Because of You. Rochelle Alers

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СКАЧАТЬ library furnishings were not what one would expect of a professional athlete. There were no trophies or pictures with celebs, framed newspaper stories or magazine covers. It appeared lived in, a place where Brandt came to read and relax. Dark brown leather chairs and a love seat, a massive mahogany antique desk, a leather desk chair, neutral colored walls and a sisal rug seemed better suited for a businessman. Brandt had once said that if he hadn’t become a professional athlete, he would’ve gone to work in his family’s real estate firm.

      Aziza crossed the room and stood at the window, staring down at the traffic and pedestrians who looked like miniature toys. It was a mild New York City New Year’s Eve with temperatures in the mid-forties, and that made for larger-than-usual crowds of partygoers.

      Her gaze lingered on the dark surface of the East River before shifting to the rooftops of buildings with water towers and heating and cooling units. There had been a time when Aziza loved commuting into the city from her Westchester home. It was during the half-hour train ride and the ten-minute walk from Grand Central station to the Park Avenue office building on Thirty-Second Street that she’d mentally reviewed the cases she was working on or planned her day.

      As a thirty-one-year-old, childless divorcée, her only responsibility and focus was her career. She’d lived and breathed the law, and her ex had accused her of loving her work more than she’d loved him. No matter what she’d said or did, it hadn’t been enough to change Lamar’s mind, and in the end she’d stopped trying.

      His attempt to control her life, while quietly sabotaging her career, had left her with no choice but to break off the relationship. It hadn’t been easy. Not when they’d been together since grammar school, throughout high school, college and then law school. Once she’d left Lamar, Aziza felt as if she’d lost a limb—a diseased limb that had to be amputated, or the poison would kill her spirit.

      Don’t let anyone kill your spirit, or take your joy. She’d grown up with her grandmother’s wisdom. And when she’d told her Nana that Lamar was killing her spirit, Emma Fleming’s advice had been to walk away and not look back, and that was what she’d done.

      Aziza shook her head. She wished she could erase the memory of Lamar as easily as hitting the delete key. She didn’t know why, but she hadn’t thought of him in more than a year.

      Why now? she mused.

      Why now when she finally had a successful law practice?

      Why now when she’d completed renovating her home to suit her personal taste and lifestyle?

      “What are you doing hiding out here?”

      Aziza turned to find the broad shoulders belonging to her brother Alexander Fleming filling out the doorway. “Hey, you,” she crooned, approaching him, arms out-stretched. “I saw you when I came in, but you were busy with a very pretty sister with braided hair.”

      Alexander flashed a slow smile, his dimples dotting his lean face like thumbprints. He hugged Aziza, while pressing a kiss to her cheek. “Don’t get any ideas, Zee. She’s Damien Harvey’s girlfriend.” He kissed her again, this time on the forehead. “Thanks for coming.”

      “Did I have a choice? You’d threatened me with bodily harm.”

      Alexander laughed. “The only harm would’ve been the way you’d look if I had to go into Neanderthal mode and carry you over my back to bring you here.” He winked at his sister. “I must say you clean up very nicely.”

      She returned his wink. “Thank you.”

      Standing back, Aziza studied her brother’s face. He had classic good looks with strong masculine features and large eyes that were an odd shade of gray—eyes he’d inherited from their paternal grandmother, Emma Fleming.

      Resting her hands on the lapels of his black wool jacket, she angled her head. “Where’s your woman?”

      Alexander’s expression changed as if he was trying to conceal his innermost feelings. “I’ve decided to start the year solo.”

      “What about Cynthia? I thought the two of you were getting serious.”

      Shoving his hands in his pants pockets, the MVP defensive end stared at the lights on the bridges spanning the river. “We split up. Unfortunately, Cynthia is drama personified. Things would’ve been okay if she didn’t have to run everything we said or did past her girlfriends.” His eyes met his sister’s. “What’s up with women spilling their guts about what goes on between them and their man?”

      Aziza held up her hands. “Please, don’t lump me in that category. I only have two girlfriends, and we never discuss our men or lack thereof.”

      “I know you told me you’re not interested in getting married again, but what about dating?”

      “What about it, Al?” She’d answered his question with a question.

      “One of the guys on the team told me that he’d like to take you out once the season is over, but I told him I can’t speak for my sister.”

      “You approve?”

      “He’s all right.”

      Aziza pondered her brother’s response. If she was going to date someone, he had to be better than all right. “Don’t tell me he’s coming out of a bad relationship, because if he is then I’m not the one.”

      Alexander exhaled an audible sigh. “Other than an occasional baby mama drama, he’s a good guy.”

      “No, Al. Forget it. I’m not getting involved with some man with a psycho ex-girlfriend. Call me selfish, but if I’m not a baby mama, then I’m not going to put up with it. Why don’t you guys marry these women when you get them pregnant? It would prevent a lot of problems.”

      “Back it up, Zee. I’m not a baby daddy.”

      “I’m not talking about you, Al. How many guys on your team are paying out huge chunks of money for child support? Probably too many to count,” she said, answering her own questions. “Wouldn’t it be easier to get married and take care of their wives and children without all the drama?”

      Alexander recognized the look in Aziza’s eyes. He’d seen it enough to know that she was ready to go off on a rant about how a lot of men couldn’t be trusted. He knew she’d soured on marriage because the man she’d believed she knew had turned into someone she didn’t really know, and her mistrust in men was exacerbated whenever female clients came to her with their custody or child support or sexual harassment problems. He’d been shocked when she’d agreed to become Brandt Wainwright’s legal counsel. Brandt was her only male client.

      “What do you want me to tell him?” Alexander asked.

      “Is he here tonight?”

      Her brother nodded.

      “If that’s the case then I’ll tell him myself.”

      “No, Zee. I don’t need you to get in his face and lecture him about his responsibilities. I’ll tell him you’re currently seeing someone.”

      “Whatever,” she drawled. “You know I’m not into stroking the egos of overgrown…” Her words trailed off when she detected movement behind her.

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