Page 6 of The Allure of Ruins

Mr. Somerset’s eyes darted to me.

“Don’t worry, sir, he’s referring to his really big water gun,” I explained as I continued to look for my coat. “There’s a tactical display and everything.”

He glanced at Colton, who grinned evilly. I had to smile seeing that.

“I’ve made myself clear,” he apprised Mr. Somerset. “I’m not a teacher or a mentor. We use money and resources to get people the support they need. I can’t use anyone without trial experience. That doesn’t help me.”

Mr. Somerset could have argued with my boss, his word was law, after all, but he also knew that if he pushed, Colton would simply return to the state’s attorney’s office—he had an open invitation—or he might go into private practice.

Either way, he’d leave. There was nothing holding him there, which was why Mr. Somerset had insinuated he’d pay Colton’s capital contribution so he could be an equity partner.

Even saying it without really saying it had earned him the patented Colton side-eye that said, in no uncertain terms, as nothing else quite could, how insane he thought that idea was.

But I understood his reasoning. As Libby had reminded me, he wasn’t an equity partner. He had no skin in the game.

“What is happening?” Colton asked me, irritation filling his voice.

“I can’t find my coat. It was originally on the fourth hook, but people must have moved things around when they came in and out.”

“Which one did you bring, your red one or the?—”

“I brought the shearling-lined leather one I stole from you.”

He went to look then, shoulder-checking me out of the way so I was standing by Mr. Somerset.

“I saw you talking to Jonah,” Mr. Somerset said softly. “I know we have some changes going on. Did you want to be moved as well?”

“No moving,” Colton declared, his voice holding a noticeable thread of warning.

Mr. Somerset looked concerned when he turned to me.

I smiled at him. “I’m happy where I am, sir.”

He nodded. “May I count on you to get him to a black-tie event tomorrow night at the InterContinental Chicago Hotel? We’ve spared no expense, as there will be new, potential clients as well as current ones we want to retain there.”

“Begging your pardon, sir, but is it something for the whole firm or more of a partner thing? Because as you know, as a non-equity partner, there’s not much point to having him attend.

Not to mention, he’s more of a shoot-from-the-hip guy than one to charm potential clients.

I mean, he had to get stitches yesterday because after the fight in lockup, we had to go remove a woman and her three kids from a house with her abusive spouse. ”

“And the husband attacked Colton?”

“He attacked his wife with a switchblade, and Colton took what was meant for her. Fortunately, the man slashed and didn’t stab.”

“Oh dear God,” he gasped.

“It was all of five stitches,” Colton grumbled. “Hardly worth the trip to the ER.”

“That’s why I didn’t let him do any lifting today,” I pointed out. “All he was allowed to do was supervise and yell.”

“I do enjoy yelling,” he confessed.

I chuckled because it was so true. Mostly at me. Of course, unlike most people, I knew it was all bluster.

“I wondered about that,” Mr. Somerset said to my boss. “I saw you with the clipboard, directing people.”

“Directing,” I repeated. “There’s a gentle euphemism.”

“Shuddup,” Colton ordered me.

Mr. Somerset regarded him and then me.

“The good news is,” I said, feeling the need to provide further clarification, “attacking my boss put the husband in jail, where he’ll stay until the trial.

Afterward, he’ll be going away on several charges, thus allowing the very nice mother to keep her kids and her home.

We need a few more questions answered, but Raúl is on it. ”

He was quiet a moment. “You two have much more interesting days than the rest of us.”

I smiled at him. “Sometimes.”

“Here,” Colton said stiffly, holding out his coat that had been mine for the last six months I’d held it hostage. It was big on me, thus the perfect fit for layering. I was also a fan of wearing it by itself, as it hung long and I didn’t need to wear gloves. I was not a fan of them.

Once I slid my arms into the coat, he spun me around and zipped me up. He pulled out of his pocket his horrible hat—a double-brim knit beanie with a red pom-pom—and passed it to me.

“Won’t you be cold?” I said kindly, hopefully. I really didn’t want to wear the hat.

The look I got, his flat, intense stare, told me not to screw with him. I put it on and rolled my eyes before smiling for the man whose name was on our front door.

“Thank you for the wonderful evening, sir.”

He nodded, acknowledging my appreciation, but still gazing at us oddly, back and forth, Colton, then me, then back to Colton. “Thank you for coming. Do get some rest, Colt, and let me know if you need to take Monday off.”

Quick scowl. “I have to be in court at nine in the morning on Monday. Do me a favor and don’t worry about us, everything’s handled.”

“I didn’t say the two of you. I said you, Colt.”

“What?” He sounded both annoyed and bored.

Normally I would have elbowed him, but there were stitches on the side closest to me, so I leaned into him and whispered the command to be nice.

“Sorry, we need to get going,” he told our boss. “We’ll see you later.”

“I will expect you tomorrow,” he reiterated to Colton. “I need you there to dazzle our existing clients as well as new ones we hope to take on.”

He nodded but didn’t commit. We turned to go, waiting while others came in, greeting Mr. Somerset, and then we went out the front door and into the hall. There were three apartments on this floor, above him being a penthouse I couldn’t even imagine. Who needed that much space?

Waiting for the elevator, even though I was worried about what was going to happen, I wasn’t as scared as I would have been if he hadn’t been there. He was, after all, my person.