Chapter 2

Spencer POV

The next time that she saw her things only seemed to get worse. Ashley invited her to meet her for lunch at The Lux to discuss the details of her pending case, one of the most expensive hotel restaurants in town.

Ashley had told her assistant that she didn't have time to come down to her offices, so Spencer had agreed to meet her there at noon. She couldn't say she was sorry about the meeting place. She made a good salary as a top divorce lawyer, but she didn't often splurge on dining out. Spencer pulled her car over as she saw the massive carved arches and columns that graced the front of the hotel entrance.

After handing her keys to the valet, she walked inside, through a large, glistening lobby lovingly ensconced in grey and diamond flecked marble. Her red heels clicked on the matching marble tile as she followed the sign directing her to The Lux. The hostess greeted her with a perky smile and patent hospitality greeting. After Spencer announced that she was here to meet Mrs. Davies, the hostess immediately directed her to a table located at the very front of the crowded restaurant.

It was the best table the house. The table was angled in a way where they could see everything including the impressive aquarium near their table, but still had a lot of privacy for themselves. Black and white fish swam near the top of the water while faster yellow fish moved around the bottom of the tank darting in and out of the coral there.

Ashley was already seated when she arrived, and the sight of her in her black pants and crisp white shirt made her freeze in mid-step. Her brown hair was pulled back into a loose ponytail with a, piece of hair on forehead and not for the first time, she had to clench her fingers to stop herself from brushing it away. Get a hold of yourself, she mentally berated herself, trying to get some control of her wayward reaction. Ashley stood up as she approached.

"I'm sorry I'm late," Spencer said breathlessly, hating that breathlessness but unable to do anything about it. "I had an appointment in the morning and it went over our scheduled time." "It's alright. What would you like to drink?"

The rumble of her raspy voice rolled over her, making her heart beat just a little bit faster. "Um…" She glanced doubtfully at her glass. "What are you having?" "Jack and Coke," she said. "But you can order whatever you like." "Sparkling water will be fine," she smiled. Ashley raised an eyebrow. "Water?" "I don't normally drink at business meetings." "Miss Carlin, you know more about my life than anyone else by now. I think we're past formalities."

"Spencer please," she corrected Ashley with a smile, that familiar feeling of warmth creeping through her, slowly, assiduously. It made her feel comfortable with her, like she had known her forever, and put her on edge at the same time "and in that case, I'll go for a red wine."

Spencer glanced over the menu as a waiter came over, filling a glass of ice water and setting it on the table in front of her. All the food looked incredible, and it was hard for her to make a decision, but finally, with the help of the waiter's recommendations, she decided.

"I think I should inform you that I heard from my ex-wife the day after our meeting," she said after they'd placed their orders, getting down to the business they were there to discuss. "She was in her car in the underground parking lot of my office, waiting for me." Spencer face was grave. "Ashley, you should have told me about it on the very same day.

We can easily use that against her." "We can't." Her brown eyes were grave.

"She basically threatened to kidnap our daughter and leave the country with her if I don't drop the case." "What?" Spencer froze with her glass of red wine held in mid-air. "Look, do you have any evidence of the incident? Anyone who can testify to the encounter? A security camera?" "No." Ashley gritted her teeth. "She's a smart bitch. I was all alone and I doubt that my word will hold up against her in court."

"You're right, it won't. It won't be enough for a judge," Spencer said absentmindedly. "Damn it, I thought she wanted the divorce. This case was about trying to protect your assets and custody."

"Apparently she thought it would be more advantageous to stay married to me," Ashley said, her voice suddenly sounding incredibly tired, matching the exhausted expression on her soft features. "I assume that complicates things?" "It does," Spencer thoughtfully fiddled with her salad.

"Why does she want to stay married to you so badly? I mean, threatening to kidnap her teenage daughter is quite a serious step. She must be seriously desperate."

"She is." Ashley's eyes were cold

"It's the drug mafia. She needs the protection of my name and she needs my money to fuel her less than legal transactions.

Spencer, this woman is desperate and desperate people never hold back." "The drug mafia, that's a thing?" Spencer didn't know such groups actually existed outside of movies.

"I call them that. She hangs with a rough crowd all men. I'm pretty sure she's screwing all of them. Once she discovered she could run a little drug dealing ring on her own, she sort of became a drug lord. It's all in her mind of course, she's a very small pawn in a large ring of drug dealers who are much scarier and more ruthless than she'll ever be."

"We'll get her, Ashley," she said, covering her hand with hers in an impulsive gesture, trying to erase the bleak despair she saw hidden in the brown depths of her piercing eyes.

"This does complicate things, but we'll get her. I assure you." In a simultaneous gesture, both of them looked down at their interlocked hands at the same time.

Her olive skin contrasted sharply with the tannins of ashley's skin in the warm sunlight. Spencer didn't know what it was, but there was something about her touch that…that felt like home. Stop being so corny, she snapped internally, as she quickly withdrew her hand.

"I'm sorry," she mumbled, embarrassment flooding her at her less than professional behavior. Brown eyes melted into hers, smoldering with some unknown emotion. "I'm not," Ashley said quietly, setting off another set of sparks as they stared at one another.

Spencer couldn't look away. Ashley reached across the table and gently took her hand again, lacing her fingers with hers in a warm, reassuring embrace. Those full lips curved in a slow, one-sided grin as spencer felt her fingers tremble against hers. Spencer returned her smile, rather shyly, her heart fluttering wildly as she slowly leaned across the table. "Spencer, I…"

Ashley's phone gave a shrill ring. "Shit," she muttered. She sat back and angrily pressed the phone to her ear. "Yes? Okay. Yeah, I'm on my way." Spencer's heart sank, still pounding wildly, as she slipped her phone into her jacket pocket and pushed back her chair.

"You'll need to excuse me. There's an emergency at the office." "Yeah. Yeah, sure," she mumbled, flustered by the sudden formality in her tone. It was exactly as though nothing had happened between them. "I'll contact Madison's attorney about today's incident and we'll take it from there."

"Thank you." Ashley looked at her, and for a second it looked like she wanted to say something. But then she just shook her head and flagged the waiter. "Cedric, I need to leave, but please do look after my guest and charge lunch to my account, will you?"

She handed the waiter a handsome tip. "Of course, Mrs. Davies." "See you, Spencer." She sat there, watching the tone muscles of her back beneath her suit jacket as she quickly left the restaurant.

She fiddled with her wine glass as she watched her leave, annoyed at herself for her momentary lapse of control. She couldn't believe she had grabbed Ashley's hand, and even more unbelievable was her body's reaction to the slight touch of skin against skin.

It still had her breathless. Spencer was known for being a headstrong lawyer. She'd won the great majority of her cases and that was because she always, always remained focused on her cases. She always maintained her professionalism.

Nothing ever distracted her from her goal. That was, after all, how she worked her way through college to pay for her acceptance at Harvard law school. She was one of the most prestigious lawyers in the country, and she sure as hell wasn't going to let one devilishly beautiful brown-eyed billionaire stand in the way of her reputation now.

She was going to win this case and she wasn't going to be distracted by her. With a fresh surge of determination, Spencer grabbed her phone and speed-dialed her assistant's number.

"Joanne? I need you to contact Madison Davies attorney, please. Set up an emergency meeting for this afternoon. His client went way out of line and I need to speak to him. Yeah. Great, thank you."

She cut the call and gulped down the rest of her wine, enjoying the last few delicious bites of her entrée. A few minutes later, her phone bleeped with a text from Joanne. Six-thirty tonight. His office. "Thanks, Jo," she typed back with a grim smile. Time to show that bitch Madison who she's messing with.