The Bacelor: Make A Sex Deal

Camden

One Year Later

T

he text came through my phone as Declan and I were walking out of the downtown Boston office of Hooked, a dating app that had been founded by three Harvard graduates. They were several years older than me and all part of Harvard Business School, which was why we’d never crossed paths on campus. They were currently in litigation with Faceframe, a social media giant, along with one of Faceframe’s employees.

That was where we came in.

Easton, Grayson, and Holden, the partners of Hooked, wanted to take those motherfuckers down, and Declan and I were going to do everything in our power to make sure that happened.

The second my feet hit the sidewalk, on my way to the SUV that was parked outside, I caught a glimpse of the message on my screen.

“We need to discuss Hooked,” Declan said.

The sound of him dragged my attention away from the text. Before I could even register the words I’d just read, I shoved my phone into my pocket and slid into the backseat, and the SUV immediately took off for the airport.

“I thought the meeting went well,” I told him. “They’re ready to go to war, and there’s no question in my mind that we’re going to destroy the opposition in the courtroom.”

“Is that what you think?” His brow furrowed, his tone as condescending as usual.

After passing the bar several months ago, I’d been placed on Declan’s team. Since his relationship with my sister was now common knowledge-accepted by my aunt and uncle, the owners of The Dalton Group, and their three sons, Dominick, Jenner, and Ford, who ran the whole show-she worked under a different litigator at the firm, my cousins’ attempt to keep their personal lives out of the office. That made me the only Dalton on Declan’s team, and during the short time I’d been employed under him, one thing had become apparent.

When it came to law, Declan Shaw was a fucking animal.

And I loved every second of it.

Even the ones that tested me, like he was doing now.

I loosened the tie from my neck and adjusted my cuff links. “No, that’s what I know.”

“Then, you do know who they’ve hired for the opposition, I assume?”

“Declan, you’re fucking kidding me, right?” I chuckled. “I don’t give a shit who we’re about to face. We’re going to destroy them. End of story.”

“Cocky bastard. I’ve taught you well.”

“Nah.” I shook my head. “I just know how good we are, and I’m not afraid to say it.”

“We’ve got a lot of work ahead of us.”

He clasped my shoulder with one hand, holding a thumb drive with his other, which contained every bit of data we would need for this case. Declan didn’t trust the mail or a courier to handle confidential information, so that tiny drive that was tucked under his fingers was the whole reason we’d flown to Boston.

“And I know very little about tech,” I confessed.

But in preparation for this case, I’d been studying, reading up on the terms, the process of developing an app, and the roles within Hooked. I needed to understand what I was really looking at and what had happened within the inner layers of their company.

“I can’t say I know a lot more than you, but after this, we’re going to be experts,” he replied.

“I don’t know if it’s because we share an alma mater or because they’re from Boston or what, but I feel like I’ve got a personal investment in this one.” I glanced out the windshield as the driver turned onto the tarmac. “I want these Hooked guys to get the justice they deserve.”

“They will, but it’s going to take a hell of a lot of billable hours to get us there.”

I placed the strap of my briefcase over my arm. “We have a huge team. We can handle it.”

“Tomorrow morning, I’m going into Dominick’s office to tell him I want another paralegal and three more associates.”

Even though each of the brothers had equal roles, Dominick was the oldest, and with that came a bit of hierarchy.

But adding four team members? That surprised me.

“You really think we need that many more to help?” I asked.

He placed the thumb drive into his suit pocket and lifted his briefcase onto his lap. “I don’t expect you to know this-you’re too fresh-but we have two tech monopolies going to war. There’s been mishandled information, stolen designs, and the breach of an ironclad noncompete. This isn’t Pop’s coffee shop we’re talking about, Camden. This is the largest dating app in the world, suiting up against the largest social media site. Shit is going to get fucking ugly.”Ccontent © exclusive by Nô/vel(D)ra/ma.Org.

“Was that supposed to make me shiver?”

His brow loosened from its furrow and rose. “It doesn’t?”

I rubbed my hands together. “I’m ready to fight.”

“Just the answer I wanted.” He took out the thumb drive and handed it to me. “Start poring through some of what’s on there during this cross-country flight. When I leave Dominick’s office in the morning, I’m coming straight to you for a recap.” He opened the door as the SUV came to a stop and walked up the steps of the jet.

I followed behind him, and once I took a seat, I opened my laptop and inserted the drive, transferring the data to my hard drive. As the information began to load, I took out my cell and clicked on Messages.

There were several unread texts.

Only one got my focus.

OAKLYN

Heeeeey, it’s time to talk. Can you believe it’s been a whole year? Come over tonight … if you can.

“For the long flight,” the flight attendant said, setting a vodka on the rocks beside me.

I thanked her and brought the glass up to my lips, swallowing the cold, burning liquor as I scanned Oaklyn’s message again.

I knew how much time had passed since she’d propositioned me. I didn’t have a countdown going on my Calendar app, but every month, a mental check mark would swish across my brain, letting me know I was one step closer to potentially tasting her.

A thought that was still so fucking wild.

Dangerous.