Passion(White Collared Part 4)(13)

“Anthony Rinaldi joked about me becoming counsel to the kink.” Right before he electrocuted her.

Camille stopped the tapping and looked thoughtful. “Well, it’s not entirely a bad idea if you decide to go that route.”

“I’m not sure the firm will allow me to choose my own clients.” At least not at first. She’d get the grunt work that more experienced attorneys passed down to her. Then once she’d proved she could handle a case on her own, they’d still monitor her clients. A conservative firm like Joseph and Long wouldn’t want its name associated with the kink community.

How had Nick managed to convince the firm to allow him to take so many pro bono cases? Maybe it would work for her.

Camille arched a perfect brow. “So you’re planning on joining the firm after graduation?”

She shrugged. “If I get an offer.” Before the last week, she wouldn’t have considered any other alternative.

“Oh, I think the fact that the founding partner tried to kill you would secure you a permanent spot. I’m surprised they haven’t already offered.”

That Kate might benefit from Camille’s loss caused twinges of guilt in her belly. “Things have been a bit crazy around here. I don’t think they’ve had time to think that far into the future.”

“It’s coming. They’ll need to buy you off one way or another. If I were you, I wouldn’t go with the first offer. Make sure you get a cash settlement on top of a job guarantee and ask for twenty percent over their initial salary offer. Trust me, you’ll get it.”

Shocked by Camille’s suggestion, Kate’s jaw almost dropped. “It’s not the firm’s fault.”

The smile she gave her drew attention to the sad shadows below her eyes. “Honey, if you’re going to be an attorney, you’ll learn fault has little relevance when it comes to the law. It’s all about the bottom line and how much it will cost them if they don’t settle. They’re not going to want to take the chance of you suing them.”

Thinking like an attorney, she thought of the firm’s counter-argument. “But if I hadn’t gone undercover in the first place, this might not have happened.”

“Exactly. You were working for another attorney in the firm. Nicholas Trenton’s ass is on the line as well if you don’t settle.”

A gasp escaped before she could stop it. “Nick’s in trouble?”

Camille frowned. “Oh dear. You’re involved with him too?”

“No. He’s my . . . we’re friends.” Maybe if she lied enough, she’d start believing it.

“Two sexy dominant men. However will you choose?”

She hedged. “Nick isn’t dominant. I mean, yeah, he is, but he’s not, you know, a Dom.”

“He might not be a part of the community, but everything about that man screams dominant. Jaxon and Nick are best friends, right?”

“Yes.”

Camille’s gaze slid to the collar around Kate’s neck. “Maybe you won’t have to choose.”

Kate’s breathing accelerated, though whether it was fear at Camille’s ability to pluck her private thoughts from the deepest recesses of her mind or from the arousing pictures that formed, she didn’t know.

Uncomfortable with the direction of their conversation, Kate began to help pack up the few remaining items on the desk, putting them into the almost-full cardboard box. The two worked in silence for the next few minutes.

Camille picked up a picture of her and Mr. Joseph on a cruise ship and stared at it. “I hate to ask you this after everything you’ve gone through, but you were the last person to speak with my husband. Did he say anything?”

“Are you sure you want to hear this?”

“I need to know.”

“He said Stephanie’s death was an accident. When I told him I found the knife, he said I didn’t know what I’d found.”

The judge frowned. “Did he explain what he meant by that?”

“No, he didn’t get . . .” The image of his bloody body flashed before her eyes. “Why do you want to know?”

Camille glared at the picture again. “Stephanie was his type. He enjoyed role playing with girls who appeared underage. Alyssa was built more like you, and she was a pain slut. Role playing wasn’t her kink.”

“Are you saying you don’t think your husband killed Alyssa?”

“I’m sure it’s wishful thinking on my part. After all, the police found the evidence. He’d tried to kill you. He stabbed Hannah. He killed Stephanie.” Camille exhaled and placed the framed photo in the box. “Sorry, I’m only thinking out loud. Thank you for indulging me. If you ever need anything, professionally or personally, I hope you’ll consider me a friend.”