“Do you have any idea what they will do to me if I give you this information?”

Andrew leaned back in his office desk chair and crossed his arms. He had been making calls to all of his connections throughout the business world for the majority of the day. He had called in favor after favor in order to get the information he needed to bring Robert Downs and his family to their knees. The results of those phone calls brought him to the man that he currently had on speaker phone.

“I really don’t give two shits about what the Downs’ will do to you, Jerry,” Andrew finally spoke. “Think about what I will do. Which one do you fear the most?”

Andrew waited out the silence on the other end of his speaker phone, plotting on what he was going to do if he didn’t get the cooperation he required. Fortunately, for Jerry Donovan, Andrew didn’t have to come up with the demise of two families; just one.

Jerry sighed loudly defeated. “I don’t know what you want from me. I don’t know how to help you.”

Andrew smiled slyly. “Oh, Jerry. I’m sure you can think of something. After all, you do work for the Security and Exchange Commission. I’m sure I don’t have to explain to you what I want from you.”

The Security and Exchange Commission, or the SEC, was created to protect investors and maintain the integrity of the securities market. It was formed in 1934 in the effort to restore public faith in the capital markets, after the stock market crash in 1929. Today, the SEC supervised stock exchanges, the brokers/dealers of the market, investment advisors, mutual funds, and public held companies. One of its primary jobs was to make sure companies disclosed important market related information to its investors. They also worked to maintain fair dealings, as it pertained to mergers and acquisitions, and protected against fraud.

Jerry gasped through the phone once he realized what Andrew was asking him to do.

“You know damn well I can’t do that!" Jerry exclaimed, his panicked voice rising in volume and pitch. "I could lose my job, for one. And, for two, I work in the office of Support Operations. I push paper, for Christ sake!”

“Paper pusher? Come on, Jerry. Do you really think I’m stupid? You and your father have worked for the SEC for decades. He’s one of the top attorneys in the Division of Enforcement. I also know that you have connections in the office of Financial Management and the office of Compliance Inspections and Examinations within the SEC. You can make subtle and quiet inquiries about the Downs’ business operations without stirring up suspicions. Or, shit, do the leg work yourself. I really don’t care how you do it, just get me what I need.”

Jerry started to protest, but Andrew, feeling his temper rising, cut him off. “You and I both know that Robert Downs is a dirty son of a bitch, and the apple doesn’t fall too far from the tree. Carlton Downs, Robert’s father, built his little empire on the integrity of a house of cards. He’s gotten rich over the years through shady deals and he's found a way to do it behind the back of the SEC. Now, I wonder how that happened? Bring me what I need to bring them down, and we won’t have to discuss the answer that question.”

Jerry remained quiet. Andrew suspected that his sudden silence had everything to do with the man’s lack of a backbone. Doing what Andrew was asking took balls; something that Jerry didn’t possess. The little bastard was scared shitless, but Andrew didn’t care. The man wasn’t afraid when he broke the law for his own selfish gain. He took risks and chances with the livelihood of the people that trusted the system and he double-crossed them. What difference would it be for him to now go against the people he had helped break the law to right his wrong?

Finally, Jerry breathed out his reluctance and clumsily replied, “I-I still don’t know how I –”

“Oh, for fucks sake, Jerry,” Andrew spat. “Do I have to do your job for you? There is no way in hell Downs Industries is conducting business on the up and up. They have a history of doing shady deals with shady people. You can't tell me that they come up smelling like roses every time they are investigated by the SEC, without intervention. You of all people should know that. Start with their business deals. Check out their financials. Have they ever been out of compliance? I know for a fact they have a few mergers and acquisitions coming down the pipe. There’s one in particular that they are brokering personally between some business mogul from Hong Kong and one of their business associates here in the city. What do they stand to gain by getting this deal completed? I can tell you one thing; whatever Downs is doing to get this deal brokered can’t be good or legal. Hell, don’t take my word for it. Has the SEC even looked into this deal at all?”

“Oh my God!” Jerry blurted out, shock evident in his voice. “How do you know all this?”

“It doesn’t matter how I know, Jerry. That’s not the right question you should concern yourself with, is it?”

Andrew could hear Jerry cursing under his breath, which was exactly what Andrew had wanted. He didn’t want Jerry thinking that he had the upper hand or could survive any fallout if he didn’t give Andrew what he wanted. Jerry needed to know that he had no other options but to do what Andrew asked. If it came down to it, Andrew would do whatever it took to get what he wanted. If that meant the fall of this useless man’s career, then so be it.

