Page 5 of Hooked on Mack (Hooked #7)
Mack
Larissa was a force of nature, and her no-nonsense attitude challenged me in ways I'd never experienced before. I rolled my shoulders, trying to shake off the tension that seemed to linger after each encounter with her.
“Hey, Mack, heard about what happened outside with Larissa,” a fellow lawyer whispered as he passed by, giving me a sympathetic pat on the back. Unbelievable.
“Mack, my man,” Richard greeted me as we both entered the courtroom together. “You know, you could use what happened with Larissa as ammunition against her in court.”
I raised an eyebrow, considering it. “I appreciate the tip, Richard, but I think I'll try something a little more creative to gain the advantage. Besides, it's always good to have a secret weapon up my sleeve just in case.”
“Suit yourself,” Richard shrugged, clearly disappointed that I wouldn't indulge in some good old-fashioned legal mudslinging.
I took my seat and began reviewing my notes, and everything started swirling in my head. Larissa was tough, intelligent, and infuriatingly captivating all at once. I knew that winning over someone like her would be quite the challenge, but I was more than ready to rise to the occasion.
Bring it on, Montgomery . Whatever tricks she had up her sleeve, I was ready to play along and see where this game would take us.
“Nice suit, Mack,” Katharine said, her red lipstick perfect against her alabaster skin. It was Katharine James, the opposing attorney in this case. Now, she was dangerous.
“Thanks, Katharine.” I flashed her my most disarming smile, wondering what she was up to.
“Look, I know we're on opposite sides today, but I thought you should know something about Larissa.” She leaned in and lowered her voice, the sweet scent of her perfume wafting over me. “Ever since I started seeing her ex, Elliot, she's been acting… out of character.”
“Jealous, is she?” I raised an eyebrow, trying not to let my surprise show. “I didn't think she was the type.”
“Neither did I, but people change. Anyway, if you want to undermine her, try something unconventional. Get under her skin. You know, like you do with everyone else.”
“Interesting advice coming from the opposition,” I mused, studying her closely.
Despite the casual nature of our conversation, I could tell there was more to it than simple gossip.
Katharine had never been one to share courtroom secrets without expecting something in return.
And yet, the idea of getting Larissa to trust me, to see that I wasn't just another shark in the legal pool, was strangely appealing.
“Consider it a professional courtesy,” Katharine shrugged. “Besides, isn't it more fun when we keep things interesting?”
“Perhaps,” I admitted, my mind already racing with ideas. “But I'm not interested in getting involved in your little rivalry. Thanks for the tip, though.”
“Your loss,” she pouted, turning away to gather her things. “Good luck.”
“Thanks,” I replied, watching her walk away.
As intriguing as her words were, I knew better than to play with fire.
Larissa was a force to be reckoned with, and if she truly was jealous of Katharine and Elliot's relationship, there was no telling what lengths she would go to in order to maintain her professional reputation.
Instead, I decided to push just enough to make her retreat a little, to show her that I wasn't the enemy.
My goal now was to charm her into trusting me, to believe that I had both Ava and Mark Kennsington's best interests at heart.
If I played my cards right, perhaps we could even find a way to work together for the sake of our clients.
Game on, Montgomery. Let's see how well you handle a taste of your own medicine.
My heart pounded from the adrenaline in the courtroom, I stepped into the hallway and nearly collided with Larissa.
“Wow, fancy seeing you here,” I said, breaking the silence with a small chuckle. “How've you been?”
“Uh, fine,” she stammered, a hint of embarrassment coloring her cheeks. It wasn't like her to be so flustered. “I mean, aside from yesterday, obviously.”
“Hey, no hard feelings,” I assured her, shooting her a disarming smile. “We all have our moments, right?”
“I suppose.”
I leaned against the wall, allowing myself a moment to enjoy the lightheartedness between us. “You know, for what it's worth, I think your passion is one of your greatest assets. Makes things more exciting, don't you think?”
“Is that so?” She raised an eyebrow. “And here I thought you were just trying to butter me up to gain the upper hand.”
“Would I do that?”
“Absolutely,” she retorted without missing a beat. “But nice try, Harrington. Dirty tricks won't work on me.”
“Dirty tricks? I'm wounded.” I pressed my hand over my heart. Inwardly, though, I knew she was right—any attempt to manipulate her would likely backfire spectacularly. My crush on her since Law school doesn’t matter right now.
“But if you ever want to grab a drink and discuss strategy… or anything else for that matter, you know where to find me.”
Larissa's eyes narrowed, but the ghost of a smile remained on her lips. “I'll keep that in mind,” she said coolly, before turning on her heel and striding away.
Larissa Montgomery was unlike any other attorney I'd ever faced, and despite our differences, I was drawn to her. Hell, I had been since I ran into her at Law School. Her out-of-the-box thinking had always been her strong suit.