Shots Fired

ONE WEEK LATER-

It was a typical day...Ms. Yvette walked into the office like she did on any other day...She had on a new dress, new top, nice matching pumps...She smelled great as usual..My boss was a hottie...Couldn't take that from her..

I stood outside her door as she came in...

"What's going on Keith?" she asked..She could see the concern on my face.,.

She looked around the office...She saw the looks of concern on Bee Bee, Sofia and Kahlil's faces as well

 "Ms. Yvette, you have a visitor in your office."whispered Bee Bee.

 "He had a card key...He just walked in and opened it and closed the door."said Sofia.

"We started to call the police...but then since he did have a card key...We decided to wait until you got here."said Kahlil...

"It's okay...I got it."said Yvette, who looked angry...

Jade walked in with her...

The man inside was Partner, Robert Connor.. He looked more like a Mafia hitman than an Attorney.

Upon seeing Yvette, he smiled..

"What are you doing in my office?" asked Yvette..

He ignored her question...

"Ms. Lee, there is no need for your presence...I've got it from here.."said Robert Connor.

"It's okay Jade..I got it.."said Yvette ,who was growing increasingly angrier by the minute..

Jade nodded and walked out....She ran down the hall to find Mr. McCluskey..

Robert Connor smiled..

"Yvette, Ms. Yvette Jones..We haven't talked much during your tenure here." he said.

"We've never talked..."said Yvette..

"You being smart?" he asked.

"I'm stating a fact..."said Yvette staring him straight in his eyes..Letting him know she wasn't the least bit intimidated by him, Partner or Not..

"You and your uh four young attorneys helped Mike Pratt on the Lehgran murder trial recently...In fact, he dropped the ball in his usual fashion and you guys brought the case home.. Lehgran was very pleased with you guys...He referred us to several of his high end associates and we've brought in revenue above and beyond what we could have ever imagined.."said Robert Connor..

Yvette said nothing...

"You and Mike Pratt are pretty close aren't you? I mean before you got involved in that case..You two went to lunch quite a few times didn't you?" asked Robert Connor..

Yvette still said nothing..

"And last week you and he had lunch again...Chinese place..."said Robert Connor..

"What is your point?" asked Yvette..

"Was he asking for your help?  You don't have to answer...I know he was..  You're on the rise here Yvette...Nice big office, nice raise in pay....Supervising young minority talent..Yes you clearly are a rising star in this firm Ms. Jones.....Associating with Mike Pratt,who is on his way out the door is not good for your prospects of  advancement..You might want to think about that Ms. Jones..Your future prospects for uh advancement!"said Robert Connor..

"Are you threatening me?" asked Yvette...

"YES..ARE YOU BOB?" asked Mr. McCluskey...The Senior and founding partner...Standing behind him was Senior and founding partner Sam Cozen..

Who was looking nervous and non-committal.

''BOB? What the hell are you doing?" he asked.

"No..Nooooooooooooooooo..Sirrrrrrrrrrrrrr...  Ms. Yvette and I were just having a conversation."said Robert Connor..

"Is that why you came in here before she got to work and started going through her case files?  Pick every last one of them up and refile them in order...DO IT NOW BOB!" said Mr. McCluskey..

"Bill Come on?" said Robert Connor...

"YOU HEARD ME!  DO IT NOWW!"said Mr. McCluskey..

He slowly picked up every file, put them in alphabetical order and refiled them...He was embarrassed and furious at the same time..

"NOW YOU GET THE HELL OUT OF HER OFFICE AND IF YOU HAVE ANY FURTHER BUSINESS WITH MS. JONES...YOU RUN IT BY ME FIRST and further more..This business with you and Mike Pratt...Straighten it out and be done with it...Be done with it fast, Do I make myself clear??"said Mr. McCluskey...

"Yes...Yes sir sirrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr..."said Bob Connor , who tripped over a trash can and fell down in the lobby...

 Bee Bee, Myself , Sofia and Kahlil walked into our offices to keep him from seeing that we were laughing..

Ms. Jade helped him up...

He looked like a hurt child...He hurried out of the office...

"Sam...you can go...I need a minute with Yvette.."said Bill McCluskey...

"Yes Sir..." said Sam Cozen, who hurriedly rushed out himself.

"Thank you sir.."said Yvette..

Mr. McCluskey closed the door..

