Page 70 of Tiny's Law

Emma finds the number before leaving for the day. After calling the right man, I spend the rest of the late afternoon more agitated and more than ready to leave for the day.

I’ve looked at the clock a total of forty-two more times today, and finally, the clock turns five p.m. Shoving away from my desk, I pull my baby blue Neverfull MM Louis Vuitton from the locked drawer at the bottom of the large filing cabinet. I pack up all of the things I usually take home with me– my laptop, a notebook with small notes I jot down for current cases I’m working on, and my favorite tumbler full of ice water– and expertly organize it to fit in the large bag.

The office is quiet, and it seems as though I’m the last one here. Just as I switch the lights off to my office and close the door behind me, the chirp of the alarm system Tiny installed alerts me that the front door has opened.

“Hello?” I call out from the hall, making my way towards the lobby.

My eyes widen when I come in contact with the last person I thought I’d ever have to see again.

Benjamin.

“What are you doing here?” I stammer, taking a small step back.

Dressed in one of his favored pressed suits, there’s not a spec of dirt marring his too-perfect image. His dark hair is expertly combed as if he just went to a barber this morning. Ben and Matt would look almost identical if it weren’t for the small details, which show that Matthew is the older version of the two. He has small wrinkles at the corners of his eyes, which Ben doesn’t have quite yet, as well as a few grays sprinkled throughout his goatee. I was immediately attracted to Ben when we first met in school. I’d be lying if I didn’t also think that Matt was easy on the eyes as well, but all of that attraction left the window as soon as I learned what a disgusting pig he is.

You hear those stories of women falling for things men say, and you think, ‘How could she be so stupid?’ Well, I’ll tell you. They sweet talk you. They trick you. They show you this wonderful person that you can’t help but be drawn to, that you can’t help falling for. That’s how Matt and Ben are. They both make you think they’re sweet, that they want what’s best for you, that they have your best interest at heart. Then, right when they have you where they want you, they sweep the rug from right under your feet.

Matt probably treats Evelyn like a queen sometimes and a punching bag-slash-doormat at others.

Ben was the lesser of two evils. Yes, he could sweet talk just as well as his brother, but it didn’t take me long after the breakup to truly see the things he used to do and the comments he used to make that I would easily brush under the carpet, so to speak.

Why is he here?

Smiling, Ben steps forward, shoving his hands in his pockets. “Can’t say hi?”

I shake my head, crossing my arms over my chest. “What do you want, Benjamin?”

He huffs out a small laugh. “Benjamin? Since when do you call me Benjamin?”

“Since your piece of shit brother decided to blackmail me and run me out of town,” I say snarkily.

His eyes widen, then lower into a glare. “Excuse me?”

“You heard me.”

I drop my bag onto Mila’s desk. The thing is heavy, and I don’t know how long this conversation is going to last.

“The way I heard it is he didn’t give you a measly promotion, so you threw a hissy fit and ran off. Oh yeah, after sleeping with my brother. How could you be so stupid, Kourtney? You really thought by giving him your body, you’d just get promoted to partner? I mean, how dumb can you be? What did you think he would do, leave Evelyn for you?”

These are the little comments that Ben used to make— belittling me. But when we were dating, he was always quick to add a compliment to the end. At the time, I would eat those compliments up and totally brush away the nasty comments he would toss into conversation.

Jesus. I’m getting a headache. I pinch the bridge of my nose and push out a heavy breath.

Turning a harsh glare on him, I force myself to take a calming breath before I lose every last bit of sanity I have. “Actually,” I reply, my tone threaded with exhaustion and annoyance, “I never slept with your brother.”

He lets out another condescending laugh. “You expect me to believe you? Matt himself told me you did. He felt bad for sleeping with my ex. Why would he lie?”

I throw my arms up. “How the fuck am I supposed to know why he would lie? I did not sleep with your brother, Ben. So, for real, why are you here, and how did you even find me?”

“Seems my sister-in-law wanted me to know that her cheating husband’s mistress just so happens to now be fucking her nephew.”

My eyes widen. Evelyn called Ben? Why would she do that? Oh God. This could be bad.

“Why did you come?”

Ben takes a few steps forward, forcing me to step back, but unfortunately, Mila’s desk is right behind me, putting a halt to my retreat. Reaching his hand out, Ben grips the side of my face, running his thumb along my jaw and onto my bottom lip. “I miss you, Kourtney.”

My brows furrow. What the hell?

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