Page 7 of Celebrity

“Give us another chance, baby.”

He reached out to cup my face, but I moved out of his way, turning toward the water again.

“Don’t. I won’t fall back into our pattern.”

“We’ll do it differently this time.”

“Over the last few years, I’ve believed that too many times, only to see things shatter. I stupidly accepted it when we were in law school, and then I grinned and bore it when we started our careers. I can’t do it anymore.” I shook my head. “It won’t work. I’m going to stay in the limelight. I won’t ever be in the shadows again.”

“Sami, please.”

I pinched the bridge of my nose and then wiped away a stray tear.

“Go home to the condo you got when we separated, Devin James Camden. I’m sure you have a full docket tomorrow. You don’t need me to distract you. Besides, if you stay any longer, I’m sure a photographer will see you, and you’ve made it crystal clear that your privacy and reputation are more important than anything else.”

“I’m not giving up.” His fingers grazed along the back of my neck. “You’re it for me.”

“It’s over, Devin.” My shoulders shook as I dug my nails into my palms. “I’ve accepted it. Now you have to.”

“Not happening.” His voice grew cool. “For it to end, we have to divorce, and I will fight you every step of the way.”

“Dammit.” I whirled around.

He smirked, turning toward the pathway. “I never back down. You should know this. Consider yourself warned.”

Chapter Three

A weekafter my encounter with Devin and the end of my representation of Clint Bassett, I walked toward the doors of my law firm, Kumar, Zain, & Associates.

I’d enjoyed seven days of sleeping in, yoga, and countless laps in the pool. Now it was time to get a little work in so I wouldn’t go insane from relaxation. I’d become a workaholic and trying to break the habit had become harder than I thought.

At least I had Karina to keep me up to date with the antics of the Bassetts. Her daily report kept me from getting bored. Thankfully, Karina hadn’t thrown her hands up and decided she’d rather work for another firm instead of keeping Clint in line.

I took in the sign above the building, and a slight jolt shot through me. After five years and a few well-known clients, my firm was considered one of the top litigation groups in Washington State.

I’d graduated from law school when most of my friends were finishing up their undergraduate degrees. Besides my best friend, Jacinta, who was a super nerd herself, very few people could say they’d completed law school and clerked for some of the top judges in Texas by the age of twenty-one. A lot of doors opened up when you were the child of Minesh Kumar, a finance and tech billionaire. Thankfully, once I started work and proved my worth, most people forgot my parentage and focused on my skills.

A couple of years later, when I’d moved to Seattle and eventually started my firm, my reputation as a top up-and-coming litigator was all anyone knew about me. To this day, most people had no clue whose daughter I was.

I walked inside and toward the elevator. I punched the button and then I straightened my shirt over my jeans. Rarely would I come to the office so casual, but technically I wasn’t working.

As the cab doors closed, I noticed some surprised glances projected in my direction along with a few worried ones.

What could be going on?

I had planned to run in, grab some files I needed to review, and be out the door within minutes, giving me more than enough time to grab some food at my favorite Thai place and get back home for a phone conference with a former client.

Now I was second-guessing this thought process. There was no doubt I’d have to put out some sort of fire.

God. Please don’t let it be anything to do with Clint.

I sent my prayers up to heaven and exited the elevator. I turned the corner leading to the executive offices and then came to an abrupt halt.

Devin was in my law partner Tara’s office.

All our offices were made of glass walls to give the illusion of openness with the benefit of soundproofing. There was the option to tint the glass for even more privacy, but we rarely used that.

This couldn’t be good, no matter what it was. Tara’s facial expression told me she was pissed, and Dev’s said he was determined to get what he wanted. He’d given me that same stance numerous times over the years.

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