done. And we’ll raise a shit ton of money for Lucy.”
“What?” My head snaps in his direction.
His smile is wide and his expression smug. “Oh, did I forget to tell you? It’s for DSAF,” he says, so casually referring to the Down Syndrome Advocacy Foundation.
“Dammit, Archer.”
“I knew that would get you,” Archer says and smacks a loud kiss to the side of my cheek. “So . . . it’s a date, then?”
CHAPTER SIX
Ryker
“Bianca . . . I get your frustration, but I can’t force your husband’s hand.”
“Your reputation is at stake here, Mr. Lockhart.”
My chuckle is anything but amused at the senator’s wife threatening me. “I told you I’d get whatever you needed, but it’s going to take time.”
And this is why I don’t take on women as clients. Because they are irrational and demanding and expect results in a day’s time.
“Time?”
“Yes, time.” I shift the phone from one ear to the other.
“You said you had audio of your conversation. I’d love to hear it.”
I think of the recording on my phone. The conversation I can’t even listen to myself.
“It’ll never hold up in court,” I lie, knowing it could damn well be used as a bargaining chip but not wanting to share it. It implicates Vaughn, even identifies her by name. What the fuck was I thinking? “Besides, he never offers to pay the escort for sex. That’s what we need.”
“Mmm.” It’s all she says, and for any guy that’s the worst sound in the world. “I’d still like to hear it.”
“No.”
“No?” She laughs the word out in disbelief. The same disbelief I have over this entire bullshit situation right now.
I think of Carter’s threat. Of how badly I want to say fuck it and his threats of outing Roxanne and me. It would make all of this so much easier. Give Bianca what she wants, file the papers for the goddamn divorce, and wash my hands of this dysfunctional couple. I couldn’t give a shit less about me, but I know he wouldn’t stop at just Rox. Hell no. He’s bound and determined to fuck with Vaughn, too, and I can’t bring any more on her than I already have.
Regardless of the fact that I’ve written her off. That I know we were a bad idea from the beginning.
See? That’s called growth, Lockhart. The selfish man is still looking out for her, nonetheless.
“No?” she repeats. “I don’t think that’s the word you were wanting to say. I believe the words should have been Yes, Bianca. Here’s the recording for you to listen to.”
I scrub a hand over my jaw. “Look, I’m digging. I’m trying to get you info, catch him in a trap, you name it. I attempted to do what you asked. To get your husband to commit to paying for sex . . . but this time around it didn’t pan out. I assure you it will.”
“How do you know it will?”
“Because I’m damn good at my job, or else you wouldn’t have come seeking my representation.” I force myself to unclench my fist on the desk. “Right?”
Tension fills the silence, followed by another one of her murmured Mmms.
“This type of thing doesn’t happen overnight, and it sure as hell doesn’t happen when you tell your husband that I’m representing you.” I rise from my desk and move about my office to abate my restlessness. “You just made my job ten times harder.”
“I thought you said you were damn good at your job, Counselor.”
Why do I feel like she’s toying with me?
“This is supposed to be a mutually beneficial relationship here. I help you, and you in turn get out of your marriage as painlessly as possible and with you being awarded a majority of your assets.”
“At least we can agree on that.” She sighs. “Has your private investigator been able to find anything else on him that we can use?”
“If he’s doing anything else shady, all I have are rumors. He’s smart. There’s no trail, no one willing to talk, nothing. Maybe it’s just dirty politics that’s sparked the gossip.”
“And maybe where there’s smoke, there’s fire.”
I nod, more than agreeing with her but keeping the comment to myself. “As I told you last time we spoke and the time before that, I still need your finance and asset breakdown.”
“And as I told you, he manages the finances and bank accounts. It’s not exactly as easy as you make it out to be.”
“It’s not as if he doesn’t know you’re going to file. Would you rather