Page 47 of Dissension

Kara can feel his muscles tense and wonders if he’s about to have a tantrum. She’d like to avoid that. “He’s fine, Gale.”

Those pale blue eyes catch on her face, but Gale doesn’t respond. It leaves Kara wondering what has Gale so on edge. Kara’s fine, she can handle Dieter. He’s just…ridiculous. Most of the time.

When Nick hangs up the phone and heads back towards them, Dieter strikes again.

“What’s Mommy Dearest upset about this time?” Dieter asks, a sharklike grin playing about his lips. “Did you ask to set asideyour engagement?” He pouts. “I imagine that would infuriate the selfish old bird.”

What?!Kara feels her heart twist about.

Looking furiously stony, Nick snaps, “Can youeverstick to your own business, Dieter? You’re worse than a New York gossip queen.”

“If I lived there,I’d be one,” Dieter quips without an ounce of shame.

Gesturing to Dieter hanging off of Kara, Nick says coldly, “Do youeverleave your lawyer alone?”

“Why? Does it bother you?” Dieter’s eyes gleam.

Nick’s face goes blankly in neutral. “It doesn’t. It’s your unprofessionalism that chafes my hide. Hire your brainless plastic floozies if you’re lonely.”

Kara tries not to feel hurt, wishing he’d said it did bother him to see her with Dieter.

At those words, Dieter goes to light up another cigarette, which Kara promptly snatches from his mouth. When he glares at her, she says, “I don’t think so. Point that hot action elsewhere, I’m not driving back with a human ashtray in the car.”

He rolls his pretty eyes, scowling. “Fine. I didn’t want it anyway.”

Oh, sure. She allows him to have the final word, he’s on the edge with his mood.

They troll around on the yacht for an hour or so more before heading dockside.

When they depart, Nick stands beside her, off to the side. There’s something like disappointment on his face, as if she’s the one who has caused it. “Why are you looking at me like I took a shit in your lunch?” Kara asks bluntly, not liking the scrutiny.

“Do you think you’re still a good person?” He asks her suddenly. “That you’re the lawyer you intended on being? Defender of the poor and unfortunate?”

That rocks her back on her heels. Where does he get off asking a loaded question like that? “I mean, I don’t think I’m abadperson-”

He sneers a bit. “You always liked defending people who had been wronged. That’s yourthing. You feel good being the savior for those that someone else has damaged. How does it feel, being the one defending someone who leaves damage in his wake?”

Never did Kara think he understood her that way. Superficially, she always enjoyed being a lawyer to duke it out, to get knee deep in a fight. The outlet for the fire inside of her. The reality is, she likes helping people who have been taken advantage of, or wronged. The way she was wronged as a young girl. No one was able to save her but herself.

“Are you saying I’m a bad person because Dieter is my client? That’s like saying Gale is a terrible person too-”

A scoff. “Gale doesn’t care if her clients are good or bad; she cares if they pay. You though?” He shakes his head, blue eyes boring into her. “You want it tomeansomething.”

Her mouth opens and closes, but there is no denying this fact. Kara never liked slimy lawyers. She never liked those who defended the clearly guilty. LawyerslikeNick. And now-

“There will come a day when you’ll remember I told you to watch your back,” Nick says, looking handsome in the dying light. The rich brown of his hair makes her want to run her hands through it. She wants to be wrapped in his strong arms. To feel safe and in danger all at once. “And you’ll regret picking him over me.”

With that, he steps away from her, leaving her staring after him in shock. “I haven’t picked anyone,” Kara growls under herbreath. The damn nerve of that man, always assuming the worst of her!

Dieter is still on his yacht, chatting away with his pals, the center of attention as always, effortlessly holding court with his peers before they head home. Kara turns away from him and finds Gale with her bags, walking over to her car.

Frowning, Kara realizes they never said goodbye. A strange thing where Gale is concerned. She follows after her. “Hey. Gale?”

“Hey, Kara.” A weak smile. “Have a good time?”

There’s something off. Tension in the air. “Are you upset with me? Did I do something?” Kara asks her. Gale was quieter than usual the whole afternoon after seeing Dieter interacting with Kara.

The older woman, her mentor, sighs and checks her sparkling watch briefly. “Kara. I’m sorry. It’s not you. It’s Dieter. I…I warned you enough times not to let him get close…I just don’t like seeing him behave that way with someone I respect.”

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