#1 Rival

  #1 Rival

  Published by T Gephart

  Copyright 2017 T Gephart

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  This eBook is licensed for your personal enjoyment only. This eBook may not be re-sold or given away to other people. If you would like to share this book with another person, please purchase an additional copy for each recipient. If you’re reading this book and did not purchase it or it was not purchased for your use only, then please return and purchase your own copy. Thank you for respecting the hard work of this author.

  This book is a work of fiction. The names, characters, places and scenarios are products of the writer’s imagination or have been used fictitiously and are not to be construed as real. Any resemblance to persons, living or dead, actual events, locales or organizations is entirely coincidental.

  Cover by:

  Hang Le

  Editing by:

  Nichole Strauss, Insight Editing Services

  Interior Design & Formatting by:

  Christine Borgford, Type A Formatting

  To my Brothers,

  In our darkest moments, we had each other.

  Contents

  #1 RIVAL

  Dedication

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Epilogue

  Acknowledgements

  About the Author

  Books by T Gephart

  I HATED HIM.

  My distaste for Roman Pierce wasn’t new, but as I stared across the table—my eyes drilling into him—the feelings of hostility bubbled inside of me. The heat traveled up my neck as my skin flushed, his stupid perfect smile edging wider as he glared back at me smugly.

  “Don’t you have anything better to do?” My venom-laced words jutting out from my clenched jaw. “Like a paralegal or something? Or have you worked your way through them already?”

  He laughed, throwing his head back with genuine amusement before his eyes settled back onto me. “You have a very unhealthy interest in my private life, Harper. Maybe if you put that energy into your own, you might crack a smile once in a while.”

  “I smile, Pierce. But only when there is something worth smiling about,” I fired back, my knuckles whitening as I gripped the arm of the chair. “Which right now seems to be in short supply.”

  No one could push my buttons like he could.

  No. One.

  It was his sport, his hobby, his favorite pastime. All of which could have been avoided if he’d been a half decent person with an ability to be friendly.

  But he wasn’t.

  Something I found out the day we’d met.

  Roman and I were two of the five junior associates at Moss, Byrne & Carter. He’d graduated from Yale, while I’d gained my entry into the bar after my time at Princeton. Both of us had been working at other firms when we’d been headhunted by Daniel Moss. He wanted fresh blood, and I was done treading water and being a glorified secretary. His offer had been too good to refuse.

  But while I had been excited to be part of a vibrant team, anxious to cut my teeth on something juicy and work closely with someone who was rumored to be brilliant. Roman didn’t seem to share the same thoughts.

  Sure, I’ll admit that when he’d first walked into the room, I’d been momentarily blinded by his exceptional good looks. He was hard to miss at six-four (a little more than a foot taller than me), blond, with clear blue eyes. That wasn’t even taking into account how amazing he seemed to fill out his tailored suit.

  It looked expensive, definitely designer.

  But he’d taken one look at me, and my warm smile, and told me he didn’t need any more friends. And while I was willing to overlook his rudeness—chalking it up to possible nerves—he’d gone out of his way to make my time a living hell.

  Oh, and that line he’d given me about not needing any more friends had been total bullshit too. He was more than happy to go out and have beer with some of the other associates, just not me.

  It didn’t help that we were both being mentored by Daniel Moss himself, meaning almost every day I had to see him, work with him and put up with his snide remarks.

  Every opportunity he had to challenge me or my work, he did. Which meant I had no choice but to do the same. I didn’t want to appear weak or submissive in front of one of the greatest legal minds in California. Not a chance. So, instead of working as a team, it was a daily grudge match, neither of us willing to concede in an effort to out “lawyer” each other.

  “Ahhh, I see you’re both here.” Daniel strode in, unbuttoning his jacket. “Hope you’ve been playing nice.”

  Daniel Moss knew of our rivalry, hell, I was almost positive he got off on it. He watched our heated discussions like a proud parent, more often than not, encouraging them. So it came as no surprise that Roman and I were already in a staring match and the morning had just begun.

  “Of course, Daniel.” The asshole AKA Roman anchored his hand behind his neck as his smug grin widened. “Harper was just telling me how much I made her smile.”

  How much he made me smile? I’d rather have my spleen removed than have to look at his stupid face.

  Even if he was insanely gorgeous.

  Which just made it worse because he didn’t deserve to be that attractive. His devastating good looks wasted on an arrogant prick.

  My jaw tightened, the words barely able to come out as I matched his obnoxious grin. “Yes, that’s right. Pierce is finally going to see the Wizard and ask him for a brain.” I clutched my hands to my chest in mock pride.

  “You should join me.” He laughed, my taunt barely leaving a mark. “We can get him to give you a sense of humor.”

  “Sounds good, Roman.” I said his name like it was a dirty word. “I’m sure it was your stellar sense of humor that got the client an extra twenty five thousand on the settlement yesterday. No, wait.” I tapped my finger on my chin, squinting my eyes like I was deep in thought. “That’s right, it was me.”

