Page 95 of All For You

“Yes.”

I could hear tapping from his end, like he was searching her on his computer.

I went on. “Her life is about to be completely upended by her former boyfriend, who sounds emotionally abusive. A photographer called George Wickham.” I spelled his name. More tapping from his end. “When they were together, he asked her to help him out with an art series where he needed her tobe nude. He told her the entire image was going to be blurry and she’d be completely unidentifiable, and so would the other models in the room. He got her to sign something.”

“Hmm,” he said.

I wanted to ask him what that sound meant. I could still hear him tapping on the other end. She’d signed something, and I knew the consequences, but maybe?—

“I can see his contracts on his website,” he said. “Go on.”

“He sent her the images, and the bastard warned her he’s going to make them public if she doesn’t get back together with him. In the images, she’s clearly visible, and it looks like she’s part of an orgy. Somehow, he must have manipulated the photo. At the time, the models were all standing apart. She’s certain her school will fire her, and she doesn’t see how she’d be hired by another local school.”

A pain shot through my gut at how Jane’s dilemma would affect Wills too. I would call him back right after this. I was certain now he was genuinely in love with her, and she had feelings for him. He was going to be devastated by how much pain she was in.

“Hmm.” He took a deep breath. “Does not sound good.”

Shit, that had been my initial reaction too. But Seb’s voice sounded like he was going into professional mode, which was a positive sign. Did that mean he was going to take this case on? I stayed quiet, tension racking my torso, allowing him to mull the situation over.

“Who is thisfriendof yours?” His voice was now bright with curiosity. “She must be wonderful indeed for you to pluck up the courage to pick up the phone and talk to your dear old friend Seb. You are sticking your neck out here.”

Oh shit. Typical Seb, finding the chink in my armor. But he’d always done it jokingly with me.

“Does it matter who she is to me?” My reply was sharper than I wanted.

“Oh, so I was right. She is precious to you. I’m astounded.”

Now he had something over me. Somethingelse.A quick search would reveal that Jane’s sister was Lizzy. I hated that he would even think about Lizzy. Lizzy was everything honest and loyal and lovely, and I loved how she spoke her mind. My stomach roiled over how, during this conversation, she’d become mixed into the sordidness of my past with Seb.

“Would you do this for me? Please?” I asked tightly. I was using all my self-control to keep my temper.

He laughed. “Ah, it’spleasenow. God in heaven, I don’t think I’ve ever heard Darcy Wainwright utter that word. And it took the love of a good woman to pull that from him.”

A nasty pitch bit into his voice, one I hadn’t heard before. Maybe he’d always had that mean streak, but he’d never directed it against me. Maybe he had to have this edge to be so successful. Either way, I didn’t bother with an answer.

He gave an exasperated sigh. “All right,” he said, finally.

“You’ll take on the case?”

“I’ll take it on,” he replied dully.

“Oh, thank God.” A wave of relief washed over me. We had hope. Even if Jane’s case was horribly weak, maybe a terse letter and a ferocious call from someone with Seb’s power and notoriety might strike fear into the heart of this Wickham arsehole and make him scurry back to whatever hole he’d come from, tail between his legs.

“Thank you, Seb.”

I gave him Jane’s number, but he said he needed to think this through and do some research first. “This is going to be more art than science.”

Not wanting to continue talking to Seb, I asked for his assistant’s details so I could pay his retainer.

He grunted impatiently. “Look, why don’t you save your money? I’ll tell you now—legally, I don’t think this Jane Bennet has a leg to stand on.”

I’d suspected that from the start, but still, I was betting this Wickham was a coward and didn’t have the funds to pay for a major court case—or the tenacity and guts.

“Promise me you’ll put all your efforts into this case, Seb. I know you can do this. I have complete faith in you.”

“Yes.” He laughed bitterly now. “You were the one who always thought I had something. Who believed in me. The only one who saw beneath the cavalier pisshead to a sharp brain and hidden talent.” He took a breath. “You showed them, didn’t you, Darcy? You were right about me. I wasn’t a pretty face and a few jokes. I was a winner after all.”

That was not what I expected, for him to be so sad and bitter. I thought he’d be superficially contrite or sneer and laugh me out the door. But this was different, almost disturbing.