"Yvette...I need a favor...but this conversation never happened...If you don't want to do it..If you don't want to get involved ,I'll understand...It won't go against you..I need you to represent Mike.. I like him...Just like I like you...`He is a good guy...He got caught up...He fell in love...with the wrong woman...Connor's niece..  Connor didn't even know the girl until she graduated from law school..He and his brother weren't even close and his racist ass couldn't stand the fact that his brother married a woman from Pakistan and had a baby with her....He's just using this as a way to crack Pratt over the head..He has never liked Pratt..And even though he's a partner...Over the past few years...I've grown to see how much of an asshole he really is...

If you find it in your heart..Represent Mike....He's hurting..and Connor is planning to bring him up on ethics charges...Hell, they were two consenting adults...She was just as guilty as Mike..It's a shame her husband killed himself and she miscarried, but it happened.."said Mr. McCluskey...

"I'll rep him.....After the way Connor tried to threaten me...I'd do it whether you asked or not.."said Yvette..

''And don't worry...NOTHING will come back on you or your team..."said Mr. McCluskey..

"Thank You sir."said Yvette.

"No.Thank you!"said Mr. McCluskey.

II-

Mike Pratt walked into our office space..

 "Hey Guys...Your boss lady in? She sent me a text.." he said..

 "She's here." I said as I tossed a football to Kahlil

"Yeah, She said to come in."said Kahlil..

"Thanks Guys.." he said..

"Hi Mr.Pratt." said Bee Bee ,who was in the lobby,...

"Heyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy that's Mike to you...No Mister.." he said and smiled..

Sofia smiled at him....

He knocked on Yvette's door..

"Come in." said Yvette..

"Heyy Yvette.." said Mike Pratt...

"Say Hello to your new Lawyer.."said Yvette..

"WHAT? Hey Look...I was completely out of line last week...You were right...No hard feelings...I'd be better off with outside representation.."he said.

Yvette tossed a file to him...He peered through it..

"I think you'd be better off with an attorney who knows you personally and who knows your case inside out...Don't you think?" said Yvette..

"WOWWWW you...you know the entire case...everything...HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS?" asked Mike Pratt..

 "Since we last worked together...It's called self preservation..."said Yvette..

"You're a smart woman...Smartest woman I know.."said Mike Pratt..."What changed your mind?"he asked.

"Bob Connor...That asshole came in my office and was rifling through my files...He was looking for this..but I had it in my briefcase...He threatened me...Said if I wanted to move further in the firm I'd be best to stay away from you..."said Yvette.

"HE DID THAT? YES HE DID!! THE NERVE OF THAT GUY!! "said a now angry Mike Pratt..

"My associates and I are going to represent you, but nothing will be discussed in this office...We'll find another place to work..."said Yvette..

Mike Pratt was moved to tears...He hugged Yvette...

"Thank You!" he said.

"And yes..I've been in love before and love makes no sense and sometimes it's messy..and if it's worth anything,it's worth fighting for.."said Yvette...

III-

In the boardroom, Robert Connor and Sam Cosen sat and talked.

"You're an idiot....AN IDIOT!!!Breaking into a senior associate attorney's office and rifling through her files..and then threatening her? Do you know how many sexual harrassment and civil rights charges she could have brought against you?  Did you graduate from law school or have you been lying to us  on your resume'?" asked a very angry Sam Cosen, a founding partner..

"I didn't want any interruption...I wanted this case against Pratt to be smooth, get him censored..get him disbarred even and get him out! I needed to know what if anything she knew.."said Bob Connor..

"This hatred you have for Mike Pratt is illogical...And it's more than Mya...You never gave a damn about Mya...You had very little interaction with her or your brother...You're using this as a stick to crack Mike Pratt over the head...

You don't like him because he doesn't fear you...He regularly tells you to go to hell....and you can't stand it...Most of the Senior Associate Attorneys here hate your guts, but they're afraid of you.....You must know that...And now you've made another enemy in Yvette Jones...Who is obviously not afraid of you.

and who is one of the sweetest women around.."said Sam Cosen.

"What is it with her? Is McCluskey bangin her.. ?" asked  Robert Connor.

"He hired her...and on her recomendation he hired those other five..

Keith Jones

Beatrice Evans

Sofia Garcia

Kahlil Ahmed

 and Jade Lee

They're all very good!"said Sam Cosen... "I like em...all of em." he said.

