Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 63842 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 319(@200wpm)___ 255(@250wpm)___ 213(@300wpm)
“I know you’re not ready,” I commented after a while. “But it’s time.”
She gave a heavy sigh that sounded like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders, which she probably did. “I know.” She rubbed her face once more against my back before carefully dismounting.
Lana Thompson was already on the steps when we came up, her red hair sharp against the pale stone in the morning light. She wore a dark blazer and had a leather portfolio tucked under one arm, and she looked at us both with the kind of attention that missed nothing.
“It’s good to see you,” she said, looking at Jade directly. “How are you holding up?”
“I’m here,” Jade said.
Lana nodded. “It will be over soon, and you won’t have to see him again.” She went through what would happen in this hearing, including what Eric’s attorney was likely to try. It sounded like she expected the exchange to be particularly nasty, so I knew I had to keep myself under control. Lana spoke fast and without softening anything. She was Jade’s lawyer. She treated Jade like someone capable of hearing the truth, which I respected. I listened to every word.
“His attorney will say you’re unstable,” Lana said. “He’ll try to frame this as a personal dispute between two adults, not a documented pattern of abuse. Expect that. Don’t react to it.” She looked at me this time, a clear message in her eyes. “Either of you.”
“Understood,” I said.
Inside, the wide corridor with marble floors made sound carry. Voices layered into each other off the high ceiling. I stayed close to Jade’s left shoulder without crowding her. She was managing. Barely, but managing.
Then her footsteps slowed. I followed her sightline across the corridor and found what had spooked her. Eric stood about thirty feet away near a set of wooden benches, surrounded by three other people. Two men in suits, a woman with a tablet. He was tall, leanly built, and he wore his suit like it had been fitted for the specific purpose of walking into this room on this day and looking exactly right. His hair was dark and perfectly cut. I supposed he could be considered handsome in most circles. All I saw was a soft, privileged man who thought he could hurt people because he had enough money to buy his way out of whatever trouble came his way.
His gaze moved over the corridor in small sweeps that looked casual but weren’t. I’d done the exact same sweep of my surroundings every day of my life in prison. He read the room the same as I did, but for different reasons. I knew what I was looking for. I thought I knew what he was looking for too.
His gaze found Jade. And he smiled a smile so filled with evil it made the hair stand up on the back of my neck. He stared at Jade for three full seconds before he turned back to his attorney.
I moved to put my body between Jade and his line of sight. I didn’t touch her. Just placed myself where I needed to be. I heard her exhale very softly behind me before feeling her hand on my back. I didn’t hesitate to reach behind me, finding her arm and sliding my palm down to grasp her hand and squeeze.
Eric’s attorney came to us. He was older than Eric by a good ten years, blond, with an expensive watch and the practiced ease of a man who’d had this conversation in a hundred different hallways. He addressed Lana first, which told me something about his read of the situation.
“Ms. Thompson. Always a pleasure.” He didn’t extend a hand. Neither did she. “We were hoping there might be an opportunity to resolve this before we go in. Conserve everyone’s time. My client is willing to discuss reasonable terms --”
“Ms. Harper has nothing to discuss,” Lana said.
“Perhaps Ms. Harper --”
“She doesn’t have anything to discuss,” Lana said again, the same words at exactly the same volume, with exactly the same expression, closing the door on the discussion.
The attorney shifted his attention to Jade. “Ms. Harper, I think if you consider the full picture here, you might find --”
“No.” Jade’s voice cracked on the single syllable, but she didn’t take it back.
The attorney looked at her for a beat, reassessing the situation. Then he smiled, tipped his head slightly, and walked back to his client.
Lana urged us toward the courtroom doors without a word. I followed, keeping Jade’s hand firmly in mine. She didn’t object. In fact, she squeezed my hand like a lifeline, which told me all I needed to know about what she needed from me.
It wasn’t long after that the big guns showed up. In the form of my actual brother. Ethan didn’t acknowledge me as he stomped down the corridor to stand at Ms. Thompson’s side. The look on his face told me all I needed to know about my little brother’s mood. Good and pissed didn’t even begin to describe it.