Andrew unfolded his arms and leaned closer to the speaker of his phone. He spoke to Jerry in a very calm tone, the exact opposite of what he truly felt. “Listen, Jerry. I know this must be hard for you; making a decision like this. Do I put my career and my life in jeopardy to protect these assholes? The answer to that question should be no. You know damn well, if the shoe was on the other foot, that they would sell your soul in a heartbeat. Stop thinking about saving them and save yourself. If you need more incentive to do the right thing, I just emailed you something. Open it.”

Andrew fell silent and listened as he heard Jerry banging on a keyboard. Andrew smiled to himself, envisioning Jerry opening up his Gmail account, finding an email sent to him by an unknown sender, and opening it.

The moment Jerry gasped, Andrew leaned back against his chair with a satisfied grin on his face.

“You son of a bitch! Where did you get this?” Jerry seethed over the phone.

Andrew didn’t make an effort to reply. He wanted to give Jerry time to watch the entire video before he spoke again. He also wanted Jerry’s predicament to settle in his mind. The man was up shit creek without a paddle or a life jacket. He needed Jerry to realize just how easy it was for Andrew to tip his boat and drown him.

Andrew had done his homework before he called Jerry. Jerry was a dirty and crooked attorney in the Investment and Trade office of the SEC. His job was to protect investors against fraud, which was something Jerry failed to do on numerous occasions.

This was why Andrew was pushing him. He claimed that he was a paper pusher, but that was farthest from the truth. His department knew about any mergers and deals before the public did. He was also one of those idiots that kept insider trading alive. Andrew knew for a fact that Jerry had supplied a lot of people with proprietary information of upcoming mergers, trades and acquisitions. The proof of doing that very thing was playing back on his computer.

“Where did you get this?” Jerry repeated through gritted teeth, his fear morphing into rage.

Andrew grunted bitterly. “Oh, please! This shouldn’t be a shock to you. Stop acting like a victim. You deserve everything that’s coming to you; you low-life son of a bitch. You have been feeding not only the Downs with information they needed to get rich, but for years, you’ve continued to give them information to keep them rich. You’ve also helped others to do the same. The only thing that kept you alive was that no one knew about what you were doing. Well, now there’s proof of your shady deals and you’re scared out of your mind. Well, you should be. You should be scared, Jerry, but it’s me that you should fear. I’m the trump card that you have no control over. You fuck with me and your cushioned little life is over. You don’t give me what I want then I will bury you as if you never existed. Even your own family will forget you.”

The silence that greeted Andrew was deafening on the other end of his phone; abject fear from his victim was now seeping through his speaker phone. That fueled Andrew and pissed him off even more. He leaned forward again, placed his forearms on his desk and laced his fingers in front of him. “And before your pea-sized brain starts to get any bright ideas, Donovan. Let me stop you right there. Don’t try to concern yourself with shit you can’t change. Accept your fate and figure out how you’re going to give me what I want. And don’t worry your little useless ass if more videos exist. That’s not the right question you need to ask yourself. The right question you should be asking is, what can you do to make sure this video, and others like it, never see the light of day.”

“You can’t do this. This is unlawful and unethical,” Jerry rambled abruptly. “This-this is illegal taping without my knowledge as well as blackmail. Plus, you didn’t acquire a warrant for any type of surveillance. If you did, I never saw it. This video is inadmissible in court. Oh, my lawyer will eat you alive, Pierce. You better get ready.”

Andrew sighed and dropped his chin to his chest. He shook his head, wondering how in the hell did Jerry survive his stupidity all this time.

“Are you really this stupid?” Andrew taunted him. “Hell, I think that you are, which bodes the question: how are you still breathing? You know damn well all I have to do is give this tape to the media and your career and your life areover. And, by the way, your father’s career would be over too, simply because you two share genetics. The SEC wouldn’t be able to withstand a scandal of this magnitude; you and I both know this. Their own, selling information, will soil their reputation. They would quickly fire you and your father and investigate the both of you for countless offenses. You’ll get arrested and charged of course. Your lawyer, assuming you have a good one, will suggest that you plead and make a deal to give up everyone that you’ve assisted throughout the years and testify against them in exchange for a lesser sentence. Then you’ll see just how many friends you have out here. I can guarantee there will be some very unhappy people looking for you. You probably won’t survive the night after you get arrested, I’m afraid. Once this video sees the light of day, some of those questionable characters that you’ve met in other dark alleys, besides the one in the video, will start to wonder if you’ve taped all of your meetings. I don’t have to tell you what will –”

“All right!” Jerry yelled, cutting Andrew off in mid-sentence. “How can I be sure you won’t release this tape, or others that you have, once I give you what you want?”

