In the morning, I knew I was going to regret staying up late. It happened every time I had to wake up early, but I never stopped. After Seth's confession, I haven't heard anything. I wanted to be the lead prosecutor on the case, and unless Marcus called me, Ethan would have found somebody else. I won't let someone else take my position - this isn't anybody but mine's fight.

Kinnick wasn't in bed when I opened my eyes, but I heard commotion downstairs. The sound of Miles's laughter was coming through the hallway. I looked at the clock on the bedside table. Somehow I managed to wake up earlier than the alarm on my phone.

I pulled on a pair of sweatpants before I went on a search for two of my favorite people. They sat at the dining room table, sipping on the smoothies I loved so much. Kinnick looked up to see me coming into the room. He pulled another smoothie from the fridge along with a blueberry muffin.

"Good morning," he pressed a kiss to my forehead as I slid into the spot next to him. "I figured I would get you a little something before going in."

I smiled up at him. "I love you."

"I love you," he rubbed the top of my head. "What time are you leaving?"

"Well, I plan on getting there before Marcus."

"Shit," he laughed. "You could leave her at noon and still get there before Marcus."

"I have to catch Ethan."

He whipped around to look at me. "Who is Ethan?"

"He owns the firm."

"What does he want?"

"No, it is what he doesn't want," I sighed.

"What?" Miles tossed a piece of his muffin into his mouth.

"He doesn't want to give me Seth's case."

"You'll get that case," Kinnick looked at me.

"On my own," I narrowed my eyes. "This is my situation."

He shrugged as Miles smirked at him. "It can easily be my situation."

"No," my head started moving back and forth. "It will never be your situation."

"Then you better warn Ethan."

"I am warning you."

His blue eyes fell on me. "Are you threatening me?"

"No, I am putting you in your place."

He licked his teeth as I turned to Miles. "Make sure he stays here, okay? I hate to make you babysit him, but clearly, the little baby needs a sitter."

Miles snickered. "Anything for you."

I stood up from the stool to kiss his cheek. "I knew I liked you more."

"I think you've said that before."

My shoulder lifted up. "I like to recycle."

"Well, let me know when you want to throw out your man for a new one."

Kinnick's ears perked up. "Do you want me to kick you out?"

Miles laughed. "Your girl won't let that happen."

"She doesn't have a choice if you try to steal her from me."

"Oh," he cleared his throat. "Not for me. For Trevor."

I choked on my laughter as Miles stated his case. Kinnick clenched his jaw, attempting not to smile. His best friend knew how to pull his strings. He was practically a puppet master. He knew every move Kinnick was going to make before the tattooed fighter did.

While they continued to bicker back and forth, I went back to Kinnick and I's bedroom to get ready. During the fifteen minutes I spent in the shower, I tried to think of what would happen when I got there. If Ethan appreciated me as much as he said he did, I wouldn't have to be there, fighting him for it.

After running a blowdryer over my curls, I slid into a nude suit dress. It was as if it were a blazer jacket, but the waist clung to mine. The metallic color seemed almost pink in one light but gold in another. It complimented my skin tone in a way a lot of other colors couldn't.

I looked at the girl in the mirror. Her reflection caught me off guard. Here and there, I thought I found myself. Every chance I thought I had a grip on life, I fell. Even in school, I never climbed the ropes in fear of showing my weakness to others. But if I don't climb this rope, I am going to be stuck at the bottom for the rest of my life. I want to see the view from the top.

The girl with lively curls and glowing skin told me, you got this. I knew if I wanted to feel confident, I needed to wear a pair of red bottom heels. Hearing them click on the ground gave my heart a shock of motivation.

When I came down the stairs, Kinnick heard my heels. He was chewing on his muffin until he saw me, and he shot up from his seat. Miles jumped as Kinnick's stool screeched against the ground. The fighter who feared no one, and never seemed to get flustered, was stumbling over his words and trying to figure out what to say as his eyes searched my face.

Miles turned around. "Bo, you look lovely."

"Thank you," I pat his shoulder. "Are you okay?"

Kinnick nodded as I approached him. "Mhm."

"Are you sure?"

He started to shake his head. "You are giving me heart palpitations."

"What?"

"Do you dress to kill? Because baby, I am not ready to die," he ran his fingers through his head. "Yet, here I am, watching you dig my fucking grave."

"Maybe you should breathe."

"How? You take my breath away."

A grin pulled across my lips. "I love you."

He inhaled a deep breath through his nose as our lips met. "I love you, B."

