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CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR

ALINA

2 weeks later

Things hadn’t really seemed to change at all. The guys were still chasing up leads, trying to find Eugene. I had learnt more and more about the story behind it, and I felt awful for what Elsie and Scar had endured. I was missing work, and Becky had been amazing by keeping me updated as much as she could, but there were clients that Becky had said were demanding a meeting. Their divorce was getting messy, and they wanted me there to sort it.

I hadn’t told Hap that I was going into the office. I figured I would just get ready and then spring it on him. Probably not the right way to go about it, but I figured it was better this way than trying to hash it out with him. Thankfully, I have a black wrap dress that can accommodate my growing bump. I slip on my favourite pair of black stilettos and grab my purse, deciding to leave my hair down, which is unusual for me, but I didn’t have a lot of time left until I had to be at the meeting, and I wanted to make sure I gave enough time to hash this out with Hap before I go. I take one last look in the mirror and take a deep breath.

“Damn, I wish I could have a stiff drink for courage,” I say to myself before I walk out of the room and down the hall, my heels clicking along the hardwood floor. Keeping my shoulders back and my head high, I evoke my bad ass bitch mentality, like I always did for work.

“Woah, looking stunning!” Star compliments me when she spots me. I give her a wink. Hap is sitting on the sofa, and as he turns his head in my direction, his eyes sweep me from head to toe, heating every part of my body as he does.

He stands and stalks towards me, his eyes never leaving mine. “No,” he states. It’s the one word that I knew would leave his mouth.

“I wasn’t asking for your permission,” I counter. “I have a meeting to get to at work, and it’s important. I’ve had too much time off. There is only so much I can do from here,” I argue.

“I don’t give a rat’s ass if it’s the fucking king and queen of England that needs a divorce right now. No client, no fucking job, is worth risking your life,” he states firmly, crossing his arms over his chest.

“I will go straight to the office and then come right back here again. I won’t deviate from the route. You can come with me if you like and wait in the truck. Or send someone else. I don’t care, but I am going to this meeting. I still have a business to run, and I still need to earn money,” I protest.

“No, you don’t. I earn enough for the both of us,” he states.

My spine stiffens. “Oh no, he didn’t!” Star heckles from the other side of the room.

“I don’t want your money. I want my own money. We are not in the year 1945; I earn my money, I work hard for my money, and I enjoy my job. Just because I’m pregnant with your child does not mean you get to tell me what I can and can’t do. Even after I’ve had this baby, I will go back to work. I’m not sure when or how many hours, but I will be going back to work,” I say through gritted teeth.

He sighs, looking up at the ceiling. “Shit, I didn’t mean it like that. I meant that you don’t have to feel that you have to,” he clarifies.

“Well, thank you for the offer, but I have to get to work. I want to go to work,” I add.

“I will take you,” Star says as she stands and grabs the keys for the truck off the hook.

“For fuck’s sake, why are you getting involved?” Ghost groans.

“Because she’s a sister from another mister. You’ve got your brotherhood; we’ve got our sisterhood. We are there for each other when any of you are becoming overbearing assholes,” Star snaps.

Josie snorts out a laugh, and the men all pin her with a glare. She quickly covers her mouth. “Sorry, but she’s got a point.” Josie laughs.

“It’s not safe to be out there by yourselves,” Ghost grits through his teeth. “Shit is happening.”

“What stuff?” Star asks, crossing her arms over her chest, arching her brow at him. “You tell me everything that’s happening. That means it’s too dangerous for us to drive to her office, which has its own security. Plus, no one even knows she’s with Hap. Just an FYI, all anyone knows is that she was your acting lawyer. Nothing else.” Star pauses, waiting for Ghost to answer.

“It’s club business,” he murmurs.

Star groans, throwing her hands up in frustration. “Ugghh, always with the club business bullshit. Look, I will take my phone. Click on the tracker. You can watch exactly where we go. Straight there, straight back. We will even take Rage with us. No one will dare come near us with Rage,” Star points out as she steps up to Ghost. “Look, I love you, but if I don’t get out of this house, I will lose my mind,” she sighs.

I look at Hap and raise my brow. He grabs the neckline of my dress and yanks me into his body. I brace my hands on his chest and look up at him.

“You go straight there and straight back. I expect you to take no more than three hours. Give me your phone. I want your tracker on,” he orders, holding out his hand. I place my cell in his hand, and he presses a few buttons, then hands it back to me. “Rage drives you,” he insists.

“You could drive me,” I suggest. “If it would make you feel better,” I state, with some understanding as to why they are being overprotective. Well, I don’t fully understand it, as this is all new to me, but I’ve got a pretty good idea.

“If I could, I would, but there is something we’ve got to do,” he says, not giving me any more details than that.

“Okay, Casper has given us the all clear; let’s go!” Star claps excitedly. “Oh wait, are you girls okay with watching Enzo? He’s down for his nap, and he probably won’t wake up for another hour,” she asks, directing her words to Josie and Belle.

“Go and enjoy your little bit of freedom.” Belle laughs, shooing us away.

