Page 15

The doorbell was ringing ?

Gemma was in her office, seated behind her desk, burning that midnight oil to keep her mind occupied.

She squeezed the bridge of her nose and then looked at the Cartier watch Sal had given her for her birthday.

It was twelve-thirty-five. Who on earth would be ringing her office doorbell this time of night?

Unless Trina or Marie betrayed her confidence and broke down and told Sal.

Which was all she needed. She quickly turned on the security monitor.

But it wasn’t Sal. She was shocked when she saw who it was.

She kept her reading glasses on as she made her way out of her office and took the elevator downstairs to the lobby.

She had a huge law firm of very dedicated lawyers, but she was the only attorney still in the building.

But that was why she was puzzled when she unlocked her office entrance and saw Brad Patrick, the new D.A. , standing at the door.

He smiled that charming smile she liked. “Hey.”

“What are you doing here?”

“I was driving by and saw the lights on. I’ve driven by this place many late nights and never saw lights on this late. I didn’t see your car but I figured it could be around back. Just wanted to make sure you were okay if it was you burning that midnight oil.”

“Yes, I’m fine. Thank you.”

“You keep very late hours, young lady. Not a smart thing to do in this day and age.”

“You keep very late hours yourself,” said Gemma.

“But that’s where you’re wrong. I wasn’t coming from work. I was coming from the opera. Can’t you tell?” he said and opened his arms wide.

That was when Gemma realized he was wearing a tux, a black coat, and a matching hat. She smiled. “I didn’t even notice.”

When she smiled though, he relaxed. “May I?”

Gemma had known him for years when he was a private civil lawyer around town. Even before he became the district attorney. She always had a level of comfortableness around him. So she opened her door wider and let him in.

“Have a seat,” she said as she pointed to the lobby sofa over against a side wall. “Would you like something to drink?” She locked the door.

“No, I’m good,” he said as he removed his hat, waited for her to sit down beside him, and then he sat down too. His gloves were already off and in his hands. He sat them in his hat.

“Which opera?” she asked him.

“ La Boheme ,” he said.

“I’m not into operas, but I’ve heard of that one.” Gemma crossed her legs and turned toward him. Up close he looked even more dazzling. “Never knew what it’s about though.”

“It’s about four struggling Bohemians and all their poverty and loss and loves and all the rest of it. Your typical soap opera.”

Gemma laughed. “I never took you for a soap opera kind of guy.”

“Are you joking? You better not get in between me and my Young and the Restless and Bold and Beautiful and especially Beyond the Gates . I record them suckers every day. Watch them every single night.”

Gemma couldn’t believe it. “You’re lying.”

“That I do not do.”

“Now I know you’re lying,” Gemma said, and they both laughed. It was amazing to her how easily she could forget her problems when she was around Brad.

But only momentarily. As soon as she thought about the fact that she had forgotten her situation, she remembered her situation. “Who did you take with you? I’ll bet you have a phone full of numbers.” Although she knew him, it was a purely professional relationship.

“I don’t have a phone full of ladies’ numbers, if that’s what you mean,” said Brad. “And I took myself. How about that?”

“That’s good. A woman who goes to an opera by herself would be called an independent woman. So you must be a very independent man.”

He smiled. “That,” he replied, “or a very lonely man.”

Although he smiled, Gemma didn’t. She looked at him. “Before I read your bio, I don’t know why I assumed you were married with children. I don’t know why I made that assumption, but I did.”

“No, I’ve not had the pleasure of that level of relationship yet.” Then he looked at Gemma with a look of lust that was undeniable. “But I’m still hopeful.”

Then he smiled and Gemma, so tired of being flustered and frustrated and drained by Sal and all his bullshit, smiled too.

Oh the joy of an unencumbered life ! But it was never going to be if she stayed married to Sal.

And although she saw that image of Sal’s gorgeous naked body getting out of that bed, and that gorgeous woman there with him, it still wouldn’t allow her to even think about going that far with anybody.

She was married to Sal. It might not have meant anything to Sal, or even to Brad, but it meant the world to her.

The high-revved sound of an engine could be heard outside, and then a sweep of bright lights cascading over the lobby.

“More company?” asked Brad. “You’re a very popular girl.”

But Gemma remained where she was. She knew the sound of Sal’s Bugatti no matter where she was. “It’s my husband,” she said dryly.

