The prosecution continued down their never-ending list of witnesses first thing Monday morning. Jameson cross-examined Cecilia’s cleaning lady, the one who had found her dead in her apartment. Drew called Cecilia’s best friend, Vivian Ramirez, next. The girl cried as she told the jury how she thought Cecilia had been afraid of Josh, how Cecilia would do anything to please him, how she had always hated Josh.

“Vivian, did Cecilia tell you she was pregnant?” I asked when it was my turn to cross-examine.

“Of course she told me,” she said defensively. “We were best friends.”

“Did she tell you the father wasn’t Josh?” She was quiet for a minute before she shook her head yes.

“Please answer the question, so the jury can hear,” Judge Davidson directed.

“Yes,” she said, barely above a whisper. “She told me.”

“Did she tell you how it happened?”

“No offense, ma’am, but I think we all know how babies are made,” Vivian smirked.

“I agree, Ms. Ramirez, but I’m not asking for a science lesson from you,” I said, trying my best to keep the condescension out of my voice. “What I meant was, did you know Cecilia was cheating on Josh?”

“Objection!” Jameson shouted from our table. I whipped around and looked at him.

“Mr. Beck, you can’t object to your own partner’s line of questioning,” Judge Davidson said.

“Of course,” Jameson recovered smoothly. “May I have a moment with her, then?”

“Make it quick,” Davidson said. I glared at Jameson. What was he getting at here? I walked back to the table and stopped in front of him.

“What do you mean objection?” I whispered vehemently.

“You don’t want to make Cecilia look like the bad one here,” Jameson whispered back calmly. “They need to look like a strong, loving couple.”

“She was banging the maintenance guy in her building!”

“Yes, I know, but the jury could construe that as a motive for murder.”

Josh looked up at us from his seat at the table, his eyes bouncing back and forth between us.

“It is a motive for murder,” I said. “I’m trying to show that Josh knew nothing about it.”

“You’re not asking her that,” Jameson said, matter-of-factly.

“This is not your witness.” I barely registered the judge clearing his throat somewhere behind me, but Jameson and I ignored him, our voices steadily rising as we continued arguing.

“I’m taking over cross-examination from here.”

“Like hell you are.”

“I’m not asking, Olivia, I’m telling you.”

“I don’t know how many times we have to go over this, but you are not my boss, this is not your case. We are doing this together, and this is my witness.”

“I’m not letting you fucking ruin this case.” Whispers were now coming from the audience. The judge pounded his gavel on the bench.

“That’s enough. Order! Order!” he yelled, until the room had quieted down. “You two, approach the bench,” he said. I caught Drew’s eye for just a moment before turning to the bench. With his eyebrow raised, he was looking at me like he couldn’t believe what he had just seen.

“Have you two lost your minds? Have you forgotten this is my courtroom and certain behavior is expected if you’d like to keep practicing law here?”

“No, Your Honor, I apologize,” I said, embarrassment washing over me.

“Ms. Roberts, you’ve been in my courtroom before, so you know I expect better of you,” Judge Davidson said. “Mr. Beck, I don’t know what goes on in California courtrooms, but you should know I will not tolerate another outburst like that.”

“Of course, Your Honor,” Jameson nodded.

“If there is even the slightest sign of impropriety from either of you going forward, I will not hesitate to ban you both from my courtroom.” He banged his gavel on the bench again. “We’ll take a fifteen-minute recess, and we’ll reconvene at eleven AM. Court is in recess.”

“All rise for the judge and jury,” the bailiff called.

When I turned my back to the judge, I saw Dan standing at the back of the courtroom. My stomach dropped. It would’ve been bad enough for Jack and Dan to hear about this, but to witness it?

His face was red and full of anger, his eyes connecting with mine for a brief glare before he turned to Jameson. He shook his head and stormed out of the courtroom. We’d be lucky if we both still had jobs by lunchtime.

* * *

“Olivia, Jameson! My office! Now!” Dan barked as soon as we entered the lobby. He had clearly been waiting all day for us. Dan’s office was a mess, papers scattered across the desk, his suit jacket thrown haphazardly over one of the chairs, piles of files stacked on the couch.

He had his tie loosened and looked like he had been running his hands through his hair.