“Well, that will depend on you.” Andrew grinned derisively. He had the bastard right where he wanted him. “You know the Downs better than anyone. Give me what I need, and then resign from the SEC immediately. Then, I won’t pass this tape, or any of the others that I have, to the media. If you don’t do what I ask or you double-cross me, it won’t be those delightful criminals you’ve dealt with coming after you. It will be me, and Donovan, you don’t want me as an enemy. Believe me, it will be worse than you ever could imagine. Do you understand me? Test me and you will lose!”

Jerry didn’t respond right away, and Andrew allowed the silence. After all, the man’s career was over, and the life he had been accustomed to living was about to come to an end. This was a tough pill to swallow. But at least the sniveling weasel would have his freedom and his life. A small price to pay, to remain among the living.

“All right,” Jerry repeated, a little more solemnly this time. “I need some time to –”

“You have one day,” Andrew cut in tersely. “Give me what I need, or your life is over.”

Then, Andrew hung up.

He took a few deep breaths to calm himself down. He was getting worked up, especially when thoughts of Jerry double-crossing him popped into his mind. He knew it would be a possibility. Any trapped animal would fight tooth and nail before they gave up. But Andrew was prepared for that contingency. He sent the man another video just to reiterate the message: Don’t fuck with me!

Satisfied, Andrew brought his attention to the countless paperwork that he had on his desk. He was about to dive into some case files, when the buzz from his work phone shifted his attention. He looked down at the screen on the phone’s console and smiled.

He hit the speaker button and greeted his caller, “Hey, beautiful.”

“Hey, you,” Nyla replied, and Andrew could hear her smiling through the phone. “Working hard?”

Andrew laughed. “Yup. Saving the world from criminals.”

“Oh, you’re a criminal lawyer now?” she kidded.

“No, but you know there are more criminals in the corporate world than anywhere else. What about you? Are you still at work?”

“Oh no. I’ve been off for a while. It’s close to seven in the evening.”

“Seriously?” Andrew looked up at the wall clock and found that, indeed, the day had past. “Damn, I didn’t even realize that it was that late in the day.”

“The cost of putting criminals away, I guess,” she said jokingly.

He grinned and shook his head.

“I guess so,” he replied back, then picked up the receiver to his phone, brought it to his ear and leaned back. “So, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call?”

“Dinner? If you’re not too busy.”

Andrew’s grin spread along his face at the thought of seeing her that night. He hadn’t seen her since the previous morning, when he had introduced her to Elese, and quiet as kept, he was dying to see her again.

“Dinner? I think I can manage that. What do you feel like eating? I can make a reservation, although it might be –”

“Oh no,” Nyla interrupted abruptly. “I don’t… I mean, that’s not what I meant. I have Se’Nya and –”

“So, what. We can bring her with us,” Andrew offered, but was shot down immediately.

“That’s nice of you,” she began, “But I’ll be damned if I bring my ten-month-old with me on a date. No, I was calling to invite you to my apartment for dinner. I’m making my famous spaghetti, and I wanted to know if you would like to join me.”

“Spaghetti, huh?” Andrew’s eyebrow rose in surprise.

“Yes! I make some mean spaghetti. I use ground turkey, instead of ground beef, and ground turkey sausage to give it a little kick. I also make my own sauce, using special herbs and spices to create a flavor that will attack your taste buds, in a good way, of course. What do you say?” Nyla held her breath as she waited for Andrew to reply.

When he didn’t right away, her heart started to drop to her toes.

Andrew wanted nothing more than to say yes. However, he wasn’t sure how long he’d be in the office that night. He had an early meeting in the morning, and he still needed to look over some documents before he called it a night. As Andrew contemplated on how to do both, see her and get some work done, he began to sense disappointment coming from Nyla. His chest started to tighten around his heart, squeezing his lungs until he felt he couldn’t breathe.

Still, despite the guilt he felt, he confessed solemnly, “Baby, that sounds amazing, and I want to see you. Unfortunately, I still have a few more things to do before I leave tonight, and I don’t want to say I’ll come over and then not show up.”

