irate scowl. “Well, I like the part about winning.”
Nico nodded. “Absolutely. Our ultimate aim is reuniting you with your children.”
His quiet voice commanded so much authority and confidence that I shifted in my seat, suddenly aware of my cock twitching. As I tried to remain focused on West’s response, I glanced down, willing the shape of my pants to hide my sudden arousal and cursing my sudden surge of desire for Nico.
He sounded so in control and confident—maybe I had a previously undiscovered power kink going on. I almost groaned at the thought. With my unabated crush, my general anxiety, and a power kink… this would be a long internship.
I swallowed and deliberately focused my attention back on Arturo West as he stared down Nico. I didn’t want to miss a moment of how Nico handled his clients. I was here to learn, not ogle my boss. And Saint’s friend. He was Saint’s friend.
When Nico left the office to show West out of the building, I sat in West’s seat and arranged my laptop on Nico’s desk, still struggling to control my arousal. I’d never seen the commanding side of Nico before, and although he’d used little more than quiet persuasion and ego massage on West, I had the feeling there was a lot more Nico had held in reserve.
I palmed my cock, briefly, willing the bulge to subside. I didn’t want Nico coming back into his office and catching me with a hard-on for him.
I breathed in and out a couple of times, but with the fresh images in my head of Nico being so in control and powerful, that barely helped. Instead, I approached the window and opened it before leaning my forehead against the cool glass.
“Good call. It gets a bit stuffy in here sometimes,” Nico said as he closed the door with a soft click.
Shit, the man walked silently. I conjured up the image of him prowling after me, ready to command me to please him and a small shudder passed through me. I had to get a grip on myself—and in more ways than one.
“Okay. You ready to talk about how that went?”
I glanced over my shoulder as Nico nodded toward my computer.
“I see you’re all set up. Coffee?” He was all business as he gestured at the machine. “I prefer the mom and pop shop down the road, but this is good enough for most pick-me-ups.”
I shook my head. Absolutely no more stimulants for me. Nico’s presence had me climbing the walls as it was. “No, thanks. Let’s just do the follow-up.”
He sat down. “Tell me what your takeaway was from that.”
“That you can control any situation?”
He chuckled, the sound dry. “Some more than others.”
I allowed myself a small smile. “All right, then. I saw how important it is to remain calm and collected and in control. That whole time, you sounded as if everything to do with the case is going exactly to your plan.” I paused. “Is it?”
Nico seemed to be a master of game-face, and I had no idea how much of his oh-so-sexy confidence had been an act.
He tilted his head from side to side as if considering my question. “No matter what they tell you at school, Jamie, the law is part a science, part an art. There are rules, but it’s a dance. We make our scripted moves, but sometimes we do it with a flourish. So yes, Mr. West’s case is going broadly to plan, but there could still be surprises from the other side as they make a step I haven’t anticipated. Of course, I hope I’ve anticipated them all and that I’m the one leading this dance.”
As he spoke, heat burned through me, and I fought it from showing on my face. I imagined being part of his dance, in his arms, and stifled a shiver.
I cleared my throat. “I also watched you give him exactly what he wants without making any promises.”
Nico nodded. “This industry isn’t one for promises.”
I narrowed my eyes. Surely all of the people through those doors were looking for a promise of success.
His eyes gentled, and as if he’d heard my thoughts, he said, “Every single person I see needs me to get them what they want. But what I can’t forget, what I can never forget, is the fact—as I said before—they are more than case numbers, more than docket numbers, more than dollar amounts in my bank account. I can’t make promises to real, live people that I