If carrying two trays balancing ten steaming cups of Starbucks, while sprinting two busy midtown New York City blocks in stilettos, were an Olympic sport—Priyanka Seth would be a fucking gold medalist. But damned if this is what she'd signed up for. Panting and heaving through a side-splitting ache, she'd barreled through the lobby, shot up the elevator and clattered through the reception of Mercer, Nagao & Silver five minutes late.

The glimmer of warning in Marai Nagao's eyes as she swung into the conference room said her tardiness hadn't gone unnoticed, either. Wordlessly, Priya circled the room, handing out cups to the appropriate members at the table.

Six weeks of this, she knew how each senior partner took their coffee by rote.

When her trays were empty and hands free, Priya slunk to the corner of the conference room and claimed the only empty seat—designated for her next to Heather Scott, Marai's executive assistant of five years, and pulled out her notepad from her purse.

"What did I miss?" she whispered, clicking the end of pen and cracking open to a fresh page.

"They started off with a call to revise the company's by-laws, as put forward by Courtney Cole, to equalize senior partners' commissions," Heather answered softly. Her legs crossed and busy taking minutes for the meeting. "That led to some want to push harder for new business while others think we should keep our focus on courting our existing clients."

Priya hummed, pen racing to keep up with Heather's hushed summary and the heated exchange whipping around the table. Daniel Chu at the head of team New Blood versus Courtney Cole firmly planted in team Old Money.

"We're spread thin enough as it is," Courtney stood, her warm brown cheeks flushed with aggravation that thickened the Dominican accent she strove ardently to hide. "We've grown exponentially in the last five years and yet want to cast our net wider rather than focus on strengthening our foundation before building a second addition."

Daniel swivelled lazily, leg crossed and bold argyle socks that would've made Hadrian proud. "You're the one bitching she doesn't make enough money. The prospect of more business should elate you."

Courtney set her fists to the table, snarled. "It would, Daniel, if the senior partner commission split wasn't skewed in your favor."

"Speculation and conjectures." Daniel waved a hand. "And I think you'll be singing a different tune when I tell you I've got sit down lined up with the CTO of Oculus."

Priya's head shot up like a wolf scenting a new baby lamb. She'd heard about them splashed throughout the papers. A two billion dollar software giant that swallowed up a small VR gaming tech company.

This, oh god, this!

She was tired twiddling her thumbs while sitting on the bench for weeks, waiting for the coach to throw her into the game. So as the meeting wound to a close, the members rise from their seats and spreading out into the halls, Priya stuffed her notebook into her purse and pounced.

Marai Nagao managed to move swiftly on short legs and high heels. Her phone in hand and eyes glued to the screen, expertly weaving around bodies like cars on a freeway. Priya pushed to a speedy jog to catch up.

"Ms. Nagao," she sang out loud enough to tug on the named partner's ear. "Can I have a moment of your time?"

Marai cocked a wrist and shook a slanted wing of dark hair from her face. The left side still razed low in a badass fade Priya doubted anyone else at the top of the legal ladder would have the balls to sport. "No. I've got an important call in five minutes."

She swivelled towards the open door of her corner office but Priya loped past her and swung out her arm, bracing the doorway to stop Marai cold in her tracks. "This will only take two."

Dark, narrow eyes thinned to lethal slits. "One."

"I want in on the sit down with Oculus."

Marai cocked a hip. The grey pencil shirt stretched taut over strong thighs. Shayne had taken one look at Ms. Nagao last week as Priya's guest for an associate dinner, and whistled low under her breath in appreciation of a solid body. "Do you?"

Priya locked her arms her side to avoid wringing her hands. "I understand I am yours for the next year, but in six weeks I've been barely utilized for anything more than shuffling papers and fetching whatever you need. Mainly coffee. I'm supposed to be your mentee, not your second assistant." Over her shoulder, Priya heard the sound of Heather's unimpressed snort, wafting from her cubicle.

Plum lips pursed ever so slightly. Equally unimpressed. "I see."

"I don't mean to complain," she added quickly. Even though I kinda do. And hoped the lie didn't show in her eyes. "But I think I could be an asset to Mr. Chu in this endeavour and would like an opportunity to stretch my legs for more than coffee runs and filing briefs."

