"Ah, James. New flavor of the week?"
Unintentionally, my fingers tighten around James’s. I look at the man. His black eyes roam my body and I quiver inside. I wonder if this little egg-shaped man is part of the test.
The creep’s comment rubs me the wrong way. I don't like being called a whore. If men can sleep around and get away with it, so can I.
I'm going to assume this Humpty-Dumpty man is referring to James’s playboy ways since he doesn't know me from Adam. I also have to remind myself that I signed up for this, that I'm not being forced into anything. It's a choice I made, and idiots like him come with the job.
Grammy always said you attract more bees with honey, and I know how to kill 'em with kindness better than anyone else.
Twenty-Two
"Philip. Can't say it's a pleasure seeing you here," James says tightly, and I kind of like that he did. "This is Valentina, a friend of mine."
Philip's wife, or I assume that's who's next to him, is staring me down, but I don't give her the time of day and show her no attention. I just glare at Philip and wish I could stomp on him with my shoe.
"Of course her name is Valentina," the woman says, then offers me a forced smile.
I ignore the jab and instead compliment her on her hideous hat that's so big it could give her husband shade. It reminds me of the ones worn at the Kentucky Derby.
"I love your hat. It's so…wide."
"A custom design from friend Suzanne Millinery."
Whoop-de-fucking-do whoever that is.
Philips says, "Is that how you congratulate a fellow nominee? You should be offering a bottle of your finest to us to celebrate. After all, I got the deal on one of the biggest clients my firm has ever seen. Possibly bigger than the Wilson Energy one you closed."
Pompous ass face.
James licks his lips, veiling a slight grin. He huffs under his breath but doesn't say anything. This silver fox is controlled silence, and that's a major turn on.
"A five-hundred-dollar bottle of cognac is reserved for people I actually like," he says.
Philip grunts in reply.
"I think it's an honor to be recognized, honey," the woman with the hooked nose says. It's like she's trying to soothe a child, only she looks frightening. "It's a big achievement and shows the years of success you've had." She turns to me and her eyes soften like I'm a total idiot. "It's for lawyers who display excellence in their field."
"I'm aware, thank you very much." I find myself saying with a sugary voice, and smile. "James acquired the nomination early in his career, and has since multiple times."
"And you didn't get a bigger client than I did, Philip. I'm not sure if you're aware yet, but Packer Resources and I came to an agreement. We signed off on the documents early this morning," James says, lifting his glass toward me in a silent toast.
Philip noticeably pales and his wife looks constipated, but she quickly excuses herself to go speak with friends.
"How much are you paying for this one?" Philip asks, nodding toward me, seemingly using me as a target. I grit my teeth, reminding myself yet again that I’d signed up for this.
"Some things you can't put a price tag on," James says. "The interest you take in my personal life flatters me."
Philip’s eyes harden. "I'm not interested in your personal life. You only say that after you got the Packer case anyway."
"I could say it before, actually. We both know that. I'm simply better at what we do. You always want what I have yet never attain."
A smile spreads across my face, one Philip takes note of. I like the way James handles the situation—reserved, and one step above the other asshole. The old tension between them is obvious.
Philip’s gaze one me turns to a glare, but I don't flinch. I might still be a little unsteady on my feet with this job, but there’s one thing I’m confident about: I eat men like him for breakfast.
"You know this isn't a movie, right? You're not going to get lucky in the end and marry the rich man. You're going to wake up a cheap whore tomorrow like usual, looking for your next meal ticket." He glances at James, then looks back at me. "When you're done with him, come find me so I can show you the way you're meant to be used. I'll even pay double."
Oh, that sets me off. Before I can think better of it, I respond, my voice low. "Philip, you can't afford me, and even if you could, I still wouldn't touch you with a ten-foot pole. I can see why you'd want to be with me after seeing your washed-up, haggard wife, though. I bet you can't even get your little pecker up with her. But when it comes to James, no one has ever fucked me the way he has. The rumors are true. He's hung like a stallion and fucks like a beast."