I grabbed my purse from the counter before waving at Miles and Kinnick. "Be back soon."

"Be safe," Kinnick said at the same time Miles told me. "You got this, best friend."

On the drive, I felt as if the radio was playing all of my favorite songs. I could have hooked up my BlueTooth, but I guess I was busy enjoying the stations drifting through my speakers more. Marcus told me to wait for him when I got to the firm, but this is my office. I will wait for nobody.

Ethan's face fell as he saw me through his glassdoor. I shoved through the door as his receptionist followed after me. Obviously, he didn't expect me. That must be the reason Marcus told me to wait for him. The brunette behind me said Ethan wasn't in his office as if I didn't hear her tell everyone who has ever called the firm that.

"Sir! I tried to tell her to stop."

I slid into the chair in front of his desk. The phone call he was on seemed important. As his mouth stayed shut, his face screwed up with anger. He pointed towards his office door, telling his receptionist to leave. He won't get me out of here. He knows that.

"I'll see you Friday, Nancy," he leaned back into his seat as he narrowed his eyes at me. "What can I do for you, Boston?"

"You won't put me on the Seth Bennett case?"

He threw his head back. "Marcus called you. That loudmouth -"

I threw my hand up, cutting him off. "So, I am a conflict of interest?"

"Boston, the judge won't allow you to compromise his sentence."

"Excuse me? If I remember right, you sent Mariah into a courtroom to fight against her sister. How is this any different?"

"Boston," he ran his fingers through his hair. "I want you on this -"

"Cut the bullshit," I crossed my leg. "What is the real reason?"

"This is your dad," his brown eyes bored into mine as he tried to search for a sign of agreeance. "I can't have you screwing this up. It is going to be big in the press. A good cop gone bad. Everybody will be on this, and if he walks, then it will be because his daughter let him."

"Ethan," I smiled before delivering an attitude. "I am going to try and put this as nicely as possible. Okay?"

He went to respond, but I stopped him again. "You have two options here. Either you give me this case and let me proceed with the prosecution. Or option two, I will find a new firm that won't second-guess my intentions. Then you can watch your reputation and money walk out those doors with me."

He pointed at me. "Why do you have to do me dirty?"

"Why do you have to bet against me?"

"I never bet against you," he ran his fingers through his slicked-back hair. "You are going to get ripped apart if you lose this."

"That sounds a lot like betting against me," I roll my eyes. "I haven't lost a case."

"Let me pull a few strings."

"Pull a few strings? I am not asking you for a miracle," I furrow my brows. "I am telling you to give me this case."

"Bo -"

"Ethan," I snap back.

"Don't make me suspend you."

"Don't make me quit."

He sucked in a deep breath. "You give me more trouble than anyone here."

"Because I won't take your shit."

"I like you," he smiled. "I did the second I met you."

"Then like me enough to say yes."

"Boston, I am worried this case will affect you differently," he sighed. "This is your dad -"

"You don't know what he did to me."

He frowned. "Sweetheart, I don't want you getting hurt again."

"Don't talk to me like I am six."

"I care about you," he looked up at me. "A lot."

"What are you entailing?"

"I think I have made my feelings clear."

I stared at him with confusion. "You are aware I am engaged, right?"

"I'll give you the case."

"Perfect," I grabbed my purse before I stood up. "Thanks."

"Go out with me," he said as I grabbed the door handle. "One night. That is all I ask."

"Ethan, I already told you, I am engaged."

"As friends," he threw up his hands in defense. "Nothing more."

"Do you know who my -"

"Kinnick Carson," he nodded. "I know a lot about him."

"Just like everybody else in this town."

"No disrespect," he shrugged. "But a man like that is only going to bring you down. You need someone who will help your career grow."

"No disrespect," I opened his door. "But I don't want someone who will help my career grow. I want someone to help me grow as a person. This wasn't the career I wanted anyway."

"Then what did you want to do?"

"I wanted to be a writer."

"You are good at this, though."

"Well, the person I pick to spend my life with doesn't care if I am good at being a prosecutor," I shrugged. "All he wants is me to choose the career that makes me happy."

"Unless you are a good writer, you won't make good money."

"I said the same thing," my stomach swarmed with warmth. "But Kinnick told me to be the best fucking writer this world has ever seen. So, I think I am going to do just that."

"You are done after this case?"

My hands started to shake as I nodded. "Yes."

"You will always have a place here."

I smiled. "I know that, Ethan."

"Then you better make this last one count."