her. As if he didn’t have reason to doubt her damn story!”
He pounded the table with his fist and turned away. “I’m sorry,” he said when he turned back around. “This whole situation is like a bad dream.”
“I’m sure it is.” Iris could tell how much this was bothering him. “I assume they’re keeping her in detention until she goes before the judge.” That was more of a statement than a question. Georgia’s juvenile detention system didn’t care who your parents were. They didn’t tolerate unruly behavior. If a child was uncooperative, that often meant an automatic night in detention.
Nash nodded and folded his arms across his chest. “You have to understand, Attorney Sinclair—Tania is very headstrong, but she’s a good kid.”
“I don’t doubt that, Mr. Dupree.” Iris glanced at her notes and sighed. It would only take a few minutes to meet with Tania and then go before the judge and get an arraignment date set, but Iris had vowed not to take on another case until after her vacation. If she took this case, then there would be another, and yet another one after that. She would end up spending another year without taking any much-needed time off. She placed her pen on top of the notepad and leaned back in her seat, folding her hands on top of the table.
“Mr. Dupree, based on what you’ve told me, any one of our associates will be able to assist you and your niece. Not only will it save you money, it will—”
“I don’t give a damn about the money, Counselor!” Nash leaned on the table. His face was a glowering mask of anger, hovering only inches from hers. “I want my niece to have the best representation there is. Refusing to take the case is not an option.”
Iris bristled at his tone, the arrogance behind his words making her see red. She stood slowly, trying to contain the anger that suddenly bubbled within her. She pinned him with a level look, willing herself to remain calm. “With all due respect, Mr. Dupree, I’m not sure what you’re accustomed to, but I decide what cases I take on and I will not stand for you or anyone else telling me what I can or cannot do.”
Nash stood so close to her that she could smell his mint-scented breath against her face. His expression was unreadable, and his enticing lips were close enough to kiss. He glanced down at her mouth before he lifted his eyes to meet hers.
“But I want you.”
Chapter 2
Nash could feel the fuming heat emitting from Iris’s body. He didn’t mean to raise his voice, but after an exhausting day his patience had snapped. Looking down into the most intriguing brown eyes that he’d ever seen, he wanted nothing more than to reach out, pull the enchanting attorney into his arms and taste her tempting lips.
When she first walked into the room, he thought there was no way this Nubian goddess could be the defense attorney his niece had insisted on him hiring. He had been surprised when Tania gave him Iris Sinclair’s information, stating that she was the best. Despite the seriousness of Tania’s drug-possession charges, he couldn’t help but fantasize about all that he could do with the tall, curvy bombshell standing before him.
The old saying “the darker the berry, the sweeter the juice” had immediately come to mind. Her smooth, dark skin made him want to touch her face to see if it was as soft as it appeared.
Staring into exotic eyes that held so much fire...all that did was stoke the flames she had ignited within him when she first walked into the conference room. He couldn’t help but admire the way she was standing her ground, not even flinching at his tone despite the anger he could see brewing in her eyes. Iris glanced away and ran her fingers through her shoulder-length curly hair, pushing an unruly strand from her face before taking a drawn-out breath.
“Mr. Dupree, I’m flattered that you have chosen me to represent your niece, but right now I’m not taking on any new cases. Based on what you’ve told me, Tania sounds like a good kid. Since this is her first offense, all she’ll probably get is a hefty fine and a short probation, and she might have to endure a couple of court-ordered drug classes.” Iris gathered her notepad and pen. “She doesn’t need me. We have associates who are more than qualified to handle this type of case.”
“If I wanted just any lawyer to handle my niece’s case, I would’ve found someone else, but apparently you don’t understand, Attorney Sinclair. I don’t want just anyone. I want you.”
“We don’t always get what we want now, do we, Mr. Dupree?” she asked flatly. The look she gave him said she wasn’t afraid of him and didn’t give a damn about what he wanted.
Not accustomed to hearing the word no, Nash turned away and chuckled. He hadn’t become a successful entrepreneur by accepting no for an answer. If anything, the word made him work harder to get what he wanted.
Looking back at Iris, who was still glaring at him, her chin held high, her resolve unwavering, he could only imagine the type of respect she demanded, and received, in the courtroom. He definitely had to have her as his niece’s attorney. They were two of a kind, Iris and Tania. Both clearly had a stubborn streak, and neither was afraid to stand up to him.
Nash ran a hand down his chin. Apologizing wasn’t something that came easy for him, but if he wanted to get this stunning lawyer to reconsider, he’d better make nice and do some serious groveling. Besides, he already liked her—maybe a little too much.
“Please forgive me, Counselor,” he said and moved back to the table where she was still standing. “I was way out of line and I meant no disrespect. Just give me a chance to explain why having you on this case is so important.” He gestured to the chair she had vacated. After a brief hesitation, Iris reclaimed her seat. “When I went to pick up my niece from juvie, she refused to leave. She said that she wasn’t leaving until she spoke to a lawyer, and not just any lawyer, but you. She’s the one who gave me your information.”
Iris shook her head and as low smile tilted her lips. She glanced away before looking back at him. “Mr. Dupree, without even meeting Tania, she reminds me of myself at that age—fearless, determined and at times unyielding.”
“Yeah, I sensed that a few minutes ago when you looked like you wanted to strangle me. I recognized the look. I’ve been on the receiving end of it many of times from my niece.”
Iris sat back in her seat and chuckled. “I have to admit, I am a little curious about this niece of yours.”
“I know you don’t have to take on Tania’s case, and I respect your need to be selective in the ones that you do accept, but I hope you’ll reconsider.”
“I’ll tell you what.” She gathered her belongings and stood. “I’ll meet Tania at the detention center in the morning and hear her story. Then we can decide next steps.”
Nash buttoned his suit jacket. “That’s all I ask.”
* * *
Iris tugged on the tight-fitting, low-cut dress. Janna had brought it and insisted that Iris wear it tonight. Being out on a Thursday night was unusual, but she couldn’t pass up the opportunity to have dinner with two of her favorite people.
She glanced around the dimly lit restaurant. Servers moved about efficiently, taking customer orders, refilling water glasses and clearing the tables, each adorned with a centerpiece of a single candle. Lately, her professional life had taken over her world. A typical evening consisted of staying late at work or spending the evening
