Page 8 of Beginning at the End
They went in, ordered, and when they had their meals on Den’s dime, they sat and ate.
They were halfway through when he asked, “How long were you married?”
“Three years.It was a marriage of convenience so that socialites would stop crawling into his bed.Turns out, he should have been worried about his sofa.”
He stared at her.“He cheated on you.”
“He broke the contract.We never slept together, so he wasn’t cheating on me, per se.”She chewed some fries.“That being said, he broke the contract and the fidelity clause that was loosely tacked in.There was also the agreement that I would be safe and whole, and I was forced to expend in order to provide accessories for evenings out.Purses, ungodly expensive shoes.Makeup, hair.So, I was not made whole when the divorce was written up, and I was, in fact, in deficit.”
She looked at him.“Did your brother get all of that?”
Den grinned and tapped his phone.“You are on speaker.”
“I am on my way and am just pulling up.What’s good here?”
“A double patty with double cheese, but I am biased.”
A startlingly elegant man in a very costly suit strode into the shop.The other three patrons stared.Pale, tanned skin, dark waves of hair, and a sly smile as the six and a half feet of alpha entered the space.
Den chuckled.“Different fathers.”
“Wow.That’s...wow.”
When his brother walked over with his burger a few minutes later, he sat with them and grinned at Eudora.“So, miss.You think they have broken ethical boundaries?”
“I know it, but now I don’t even have funds for a retainer for another two weeks.A friend is loaning me her apartment, and I have to be out in a month.”
“Can you send me what you have?”
“No.My phone is a piece of crap.I had to leave my good one at the house.Likon bought it, so he had to keep it.Same with my jewellery, dresses, and my good computer, which is the one thing that really kills.Den set my computer up, so I can get into my mail accounts when I get to the apartment.”
The brother ate the burger and raised his brows as he enjoyed the grilled goodness.“What do you want from the process?”
“My bank account for my work-related funds and my computer.Maybe the phone.I would switch providers, though.”She nodded.
“Right.Why did they lock your funds?”
“They said they had to get a forensic accountant to look through it, so until that happened, it was locked up.”
He looked at her.“Aw, honey, they saw you coming.”
“The weird part is that Likon isn’t like that.It’s his creepy lawyer, Nelson, who has the issue.I don’t know if he has a crush on Likon or what, but he hated me.Before you ask, I didn’t have the money for my own lawyer when I agreed to the wedding.”
He finished eating and wiped his fingers neatly.“What about presents?Did you keep any of those?”
“No.There weren’t any, and if there had been, they would have been included in unjust enrichment according to the document.”
He looked at her with black eyes in his too handsome face.“Why did you sign?”
“Because I needed a place to live.I needed food.Warmth.A door that locked.That is what that house offered.He bought me the clothing for the events, and I walked at his side and made small talk for hours.”
The attorney grinned.“You know how to do that?”
“Yes.Why?”
“I need a date for a number of events this season.I will offer you my services in exchange for an escort to six events.I will provide the dress and all accessories, and you can sell them afterward if you like.I will also spring for you to get hair and makeup done on the day.”
“Just so that you have someone with you?”
