INDISPENSABLE: Part 1: A Billionaire Romance (2 page)

Sarah stormed out of the courtroom hot on the heels of Rick after four hours with Cara on the stand. “What are you doing? We’re supposed to be on her side.”

“We are.”

“She’s being crucified in there, and you can’t raise one decent objection?”

“I know what I’m doing. Correct me if I’m wrong, but, I do run this legal team, don’t I? Have been for fifteen years.”

“Funny that. Almost as long as Roger Duvall has been a CEO of marketing. Tell me, how was dinner at his home on Friday night? I have a terrible feeling I really do know what you are doing.”

Rick stalked towards her, his voice low and vicious. “You bitch. Don’t you dare imply I’m doing anything to pervert justice.”

“You should’ve stepped down from this case as was agreed. You know it.”

“Amazing how jealousy can drive people to say crazy things.”

“Mr. Devlin wants our client untouched on this. I have a string of other women Duvall has done this to, and one who will testify.”

“Mr. Devlin wants the client happy. He’s just worried Cara will out him as her lover, I bet. He likes to covet all the ones who’ll like sex his way. Better watch yourself. You’ll be on the wrong end of a whip before you know it.” An ugly smile flashed over Rick’s face, then he came back to normal. “I can get a payout big enough to keep Cara smiling the rest of her life.”

Brock Devlin’s lover? That quirky, chatty nineteen-year-old. Whips? No way. “You think money can make up for what she’s been through?”

“Never met a woman yet that didn’t have a price.”

“Actually. You have.” Sarah stood her ground. “Clearly, you are the president of the in-house men’s club.”

Rick laughed. “You have a price; you just haven’t met it yet.”

“This isn’t about me and your misogynistic assumptions. This is about a young woman we’re supposed to be supporting.”

“You really think we can win this? Look at what they had against her. She’s not exactly the Virgin Mary.”

“They have nothing apart from normal teenage party lifestyle which should have no bearing whatsoever.
I
can win this.”

“This is not your case. It’s mine.”

“This is ultimately my choice.” A deadly voice entered the fray from out of nowhere. “Rick. You’re done.” Brock Devlin gave Rick the death stare.

Rick eyes went wide with surprise. “What?”

“Consider this an early retirement package. Name your price, after all, everyone has one.” His smile was not friendly. “I’ve been aware of this ‘boys club’ for some time now, and this has been the perfect way to flush it out.”

“That’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard,” Rick said.

“Really. Funny how I thought this year’s youth business group had devised an excellent way to flush the main offenders out. This court case.”

“Devlin, you’re losing it. Your business will fail if you put it into the hands of the inexperienced.”

“Really? Thanks for the tip. The best way to hear the voice of the future is to listen directly to it.”

“That’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

“Lucky your opinion doesn’t count. I’ll have your things sent. You may leave.”

“You’ve lost your mind, Devlin.”

“It’s Mr. Devlin to you. Just before you do leave, you should know that I also had the youth panel select their best candidate for all of my heads of department. Sarah, you now run the legal team.” Brock turned to her with a smile and a wink.

Sarah just stared at him.
No.
This was not the way she wanted it done.

“Bullshit.” Rick glared at Sarah. “I should’ve known. I saw the way you two looked at each other. How many times did you let him shove his cock down your throat to make this happen?” He snarled the poisonous words out. His dark brown eyes now bloodshot with rage.

Sarah stomach was a lead weight. That’s what everyone would think.

Brock took Rick by the collar and pulled him close to his face. “Get out of my sight before I have
you
in court. Don’t think about warning your buddies because they already have their marching orders.” He flung Rick away from him like he carried a deadly disease. “And don’t think of doing anything stupid because I’ll see your wife gets all the information I have on your penchant for young blondes.”

A small press gathering was turned their way now and cameras clicked, some filmed. Although the altercation had been very quiet, the energy in the air screamed conflict. “Mr. Devlin. The news team…” Sarah touched his arm, and his reaction was immediate.

