The Intern: Enemies To Lovers

I’d just spent the last thirty minutes on my knees, emptying a few of his boxes, and I’d moved faster after he expressed how badly he needed those files.

And now, I wasn’t good enough?

Why hadn’t he voiced that to me instead of going to Dominick? He hadn’t complained even once, so I’d had no idea he was so unhappy.

Sure, he’d barked.

He’d been dickish.

There had also been times when he was quiet, rarely engaging me in conversation.

But I understood that. That was the type of person Declan was-busy in his own head, demanding in his words, in control of all actions around him, with no patience for nonsense and bullshit.

But to just dump me? After three days?

Dominick was going to think I was inefficient and unprepared for this internship, that my family had made a mistake by bringing me on-or worse, that I wasn’t good enough for a full-time position when the time came.

Declan … how dare you!

Why would he do this to me?

Because of what had happened between us? Because I’d claimed to not remember?

But he was the one who had fucked me and then gone directly into Madison’s arms.

Despite all of that, I was still giving him my best at the office, and I wasn’t letting that night define my job.

Unlike him, who was clearly affected by something or he wouldn’t be treating me like shit.

For such a seasoned lawyer-an adult for that matter-he was certainly acting like a baby.

“She won’t be transferring to another litigator,” Dominick replied. “She’s staying put.”

“You’re telling me that for the next four months, you’re going to keep me with an employee I don’t feel like I can properly mentor? Or work with?” Declan asked, his voice rising.

My fingers tightened on the silver knob, my entire body shaking.

“Don’t you think you’re being a little harsh?” Ford asked.

Ford?

Oh God, Ford’s in there too?

“Harsh?” Declan replied. “From the very beginning, I was upfront and honest that I didn’t want an intern. Now, you give me someone who has no skills, zero experience. Whose hand I need to hold. I just don’t have time for it.”

No experience-I could accept that.

But no skills?

That’s what he thinks of me?

I glanced down at my arm, where a folder rested on top of it, my finger lodged in between two heavy sections of paper, marking a specific area. I’d practically screamed when I came across this during my filing. Since my first day here, everyone on his team had been scrambling to find information for one of his upcoming trials, staying at the office until past midnight every night, constantly on edge, all because no one wanted to disappoint Declan and his desire to win. They all had been looking for the information I was holding.

And now, I had it.

A precedent that wasn’t just going to help him with the trial; it was going to ensure he won.

But I have no skills, right?

We’ll see about that.

Game on, dickhead.

I knocked on the door.

“Come in,” I heard.

While twisting the doorknob, I pushed every bit of emotion out of my body-the anger, the resentment-and I walked inside Dominick’s office.

“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I said when all four sets of eyes landed on me. I was surprised to see that Jenner was in here too. “But I found something and had to share it with you.” I spoke directly to Declan, moving closer to where he was sitting.

I hated that his rich, spicy cologne immediately hit my face and that I loved the scent so much.

It didn’t matter how awful he was; his gaze affected me in the most outrageous, powerful ways.

Like the way he was looking at me now.

Like he wanted to bend me over his lap and spank my bare ass.

“You’ve been so concerned about the Kennedy trial …” I referenced the case, which happened to be Dominick’s client, so my family would know the importance of whom I was speaking about. “Your whole team has been scouring every resource, looking for precedent, but they’ve been unsuccessful in locating one that will really sway the jury.”

I opened the folder to the place where my finger was wedged inside and set it on his thighs. “While I was doing your filing, I came across this case. It’s from seven years ago, but it’s one I studied heavily while I followed your career.” I let that bit of information sink in. “In this case”-I nodded toward his lap-“you used a precedent that I believe will be more than sufficient for the Kennedy case.”

“Is she right?” Dominick asked.

Declan looked at my cousin and then back to me before his stare dropped to the folder. I watched his eyes skim several lines before he flipped through a few pages.

He slowly glanced up. “Yes.”

One word.

That was all he would give me.

I smiled. “I’ll get back to the filing now.”

I didn’t wait for anyone to respond.

I didn’t look at any of their faces.

I didn’t even pick up the folder from his lap.

I just walked out into the hallway, feeling all their eyes on me, and returned to Declan’s office, going right back to the cabinet, where I resumed my duties.

As I placed the folders inside in alphabetical order, I couldn’t escape my thoughts.

Declan Shaw wasn’t the man I’d thought.

At this pace, I truly didn’t know how I was going to survive this. It would be one thing if he didn’t show appreciation, if he was constantly grumpy and demanding-I could deal with that. But knowing he didn’t want me here, that he would rather have anyone but me, that hurt. And that was a feeling I couldn’t overcome.

“Why the hell would you rush into Dominick’s office, interrupting our meeting?”

Surprised by the sound of his voice, I shot my attention toward the doorway where Declan was standing, his shoulder leaning against the frame, his hand clutching the folder.