Page 24 of The Bratva's Secret Baby

A smile lifted my lips. “I won. I don’t lose a case, remember?”

He gave me that look that a teenage boy would give his girl crush when she made him proud. “Have I ever told you how proud I am of you?”

Proud.

“Yes, you have. A million times.”

We both chuckled at my joke. I wasn’t bluffing though; he’d told me how proud he was more times than I knew what to do with.

Sometimes, I couldn’t tell if his compliments came from the fact that I had easily become one of the best lawyers in New York, or if there was some other intention behind his praises.

Paul hadn’t voiced it yet, and I could be wrong, but his actions gave me reasons to believe he saw me as a little more than a friend.

He glanced at his watch. “I hate to, but I have a battle to win.” He dragged his gaze from his watch and back to me. “Coffee on Friday night. What do you say?”

My feelings for Paul were purely platonic. I didn’t consider him anything more than a friend, and maybe I was being selfish, but I’d chosen to ignore his feelings for me. I enjoyed his company, and I was more than happy to have him around, but that was it.

No intimate feelings.

“Good luck!”

“Sure.” He winked at me. “Catch you later.”

I looked on as he vanished into the enormous entrance of the courthouse. I sighed and then proceeded to the parking lot.

When I reached my black SUV, I noticed someone leaning on it and facing the other way.

“Excuse me!” I called out. The figure turned to me. Clean-shaved gray beard and hair, dark eyes, and a face I could remember even in my sleep.

“K?”

He beamed a smile at me. “Hello, Ms. West. It’s been a few years.”

A mix of both excitement and the need to be cautious washed over me.What is he doing here?

“Six years precisely,” I replied with an uncertain smile. “How did you find me?”

“Someone from the department happened to have seen you here last week.” He tucked his hands in the pockets of his denim pants. “I couldn’t believe it when he told me, had to see for myself.”

My smile widened as his explanation put my worries to rest. “I’m sorry I left the way I did, K.”

“Well, I would be lying if I told you I wasn’t curious as to why you left the city so suddenly, and why you abandoned a case you were so determined to uncover.” He paused and scanned my visibly uneasy expression. “Do you mind if I ask why?”

His question sent static down my spine.

How was I supposed to tell him the truth, that I’d been so engrossed in uncovering who The Circle was so I could find my brother’s killer, and when I found that man, I couldn’t go up against him?

I couldn’t go against Damien, and I couldn’t reveal his identity to anyone.

I chewed on my bottom lips, my frustration skyrocketing. I opened my mouth to speak, but only two words escaped my throat. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m sure you have your reasons,” K said in a soft tone. “I just wanted to let you know we’re close to unmasking The Circle, and to thank you for all the resources you provided us with.”

My stomach rumbled from how nervous I was. Still, I tried to keep a calm composure. “I wish you the best of luck.”

“Thank you.” He slid into his car parked beside mine. “See you some other time.”

The uneasiness in my stomach didn’t completely dissolve even after he drove off and I got into my car. It was wrong, but I couldn’t deny I was worried for Damien. If The Circle was uncovered, then no amount of money or connections could save him from jail time.

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