pocket?” Dominique scrunched her nose.
“Never underestimate him. Remember, it’s all about intent. He’s probably building a case where his client had no intention of arousing or gratifying anyone and that Ben here was the perpetrator. Slap on a civil suit of sexual harassment, and he’s got the stronger case.”
“Wait, so what do we do?” The hairs on Ben’s scalp prickled and he tasted blood in his throat. “I’m not going to sit back and let them pin it on me.”
“We go on the offensive. Paint her as a slut all over town,” Delaine said. “Our prime witness, the woman who called the police in the first place, is vulnerable to your charm. She has a son in elementary school, and I can arrange for you to visit the school and toss a football with his P.E. class.”
Ben rubbed his chin as a growly feeling clenched his insides. He didn’t like it one bit. It was one thing to blame Brittney for this arrest, but to slut-shame her? That was a low blow.
“I’m not sure we should ruin her reputation,” Ben said. “Shouldn’t the video prove neither of us had any intentions of a sexual nature? We were helping each other out. Double wardrobe malfunctions. No sexual feelings at all.”
“You want me as your attorney or not?” Delaine lowered her voice. “Believe me, that Owen Williams is a shark inside a koala bear’s skin. What are you going to do when he slaps sexual harassment on you? Or worse? Claims you tried to rape his client?”
“Rape her?” Ben jumped from the chair, knocking it backward. “That’s a lie.”
“Didn’t you grab her and make her sit on your candy-cane boxers with the big rip down the front?”
“No. I mean, yes, I grabbed her and she sat down on her own.”
“Ah, but that’s your interpretation.” Delaine wagged her finger. “Face it, Mr. Powers, if you want me to get you off, you’re going to do things my way.”
“Better listen to her,” Dominique said. “I’ve got an inside line to the owner of the New York Warthogs. Herbert Van Roekens is a good friend of the family and lately, he’s dating Dinah Silver, owner of the Los Angeles Flash. There’s also Gunnar Carson who owns the San Diego Surfriders, and I’m making connections with the San Francisco Bridges and Oakland Brigands. You want a contract, you need to cooperate with me.”
“Don’t throw away your career on a two-bit slut.” Delaine pushed from the table and stood. “We’ll make bail tonight and have you home. From now on, you have to be on your best behavior. Stay with your grandfather. Do charity work, stay out of bars, and do not be seen with loose women. By all means, stay away from Brittney Reed, and don’t let her or anyone in her family know our defense strategy. Don’t speak to the press. Leave all the talking to me.”
“This is important,” Dominique said, patting his shoulder. “Your entire football career depends on this, not to mention your future value in endorsements and deals.”
“Sure.” Ben rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. “I’ll stay on the sidelines and let you two do your work.”
Both sisters gave him a thumbs up and a confident grin.
Ben smiled back, but his stomach twisted and his heart flopped. Pinning the blame on Brittney and shoving her under the bus was unfair. Even if she’d dressed in a provocative manner, there was no excuse for him or any other man to think of her in a sexual manner.
If anyone was to blame, it was that club he carried between his legs.
“Oh, and before we forget,” Delaine interrupted the officer who’d come to escort him back to the holding cell. “We need your candy-cane boxers without the cannon, of course.”
The two sisters giggled at the guard’s shocked expression.
Chapter Seven
~ Brittney ~
This is my worst day ever. Not only did I get hauled off to jail for lewd misconduct, but my feet hurt from being stuffed in Lacy’s stiletto fur-lined boots. Lacy and Brandon stroll arm in arm through the front
“Never underestimate him. Remember, it’s all about intent. He’s probably building a case where his client had no intention of arousing or gratifying anyone and that Ben here was the perpetrator. Slap on a civil suit of sexual harassment, and he’s got the stronger case.”
“Wait, so what do we do?” The hairs on Ben’s scalp prickled and he tasted blood in his throat. “I’m not going to sit back and let them pin it on me.”
“We go on the offensive. Paint her as a slut all over town,” Delaine said. “Our prime witness, the woman who called the police in the first place, is vulnerable to your charm. She has a son in elementary school, and I can arrange for you to visit the school and toss a football with his P.E. class.”
Ben rubbed his chin as a growly feeling clenched his insides. He didn’t like it one bit. It was one thing to blame Brittney for this arrest, but to slut-shame her? That was a low blow.
“I’m not sure we should ruin her reputation,” Ben said. “Shouldn’t the video prove neither of us had any intentions of a sexual nature? We were helping each other out. Double wardrobe malfunctions. No sexual feelings at all.”
“You want me as your attorney or not?” Delaine lowered her voice. “Believe me, that Owen Williams is a shark inside a koala bear’s skin. What are you going to do when he slaps sexual harassment on you? Or worse? Claims you tried to rape his client?”
“Rape her?” Ben jumped from the chair, knocking it backward. “That’s a lie.”
“Didn’t you grab her and make her sit on your candy-cane boxers with the big rip down the front?”
“No. I mean, yes, I grabbed her and she sat down on her own.”
“Ah, but that’s your interpretation.” Delaine wagged her finger. “Face it, Mr. Powers, if you want me to get you off, you’re going to do things my way.”
“Better listen to her,” Dominique said. “I’ve got an inside line to the owner of the New York Warthogs. Herbert Van Roekens is a good friend of the family and lately, he’s dating Dinah Silver, owner of the Los Angeles Flash. There’s also Gunnar Carson who owns the San Diego Surfriders, and I’m making connections with the San Francisco Bridges and Oakland Brigands. You want a contract, you need to cooperate with me.”
“Don’t throw away your career on a two-bit slut.” Delaine pushed from the table and stood. “We’ll make bail tonight and have you home. From now on, you have to be on your best behavior. Stay with your grandfather. Do charity work, stay out of bars, and do not be seen with loose women. By all means, stay away from Brittney Reed, and don’t let her or anyone in her family know our defense strategy. Don’t speak to the press. Leave all the talking to me.”
“This is important,” Dominique said, patting his shoulder. “Your entire football career depends on this, not to mention your future value in endorsements and deals.”
“Sure.” Ben rubbed his sweaty palms on his pants. “I’ll stay on the sidelines and let you two do your work.”
Both sisters gave him a thumbs up and a confident grin.
Ben smiled back, but his stomach twisted and his heart flopped. Pinning the blame on Brittney and shoving her under the bus was unfair. Even if she’d dressed in a provocative manner, there was no excuse for him or any other man to think of her in a sexual manner.
If anyone was to blame, it was that club he carried between his legs.
“Oh, and before we forget,” Delaine interrupted the officer who’d come to escort him back to the holding cell. “We need your candy-cane boxers without the cannon, of course.”
The two sisters giggled at the guard’s shocked expression.
Chapter Seven
~ Brittney ~
This is my worst day ever. Not only did I get hauled off to jail for lewd misconduct, but my feet hurt from being stuffed in Lacy’s stiletto fur-lined boots. Lacy and Brandon stroll arm in arm through the front
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