Marai's hand lifted, clear nails flashing in a slight flick that meant move or else. She stepped out of the way and Marai swept into her office, head high and shoulders drawn. Priya was just about to accept defeat when she pivoted and lanced her with a solid glare.

"You have my leave to approach Daniel with your request. The decision will remain up to him how best to utilize you. And if he does, I expect you to manage your schedule accordingly, without issue or complaint." Before Priya could enjoy the quick punch of victory in her heart, Marai stepped forward, all warning and blazing authority. "While I appreciate you're a young woman of ambition, who holds herself in high regard, I'm not convinced you're as good as you think you are. I may have chosen you as my mentee but don't forget how you got there. I certainly haven't."

The door swung shut, slow and soft in her face and Priya rocked back with an unsteady breath.

And took a moment to gather herself, locking her spine straight, before she swung down the corridor. The senior partner offices lined the eastern wing of the floor. A glistening stretch of glass walls with names printed in gold. Their titles slapped beneath them like trophies.

One day. One day she'd be there. And then she'd climb higher still, until she earned a corner office of her own and a team of lawyers to spread beneath her feet like a carpet. She'd be a force in this city. Powerful a nuclear bomb primed to obliterate. Her name would shake the foundation of any court room, and the bones of anyone stupid enough to take her on.

One day.

Priya halted outside of Daniel Chu's office and brushed her knuckles against his glass door. He stood by his desk, facing out over the city. Take, broad and a sharp dresser for a man in his late forties. Silver winged on either side of his face, but he made no efforts to hide it. Playing up the distinguished look with a smart goatee of edged black to hide his weak jaw.

Men, she thought with a sad shake of her head, all they needed was to grow a beard and trendy haircut to hide behind, while a woman had to face aging head on. Owning every wrinkle and crease that lined her from brow to throat like a gladiator, proud of her battle scars.

And she'd promised herself, years ago while watching her aunt's grapple with insane diets and obsessive cosmetic procedures, that she would embrace each year, and the marks that came with it, without fear and an accepting heart.

"Ms. Seth." Daniel crossed to her, a devious glimmer in his brown eyes, small and deep-set. "The dragon let you out of her cave, I see."

She smothered her grin. Barely. "I wanted to speak with you, about the Oculus sit down next week?"

Daniel extended an arm, inviting her inside and shut the door behind her before returning to his desk. This time to sit behind it. "I take it you're looking for a seat at the table," he said, unfastening the button on his blazer as he lowered into his chair. Flashing his white shirt against the grey steel of his suit.

"Yes," she admitted, claiming one of the two sleek, metal framed chairs facing him. Low backed and cream leather to match the settee and other fixtures. Remove the desk and it had the presence of an expensive living room in a penthouse. As did most of the senior offices. Considering many of them spent more time here then they did at home, it only made sense.

Daniel set his elbows to his arm rest and steepled his fingers. "You've been with us for...nine weeks?"

"Fourteen." Priya crossed her ankles, rather than her legs, and folded her hands in her lap. "But officially signed on as Ms. Nagao's mentee a month and a half ago."

He nodded, a slow bob of his chin. "I remember your probono case. Pretty impressive stuff."

She kept her smile straight and without a sliver of doubt. "Hopefully my next case will bring some of that profit return of the firm."

He flashed a grin of capped teeth. There was no mistaking veneers, even if they were expertly done. "You know, I like you Ms. Seth. You're a go-getter who isn't afraid to speak plainly about what she wants. We all know word spreads like a rash in this firm, and in the last ten minutes I've had a dozen other first years approach me about tagging on to this venture," he continued, "but none with the balls to walk in here and face me, as you have."

Priya released a slow, steady breath. "Thank you."

"I take it you've secured Ms. Nagao's blessed."

"Yes. Otherwise I'd have been here long before those emails had a chance to roll in."

His smile broadened and a hand lowered to the edge of his desk, fingers tapping with restless musicality of someone she gathered knew how to work keys on a piano with finesse. "I'll give it due consideration," he said at last then added at the fall of her face, "it's only fair I give the others the impression of a fight chance."

Priya rose and brushed a hand over her thighs, smoothing her slacks. "I understand. Thank you for your time."

