Page 26 of Inadmissible

Taj

April

I didn’t think my life could get any better.

I’d been working more at MPWG. Kaos had taken me under his wing and allowed me to be his second chair for Mayor Collins’ case.

Unfortunately, when Collins found out that his son had gotten his third wife, and technically his stepmother, pregnant, Collins attacked them both in a fit of rage.

We were arguing temporary insanity for the crime of passion.

Collins had shot both, and sadly, his wife died.

Now, his son was a single father, and he had no help, because everyone was on Collins’s side.

My relationship was perfect. Every day with Tristan felt like a forehead kiss from God.

I’d been trying to find ways every day to serve him and cater to him to make sure he felt as loved as he made me feel.

I’d hooked him up with a car service, so he had a new Chevy Tahoe that had two alternating chauffeurs.

It was literally a fight convincing him to let me get the SUV and hire and pay for the drivers.

He acted like I couldn’t use my money for anything.

The compromise was him paying for the chauffeurs, but I didn’t allow him to pay me back for the SUV.

Since a lot of his needs were taken care of by the hotel staff, I often cooked for him and handled any small errands he had. I loved giving him massages and running his shower or bath and picking out his clothes. Little small things that took hardly no time or effort but made him feel loved.

We spent alternating weeks at each other’s home, and as much as he loved not having to worry about anything at his suite, I could also tell he loved being at my place.

I think it was mostly because he didn’t have a kitchen in his suite, and food was so important to his greedy ass.

A lot of our evenings were spent in the kitchen cooking and eating together, which I loved probably as much as he did.

Thinking about that had me calling him to see if he wanted to cook tonight or go out to eat. He’d had a long day scheduled, so I figured he was going to say I could cook, or we could go out.

“Attorney Pierce’s office.”

“Hey, Rodrick. Is he available?”

“Hey, my girl. He said he’s always available for you. One second. Let me transfer your call.”

“Thank you, kind soul.”

I hummed along to the music that played while I waited for Rodrick to transfer the call.

“Sweetheart,” was Tristan’s greeting, and it immediately made me smile.

“Hi, angel. Is now really a good time?”

“It’s always a good time for you. Wassup?”

“I was calling to see if you wanted us to cook tonight or go out. Do you know when you’ll be leaving the office?”

“We can go out, bae. I already know I’m going to be tired when I leave.”

“I can cook. I have an earlier day than you, so I don’t mind.”

“Only if you’re sure?—”

“Taj, what’s this about you going on another trip at the end of the month?” Gregory stormed in my office asking. He didn’t even bother looking up from his iPad to see that I was on the phone.

“Yes, that’s correct,” I replied. “April is the start of a new quarter, so me taking three days off shouldn’t be a problem.”

We’d scheduled the trip for the end of the month to give the Collins case priority.

Closing arguments would be next week unless the prosecution had some tricks up their sleeve.

I specifically scheduled it so that my three days off would be Wednesday through Friday.

We’d stay in Mexico until Sunday, and I was just going to take Monday off regardless.

I had to rest after my vacation before returning to work, and I didn’t really care how Gregory felt about that.

“I didn’t approve this.”

“You don’t have to. As I said, it’s a new quarter, so I can take the three days without your approval.”

“Do you like working here, Sanders? As much as you’re traveling and racking up billable hours at MPWG, I’m starting to wonder if you’re dedicated to your job.

Last I checked, you don’t have any cases open here, but you’re working a case with Kaos Montgomery?

How does that work? What am I paying you for? ”

The sound of Tristan’s laughter made me close my eyes. “I’m on my way up there.”

“Tris—ugh.”

He hung up before I could ask him to let me handle this. Massaging my temples, I shook my head.

“Tristan Pierce is on his way up here,” I said. “We can come to an agreement before he gets here to avoid this escalating.”

“What does this have to do with him?”

“We’re in a relationship, and he doesn’t like the way you talk to me.”

A grunt of laughter escaped him as he jutted his chin out. “Am I supposed to be scared of him?”

Shrugging, I rolled my thumbs around each other as my hands remained cupped on top of my desk. “I’d never tell you to fear any man, but my man don’t play about me.”

His laugh was cocky as he made his way out of my office. “I’ll be waiting for him.”

“Okayyy,” I almost sang, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop whatever Tristan was going to do when he arrived.

When Tristan did arrive, the frown on his face was absolutely sexy. He gave me a quick, tender kiss before looking around my office.

“Rodrick is on his way in here to help you pack your shit. I’m about to speak with Gregory.”

“Yes, sir,” I agreed as he walked out of my office. Quite frankly, he didn’t even give me time to agree before he was heading out.

Rodrick came into my office not long after wearing a smile.

He had a few file boxes in his arms and told me there were more in the car.

We packed the files I had here for the things I was working on at MPWG along with my computer and personal belongings.

By the time we’d made the second and final trip out to the car, Gregory and Tristan were making their way into my office.