Rage stands and walks towards us, but Ghost stops him, giving him direct orders. “You protect them with your fucking life. Anything seems suspicious, you bring them straight back here. Any problem, you call me.”

Rage nods. “Cut a fucker up. Got it.” He nods.

“Shotgun!” Star yells as Rage snatches the keys from her hand.

We reach my office, and Rage insists on parking outside the entrance, ensuring we got in okay. I warned him that they would give him a ticket, but he just gave me a smile that sent a shiver down my spine. So Star and I left him to it.

Walking through the lobby to the elevator to the lift, people were looking at Star as we passed. Admittedly, she was casually dressed for the building, but somehow I think it was more to do with the black tank top that complemented her ample chest and tattoos. Plus the cut-off shorts that just teased the swell of her peachy behind. The woman had a figure that Jessica Rabbit would be envious of. Star didn’t seem to notice or care about the stares aimed at her as she walked alongside me.

We made it up to my floor, and Becky grinned as I approached her desk. She handed me the file, and I made quick introductions to Star. “Oh wow, you’re stunning,” Becky breathed.

Star smiled at her. “I like her. Can we take her back with us?” Star joked.

My lips twitched. “Maybe another day when we aren’t fearing for our lives,” I suggest.

“Good point.” Star nods.

Becky looks shocked. “Come on, Becky, with me. I need you to help fill me in on what I’ve missed. Star, help yourself to some coffee.”

“Oh, I was hoping to watch you in action,” Star sighs, disappointed.

I pause as I look at Becky. “They in there yet?” I ask.

Becky shakes her head. “On their way. Should arrive any moment.” She smiles.

“Okay, good.” I walk to my closet and pull out a cropped blazer and hand it to Star. “Sit to my right with a notepad and pen. Don’t say a word. Just pretend to take notes,” I tell her.

“Got it!” she says excitedly, pulling on the blazer. Becky takes her through to the meeting room to set up ready while I read over the file. The elevator pings, and I turn to see my client walking towards me, giving them a grin.

“Good afternoon, Hillary,” I greet, stretching my hand out to shake hers. She lifts her designer glasses off her face, and I immediately see the shadow of a bruise under her eye. My smile falters.

She gives me a wavering smile. “It’s wonderful to meet you. The sooner we can get this divorce done, the better,” she states.

“Hillary, I have to ask, did he do this?” I press. “Because I could shut this down in minutes with a police report of violence.”

She shakes her head. “No police, no report. He has endless money and will drag it out. I just want him cut out from my life permanently,” she sighs.

I place my hand on her shoulder. “I will make sure this gets done today,” I promise her.

I lead her into the meeting room and introduce her to Star and Becky. Star gives her a tight nod, and I fight the urge to smile. I don’t think I’ve ever seen Star so restrained before.

Soon Hillary’s ex-husband Phillip shows up with his lawyer Steven, who I knew, and he was an absolute dickhead. Today I would enjoy tearing them both apart.

Thirty minutes later, Phillip is still refusing to pay Hillary a penny. Even his lawyer is getting exasperated with him.

I pinch the bridge of my nose. “Mr. Truman, we have been over this. We have read your terms, and they are unacceptable. You broke the marriage vows. You were unfaithful. Hillary gave up fifteen years of her life, and she gave up her career as a doctor to raise your children. She has suffered at your hands and from your choices. If I were to take this to court, I can assure you that I would delve through all your employee records, and I’m sure I would find many, many women wanting to come forward with their story. I would even go so far as to say there may be a few who would sue you for sexual misconduct in the workplace,” I state firmly.

“Phillip, I urge you to consider this,” his lawyer adds.

“No!” Phillip snarls.

Star elbows me, and I lean in. “Leave him alone with me,” she whispers in my ear. I eye her. “I’m not going to stab him. Trust me.” She nods.

I nod. “Steven, if you don’t mind a word in private? My client would like to put forward a new offer,” I lie. Hillary eyes me, but I give her and Becky a look that gestures for them to follow my lead. They get up, and so does Steven, but as we walk out of the room, I leave the door open, not trusting Mr. fucking Truman. Plus, if Star even goes back with a mark, it will be my head on a stick.

“So, what’s the new offer?” Steven asks.

“What?” I ask. “Oh, right. I think I left it in my other notebook,” I bluff. Suddenly, we hear Star scream, and as we rush back into the meeting room, we see Star pinned on the table under Mr. Truman, his hands holding her breasts. Star gives me a wink, and I suppress the urge to laugh. Instead, I fold my arms across my chest. “Mr. Truman, my client would like to increase her demand,” I state firmly. Mr. Truman leaps off Star like she pinned him down, and as he adjusts his crotch, I nearly gag.

“Don’t be ridiculous. She came on to me,” he protests. “It’s just some slut’s word over mine,” he spits.

Star sits up smiling. “I don’t think so.” She grins, pointing to her phone propped up by her notepad. “Smile, you’re on camera,” she beams as she jumps off the table.

Mr. Truman’s face pales as he turns to Hillary. “Name your price,” he utters through gritted teeth.

I could fucking kiss Star.