Page 7 of Origins of Eternity

“Is this your girlfriend?” the woman asked.

“No,” Miranda replied and licked the woman’s neck. “But she does like to have fun with me. Doyouwant to have fun with us?”

“The three of us?” the woman asked with a smile that told Cassia she was interested.

“Yes,” Miranda confirmed.

“Hey, I need to wash my hands,” a woman who had just exited the stall said.

Cassia threw her a glare.

“Fine. Whatever,” the woman said and left the bathroom.

“Shall we go home to have a little more privacy with our fun?” Cassia asked.

“You two are really into just picking women up in clubs and having three-ways?” the woman asked.

“Yes, we are,” Cassia told her.

“Fuck. I knew moving to New York was a good idea,” the woman added.

“Let’s get out of here,” Miranda said.

Now, New York wouldn’t be Cassia’s final destination, but her plane had landed at JFK just that morning, and she’d decided to have a night or two of fun here with Miranda and Gigi before she moved on to Washington, DC.

CHAPTER 3

Arwen

“You’re asking for a fifty percent reduction. That’s just not possible,” the attorney stated smugly as if Arwen didn’t knowwhatwas possible.

“Itispossible, which is why my client is asking. These companies are destroying the land.”

“The landnext totheir land, not the land they own.”

“I know you know how it works,” Arwen argued. “This stuff doesn’t just stop moving at property lines simply because there’s a fence there. Your client is endangering the lives of everyone in that neighborhood, and if you don’t stop, it’ll continue to do damage. Also, it’s notjusta fifty percent reduction. We’re talking about not dumping what theyareproducing, but actually following the law.”

“You have no evidence that my clienthasn’tfollowed the law,” he stated.

“I have sworn affidavits from–”

“We both know that statements can change,” he interrupted and took a drink from his iced tea with one lemon in the tea itself and another lemon on the edge of the glass.

He had asked for two but had only squeezed one and dropped it into the tea, leaving Arwen to wonder why he’d asked for two to begin with.

“Witnesses sometimes don’t testify at all if we get to trial. Depositions make them change their tunes,” he continued. “You know how this all works. I’m not even sure why you invited me to lunch instead of meeting at the office, where I could’ve told you no, but if you want to bill your clients for this, go ahead.”

“I’m not billing my clients for this,” she said.

“God, why not? We’re talking about the case. Billable hours, Arwen.”

“Because they’ve already been taken to the cleaners by your client. Is that company you represent happy that they’re causing cancer in children?”

“Have you been able to prove they’ve caused cancer in children? I haven’t seen anything yet that tells me you have.” He leaned forward conspiratorially. “Look, brass tacks here. You know you won’t get any kind of reduction in production. That cuts into their bottom line.”

“You–”

“It’s just the truth. If you still want to take this through depos and/or to trial, we can, but you don’t have evidence that proves they’ve done anything wrong. Maybe some statements, sure, but that’s it. A reasonable judge won’t even let this get in front of a jury, and I’ll make sure we get that reasonable judge. Here’s why we’re really here: you want to see what I can offer you and your clients. If you get them to settle, and we can move on from thisfrivolouslawsuit, I’ll get them money, Arwen.” He had called it frivolous as if he’d known that it wasn’t but couldn’t say anything that wouldn’t be in the interest of his client. “I’ve got a number for you, but if you, hypothetically, counter it with aslightlyhigher number, I can get that for you, too. Do you understand what I’m saying?”