  Daniel’s lips thinned to a tight line as he sat down in his leather chair. His palms rested on two matching folders that lay in front of him on the glass boardroom table. “While I enjoy your morning skirmishes, we have work to do. A new case. Here you go.” He pushed the folders toward us, one stopping in front of me while the other was saved from going over the edge by Roman’s large, steady hand.

  Excellent, my excitement spiked at the thought of a new challenge. While I preferred working alone, the team assignments pushed me harder. Nothing like having a six-foot-four know-it-all breathing down your neck to light a fire under your ass. And I not so secretly loved that he’d have a perfect view when I wiped the floor with him. I didn’t even care what the case was; I’d outshine him in a traffic infringement if I had to.

  “A divorce?” Roman was the first to speak, his liquid blue eyes filling with confusion. “Since when do we handle family law?”

  Dumb move.

  I’d been so preoccupied with Roman and our competition that I had yet to read the file. That was a rookie mistake and one I hadn’t made in a while. Damn him, I cursed un
der my breath as I quickly opened the folder and tried to speed-read the particulars of the case. I hated being at a disadvantage, even more so when it gave Roman the upper hand.

  “Since the petitioner is Jana Cane,” Daniel announced as my eyes skimmed over the brief.

  This wasn’t just any divorce. This was huge.

  “Oh. Wow.” The words escaped my lips as my eyes stayed glued to the page.

  “That name supposed to mean something?” Roman’s voice lacked the excitement mine had, clearly not so clued up as I’d first thought.

  I didn’t even try to pretend how thrilled I was that I knew more about the client than he did, the smile spreading across my lips widening as I cleared my throat.

  “Jana Cane is the CEO and founder of Cane Cosmetics.” I lifted my chin proudly as I looked at him in those stupid, gorgeous blue eyes. “Not only has she developed a line of make up that looks and feels great, but the pharmaceutical arm of her company is developing a line which delivers topical medicine through her product. I’m not just talking anti-aging treatments, but actually treating skin infections and burns.” I neglected to mention that her eye cream had been my saving grace for the last few years, a girl needed to have some secrets.

  “Sounds like Roman might need some of the miracle cream.” Daniel laughed, folding his arms across his chest. “It’s not like you not to be on top of things.” His head tipped toward my adversary, goading him further.

  “I’m sorry, my area of expertise is the law, doesn’t leave me a lot of time to flick through copies of Vogue,” he said with no apology in his voice. “But it looks like Harper has that covered for us.” His mouth twitched into a taunting grin.

  Anger spiked in me as heat traveled up the back of my neck.

  God, I hated him. He couldn’t just accept I knew more about our client than he did, no, he had to go throw in some backhanded compliment. Maybe he needed to ask the Wizard for a heart as well, because from what I’d seen, he was seriously lacking one.

  “Actually, it was Forbes not Vogue.” I forced the smile even though I could feel myself grinding my teeth. “The article didn’t have any pictures, so I can understand how you missed it. I can give you a condensed version if you want. Maybe draw you a diagram so it’s easier to understand and there aren’t so many words to confuse you.”

  Ha, take that you cocky bastard. The smile I had originally needed to fake now genuine as I grinned with a sense of victory.

  Daniel didn’t bother interjecting, knowing from experience it was easier to let us go. It was our process, and one that had raised productivity of the firm. So, other than looking slightly bored and a little annoyed, he raised his eyebrow, waiting for Roman’s response we both knew was coming.

  He didn’t flinch, my return serve barely leaving a mark as he sat there smirking. “I appreciate the effort, Harper, but I’m sure her financials and her business details are listed in the brief. Let’s worry less about your ability to make a flip chart and more about the huge settlement her ex-husband is probably demanding. That is why I’m assuming she hired us, right?” He shot me a quick wink before returning his gaze to Daniel.

  I don’t know how he did it.

  No matter what I threw at him, it was like he was made of Teflon—nothing stuck. Nothing. He probably could be caught red-handed screwing a secretary in the copying room, and he’d still manage to put a positive spin on it and land a promotion. Wowing the senior partners with tales of the extra training he was providing or some other bullshit. And if I didn’t hate him so much, I would be in awe. It’s what made him a brilliant lawyer, and lethal in a courtroom. Not that I’d ever admit it to him. No, I wouldn’t give him the satisfaction.

  Gah. Screw him, his talent and good looks. I silently hoped he gained fifty pounds and got a receding hairline sometime in the future.

  “Ironically, it’s not the settlement Jana is concerned with.” Daniel’s brow rose as he blew out a breath. “Against my advice, she is willing to give him the house and a sizeable payout. There aren’t any children involved, but she even agreed to more than reasonable spousal support as well.”

  Silence filled the room as both Roman and I looked to Daniel. He too was the master of disguising his emotions. And had we not spent more time with him in the past year than his own wife, it would have been next to impossible to know he was silently seething. But there it was, the slight tick of his jaw, hiding the displeasure I knew was bubbling just underneath the surface.