“Oh, I understand. This is a last-minute thing so, no problem. Maybe another time,” she replied, disappointment in her voice, and yet to Andrew, she still sounded as if she was smiling.

Feeling as if he was about to suffocate to death, Andrew said quickly, “Listen, why don’t I give you a call when I’m done here. If it’s not too late and you’re still up, I can come by then. I’m starving and spaghetti sounds a-mazing.”

Nyla’s soft laughter rang throughout the speakers of his phone, sending Andrew’s heart into a state of v-fib.

“Okay, yeah. That sounds good to me. Just text me when you’re done working. I’ll also send you my address now just so you’ll have it.”

“All right, sounds good. I’ll talk to you later then.”

They said their goodbyes and hung up. A few seconds later, his cell phone vibrated on the desk in front of him indicating an incoming text. He looked at his phone and shook his head.

What the fuck is wrong with me?

He raked his hands through his locks and fell back against his desk chair. He knew damn well he wasn’t going to be able to concentrate on shit else that night. Especially now that he’d spoken to her. Thoughts of the night they had in his office suddenly came flooding back like a raging river the second he looked over at his couch.

He felt the desires for her rise within him as he pictured her lying there on his couch, legs wide open, giving him a spectacular view of her beautiful body. He reminisced about how good she tasted, how incredible her body felt under his touch. He remembered how she moaned her pleasures, and the way she said his name; it sent fire throughout his body. And when she climaxed, when her pussy clinched his tongue greedily… Damn, it was the most remarkable sound he had ever heard in his life.

He closed his eyes and a vision of her body appeared in his mind. His tongue absently swiped across his upper lip, and he could have sworn that he tasted her there.

He groaned, and at the same time his dick twitched in his slacks.

Fuck this bullshit!

Andrew reached for his phone, stood, and fired off a rapid text letting her know that he was on his way. He crammed his phone and papers inside his briefcase, grabbed his suit jacket off of the coatrack next to his office door, and headed for the bank of elevators on his floor.

* * *

Approximately forty minutes later, he was facing her apartment door.

Andrew knocked and listened for the sound of her footsteps. He felt her coming closer and held his breath. The sound of the locks clicking rang throughout the open hallway. He breathed out as the door to her apartment swung inward. Once his eyes fell on hers, he found himself frozen in time. The smile that greeted him made his entire body warm with excitement. She managed to brighten up the dimly lit third floor landing of her building with that smile, as if it was mid-day. He couldn't pull his eyes from hers. They seemed so bright and full of excitement. She was more beautiful than he remembered, and it hadn’t been but a day since he saw her last. And... she smelled amazing. She smelled like... chocolate.

Nyla was dressed in a simple, black and white striped, tank-style cotton summer dress, with the hem of the dress sweeping the floor. The dress hugged her breasts and hips firmly, causing a hunger to rise from the pits of his soul. Her short hair, as always, was curled and shaped to contour her head, with her bang swooping across her forehead.

Andrew finally took a few steps forward and leaned in to greet her with a kiss. At the same time, Nyla elevated on the tip of her toes, placed her hands on the sides of his face, and guided his lips to hers. The kiss didn’t last as long as Andrew wanted, which was probably a good thing. If she hadn’t pulled back when she did, things would’ve gotten very interesting in full view of her neighbors.

Andrew rested his forehead against the top of her head, trying to get himself together. When he opened his eyes and met hers, he whispered breathlessly, “Damn...”

Her smile widened as she caressed his face, softly kissed him again quickly, and then reluctantly stepped back from him.

“I didn’t expect you so soon. I thought you’d still be working.”

“Yeah, I know. I’m starving though. Is your offer still good?” he asked her.

“Oh, yes, of course,” Nyla said quickly. She stepped back and opened her door wider. “Sorry about that. Please come in.”

He smiled back. “Thank you.”

Andrew stepped into her apartment and looked around. Her place was very modest, but she definitely made use of what she had. There was a large brown suede couch in the living area, sandwiched by two very worn-looking, corner tables. The couch faced a flat screen TV that sat on a dark wooden TV stand. There was an oversized brown and tan suede recliner that was to the left of the couch facing an opened patio door. Next to the living room area, was the dining room. Andrew noticed a small dinette table, currently set for two, taking up the quaint space.