Gregory’s tie was wrinkled, his shirt was disheveled, and his expression was spooked. If I was crazy, I’d say there was a red mark on his face, but I refused to believe Tristan had hit this man.

“As of tomorrow morning, you are a full time employee at Montgomery, Pierce, Walker, and Gough,” he announced.

“The contract,” Tristan urged casually, looking down at his phone.

“Ah, yes. You don’t have to worry about the noncompete or no recruit clauses. Neither of those will affect you.”

“And since you’ve created a hostile working environment for her, thereby forcing her to leave prematurely, you will still give her the retention bonus she would have gotten for her upcoming anniversary here,” Tristan added, shoving his phone into his pocket.

“Now that’s asking for too mu?—”

All it took was one look from Tristan and a step in Gregory’s direction for him to change his tune. “Y-yes, she will still get the retention bonus in May.”

With an excited giggle, I walked over to Gregory and shook his sweaty hand. “It’s been a pleasure working with you, Gregory. Thank you.”

His jaw was clenched so tightly I was sure he’d break his teeth as we walked out of the office.

“I’m coming back for Emilia next,” Tristan said over his shoulder, and I saw Gregory cover his face with his hands out the corner of my eye.

“Did you hit him?” I asked.

“Do you think I hit him?” Since he was smiling, I couldn’t tell.

“Yes,” I answered quickly, making him laugh.

“It doesn’t matter what I did. You can work for the best firm in Rose Valley Hills now. Hell, the best firm in the South. That’s all that matters.”

“Eeee!” I squealed before jumping into his arms and kissing him repeatedly. “Thank you, angel! I’m so excited. I’ve already learned so much from you and Kaos, and I know I’m going to learn even more working with you all full time.”

“You’re welcome, honey. Thank you for finally letting me take care of this for you.”

“I was sure at this point I wouldn’t have been able to stop you if I wanted to,” I confessed as he put me down on my feet.

“Long as you know,” he agreed, slapping me on my ass.

That Weekend

When the partners at MPWG offered to take me out to celebrate me joining the firm, I didn’t hesitate to agree.

My brother came along with Emilia, Serenity, Nessa, and Taylor.

I saw Tyler and Emilia sticking close to each other.

When I asked them about it, they downplayed it.

I wasn’t sure what was going on between them, if anything.

I knew Emilia found my brother to be attractive, but she also knew he was crazy.

She wasn’t the kind of woman who liked overly aggressive men, regardless of why they were aggressive.

Tyler also didn’t want a serious relationship, and that was the only kind of relationship Emilia had.

I hadn’t given up hope of something happening between them, but I also knew neither of them would take things to the next level if they felt like it wouldn’t work.

If any woman could soften my brother, it would likely be Emilia, but she’d also have to make him believe in love again first. Had it not been for Tristan, I would have said that was impossible.

But now . . . he made me believe anything was possible when it came to love as long as you were with the right person.

When two bottle girls brought out glasses of champagne and shots of tequila for everyone, I had them to gather around.

“Though you all wanted to take me out tonight to celebrate me, I had to get a round of champagne and tequila to honor all of you. Tyler and Emilia, you two were there for me during one of the hardest times of my life. Big brother, you’ve been there period.

You’re truly my heart in human form, and I could not have made it through life without you.

“Emilia, you were an unexpected rainbow in my storm. Life has been so much better with you in it. You taught me the importance of sisterhood and opened my heart to female companionship.

“And now, I get to experience my own sisterhood with the addition of Serenity, Taylor, and Nessa.” I looked each of them in their eyes before turning my attention to Kaos, Carson, and Zander.

“I thought I was blessed to have one big brother. Now I have three more. Thank y’all for not only inviting me into your hearts and lives but your law firm too.

“It feels amazing being attached to the best of the best.” And speaking of the best, I’d truly saved the best for last as I turned to face my man.

He looked so handsome in his all white. I could see why it was his favorite color to wear, because he looked extra sexy and royal with it against his golden caramel skin.

“I met you when I was literally at my lowest. I wanted nothing to do with love or men for that matter. You healed parts of my heart that I didn’t think would ever work again.

You restored things that you didn’t break, and you make me feel so safe opening myself up to love again.

I’ve never felt more like myself than I do now that I’m with you.

Thank you for every blessing that comes attached to you. I love you.”

Tristan licked his lips and bit down on the bottom one before pulling me into his arms for a slow, passionate kiss.

“I’m gonna show you just how much your words mean to me when we get home,” he promised against my lips before kissing them again. Using a handful of my ass to keep me close, he pressed me against his hardened dick, giving me a preview of what was in store for me later tonight.

“Aight, that’s enough of that,” Tyler decided. “I’m so proud of you, baby sis. Salud!”

“Salud!” we all cheered before knocking back our shots and chasing it with the champagne.

I looked around our VIP section and felt myself getting emotional. So much had changed within my life over the course of a year and a half. To think I’d written men off and deemed relationships as inadmissible in my life, and now, I couldn’t see my life without Tristan Pierce in it.