Stingray Billionaire: The Complete Series (An Alpha Billionaire Romance) (31 page)

CHAPTER
FOURTEEN

Brooke

I
woke up the next morning with a pounding head and a mouth so dry that I
couldn't swallow. I felt like I'd been hit by a truck and left in a ditch, but
since I was resting on the thick fluffy duvet with my head on a soft down
pillow, I knew that the ditch scenario was unlikely.

I slowly sat up,
holding my head and wishing that I'd been sober enough to close the curtains so
that I wouldn't have to be suffering the pain of having the sunlight shining
brightly in my eyes.

"Oh
God," I groaned as I swung my legs over the edge of the bed and sat
waiting for the room to stop spinning. I rarely drank enough to actually get
drunk, but when I did, I did a bang up job. I slowly stood up and made my way
across the floor to the bathroom, where I turned on the shower and shed my
clothes as I waited for the water to heat up. I stepped under the stream of
steaming hot water and let it pound out a rhythm on my aching head.

After my long, hot
shower, I wrapped myself in a fluffy, terrycloth robe and walked into the
kitchen to make a good strong cup of coffee. As the coffee was brewing, I
turned the television on and flipped to the local news. My back was to the set
when I heard the news reporter say, "And in local news, Los Angeles
attorney Lydia Banks’ body was fished out of the ocean near the Marina del Rey
dock by the U.S. Coast Guard yesterday evening. Authorities say that Banks had
been shot in what appears to be an execution style before being dumped into the
water, but wouldn't confirm the details. Ms. Banks was most well known as legal
counsel for local club owner, Dax Malone, whose run-ins with the law made her a
household name. There is speculation that her death is retaliation for last
year's murder of Westside Vice Lords leader Arturo Moritz by the rival gang
Blood Posse, possibly led by Mr. Malone. However, there has been no hard
evidence to connect Malone to the Blood Posse, so the connection to Banks’
murder remains speculation this morning. We'll follow this case closely and
have more on
Action News
at five this
evening."

I heard the
newscaster, but it wasn't until I was standing at the picture window that
looked out over the city sipping my coffee that something clicked. Dax Malone.
Hadn't I met a guy name Dax last night? I tried to retrace the conversation in
the bar, but I'd been pretty drunk and my memory was full of holes. Maybe if I
called Billy when the bar opened, I'd be able to track down the guy and figure
out who he was.

What I remembered
about him were the unruly dark curls, the sensual eyes, the jaw that looked
like it had been chiseled out of granite and the amazing body. I felt my pulse
race as I remembered how close I'd come to taking him to bed and felt both
grateful that I hadn't since I probably wouldn't have remembered it and sad
that I'd missed out on seeing him in all his unclothed glory.

I heard my phone
ring as I stood in front of the window and scanned the room to figure out where
the sound was coming from. I'd left my phone on top of the bookcase in the
hallway. I grabbed it and saw that it was a local number that I didn't
recognize, I debated whether to answer it and finally tapped the screen and
said, "Hello?"

CHAPTER
FIFTEEN

Dax

"
Good
morning, sunshine," I said when I
heard Brooke's voice on the other end of the phone.

"Who is
this?"

"Aw, you
don't remember me?" I teased. "The tall, dark, and handsome guy who
promised you the world?"

"Which
one?" she asked feigning boredom. "There were several and after
awhile, it got confusing. You're all so alike. Promising worlds and keys to
heaven."

"I was the
one who was mesmerized by your beautiful blue eyes," I said. "And, I
don't know about the rest of them, but you agreed to go on a date with me and
gave me your card."

"Oh,
you!" she laughed. "Why of course, I remember you! The handsome guy
in the Harley boots!"

"You have a
good memory," I observed.

"I'm a
lawyer," she said. "Or did you forget?"

"No, I didn't
forget," I replied. "That's not something I would ever forget. Did
you forget that you agreed to go on a date with me?"

"I don't
think I did," she said. "But I was more than a little hung over this
morning, so I might have. Remind me of what I agreed to last night, would
you?"

"Are you
always this forgetful?" I asked.

"'I'll have
you know that I'm not at all forgetful," she said, obviously bristling at
the accusation.

"I'm not
accusing you, I'm teasing you, Ms. Raines," I said calmly.

"Well, I'd
prefer if you'd call me Brooke," she said in a prickly tone. "And
then remind me what your name is."

"I'm
Dax," I said. "I did introduce myself last night, I promise."

"I know you
did," she sighed in an irritated manner. "I'm just trying to piece
together the evening and there are parts that I can't quite remember. One of
them is you and I introducing ourselves."