Her kitchen was positioned to the right of the dining room and separated the living areas with a half wall that served as a breakfast bar. There were two stools sitting underneath the bar's counter, as well as a high chair. Hardwood floor covered the apartment, and a large tan area rug lay in the living room area. She had pictures hanging up of her daughter, from when she was probably a few months old, as well as various scenic views of oceans and wildlife. She also had tall plastic plants positioned in various corners of the apartment that gave her place a calming, at-home type of feel.

“Nice place,” he said admiringly, then turned to face her.

She smiled up at him. “Thanks. It’s small, but I like it.”

“No, it’s just right for you and Se'Nya,” he added. Then he raised both his arms up, showing his hands that were filled with gifts.

Andrew had stopped at a local Walmart, a place that he called hell, on his way to Nyla’s place. He despised Walmart as well as most grocery stores, and malls with a passion. They were always filled with crowds of idiots who happily left their common sense back a home. Crowds and his attitude was a mixture for disaster. If he could avoid them all together, life would be better for everyone. But tonight, he would suffer through it. He wanted to bring something to dinner. He went to the store’s sparse wine selection and chose a bottle of cabernet. He also decided to pick up a few other items for both Se'Nya and Nyla.

"These are for you.” Andrew stretched an assorted bouquet of brightly-colored flowers towards Nyla. He wasn’t happy with what he selected. The bouquets he had to choose from wasn’t up to his standards. But the way Nyla’s face lit up made everything worth it.

Nyla reached for the flowers, surprised and blushing from ear to ear.

“Oh, my goodness, Andrew. They’re beautiful. Thank you,” she said softly, closing her eyes and inhaling the floral scent of the bouquet. When she looked up at him, her smile nearly knocked him over.

He cleared his throat and looked away from the intensity in her eyes.

“You’re welcome,” he managed to say, despite the large knot that was caught in his throat. He quickly looked away from her and glanced around the apartment, doing his best to look at something other than her. “I -uh- got something for the little princess too. Where is she by the way?” he asked as he held up a pink stuffed bear.

Nyla smiled. “Oh, she will love this. She’s down for the night, I’m sorry. She tried to hang for you, but she lost the battle. That’s one great thing about her. She loves her sleep. Once I lay her down for the night, she doesn’t wake until I get her up the next morning.” She took the bear from his hand. “But, I’ll give this to her and tell her that it’s from you when she wakes up.”

Nyla then looked at his other hand and pointed at the bottle of red wine he was carrying. “I take it that’s for dinner?”

He followed her gaze and smiled, “Yes, it is. My little contribution to our meal. There wasn't a good selection, but this should do.”

She laughed. “Okay, cool. Let me put these in some water, and I’ll get you a bottle opener. If you want to freshen up, the bathroom is down the hall to your left. Make yourself at home.”

Andrew nodded and placed the bottle on the breakfast bar. He then removed his suit jacket and placed it over one of the bar stools. He placed his briefcase on the floor next to the stool. And, as he disappeared down the hall, he removed his cufflinks and rolled up his sleeves.

Nyla waited until Andrew came back from washing his hands to set the food on the table. They made their plates and settled in for their meal.

Dinner turned out to be everything Nyla had hoped for and more. Andrew seemed to enjoy the spaghetti, praising her all the while filling his mouth and plate with a large second helping of pasta. The bottle of wine went great with dinner as well. It wasn’t too bitter tasting, which allowed Nyla to enjoy it more. She wasn’t a wine drinker, but she was surprised just how much she enjoyed his choice of reds.

The conversation between them was effortless. It was light and airy, never forced or uncomfortable. They regaled each other with stories of their childhood and friends they had growing up. They laughed heartedly at the embarrassing stories they told each other.

They talked about cooking, the different dishes that they liked, and Andrew, at Nyla's insistence, explained the various wines that would accompany each dish they named. They both felt at home with each other. Nyla couldn't believe how easy it was to be with him. Andrew felt that he could tell her almost anything and she wouldn’t judge him… Almost being the operative word.

After dinner, they placed the dishes into the sink and moved to her couch. Nyla sat with her legs crossed, facing him on one side of the furniture. Andrew was on the other side in his typical position; facing forward, slouched down, with his head resting on the back of the couch. A half empty glass balanced on his knee.

They had dusted off the bottle of wine during dinner, so they had graduated to vodka and cranberry.

“Tell me about your sister,” Nyla asked him, breaking the comfortable silence that they had fallen into. “What’s her name?”

