Empire of Desire by Rina Kent

Because he’s a jerk. A few days ago, I asked him to let me intern at the firm for the summer and he said no. Point-blank. When I asked why, he ignored me.

Asshole.

So I’m taking things into my own hands. I’m interning here in spite of him and his assholish behavior. It’s the only way to keep myself occupied during the summer.

Besides, he’s not the only hotshot lawyer here. I’ve been between W&S’s walls for years and I know the best attorneys who can keep me distracted and busy enough to stop my overthinking altogether.

“You can do this,” I mutter under my breath and stride down the hall to the open space where junior assistants and interns have their desks.

But I’m not after them. They’re small fish that would never in a million years stand up to Nate.

The ones I’m after are sitting in the break area, drinking coffee and chatting among themselves. The partners.

They have enough power to stand up to Nate and not lose their jobs—hopefully.

Sebastian is one of them.

But he does corporate law, and uh, I don’t really like that. So I’m more interested in the other two. Knox Van Doren and Daniel Sterling. Criminal and international law, respectively.

Both of them are British, have stellar reputations, and are certified playboys.

I keep a low profile as I head to where the three of them are sitting. They usually have these coffee breaks around this time, and Nate has his administrative meetings in the morning, which is why I came in now.

Everything is calculated to give my plan further chance to succeed. I’m taking things into my own hands and it’s all going to be fine.

“Hi!” I say too cheerfully, making three pairs of eyes slide to me. Sebastian smiles and so does Daniel. He has a charming presence that’s similar to Sebastian’s when he was in college—Nate’s nephew is a bit more serious now.

Daniel is pretty in a model type of way with his piercing turquoise eyes, light hair, and fit physique. It’s one of the reasons why magazines love putting him on their covers. That and his shrewd ways in the law circuit. “Gwen! Did you bring us some of your cupcakes?”

“Yeah.” I grin, waving my bribes box. “I stayed up all night making them.”

“You’re a doll.” Daniel takes the box, opens it, but pauses before eating. “Sorry about Kingsley. That must be hard.”

“I’m fine.” Totally. Like I’m not on the verge of mentally collapsing or anything.

But I’ve always thought saying I’m fine, even when I’m not, works. At least people will leave me alone and I don’t have to be the subject of their pity.

“What are you doing here?” Sebastian asks. “For Nate?”

“Nope.”

“Then?” It’s Knox who asks, staring at me over the rim of his cup. I don’t know if it has something to do with the fact that he deals with many dangerous criminals, but he has a gaze that could make a sinner confess his deepest, darkest secrets.

Which contradicts his Prince Charming image. But then again, Dad always said Knox was never the Prince Charming type. He just gives off those vibes.

“I want to intern here this summer.”

There’s a brief silence, and I’m tempted to fill it, but I don’t. I can’t be rambling in a professional setting. These men aren’t Dad’s colleagues anymore. They’re lawyers I need to impress.

“What did Nate say?” Sebastian asks. I know he didn’t tell them about the wedding, but he knows, and that means he’ll constantly refer back to him. Nate is his uncle, after all.

“He doesn’t know.” I pause. “Technically, he refused.”

“Technically?” Daniel grins and that causes his cheeks to crease with gorgeous dimples. “Tell us more.”

“Nate doesn’t think I should intern, but that doesn’t make sense, right? I’m taking pre-law and need the experience to apply for law school, so I can’t just do nothing during the summer.”

“You can.” Knox grabs a cupcake and rotates it between his fingers but doesn’t eat take a bite. “Dan and I didn’t do any pre-law internships and we’re doing just fine.”

“That’s because you guys are geniuses. I’m not. But I’m a super hard worker and a fast learner and I’m definitely not lazy, so I can get all sorts of things done.”

“Nice.” Sebastian raises his mug in my direction. “Continue selling yourself that way and it’ll work.”

“Listen to our Weaver Prince here. He’s worked with enough corporations to know what marketing is,” Knox says, referring to Sebastian—that’s what they call him, prince, because Nate is his uncle and he’s the king.

They called me Shaw Princess, too, when they first met me, but I told them it’s just Gwen. Sometimes, it’s hard to live in the shadow of an otherworldly man such as my dad and to be seen as just an extension of him.

“Does that mean I’m in?” I ask hopefully.

“We don’t personally approve interns, love.” Daniel snatches his third cupcake. “HR does and we just pick.”

“I can’t submit to HR.”

“Why not?”

“Nate, right?” Sebastian asks.

“Yeah.” I clink my nails. “He’ll know I went against his order, and I’d rather he doesn’t find out until I’m in.”