The Devil You Know （The Devils #3）
Elizabeth O'Roark
1
BEN
When Gemma Charles smiles at you, rest assured you抮e fucked. And she抯 been smiling since she entered the courtroom.
Her client, Victoria Jones, is about to lose her three children. The prosecutor has provided his evidence, and you can make anything sound believable if you know how to tell a story.
Unfortunately for him, Gemma tells a better one.
She begins by proving the grounds for the welfare check were baseless. She plays bodycam footage showing a gross abuse of power by both the police and the social worker.
She proves the letter notifying Victoria of the visit was mailed after the visit. She抯 blown up the social worker抯 photos of the dirty kitchen floor梩he only specific complaint made about cleanliness梐nd asks the social worker to demonstrate how, exactly, Victoria was supposed to get the floor clean while confined to a wheelchair.
And Gemma, naturally, has brought a wheelchair and a broom with her for the demonstration.
The court is laughing, the judge is getting irritated, and Gemma is in her element. She has the face of an angel梙igh cheekbones, wide mouth, almond-shaped eyes梑ut she抯 too goddamn argumentative and short-tempered to do anything but fight for a living. She抯 gliding across the floor like a dancer and turning the courtroom into a circus, one in which the arresting officer and social worker are the clowns. She抯 clearly proven her case, but she抯 still going strong because she抯 so fucking mad. She wants every single person in this room to see how ludicrous and unfair the situation is.
揗iss Charles,?grouses the judge as Gemma begins to push the wheelchair out, 損ut that away. This isn抰 drama class.?He turns to the state抯 attorney. 揗otion is denied. This was a disgusting abuse of power on the part of social services, and I won抰 forget the way you just wasted the court抯 time.?
Victoria and her family cheer. Gemma hugs them all before rushing toward the exit. I抦 hidden at the back of the courtroom, but I catch a glimpse of her eyes just before they disappear behind sunglasses.
She抯 crying. And I抦 not sure they are happy tears.
2
GEMMA
Two Years Later
The devil on my shoulder is summoned every other Monday.
This morning, as I prepare for the all-staff meeting, he抯 dancing like a flame in my chest, and I can抰 seem to put him back in his place.
I flat-iron my dark hair until it hangs sleek and shiny, just past my shoulders. I spend extra time on my makeup and put on my good luck heels, which will only bring me to my nemesis抯 shoulder, but will at least level the playing field a bit. When we enter today抯 meeting it抣l feel less like David versus Goliath, and more like Churchill versus Hitler.
To be clear, I抦 Churchill in this scenario.
I rush out the door and into the bright September sun, reaching my building with only moments to spare. Fields, McGovern, and Geiger is on the fifteenth floor of the most sterile, soulless building in LA, and that抯 fitting. They抮e also LA抯 most sterile, soulless law firm. It抯 why I chose them.
The conference room is already full when I arrive, and I抦 aggrieved to discover he has beaten me in. His head梐 foot higher than any other梚s positioned directly across from the seat saved for me by my assistant, Terri. Has he done this on purpose? Undoubtedly. Ben Tate lives to irritate me. And he barely needs to try梩he sight of his smug face is enough.
Behave yourself, Gemma, I think as I cross the room. For once, don抰 stoop to his level.
I抦 not normally so restrained, but it抯 a big day for me. FMG is excruciatingly stingy with partnerships, and aside from Ben梬ho came here as a partner two years ago梥omeone either needs to retire or die before I can step up. Fortunately, two partners plan to retire next spring. Perhaps I can stop hoping tragedy strikes.
Terri slides me a latte as I take the seat beside her. 揧ou抮e wearing the good luck shoes,?she says with a nod at my profoundly expensive baby-blue Manolos. I抳e never lost a case wearing them. 揧ou think this is it??
揑t had better be after they amped it up the way they did,?I growl.
Though other associates have been at the firm longer （including Craig, Ben抯 bland favorite） none of them bring in anywhere near the amount of work I do, nor have they garnered the kind of publicity I have.
Gemma Charles, Junior Partner. FMG抯 only female partner. It has such a nice ring to it, and God I抦 going to love watching that smirk on Tate抯 mouth fall away when he hears it for the first time.
He抯 been my sworn enemy since his first week here, when he somehow managed to steal Brewer Campbell, a prospective client I抎 spent six months courting. I抦 alone in my hatred, however: the other women on staff don抰 care that he抯 a smug bastard and stealer of clients. They don抰 care that he barely seems to notice they exist. Apparently, all you need to be forgiven around here are broad shoulders and a winning record.