Page 12 of Wistful Whispers

Joe hums, sipping his coffee. “Have you looked into him yet?”

“I have.” I don’t say how I really feel for obvious reasons.

Seamus McGloughlin isn’t merely good-looking. He makes you imagine his hands all over your body before you can stop yourself. His eyes…

God, his eyes.

Deep, blue, kind in an unsettling way. I’ve known men like him—they look trustworthy and make you believe you have a future. Then you learn the hard way—you don’t.

Good thing he’s off limits. Too young. Eight years younger than me.

Eight years. Jesus. Back then, I was clawing my way up in this firm, desperate to make partner. Seamus has his whole future ahead of him. He’s a baby. The way my body reacts when I think of him feels…inappropriate. For so many reasons.

“Marcella?” Joe leans back as I cycle through my thoughts. “You need to be aware of something else. Seamus isn’t some doctor caught in the crossfire of your case. His family has deep ties to some of our most high-profile clients.”

Shit.

I frown. “How deep?”

Joe’s mouth twitches like he was waiting for this specific question. “His brother, Connor, is the bass player for Less Than Zero.”

My neck stiffens. I knew his last name sounded familiar.

Joe continues, “Connor is married to the actress, Ronni Miller. She’s one of our biggest estate clients. Then there’s Tyson Rainier—also in Less Than Zero. His wife, Zoey, used to work here. She now runs The Rainier Foundation, also our client.”

I exhale slowly, my pulse picks up. Am I going to get conflicted out of a potential goldmine of a case?

“There’s something else you may not know,” Joe arches a brow, “a year or so ago, Seamus is the reason Alex Deveraux survived an emergency surgery. Jace Deveraux is Less Than Zero’s drummer.”

I do remember hearing something about it, of course I had no idea Seamus was involved.

Joe watches as I absorb the information. “You see the conundrum here?”

I nod slowly, my thoughts spinning.

“You’re a win-at-all-costs kind of lawyer. It has made you extraordinarily successful and I’m proud to call you my partner. The thing is, it seems there’s more at play here. Collectively, these clients bring in a ton of revenue for the firm. More importantly, these people trust us with their reputations. I’m not telling you how to run the case, I’m asking you to be smart.”

“I will.” I roll my shoulders back as he stands. “Thank you for all of the insight.”

As I watch him leave, I feel annoyed. Angry, maybe. I can’t help but wonder, would Joe instigate the same conversation with a male partner under similar circumstances?

Do Ireallyneed to tread carefully?

The problem is—I don’t know how. My career is my entire life. Winning is my only priority. I’ve clawed my way to the top, sacrificing everything to get here. I want to take Bryce Caldwell down for what he did to Miranda.

I sit in this too-big cafeteria as my tea grows cold. Seamus McGloughlin permeates my thoughts. He’s young, talented and has a bright future in front of him. If he had a part in Miranda’s demise, though…

This situation blows.

Whenever a case is this tough, a part of me wonders if I chose the right career path.

I’ve sacrificed too much to question any of it now.

The girl I used to be would barely recognize this version of me.

I don’t know if it makes me a fighter…

Or a coward.

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