Andrew looked over at Nyla and answered dryly, “Oh, the demon child? Her name is Delilah.”

Nyla giggled at his flippancy.

“Oh, that’s a pretty name,” she replied smiling, but Andrew shook his head.

“Yeah, well she’s a bitch."

"Aw, Andrew."

"No, I'm so serious, baby. My parents had spoiled her rotten. So, when they had me, she was not very pleased. I had felt her rage most of the time growing up. When she left the house, I thought I was saved. Unfortunately, for me, that wasn’t the case. Every time she came home, she’d just pick up where she left off giving me hell, or rather she tried to anyway.”

Nyla laughed incredulously. “Aww, I’m sure it was all out of love.”

“Don’t count on it, sweetheart.” Andrew turned his body slightly to face her and rested his arm on the back of the couch before continuing. “Nyla, she used to tell me every day that she hated my guts. She told me, on countless occasions when I was too young to ignore her, that one day she would be the only child again if it killed me. Not her, but me. She was ruthless.”

“Yeah, but that just sounds like healthy sibling rivalry to me. What’s the age difference between you two?”

“About ten years.”

Nyla’s eyes widened from his admission. “Oh, okay. I can see the problem now. She couldn’t relate to you at all when you were born. You were a threat to her. But, I mean, that was in the past. Is your relationship any better now that you two are older? She had to have stopped torturing you by now.”

Andrew smirked and nodded devilishly. “Oh, she stopped a long time ago. I got her back tenfold. But, like I said, she and I aren’t close.”

“Oh, Drew. That’s a bit sad. I would have killed to have a brother or a sister growing up. Did you ever try and make amends?”

“Nope,” he replied, but, because of the look in Nyla’s eyes, he explained, “Look, you have to understand that our family structure is ah… different than most. I’m what you would call the head of my family. She didn’t like that I was given that title, and she went against it. That’s not something that is tolerated, so it’s best that we keep a lot of distance between us.”

Andrew tried not to let the memories of his sister and her betrayal barrel through his past to the present, but he could feel the rage from that night resurfacing. It was the day he almost killed his own sister for plotting with another pack to kill him. The only reason why he didn’t take her life was the pleading of his mother. That was about ten years ago, and he hadn’t seen his sister since. Of course, that story wasn’t something he was able to tell Nyla. He sugar-coated it a bit for her sake with a plausible lie.

“She comes around every so often to see our parents. She’s married now to some poor shmuck that I feel sorry for every time I think about it. I don’t understand why he would even marry her in the first place. They say there’s someone for everyone, but I’m just not a believer when it comes to my sister. No way in hell that horrible creature should’ve gotten married. Marriage, I thought, was supposed to be the union of destined souls and beautiful. Evil people don’t have souls and there’s nothing beautiful about them. I guess marriage isn’t as sacred as I had once thought.”

“Is that why you’re not married? You got turned off by the idea of marrying someone?”

His smile died slightly and he just answered simply, “No.”

He tried to be smooth about it, when he answered her, but he knew she could tell it was a sore topic. But it didn’t faze her at all. She just smiled and asked casually, “So, why did you go into corporate law?”

Andrew was taken aback slightly at her quick change of topic. He was prepared to be grilled about his feelings, as most of the women he's dated attempted to do. In which case, he had been thinking of an exit strategy. But that didn’t happen. This wonderful girl had just switched lanes just like that; no fuss and no uncomfortable situation. It was just smooth and relaxed, like switching lanes on an empty highway.

Damn, I’m falling for her.

He cleared his throat at his admission to himself and answered, “I wasn’t always in corporate law, as you well know. My father is a lawyer, and I followed in his footsteps in that regard. We practice different fields of law, however. He’s one of the district attorneys of this area. When I graduated, I worked for a law firm that practiced different fields of law. I did that for a while before I switched to practicing just corporate law.”

“And you like practicing corporate law?”

He nodded. “Yes, love it, actually. It’s the fierceness of it that I enjoy; the competition of who can outsmart the other, that’s what gets me. I love winning and hate losing. I strive to win in everything that I do. I don’t let the desire to win at all cost consume me, however. Or at least I try not to. I try to do other things outside of work to keep me grounded.”

“Is that why you do pro bono work? To help others and to keep you grounded?”

Andrew looked at her hopeful eyes and started to say yes, but he couldn’t lie to her.

“No. Actually, I don’t really do pro bono work.”