Ben smirked at the thought of the man needing backup. When Tim glared at him, Ben grinned. He wasn’t going to be intimidated because the guy had a couple hot shot lawyers. Meredith was more than enough woman to handle both the men.
“Shall we get started?” the older lawyer on Tim’s left asked, clearly not happy to have been kept waiting.
It was a stall tactic, one that put Meredith in the driver’s seat, something Ben had done many times while negotiating business deals.
“Sure, I’m going to tell you all right now, my client is not going to pay a penny to your client,” Meredith stated matter-of-factly.
Tim’s jaw clenched, and he leaned forward as if he wanted to say something, but the younger attorney on his right held him back with a subtle touch on his arm.
“We have a police report and hospital records that prove your client is liable. It isn’t a matter of whether he will pay, but how much he will pay,” the older lawyer replied in a cool voice.
Meredith opened the file she had carried in and pretended to be reading the police report for the first time. “Odd, I’m reading witness statements that clearly state your client was the aggressor. My client protected himself as well as the customers and employees
in the shop at the time.”
“He attacked me!” Tim burst out.
Ben smiled. “No, you attacked your soon-to-be ex-wife. I stopped you. You’re only suing me because she left you and is happy with me. I’m man enough to keep her happy. You weren’t.”
Tim’s eyes narrowed, and Ben could see the vein at the side of the man’s neck throbbing. He was about ready to lose his shit. It had been way too easy to provoke him. Ben waited. The man was calming down. He needed him to lose his temper.
“Getting back to the matter at hand, I’m willing to call it a wash. Your client’s current smear campaign in the press is bordering on libel. Back off, drop the suit and we won’t countersue for defamation and Ben’s own damages sustained in the fight,” Meredith stated firmly.
“It isn’t libel if it’s true,” Tim snapped, earning another grab to the forearm by his attorney.
The man was a loose cannon. It would take a small army to keep him pulled back. Ben saw his opportunity and took the chance.
“The only thing that’s true is that your wife doesn’t want you. She wants me. You hate that you weren’t good enough for her, so you’re lashing out. If I had to guess, I would say she found you,” he drew out a long pause, “unsatisfactory.”
Everyone in the room knew exactly what he was insinuating.
“Shut the fuck up before I show you who’s more of a man,” Tim growled.
Ben shrugged a shoulder. “A real man doesn’t hit a woman.”
“She’s lying. I never laid a hand on her,” Tim denied, looking at each of his lawyers.
Ben shook his head. “I saw what you did to her. Guess who kissed all those booboos and made them better?” he said, not backing down.
“You piece of shit. She’s a slut.”
He shrugged a shoulder. “I beg to differ. She’s a beautiful woman who deserves to be treated right. You’re not man enough to do that in any form. You’re jealous that I’m all the man she needs, and she wants nothing to do with your sorry ass. I’m better than you in every way,” Ben said, his voice dangerously low as he stared directly into his enemy’s eyes.
Tim stood up so fast his chair flew backwards. He lunged across the table in an attempt to grab Ben’s shirtfront. Ben slowly stood, meeting the man’s stare, ready to wipe the floor with him all over again with plenty of witnesses to prove who the real aggressor was.
“I’ll kill you, you son of a bitch. I’m going to make you pay. She’s never getting away from me. She can run, but she can’t hide. Ask her, she’ll tell you I always find her,” Tim said.
Ben watched as the man regained his control and took his seat. The vein was still throbbing at the side of his neck as his attorneys whispered in his ear. The two men stared each other down, daring the other to take the first swing. They were both powerful, strong men who wanted the same thing. Ben knew he was the only one worthy of her.
“If we’re done with the prostrating and dick measuring, can we please get back to the discussion,” Meredith said, clearly not amused with the testosterone flooding the room.
A slow, malevolent smile spread across Tim’s face. Ben fought hard to stay in control of his features. He wouldn’t give the man the satisfaction of getting to him.
“You know, you talk a big talk, but really, how do you think you’re any better than I am?” Tim sneered.
Ben guffawed. “Let me count the ways.”
Tim was slowly shaking his head. “It isn’t like you were any better than I was at keeping her reined in. Where is she now, hot shot?”