As much as she knew she shouldn’t lash out again, she couldn’t seem to contain her temper. Crossing her arms in front of her body, she stared back at him. “Ah, I see. Looking for an out.”

The muscle in his jaw jumped, but he kept his expression emotionless. “If I was looking for an out, I wouldn’t have dealt with your father today. I have every intention of keeping my word to help you, but I will only put up with so much.”

Her eyes grew wide. “You fixed things with my father?”

He nodded and then turned back towards the door.

Lindsey stepped out from behind her desk and started crossing the room towards him, once again speaking to his back. “What happened? Mark?”

Mark’s hand was on the doorknob, his words spoken without turning. “We’re late for the partnership meeting, Lindsey.” He opened the door and left before she could stop him.

* * * * *

All eight partners were already seated when Lindsey entered the conference room several moments later.

Mark sat at the head of the table, a sturdy business face securely in place, ensuring she had no hope of reading him. She regretted how she had treated him. Her feelings for Mark were confusing, and she’d allowed her own inner turmoil to escalate her temper. He didn’t deserve to be smashed because of what other men in her life had done to her, yet it was so hard to separate him from them.

And terrifying. What if he turned out to be like them?

Mark was so stone-cold it was like watching a stranger. He was aloft and cold, with his cobra-like instincts alight in his dark eyes. He was prepared for battle, and she wondered if it was with her or the partners. Without speaking, she found her way to the empty seat next to Mark.

“Well now that we are all present, let’s begin.” Lindsey knew Mark’s words were aimed at her tardiness, and she felt her cheeks turn red with an anger that she managed just barely to tuck beneath her surface. She was late. No question about it. It had taken her a few minutes to pull herself together after his abrupt exit from her office.

Speaking to the group, Mark continued, “For those of you who don’t know, I’ve taken control of Paxton.”

There was whispering around the table. Several people made remarks about being happy to see him back. Mark went on to explain the state of financial distress the firm was experiencing. Going into detail about caseload and expectations, he ignored the mumbling around the table.

Then he put everything on the line. “We are going to have to make big changes around here. If you don’t like these changes, you are welcome to leave Paxton. Your shares will be purchased at a fair price.”

Mark picked up a stack of papers and asked Lindsey to start passing them around the table. “The requirements for each partner’s performance are detailed in this literature. If you can’t meet your billing requirements, you simply won’t be here. We’re not a nonprofit and we do not do charity work,” he paused for a beat, “contrary to what our current caseload indicates.”

Heads dropped in concentration as each partner read the material. Mark let his eyes trail around the table and then stopped on Lindsey. “Questions thus far?” he asked the room without looking away from her.

Lindsey met his gaze squarely, her eyes full of respect. It wasn’t difficult to see why Paxton needed him. His tactics were hardcore, but she admired his ability to control the room and the firm. There was an inner strength, a power to Mark that drew her like a magnet. Sitting in the midst of a room of her peers, Lindsey understood why he rose to the top. Others found him as compelling as she did. His enemies found him dangerous, a true threat. His clients found him competent, a true defender. His lovers found him caring, as she did. The thought made her pulse quicken as vivid images of their bodies naked and wrapped together swirled through her mind.

Mark’s eyes narrowed as he watched her, as if he sensed her mind was on their relationship and not the business of the meeting. For a moment, they sat absorbed with one another. It was Mark who broke the eye contact as he looked around the room.

“No questions?” he asked again.

Todd Walker, a gruff-looking man Lindsey guessed to be in his fifties, spoke up at that point. “What does Lindsey have to do with this?”

Mark answered. “Lindsey will take over in six months. I won’t be staying. Next question.”

The man sneered. “What? You are going to leave us with some young broad who appears more into style than law?”

Lindsey opened her mouth to offer a tongue-lashing, her eyes throwing daggers at the man, but Mark was already responding. “I assure you, Ms. Paxton’s exterior assets only work as an added plus in the courtroom. She is not only a fine attorney, she’s a member of the FBI. Cross her and you might find yourself learning more about her skills than you’d hoped.”

The room filled with laughter. Lindsey sat dumbstruck by Mark’s sharp response on her behalf. Clearly considering the subject closed, Mark began reviewing case files. It was several hours later when he adjourned the meeting. Lindsey was one of the first to leave as several partners stopped to speak to Mark. She walked through the lobby, ready to get some alone time, deep in thought.

“There you are Lindsey.” She looked up to find Greg. “I was afraid you might have backed out of our date.”

Lindsey stood face to face with Greg, wondering how she’d forgotten something she so dreaded. “No,” she said in a strained voice. “I just need to get my stuff. I’ll be right back.”

Lindsey walked with a quick, long stride, nervous as hell that Greg and Mark would cross paths. And her worst fears were confirmed as she found her way back to the lobby. Mark and Greg were talking. She tensed the minute she saw them, Mark’s stiff demeanor telling her all she needed to know. He’d condemned her without knowing the whole story. Rigid coldness etched his features, and he refused to make eye contact with her. She wished she could explain, but somehow she doubted he would listen. The cobra had not stayed in the conference room. He was alive and well in the lobby.

Greg smiled as she joined them. “There you are, Lindsey,” he said. “I was just asking Mark what your father did to convince him to come back.”

Lindsey’s eyes darted to Mark’s face, but he still didn’t look at her. “What did he say to that?” Lindsey asked tentatively.

“Actually, I don’t believe he answered me.” Greg said.

Mark stared at Greg a moment and then turned his gaze on Lindsey. She hated the coldness in those dark eyes of his. She longed to see them tender and aroused like the night before. And when he spoke, his voice was downright frigid. “If you’ll excuse me, I have work to do. I’ll let you two be on your way.” He turned on his heels and disappeared without another word. Lindsey felt her stomach churn with downright nausea. It took Herculean strength to fight the urge to run after Mark and explain. Yet she also knew she shouldn’t have to explain. Should she? She had no commitments to Mark Reeves, and he had no commitments to her. Yet she couldn’t shake her need to explain things to him.

“Well, let’s go, Lindsey.” Greg smiled with a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. As if he knew what he had just done.

Only a few minutes later, Greg and Lindsey settled into the coffee shop chairs. Lindsey felt a ping of displeasure as Greg ordered her a drink, no request for her preference. Steve had done the same thing, and it felt like a friendly, courteous gesture. From Greg, it felt like he was assuming. Try as she might, when he set it in front of her, she couldn’t bring herself to drink it.

“So Lindsey, how have you been?”

She couldn’t manage to hold back a biting response. “Well, my father has cancer, I am handling a murder trial similar to the Hudson case, and I’ve given up my career at the FBI. How do I sound?”