"I'm Dax
Malone," I said, waiting for the other shoe to drop.

"I see."

"What do you
see, Brooke?" I asked.

"You hit on
me because you need a new lawyer and you thought a drunk girl would give in
more easily," she replied.

"What the
hell are you talking about?" I said feeling the beginnings of my own
irritation.

"It's all
over the news, Mr. Malone," she said in a businesslike tone.

"I'd prefer
if you'd call me Dax," I mimicked.

"Fine, Dax,
it's all over the news about your dead lawyer," she said.

"I didn't
know she was dead when you and I were at the bar," I said flatly.
"So, no, I was not trolling for a new lawyer. Besides, why on earth would
I troll for a lawyer at a bar?"

"I don't
know, it seems like maybe drunk lawyers would give in and do the dirty work a
little more willingly?" she said.

"That's just
mean," I replied. "How would you feel if I asked if you were out
trolling for clients in a bar?"

"Not
offended, if that's what you're asking," she said.

"Oh really?
Well, then I guess we have different ideas of what's offensive," I said.

"Oh please,
don't tell me you have delicate sensibilities!" she laughed. I was getting
irritated with this woman and I wasn't so sure I wanted to take her out on a
date anymore. "Hello?"

"I'm
here," I said.

"Dax, are you
mad?" she asked in such an open way that I couldn't help but smile.

"Not mad,
just kind of irritated," I admitted.

"Why? Don't
you like smart women who can challenge you?"

"Oh, that's
below the belt, lady," I laughed. "If you had any idea..."

"Of
what?"

"All of the
people who help me run my business and are in positions of power are strong,
smart women," I said a little defensively.

"So, you want
a cookie for being a good guy?" she asked. This question pissed me off.

"What is your
problem?" I lashed out. "Why do you seem so intent on emasculating me
and chopping me off at the knees? Are you a lesbian or something?"

"Oh right,
simply because I'm a woman with a brain in her head and who isn't cowed by your
macho 'I'm a nice guy' song and dance, you immediately assume I must be a
lesbian," she shot back in an extremely irritated tone. "Nice
stereotype, buddy. Good job."

"I repeat,
what the hell is your problem?" I shouted into the phone. "God, I try
to be a nice guy and call the next morning to ask you out to dinner like I said
I would and you turn a simple phone call into the Nuremberg Trials!"

"I'm
impressed," she said.

"I'm pissed,"
I replied. A few seconds passed and I asked, "Why are you impressed?"

"That you
know what the Nuremberg Trials are," she said.

"Of course, I
took history classes," I shot back. "Who the hell doesn't know
that?"

"You'd be
surprised," she said. I could hear a smile in her voice and that pissed me
off even more. I felt like a mouse being played with by a cat that knew what it
would do when the game was over.

"So, do you
want to go to dinner or what?" I couldn't hide my irritation, but for some
reason, I still wanted to take her out.

"Not if
you're going to be angry the whole time," she said. "And, not if you
can't ask me nicely."

"Jesus, lady,
what the hell do you want from me? Blood?" I shouted. "I asked you
once very nicely and you turned this into a battle zone. Now, you want me to
try it again?"

"Yes,"
she said.

"Fine,"
I huffed. I stopped and took a deep breath to calm myself then waited a few
seconds and spoke calmly, "Brooke, I would like very much to take you out
for a nice dinner tonight. Would you care to go with me?"

"I'd love
to," she said happily.

"Wait,
what?"

"I told you
to ask me nicely, and you did," she said. "So, it was easy to say yes
to a nice invitation like that!"

"You are
maddening," I said.

"No, I just
know what I want," she said. "And, I'm not afraid to say what I
think. Maybe it's maddening because so few women do."

"That's
entirely possible," I agreed. "But you're still maddening."

"Oh, you like
a good challenge," she replied. "Admit it."

"I'll pick
you up at eight," I said. "Where would that be?"

She gave me the
address and said she'd be looking forward to dinner. I hung up the phone
shaking my head. This woman was a piece of work, but she was right about one
thing.

I did love a good
challenge.

CHAPTER
SIXTEEN

Brooke

"
Good
morning, Alma!" I chirped as I walked
through the front door and into the office. "Isn't it a lovely
morning?"

"Good
morning, Ms. Raines," Alma replied. "The forecast says we have a
forty percent chance of rain today, so while this morning may be passable, this
evening looks like it will be less than lovely."

"Thank you
for the weather report, Alma," I said as I looked at her. The compact
woman took everything we said quite literally. She could be maddening, but she
was extremely functional and kept our office running like a well-oiled machine.
Plus, I really liked her.