"A regular United Nations...Yeah,I've seen em in the news....They're good...I don't doubt that...But they don't bring in Million dollar clients like I do...Nobody does.." said Robert Connor..

"Ohhhh they brought in Neil Lehgan and several of his well heeled clients.."said Sam Cozen..

"Well whatever...I want Pratt gone and I've hired just the Attorney to do it...You'll be meeting him soon..His name is Wallace Payton."said Robert Connor..

"You're an asshole...You're hopeless Bob."said Sam..

"But I'm effective...I get the job done..and you and McClusky know it."said Robert Connor.

He had represented and brought in some heavy hitters...Which was why they made him a partner many years ago, but he was arrogant...Entitled! All the things that made him a great attorney, fearlessness and
ruthlessness ,made him a terrible human being...He was despised by practically all of the Senior Associate Attorneys..

Mike Pratt was never in awe of him and often went toe to toe with him in open meetings...

His hatred of Mike Pratt grew in leaps and bounds...And now he had Mike's weakness...

His niece, Mya....to finally be done with him...once and for all..

He could get Yvette Jones and her crew to defend him...

but they would be no match for the attorney he was getting..,.Wallace Payton,

A very capable attorney who had only lost two cases...

Robert Connor had already been utilizing his investigator, a former FBI agent named Bert Vandenburg...Which was how he knew Yvette's movements in the past few weeks...

IV-

"Mikey, what are you doing here...My Uncle probably has people watching you.."said Mya.,.

''Ask me if I care...He wanted a war...He's gonna get one.." said Mike Pratt

Sometime later, Yvette knocked on Gary's door...

Gary came to the door...As usual he was happy to see Yvette...

"Heyyyyyy, I'm glad you're here..." he said..

''Well I'm glad to hear that." said Yvette,laughing..

"No..I did a little cooking...I want to try it out on you...It's a French dish..A Soup..."said Gary...

Yvette thought he was cute when he was excited about something...She walked over to his stove...He passed her the ladle...She tasted his soup..

"Ummmmmm it is tasty..." she said.  "You didn't know I was coming tonight...You were planning to eat alone?" she asked.

He pointed to the table..There was one bowl and one glass  and a bottle of wine..

Yvette frowned..

"Hmm, I guess you were..."she said.

"Take out a bowl and grab another glass, you know where everything is.." he said..

She did indeed...She practically lived here at times...She knew Gary's house like the back of her hand..

They had a quiet dinner and killed the bottle of wine.. Neither talked about work..They were past the need to do so...

Yvette changed into his favorite night shirt and walked into his bedroom..

Gary joined her in the bedroom...

Neither of them said a word..Everything was understood..

He pulled her to him and kissed her passionately...

"I love you so much.." he said..

"I love you too...You don't even understand how much....ummmmmmmmmmmmmm.." she moaned...

Soon they were in bed making sweet love...

Bed squeaking...headboard rattling...and Yvette getting emotional again and crying......

Sweat running down Gary's back as he slowly lost his mind...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu....Ohhhh Gary, Oh My goodness..." she cooed softly..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Yvette...Yvette...Oh My god!" he moaned...

"Ummmm Gary...lawddddd!" she sighed..

"Ohhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh Yvette...Yvette...Oh My god!" was all he could say..

"You like it daddy?" she said..

"Ummmmmm hummmmmmm!" he said..

"Ouuuuuuuuu I like it too...ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she cooed softly into his ear!

 SIX TO SEVEN HOURS DRIFTED BY....

Yvette and Gary showed no signs of stopping anytime soon...

"Oh My god Yvette, what are you doing to me?" asked Gary, who couldn't believe how good he was feeling..

"Making you fall in love with me.." she answered innocently..

"I was already in love with you..." he moaned..

"Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww.." she cooed..

Gary came so hard, he was speechless...

Yvette began to tremble and sweat profusely herself and hold on to Gary for dear life...

"Ouuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu.." she moaned..

Gary got up, went to the refrigerator and got a bottle of water...put it on his forehead and then opened it and drank some..

Yvette got up, put her night shirt on and followed him...She too got a bottle of water and drank some..She sat on his lap..

She leaned her head into his chest and snuggled up under him...

Kissing him softly....

This was the calm before thew storm she knew was coming...

(TO BE CONTINUED)