Brock walked away from Rick. “As I said, Rick, name your price. You get one shot, otherwise you can see me in court to sort it. Now leave. I’ll black ban you from any jobs in this city if you force my hand with this.”             

Rick walked away. Just like that, he turned and walked away. The crew of media followed, sensing a wounded animal ready to strike out for survival.

“I can’t take his job,” Sarah said.

“You’ll need to discuss that with the youth group. They’re the ones who appointed you. You’ll be pleased to know that every head of department is being replaced, and women and youth now have a strong voice in my companies.”

“I don’t want it like this.”

“Like what? You’ve worked harder than any legal intern this company has ever had.”

“What about the pecking order?”

“That no longer exists.”

Sarah had to smile at his smug pleasure over this. “You’re really doing this.”

“It’s a fresh approach. But I believe my businesses will be better for it, and ultimately I’ll make more money. Now, can you clear this young lady’s name of all the crap they’ve just laid on her?” Brock stared at her.

“Yes.”

“Then go do it.”

“Everyone will think I…we…are friendly, and that’s why I got the job.”

“Surely,
we
don’t care what everyone else thinks? If my companies start bleeding money, I guess I’ll be proven wrong.” Brock moved closer to her now. He tilted her chin up, as he trailed one finger up her neck, stopping when her mouth was lined up mere inches from his. “We’ll discuss getting
friendly
later.”

When Sarah came back out of that courtroom six hours later, she was flying high on adrenalin. Not only had she trashed the opposition, but she’d gotten a point across for everyone who’d ever been harassed, sexually or otherwise, in the workplace whether male, female, young, or old.

Cara ran up and threw her arms around Sarah. “Thank you. You were fantastic. You had them all for breakfast.”

Sarah laughed. “I had truth on my side.”

Cara kissed Sarah’s cheek again and ran to her parents who’d sat through the whole terrible trashing of their beautiful daughter. She was only nineteen, and this was her very first job. She drew people like moths to a flame, was a ball of energy, and perfect for marketing. Sarah’s legal team congratulated Cara and her family and gave the necessary kudos due to their new head lawyer.

The team did seem genuinely happy for Sarah, and they never flinched at Sarah being so suddenly appointed. Not to her face anyway. Some of them may have even been a little relieved that Rick would no longer be telling them how to think and act. But that was just a feeling she got, no one had actually said that. Perhaps she was projecting out of wishful thinking.

What did Brock think about her performance just now? Had she proved his faith in her wasn’t wasted? The best possible outcome for Cara had been achieved and for Devlin Industries. Both had come out squeaky-clean, and Sarah was so proud she just kept grinning. She knew Brock was there, watching her.

He’d stood back the whole time everyone congratulated her, watching on, silently. But his stare wasn’t silent. She knew a look of desire when she saw it, even though she’d chosen abstinence from sex as part of her kicking her addiction. She’d never second-guessed that decision until today.

Her body answered the call of his body, and she tried to tamp it down, but she kept looking back to him, wanting to see desire in his eyes, wanting most of all to please him. Sarah would not have sex with him, but the thought that he wanted
her
, plain old Sarah Beaumont, thrilled her.

The whirlwind of appreciative chatter and hugs continued, as the media throng increased. Then, they began to fire questions at her, as everyone else thinned out. Microphones invaded her space and bright, portable lighting broke her brow into a sweat. At least she thought it was the lighting. It wasn’t the attention of all these people probing into her life, all wanting to know something about her. All studying her like a specimen.

They wanted to know where she’d studied and who she was. How had she gotten the head legal job so suddenly, could she handle it, had she and Rick been close friends? More and more questions jumbled into one, and the group was larger by half. The heat seared, and all questions blended into a garbled mess she couldn’t understand. The room closed in. The voices. The lights. The stifling heat.

“Stop.” Sarah held her hands up. “No more questions.” She did sway back a fraction, hoping she wouldn’t faint and fall in a heap. That would make front page news no doubt. Her stomach turned over, and she struggled to stay upright. The questions and noise still continued.