"What's going
on this morning?" I asked as I looked down the hallway to see if Jordie or
Roger were in yet.

"There have
been several calls from news outlets, but they won't tell me what they
want," she reported as she handed me my messages. "They keep asking
for you. Mr. Lewis and Mr. Lee are in the conference room and told me to tell
you to come in as soon as you get some coffee. I've made a fresh pot and your favorite
mug is on your desk."

"Alma, you
are worth your weight in gold," I said with a smile.

"Thank you,
Ms. Raines, but I do not generally share my weight with anyone but my
physician," she said with a serious look. The phone rang at that moment
and provided me with a good excuse to head for my office. I wasn't sure what to
make of Alma, but she certainly was entertaining.

I set my things
down, hung up my coat, and grabbed my mug before heading down to the conference
room. I wondered what the guys were working on and why they were there so much
earlier than I was. Usually, I was the first one to arrive at the office and
often had to wait to start business while they slowly oozed in after late
nights out partying and hooking up with the newest starlet on the Hollywood
circuit. This morning, I felt like I really shouldn't stand in judgment.

"Hey guys,
what's up?" I called as I walked past the conference room toward the
coffee pot.

"C'mere,
Brooke! We may have found something we can use to generate some business!"
Jordie said excitedly.

"Oh yeah?
What do you have?" I asked.

"Well, last
night they fished Lydia Banks out of the ocean," Roger began.

"I saw that
on the news," I said. "It's so sad – and kind of scary."

 
"But it could mean that we could swoop in
and pick up some of her clients," Jordie said as he handed me a list of
names. About half were crossed off, but the rest had phone numbers and
addresses listed next to them.

"What's
this?"

"It's Lydia
Banks’ client list," Roger said.

"How on earth
do you have this?" I asked as I scanned the list. I recognized quite a few
of the names on it, but one stood out like a sore thumb.

"You don't
really want to know, do you?" Jordie asked.

"Is it going
to make me an accessory to a crime that I didn't commit?" I asked.

"Possibly,
but we'll swear that you knew nothing about it," he added.

"So, you'll
commit perjury to help illegally build our client list?" I asked.

"Pretty
much," Roger said as he circled a name on the list and made a note beside
it. "Look, if we don't generate some paying clients soon, we're going to
lose the firm anyway, so what's to lose?"

"Our
reputations? Our licenses to practice law?" I said as Jordie grabbed the
list out of my hand.

"Brooke,
look, we're willing to do the dirty work to get the list up and ready for
inquiries," he said as he gave me a pleading look. "You go do
whatever it is you need to do and when we have something ready that's
legitimate, we'll come get you. And then the three of us will figure out how to
approach these people."

"I do not
like how this sounds, guys," I said. "Why are you so willing to
shoulder the responsibility for all of the crap work? I don't get it."

"We don't
have as much to lose as you do," Roger said bluntly.

"What do you
mean? What the hell do I have to lose? A condo? Hell, I don't even own a
car!" I said.

"No, but
you've got a really nice family who does really kind things for us, and we
don't want to see them get drawn into this," Jordie said quietly.
"We're willing to go to bat for you and for the firm, but when it's time
to swing, Brooke, you're gonna have to hit it out of the park."

Suddenly, it
dawned on me what they were doing. They were willing to hack into Lydia's
system and get her client list and then break it down to the most viable
converts, but I was going to have to sell the idea to the targets. I was the
bait.

"You're going
to send me into these peoples' place of business – and I use that term
loosely," I said in a calm voice that hid the level of anger I was now
feeling. "I'm the bait that will be used to lure these shady clients into
our firm so we can practice law below the legal level."

"Brooke,
that's not fair," Jordie said. "Sure, we want you to go in and sell
the idea, but that's because you're smart and articulate and you know criminal
law better than both Roger and I combined."

"And because
I look hot in a skirt and a tight blouse," I added.

"Well,
there's that..." Roger said as Jordie smacked him on the back of the head.
"Ouch! What'd you do that for?"

"Idiot!"
Jordie yelled at him. "I told you to shut the hell up about how she
looks!"

"But it's
true!" Roger shot back.

"Uh, hello?
I'm still in the room," I said as I hid a smile. These two could be
idiots, but they were well-intentioned idiots who truly wanted to save the firm
from destruction.

"Okay, you
two work on the list and when you're ready, come find me and we'll figure out
our next step," I said as I walked out of the room. In the hallway, I ran
into Alma who was returning from filling her coffee mug. "Alma, they're
idiots," I said shaking my head.

"Yes, but
they are well-intentioned idiots and that should not be discounted," she
replied as she continued down the hall.

She was right.