fuck when it comes to running W&S. While he doesn’t interfere with how we pick our clients, he doesn’t let us completely loose either.

One way or another, he’s involved in every single case that comes knocking on our doors, which is why I’m sure he already knows about Sandra’s.

Either his spying elves told him or Daniel’s big mouth took care of the job. Either way, he doesn’t seem very surprised, just skeptical, really.

That makes two of us.

It took me a few hours of mental processing to come to this decision. After I parted ways with Anastasia earlier today, I went back to my office and thought about the pros and cons.

Naturally, for me, the cons are greater. Not only is this a civil case, but it also hits too close to home, and that’s usually a deal-breaker.

But something Anastasia said kept nagging at me.

No one heard them scream or saw their hidden bruises. No one stopped to offer them a helping hand or even listened to them. But you can.

It reminded me of Dad. If he hadn’t found me and Teal, if he’d rejected us, we would’ve headed down a destructive path. We wouldn’t have become the people we are today.

As if it’s a sign, he called me earlier and asked if I needed anything. I’m a successful twenty-eight-year-old man with a fortune that I’m investing around the globe, but my dad still calls and asks me if I need anything.

He’s never once made me feel as if I’m not his biological son. When I fucked up as a teen, he got mad at me like a normal father would and taught me what the world is all about. When I did something right, he rewarded me and made me feel appreciated and loved.

The combination of his and Teal’s call, as well as Anastasia’s words, sealed the deal for me.

Despite the cons glaring at me from a distance, I’m getting out of my comfort zone.

It was getting boring in there anyway.

Nate continues watching me and so does Aspen. She’s a redhead and one of the most attractive women I’ve ever seen—aside from the icy-haired, blue-eyed little liar.

I take a calming breath to shoo her away from my thoughts.

Back to the topic at hand, Aspen is the only female senior partner at W&S and Nate’s right-hand woman. She’s also Kingsley’s archenemy, so the whole dynamic between the three of them is amusing at best.

She takes a sip from her coffee. “Didn’t you turn her away?”

“I changed my mind.”

“You rarely change your mind, if ever, Van Doren.” Nate leans forward in his chair. “Why now?”

“I didn’t know that her father was being represented by Pearce & Powers, our biggest rivals last I checked.” I lean back in my chair and cross my legs at the ankles. “We can’t let this chance to crush them slide.”

“How about you let me and King worry about Pearce & Powers and tell me the real reason?”

“I smell something fishy, too.” Aspen places her coffee on the table and two pairs of critical, judgmental eyes zero in on me.

“I’m merely interested in the case. What more reason do you need? Just take my word for it and let me do my magic. Needless to say, you guys are invited to have front-row seats.”

“Are you sure?” Nate raises a brow. “You’ll handle the civil side of this case, considering that Sandra Bell is demanding compensation.”

“Yes, but the criminal case might happen right after this and I can assist Sandra.”

“You’re well aware that this case will be media-heavy, not only because of the nature of the lawsuit but also due to who she’s going against. Matt Bell is a known producer and that makes him a public figure.”

“Which will bring more awareness to these types of cases—and the firm, of course. It doesn’t matter who Matt Bell is, I’m going to crush him and his lawyer.”

Aspen gives me a little smile. Despite her behind-the-scenes role, she doesn’t miss a chance to give scums what they deserve. “My little elves tell me the prosecutor will be charging him with a Class B violent felony for the sexual abuse.”

“Since she’s related to him by blood, the opposing counsel will argue for a Class E felony. Then they’ll easily get him put on probation and it’ll be as if it never happened.” Nate is stating facts in his cool tone that’s slightly provocative, as he does in court. “That’s if the prosecutor finds proof of the sexual assault. If it turns into a his-word-versus-hers scenario, who do you think will come out of it unscathed?”

“Not that lowlife, for sure.”

“He already got bail for the criminal case, so it’s not looking good,” he says.

“Then I will change things to my favor. I’ll even find evidence to force the prosecutor’s hand.”