Total pages in book: 179
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 173733 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 869(@200wpm)___ 695(@250wpm)___ 579(@300wpm)
I’m interested to find out what happens tomorrow when she returns to the stand when she must choose to a) tell the truth, b) lie again, or c) plead the fifth. I certainly hope she chooses to tell the truth, but what is that truth? Her own guilt or perhaps knowledge of someone else’s? Until then, —Cat.
I think of Debbie and her lie. The lie hides the truth. Her lie hid the real father of her baby, to in turn deliver her a payoff. Desperate people do desperate things. Tomorrow, Reese is going to make a lot of people a whole lot more desperate, including the prosecutor.
Morning comes with a jagged-edged energy. I’m hanging over the toilet and hiding it. Reese is hyped up on caffeine, and eager to step into the courtroom, where we all believe he’ll win the trial by way of reasonable doubt, even if he doesn’t end it by way of a confession. I dress in a black dress that fits loosely around the waist, while Reese wears a blue pinstriped suit he has me pick out because he’s on the phone with Royce and can’t seem to actually get dressed.
“Well?” I ask when we’re finally in the kitchen with coffee in hand and he’s off a good half dozen calls.
“Royce doesn’t have anything else for me,” he says. “It’s going to be all on me to break her.”
“You can’t lose,” I say. “You’ll get your reasonable doubt.”
The doorbell rings. “And it’s time,” he says, finishing off his coffee and setting the mug in the sink.
We both gather our things and head to the door. Reese opens it and Savage stands there. Reese and I look at each other, memories of last night in the kitchen encounter between us and we both laugh. Savage runs his hand over his face. “What? Do I have lipstick on my face?”
We all laugh now, and I feel the stress of the last week fading into the past. Even more so, when Royce is waiting for us downstairs. “Wilson was so freaked out about his attack that he confessed to blackmailing you two for money in exchange for police protection. He says the baby’s his.”
Of course, I knew the baby wasn’t Reese’s but knowing that we have that closure is still a relief to hear, and when Reese pulls me to him and kisses me, I know he feels the same. “It’s going to be a good day in court,” I promise him.
We settle into the SUV and Reese pulls me close. “And a good night, too,” he murmurs, the sexy promise warming me all over. We’re back to us, and the idea that someone tried to take that from us doesn’t go away because we won. It just reminds us to hold on and never take each other for granted, which is perhaps the best lesson we could have learned before having this baby.
Lori calls me on the way to the courthouse. “I heard all of the news. My God, we’ve been in hell with a client. I feel horrible that I haven’t been there for you, but I’m so happy it seems to be over.”
“Me too,” I say. “You and Cole are wonderful to be so supportive.”
“Supportive? We haven’t been there for you since you heard at all, but Cole’s been talking to Reese. He’s been keeping me informed and I was afraid if I called too, I might just stir the demons and make you have to keep thinking about them.”
We chat until the SUV pulls up to the courthouse. Reese and I head inside and once we’re there, he kisses me. “Wish me luck, sweetheart.”
“You don’t need luck. They do.”
He winks and I know he’s feeling confident. “Savage,” he says. “Protect what’s mine.”
“Like she is mine,” he says.
Reese arches a brow at him and Savage immediately adds, “But of course, she will never be mine.”
We all laugh again and soon I’m in the courtroom with Lauren by my side. “I heard everything about everything.” She hugs me and then whispers, “I can’t wait to see how this plays out.”
And she doesn’t have to wait long. The judge and jury enter, and it’s minutes before Martha takes the stand and Reese steps in front of her. Once she’s stated her name and swears her oath, Reese takes control.
“Why did you lie yesterday?” he asks.
“I was scared,” she replies.
“Of what?” Reese presses.
“I was afraid if anyone knew I was in a relationship with Mr. Warren, they’d consider me a suspect.”
“How long were you in a relationship with Mr. Warren?”
“Three years.”
“Describe that relationship,” he says.
“We were close,” she says. “He wasn’t the bear to me that he was to others.”
“Did you fight?”
“Never.”
Lauren and I look at each other, and Lauren whispers, “There is no couple that doesn’t fight.”
“Did you fight the night before he died?” Reese asks, ignoring her “no fight” reply.