Liability (Alfha Law Firm 2)

Pulling out my cell phone when it buzzes, I’m surprised to see a text from Cathy. We haven’t really spoken since I left my grandmother’s house two months ago.

Really, I think the only reason she was even friendly to me was because of who my family is, and because her mother and my grandmother are good friends.

Cathy: Can you meet me in the bathroom over on E-hall?

Me: I’ll be there in two minutes.

I type back quickly, slamming my locker closed.

Making it to E-hall takes me a few minutes, because the bell announcing school is being let out chimes in the halls when I’m halfway there, causing the halls to overflow with people.

Pushing open the door to the restroom, I hear someone sobbing inside and move toward the sound of distress, finding Cathy sitting on one of the toilets with her face in her hands.

“What happened?” I ask, and her head lifts and her eyes meet mine.

“I found out Byron was sleeping with

Trisha. Can you believe that?” she asks on a sob.

I actually can believe it, since they had been dating before Cathy decided to go after him, stealing him away from Trisha. But I’m not going to say that to her, seeing the hurt in her eyes. Instead, I pull some tissue off the roll next to her and place it in her hand.

“It will be okay, Cathy,” I tell her softly. I hate seeing people cry. Even if we have never been very good friends, I wouldn’t wish her situation on anyone.

I would be heartbroken if Carter did something like this to me. I have no idea how it happened, or when exactly, but I have fallen in love with a man who had always seemed unattainable. The craziest part is I know he loves me. I feel it in every touch, hear it in every soft word. I know it down to my very being that he’s meant for me.

I also know, because he gave me the exact amount of money I would have gotten if I had followed the stipulations of my grandfather’s will, only his gift to me didn’t come with any kind of rules or requirements on my part. I could walk away from him tomorrow and start a life somewhere else if I wanted to.

Not that I want to. For once in my life, I’m happy.

Our age difference scares me to death, but like last night, when I mentioned to him that he’s ten years older than me, he just shook his head and pulled me into his lap, telling me that in a few years it wouldn’t even matter. The only reason it seems taboo now is because I’m still in school.

He’s so sure about us that he’s constantly making love to me without any kind of protection, even knowing I’m not on any form of birth control and have told him over and over I may get pregnant. Really, I think that eggs him on. He wants me to have his child. Placing my hand on my stomach, I wonder if I’m already carrying his baby.

“Are you even listening to me?” Cathy cries, tugging on my hand.

I shake my head and murmur, “Sorry, I have a lot on my mind right now.”

“I don’t want to be alone. Do you think you can come home with me? We can order pizza and eat ice cream, like old times?” she pleas.

Feeling guilty, I nod without thinking, and her face transforms in front of my eyes, her tears drying up as she stands.

“Great, I’ll call a town car to take us,” she says happily. “Can I use your phone?” she asks, seeing me pull the phone that Carter bought me out of my pocket so I can send a message to him, telling him what’s going on so he isn’t worried about me.

“Um...sure,” I mutter as she takes the phone from my grasp, and then I watch as she fumbles with it, right before it falls into the toilet.

“Oh no,” she breathes, covering her mouth, looking at the phone that is now in the water.

“Don’t worry; I have mine,” she says, moving from the stall, putting the phone to her ear, and requesting a cab.

Pulling my phone out of the toilet with two fingers, I take it to the sink and wrap it in a paper towel then wash my hands. I have no idea if Carter is going to be mad about the phone. I doubt it, but I know he will be worried if I don’t call him.

“Can I use your phone?” I ask her, shoving my now waterlogged cell phone into my backpack.

“Sure, when we get in the cab. It should be here now,” she says easily, walking out of the bathroom.

Following behind her down the hall and out the front door of the school, I see there is a black town car out front with the windows tinted. Walking to the cab, Cathy opens the door and slides across the seat. Following her in, as I get into the backseat, I notice a familiar smell as my eyes adjust to the darkness of the interior of the vehicle, and I see my grandmother and a large man wearing a dark suit sitting across from me.

“Thank you for your assistance, Cathy,” my grandmother says from the seat across from me, pulling an envelope out of her purse.

“You’re welcome,” Cathy says happily, taking the envelope from my grandmother before opening the door to the car and getting out.

Realizing what’s happening, I scurry across the seat in an attempt to follow her out of the car, but large arms wrap around my waist, stopping me before I can make it.

“Please don’t!” I scream, feeling the tips of my fingers run over the door handle.

“I have to get the devil out of you,” I hear my grandmother say right before something sharp stabs me in the side of the neck and everything goes black.