“Would one of you mind telling me what the hell that was?” he spat as soon as Jameson closed the door. “I stop by the courthouse for the morning, expecting to see magic being created by two of the best defense attorneys in the business, and instead, I find you making fools out of yourselves, your client, and this firm!”

Jameson and I exchanged glances. Neither of us were going to own up to being in the wrong, even though we both were.

“Oh, now you have nothing to say?” Dan yelled. “It’s fine, I don’t give a shit, as far as I’m concerned, you are both one mistake away from being pulled off this case. The media is already having a field day with this. We’ll be lucky if the Delaneys don’t fire us.”

I stepped forward and opened my mouth.

“Save it, Olivia,” Dan said. “I know you know this case better than anyone else, but I don’t give a damn. If you can’t represent yourself and this firm with respect, you don’t deserve to be on this case. And I don’t give a shit if you’re still pissed about James being put on the case with you. Get over it, it’s done, you’re not the only good attorney here, and if you stopped trying to prove him wrong at every turn, you might actually learn something from him. Get off your high horse already and start acting like the attorney I’ve groomed you to be.”

I saw Jameson smirk out of the corner of my eye, but I didn’t move, didn’t dare say anything.

“You think this is funny, James?” Dan rounded on Jameson. “I don’t care what your past experience is like or what you got away with in California. You are still new here. It is well within my rights to terminate your contract, and good luck getting a job in New York or anywhere along the East Coast if that happens.

“I don’t know what the issue is between you two, but you better figure it out before tomorrow morning. You are on this case together, you are a team, and you better start acting like it. Either Jack or I will be in court for the foreseeable future, and if we see anything even remotely close to what happened today, you can both kiss this case goodbye,” Dan continued. “And any consideration for a partnership for that matter. Understood?”

“Yes, sir,” I mumbled.

“Absolutely,” Jameson said.

“Good, now get out of my sight before I fire one of you just for pissing me off so bad!”

I scurried out of Dan’s office, avoiding Jameson as I hurried to mine and shut the door, locking it behind me to prevent any unwelcome intrusions. I was still leaning against the door, trying to gather my thoughts when a soft knock caused me to jump. Then I heard Bev whisper through the door.

“It’s me,” she said. I undid the lock and let her in.

“What happened?!” she whispered again.

“Bev, we don’t have to whisper.”

“I don’t think I’ve ever seen Dan that mad in the twenty years I’ve worked here.”

“Jameson and I got into an argument,” I said. “In court. In front of the jury and the judge and the media.”

“Oooooooh, that’s bad.”

“The media is having a heyday with this, and if the Delaneys don’t fire us, it’ll be a miracle, but it could’ve been a lot worse. I’m surprised the judge didn’t hold us both in contempt and declare a mistrial.” I shuddered, thinking about what could’ve happened. Just then, my office phone began to ring. “I’ll tell you the rest of the story later,” I said to Bev as I walked to my desk.

“Olivia Roberts,” I answered, the door clicking shut behind Bev.

“Ms. Roberts, I’m glad I caught you, this is Chad Delaney.” I swear my heart stopped beating. I had expected him to call, but not so soon.

“Mr. Delaney, I’d like to apologize on behalf of both myself and Mr. Beck. What happened today was inappropriate, and if you are seeking other counsel—”

“Ms. Roberts, I didn’t call to get an apology from you,” he cut me off. “And I’m not firing you, either.” I breathed a sigh of relief.

“I would, however, like to meet with you and Mr. Beck tomorrow morning before the trial resumes.”

“Certainly, we can be available whenever you need.”

“Great, be at my office at seven.”

“We will be there,” I said.

“Good, see you tomorrow, Ms. Roberts.” The line went dead in my hand, and I stared at it for a few moments—relieved we weren’t being fired, but confused as to what Mr. Delaney wanted to meet about now.

I sent Jameson an email with the meeting details, too afraid of what would happen if we had to be in the same room right now. There would be more yelling, I was sure of that, and probably some hot, angry sex. Maybe I should go see him in person?

I shook my head and turned off my computer. As much fun as angry sex with Jameson was, we both needed to cool off right now. I shut my door quietly and hurried past his office and out the door with hopes he wouldn’t see me or want to talk.

At home, I ran a hot bath, poured myself a glass of wine, and pulled up one of the dirty romance books I had on my Kindle. For the next hour, I soaked and drank and read, and didn’t think about Jameson or the trial or anything related to work.