  “What’s he have on her?” Roman asked, knowing the only way someone would be willing to give money away for a quickie divorce was if the other party had something that could possibly be damaging. “I know a guy, he could dig up some dirt on him. Affairs, gambling addiction—give me a week and he’ll deliver. Everyone has something to hide.”

  With Jana, her brand was her livelihood. Her husband was reported to be a dope-smoking slacker, who had gone from one dead-end job to another until she hit the big time. Which meant his claim to her fortune would be easily refuted.

  “You know a guy?” Unable to hide my surprise, I turned to Roman, wondering if he’d been watching re-runs of the Soprano’s. “You going to offer to kneecap the soon to be ex-husband too or is your guy going to take care of it.”

  “Now, now, Harper. I would never do something like that.” Roman shot me a wink. “I’ve taken an oath to uphold the law, which I always do.”

  Yeah, I wasn’t feeling especially confident considering his assurance came with a wink. I had no doubt Roman would play dirty if he felt justified. Not turn into a full-blooded vigilante, but from everything I’d seen, he didn’t like to lose. Which made two of us. Except, I wasn’t sure how far I would bend the rules. I had a hunch the asshole sitting across from me was going to be instrumental in my self-discovery.

  “He doesn’t have anything, yet.” Daniel interrupted my mental to-and-fro, pulling our attention back to the case. “But he and his lawyer will have something soon. Your job,” his hand gestured to the two of us, “is to stop the fall-out before it happens.”

  “Wait.” I held up my hand confused by the whole scenario. “You’re saying there’s dirt on Jana that we know and he doesn’t? If she is ready to go through with a quick divorce, let’s move ahead before he finds out. Once the paper has been signed, it won’t matter.”

  “It’s not that easy.” Roman’s eyes moved from his file back to Daniel, his poker face displaying zero expression. “Because if it was, you wouldn’t need us.”

  And judging by Daniel’s tight smile, Roman was right. “She is filing a patent, a big one. We’re talking multi-million dollars in expected revenue once it hits the market, and it will make the current divorce settlement look like loose change. The paperwork will be filed in the next month, any longer than that and she risks information leaking out.” The air whistled as he blew out from between his teeth. “She says they were separated before she’d started to develop it, but she has no proof.”

  “Which means that, while the marriage had ended, they were still living under the same roof. And let me guess, no prenup,” I responded before I’d even had a chance to process the information fully.

  Shit. This was not good on two counts.

  One, without a prenup and a very clear date on when they commenced their separation, it was going to be difficult to argue the patent, and the income that came with it, wasn’t communal property. And the other—and most important—I hated that Roman’s smug grin indicated he wasn’t sharing in the same sense of concern.

  “We establish a new timeline,” he responded, like I’d been worried for no reason at all and the solution was so easy. “One that puts the dissolution of the marriage before our client started working on the patent. We do that and it doesn’t matter if he was living with her or not. Fredrick v Carrick, 1984.”

  God, I hated him.

  So freaking cool and confident, whipping out precedent like he had the Yale law library committed to memory. Pity, he was wrong in this instance. Hi
s argument was completely flawed and unusable, it was a shame I was going to have to demonstrate that for the second time in the meeting so far. If I didn’t enjoy it so much, I might have been sorry. But I wasn’t. Sucker. “Ah yes, except that in Fredrick v Carrick neither of them could afford the divorce. That isn’t the case here.”

  Take that, Pierce. How dumb do you have to be to compare two rich people—well, one rich person and their parasitic leech—against two people who in 1984 were barely surviving on food stamps? Maybe the product he used to slick back his gorgeous blond hair had melted his brain. That could be the only explanation.

  “Actually, it’s exactly the case here.” His smile didn’t waver as his eyes locked on mine. “If the amount of wealth is sizeable, then it’s not exactly as easy as splitting a couple grand in their bank account. So, yes, it is relevant.”

  Screw him and his freaking slicked back hair, his example was shaky at best.

  “Defense will argue she had means therefore she could have left. She at any time could have moved to a hotel room or an apartment.” While I didn’t believe Jana was to blame here, I had a fairly good idea how the opposing counsel would play this.

  “And leave him in the house she was paying for? Ha, come on, Harper. Would you let some man you couldn’t stand stay in the house you worked hard for? Doubtful. I maintain that she was the rightful owner of the house even if his name was on the title.” His voice rose, confidence echoing out of every word. “The fact she is giving it to him now is out of the generosity of her heart. She was sad, depressed, wanted to maintain a wholesome image, didn’t have time or the mental energy to move out—pick one. Mental anguish clouds judgment, and the cash made her isolated. How could she confess to her rich, professional friends that she was living a lie? So instead, she decided to play along with the charade until it was no longer tenable.”

  “Wow, you got all of that just from reading the file?” I rolled my eyes, the sarcasm thick in my voice. “Why even bother to interview her at all? I mean, you know everything, right?”