defended because they really didn’t commit the crime they’re being accused of, or because they’re being discriminated against.”
“You’re being over dramatic—”
“I’m being honest! You have the talent and the resources to help so many people who truly need it, but you don’t even have the decency to say why you won’t help!”
“I won’t help because they can’t afford me,” he said simply. “Maybe the greatest crime the poor ever committed was being poor, but they won’t get my sympathy for it.”
“My father would be ashamed of you.” Refusing to cry, I choked back my tears and swallowed hard. I’m ashamed of you.”
“I don’t care what dead men think of me.” He rolled his eyes at me again. “Or whores, for that matter.”
The sound of my hand slapping him across the face echoed in the empty courtroom. Judging by the smile that quickly replaced his annoyance, I guessed I’d hurt my hand more than him. I watched his cheek redden as his smile turned into a smirk.
And then I watched him walk away.
Chapter 9
Violet
“So, are you coming out with us tonight?”
I startled from my daydreams and tapped my pen against Nicky’s desk. Since our very public argument, Sebastian had been sentencing me to receptionist duty. Considering my still-mixed feelings for him, I was much more relieved to be Nicky’s right hand than Sebastian’s coffee runner.
“Um—I doubt it.”
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun,” she said. “Besides, everyone will be there.”
I cringed. “Everyone, huh?”
“Well, not the partners or anything. But all of us lower life forms will be.”
Sebastian still seemed to be the lowest form of life there could ever be. I detested everything he and the firm stood for but, worst of all, I hated how I still needed to save face and show up there everyday.
There had been no other confrontations between us and no more displays of his attraction toward me. If he felt any awkwardness, I didn’t see it; I only felt it in my own steps when I walked around the office. Sebastian continued to smile and laugh with Roger and act like he hadn’t almost fucked me Monday morning on his desk. Did he do it so often that it was easy to forget? That I was easy to forget?
Maybe I needed to do something to forget him.
I spoke quickly, before I could change my mind. “In that case, it sounds really good.”
***
I didn’t even bother changing before going to the bar. The idea of going back to my empty apartment and spending the rest of the weekend alone, thinking of Sebastian, was already making me depressed. Maybe if I went out and had a few drinks with Nicky and the other lower level life forms, it would at least help pass the time.
“Buy you a drink?” Quinn Morgan asked.
“I already have one.” I forced a smile and went back to staring at the reflection in my glass. “But, thank you.”
“I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Why? I was invited.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He laughed. “I’m surprised Scott let you come out and play with the rest of us. If you were my summer associate, I certainly wouldn’t have.”
I shifted uncomfortably. Quinn Morgan was looking at me not unlike the way Sebastian did—like I was a free sample in a candy shop. The only genuine difference was that I enjoyed when Sebastian looked at me that way.
“I like staying busy.” I smiled and searched for Nicky or another familiar face over my shoulder. Normally, I would have just blown him off, but I couldn’t risk alienating him so early into my internship. This, if nothing else, seemed like solid Sebastian advice. If I could find someone else to talk to, I would have a perfectly good excuse to ignore him. “It makes the day go by faster.”
“I’m sure it does.” He licked his lips before he smiled, the gesture meaning something I was sure I didn’t want to understand. “I’m just disappointed I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know you better.”
“You’re being over dramatic—”
“I’m being honest! You have the talent and the resources to help so many people who truly need it, but you don’t even have the decency to say why you won’t help!”
“I won’t help because they can’t afford me,” he said simply. “Maybe the greatest crime the poor ever committed was being poor, but they won’t get my sympathy for it.”
“My father would be ashamed of you.” Refusing to cry, I choked back my tears and swallowed hard. I’m ashamed of you.”
“I don’t care what dead men think of me.” He rolled his eyes at me again. “Or whores, for that matter.”
The sound of my hand slapping him across the face echoed in the empty courtroom. Judging by the smile that quickly replaced his annoyance, I guessed I’d hurt my hand more than him. I watched his cheek redden as his smile turned into a smirk.
And then I watched him walk away.
Chapter 9
Violet
“So, are you coming out with us tonight?”
I startled from my daydreams and tapped my pen against Nicky’s desk. Since our very public argument, Sebastian had been sentencing me to receptionist duty. Considering my still-mixed feelings for him, I was much more relieved to be Nicky’s right hand than Sebastian’s coffee runner.
“Um—I doubt it.”
“Oh come on, it’ll be fun,” she said. “Besides, everyone will be there.”
I cringed. “Everyone, huh?”
“Well, not the partners or anything. But all of us lower life forms will be.”
Sebastian still seemed to be the lowest form of life there could ever be. I detested everything he and the firm stood for but, worst of all, I hated how I still needed to save face and show up there everyday.
There had been no other confrontations between us and no more displays of his attraction toward me. If he felt any awkwardness, I didn’t see it; I only felt it in my own steps when I walked around the office. Sebastian continued to smile and laugh with Roger and act like he hadn’t almost fucked me Monday morning on his desk. Did he do it so often that it was easy to forget? That I was easy to forget?
Maybe I needed to do something to forget him.
I spoke quickly, before I could change my mind. “In that case, it sounds really good.”
***
I didn’t even bother changing before going to the bar. The idea of going back to my empty apartment and spending the rest of the weekend alone, thinking of Sebastian, was already making me depressed. Maybe if I went out and had a few drinks with Nicky and the other lower level life forms, it would at least help pass the time.
“Buy you a drink?” Quinn Morgan asked.
“I already have one.” I forced a smile and went back to staring at the reflection in my glass. “But, thank you.”
“I’m surprised to see you here.”
“Why? I was invited.”
“That’s not what I mean.” He laughed. “I’m surprised Scott let you come out and play with the rest of us. If you were my summer associate, I certainly wouldn’t have.”
I shifted uncomfortably. Quinn Morgan was looking at me not unlike the way Sebastian did—like I was a free sample in a candy shop. The only genuine difference was that I enjoyed when Sebastian looked at me that way.
“I like staying busy.” I smiled and searched for Nicky or another familiar face over my shoulder. Normally, I would have just blown him off, but I couldn’t risk alienating him so early into my internship. This, if nothing else, seemed like solid Sebastian advice. If I could find someone else to talk to, I would have a perfectly good excuse to ignore him. “It makes the day go by faster.”
“I’m sure it does.” He licked his lips before he smiled, the gesture meaning something I was sure I didn’t want to understand. “I’m just disappointed I haven’t had the opportunity to get to know you better.”
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