Outside of his office, Priya held herself together long enough to make it to the breakout room. The one furthest from the core of the office, and closest to reception. Slipping inside, she shut the door and did a quick, whooping happy-dance. Complete with twerking.

"Now that's a hell of a sight at ten am on a lovely Tuesday morning." Lorraine sidled into the breakout room. Her straightened, dark hair swooped into a high bun and dressed in a flowing white sheath dress that likely cost half a month's salary. "I never understood how someone could move their body like that."

Priya shot straight at the sound of Lorraine's rich laugh and beamed a flashing grin. "You can't twerk?"

"If there's a gene, somewhere along the line I missed it."

"Want me to show you?"

"No ma'am, not with this booty." Lorraine cocked a generous hip. "If I tried dancing like that I'd throw my back out."

Priya snorted.

"What's put you in such a fine mood?"

Deciding there wasn't any harm in sharing with Lorraine, someone she'd come quite close to in the last three months, Priya gave her the complete rundown and finished with thrusting her arms into the air as she sank into a SUPASTAR lunge.

"You actually used the word fetch?" Lorraine giggled, punching the pad on the coffee machine for a cappuccino. "To Ms. Nagao's face?"

Straightening, Priya dropped her arms. "Is that all you took from what I just said?"

"Oh, no I caught every word, but I'm having a hard time picturing that ballsy little stunt. You must've caught her in a rare mood." She poured sugar into the clear glass mug and gave the contents a quick stir. "She's fired first year associates for less."

"I may have had a momentary lapse of sanity," Priya agreed. Arms crossed, she joined Lorraine by the gurgling Nespresso. "But I mean, come on, my name is not Fido for crying out loud, and yet she treats me like that's all I'm good for."

"So you'll be working closely with Daniel Chu."

"Unofficially," she corrected, lips quirking. "But he as good as said yes without saying 'yes' in the typical lawyer fashion."

Lorraine eased against the counter, mug gripped in her hands and aqua nails bright against her deep umber skin. "Be careful with that one."

"Why?"

A crease shot between her thin brows. "I'm not able to say. An NDA was passed around last year but...from one friend to another, he's a bit of a skeeze."

Priya rolled her eyes. "He's a middle-aged man in power. They're all skeezy."

Lorraine hooked her tongue over the edge of her teeth and sucked gently. "All the same. Keep your head on your shoulders. He may be a senior partner, but there are many who'd argue he's really the one calling the shots around here. Not Marai Nagao."

Priya watched as Lorraine slipped out of the break room without another word, puzzling over Lorraine's cryptic warning. So the guy was a bit of a skeeze? Like hell she was going to back out of a sit down with a billion dollar company and a seat at the table with one of the firms most affluent senior partners. If she played her cards right, this would be a hard swing from a nine iron to send her ball flying out of the weeds, where she'd been trapped, and sailing towards the hole.

If she let this slip through her fingers, who knew how long it would take for another opportunity to present itself? Patience had never been one of her strong suits, and it was getting so damn hard to keep her chin up in the bull pen. Surrounded by the remaining associates she'd battled against for the mentor-ship. It was strange, working shoulder to shoulder with them, having earned the prize they'd all coveted. At first they'd looked at her with scorn and envy. Now it was mainly...amusement.

And pity.

But that was going to change. She'd work with Daniel, blow the senior partner and the team from Oculus away with her dazzling wit and charm, and prove to Marai Nagao, once and for all, that she was every bit as good as she knew she was.

**AN**

Annnnnnnnnnd we're back!!!

Naturally, I had to kick off with my girl, Priya. I'm excited to delve into the Sisterhood and to expand their lives, stories and shenanigans. I've got a lot of fun, laughter and bumps planned ahead so strap in and enjoy the ride.

I'm also crazy excited for my trip to Atlanta where I'll be speaking on a WATTPAD panel with

Like, I can't even. It's going to be a hell of a lot of fun. Follow me on Twitter and Snapchat (@fallondemornay) to keep up with the shenanigans. Lots of crazy, awesome stuff is going to go down, that's for sure.

And if you have any questions or thoughts about the SISTERHOOD - or the upcoming wattpad panel in Atlanta - let me know in the comments below - and I'll answer as soon as possible.