A strong arm came around her. Sarah leaned back into the surety of the strength of his muscles. His firm hand supported around her ribcage, and she was held snug against Brock’s body. His voice commanded the press to cease the interview, and next thing she was moving away from the crowd, as they headed the long walk back to the front doors.

Sarah didn’t want to feel as safe and supported as she did right now, well, not by Brock Devlin anyway. His playboy world was far off limits to her. The first time she’d fallen for a player was bad enough.

Brock still claimed her to his side and never spoke a word, as he made a swift pace towards the doors. Sarah’s jelly legs somehow moved in time with his. Then, she thought about inside the courtroom today. She knew without a doubt that she was truly alive in the courtroom, facing off against the opposition and standing up for the underdog.

When she knew the win was hers, she’d been ten foot tall and bullet proof. Then, the media attention crashed her back to earth. Back to the insecure, frightened rabbit that was the real Sarah Beaumont. Would she ever be free from the controlling fear?

She blinked the brightness from her eyes when the doors slid open, and Brock walked her outside. Before she could adjust her eyes to the streaming sunshine, Brock bundled her into the back of his waiting limousine. He slipped in beside her and instructed a driver to take him home. Then, he closed the partition.

“Mr. Devlin, thanks, but I can’t go home with you.” Sarah could imagine the implications of that, considering she’d just been shunted into the top job with no experience and it was all over the news.

“It’s fine. We’ll celebrate your incredible debut performance.”

“No. I’m not going back to your place. Not with the media and your reputation.”

“Are you worried you won’t be able to resist my kisses?”

“No.” Sarah went to say he wouldn’t be kissing her, but his demanding mouth was on hers in a flash. She melted into it like a drop of water into a sponge and regretted it immediately.

His tongue skirted her lips and against all her better judgment, she opened to him, inviting further, needing him to not stop. He took the kiss deeper, more insistent, his lips now hard on hers taking what they wanted from hers.

Sarah couldn’t breathe. Her body was alive and needy. God. She wanted this, wanted him. He broke away from her mouth, and his heavy breaths matched hers. But Sarah knew those feelings were not to be trusted. Now, she remembered the real reason for her abstinence. Love sucked, and she wasn’t rushing back for a second round of heartbreak Russian roulette. “Do not ever kiss me again.”

“You say that like you think I have a choice, Sarah.”

“Don’t be ridiculous. There’s a million women out there, why play cat and mouse with me. I’m not interested.”

“You are quite irresistible. Do you realize the effect you have on men?”

Those words sobered her a little. Exactly what Brian had asked when he’d come back all promises for the fourth time. Like she’d wanted him to use and discard her. What an idiot she’d been. Love ruined her. Yet she knew she’d be crazy enough to go hurtling towards it again. Not with Bryan, but someone had to be out there for her. She couldn’t stop believing that. She just had to wait and make a wise choice.

What was she doing now? There was nothing wise about letting Brock Devlin kiss the lips off her in the back seat of his car—an incredibly lush and flashy car, but still, it was the principle. Brock Devlin was her boss. Brian Gardem had been her boss.

History was repeating itself and here was foolish Sarah, handing herself over on a big, old garnished platter. It didn’t matter how his kisses flooded her senses with need. It didn’t matter that when he wrapped her in his arms the world fell away—because none of that was real. None of it was long term, and none of it was anywhere close to what she should be doing.

Wake up, Sarah, and smell the rotting roses.
Brock Devlin was not ‘The One’ and if she didn’t smarten up, she’d be breaking every promise she ever made to herself. If she couldn’t trust herself, then who could she trust?

“Mr. Devlin…”

“Brock.” His dark eyes held hers.

Sarah swallowed and forged on. “
Mr. Devlin
, I appreciate all your faith in me today and your support when I needed it, but I really must go home. I won’t be coming to your place of residence not today, not any day.”

“We’re almost there. Just a drink, and then I’ll see you home.” He traced his fingers down her face.

Sarah pulled away with a jerk of her head. “No.”