“Ah,” Brad said with an exhale. “The infamous Sal Gabrini.”

Yeah he was infamous alright, Gemma thought. Somebody must have told him where she was!

“You don’t think he would have a problem with me visiting your office this late at night, do you?”

“He knows me,” Gemma said confidently. But she could tell by that look of apprehension on Brad’s face that he wasn’t at all so confident.

“Want me to unlock it?” Brad asked when they could hear Sal attempting to open the locked door.

“He has a key,” Gemma said.

“That’s right. He bought you this building, didn’t he?”

How did he know that, Gemma wondered. “Yes he did buy this place for me. And it was before we got married too, which I found remarkable. He’s expanded it since then to accommodate my growing practice,” she added, “but yeah. He did that for me. He was very kind to me.”

Brad caught the tense. “ Was very kind to you?” he asked.

But Gemma wasn’t about to go there with him, nor did she get a chance to, because Sal had unlocked the door and was walking in.

When Sal realized Gemma was sitting right there in the lobby, and wasn’t alone, his movement slowed.

He had already seen that another car was in the parking lot.

He assumed it was another lawyer working late.

But when he saw that the car belonged to Brad Patrick, the very smart and good-looking and debonair Brad Patrick, that same D.A.

that always seemed to give Gemma extra attention whenever he saw him around that courthouse, his heart dropped.

Did she ask him to come see about her? Had she moved on already?

Was he already too late to get his wife back?

Sal’s stress meter went through the roof.

But his swag, his manliness , stayed pure Sal.

“What the fuck are you doing here?” he blurted out to Brad with that accusatory tone he was known for.

Gemma stared at Sal. Why was he being so rude to the man? That surprised her.

But it didn’t surprise Brad. But he was a politician if he was anything. He plastered on that smile and stood to his feet. “Bradford Patrick,” he said with his big hand extended. “I’ve seen you around the courthouse picking up Gemma and whatnot, but I don’t think we’ve formally met.”

“I know who you are,” said Sal. “I don’t need to know your name. What do you want with my wife, that’s what I need to know?”

“Oh Sal honestly!” Gemma fired back with shock in her voice. “Don’t you even go there!”

Brad smiled it off. “I’d better get going anyway, Gemma. I come in peace. I don’t want any trouble.”

But Sal could see right through the guy. “Sure you don’t,” he said, looking beyond that fake smile and seeing that lust he had for Gemma.

“Good evening,” Brad decided to say, and left.

As soon as he did, Sal turned his vengeance on Gemma. “What was that about?” he asked her.

Gemma shook her head. “You’re trying to make this about Brad. All that shit you pulled, and you’re trying to make this about him ?”

“I didn’t pull any shit,” Sal said.

“Oh please,” Gemma said. “And how did you find out where I was anyway?”

“Reno promised Trina he wouldn’t tell me where you were since I’m the only one you really was running away from. So Reno told Robby and Robby told me. I called over here when I first got home and that secretary of yours, that Curtis, lied and told me you wasn’t here.”

“Don’t you blame Curtis. And you know he’s my office manager now who does what he’s told. I told him to tell you that.”

“But why ?”

Gemma couldn’t believe he still didn’t get it. “Why do you think, Sal? Why do you think? I don’t want to have anything more to do with you. I’m not staying with a cheater, I don’t care how much I love you, I won’t stay with a man who would do that to me!”

“ But I’m not a cheater !” Sal blared out. “Don’t you dare call me that! I don’t pull that shit on you. You’re the one that was in this office after midnight with some Don Juan motherfucker like Brad Patrick!”

Gemma just knew he wasn’t trying to turn this around on her. She shook her head and began heading for the elevators. “I can’t,” she said, in a voice that sounded like giving up. “I just can’t.”

“I didn’t do anything wrong, Gemma.” Sal’s voice was no longer accusatory. Now it sounded as if he was pleading with her. “You know I would never do that to you.”

The doors of the elevator slid open.

“I don’t even remember how I got in that bed,” Sal said, looking down at the ground, as if he was still trying to process that whole scene himself.

Gemma was just about to step onto the elevator when he said those words. But she stopped and turned and looked at him. The elevator door closed without her. “What do you mean you don’t remember?”

“I don’t remember!” Sal had anguish in his voice and in his eyes. “I’m telling you Gemma I don’t remember any of that!”