The opposing counsel hurries to the bench, looking at me with hate in his eyes. “Your Honor, I know nothing?—”
Judge Moss holds up a hand, silencing the attorney while he thumbs through the papers I complied for him.
He looks at the briefing with interest, going through every page with a practiced eye. Once the judge is done going over the files I prepared at the crack of fucking dawn, he gathers them together and hands them back to me. “This briefing is compiled very thoroughly. Why is this not available to your opposing counsel?”
“It is,” I respond, handing him another file, showing the time stamp of when the courier delivered the documents, with a signed proof of delivery of the man standing beside me. “I had them delivered this morning at nine, giving counsel enough time to go through the evidence before arraignment.”
Face red with fury, the opposing counsel glares at me, then faces the judge. “I was unaware what it was for and?—”
“And you were unprepared,” the judge finishes for him. “If you had taken the time to examine this evidence, you would have seen that this arraignment is a waste of time. Step back, both of you.”
With a smile on my face, I step back to where Perry is looking at me with a perplexed expression. I pat him on the shoulder, squeezing once as I face Judge Moss.
In a clear voice, Judge Moss says, “It has come to the court’s attention that new evidence has come to light. This evidence shows that the defendant could not have—unless he can be in two places at once—harmed the victim, as well as buy a snack from a convenience store.” The judge looks down at Perry, who seems to shrink under his gaze. It’s easy to forget that, just because he’s six five and two hundred pounds, he’s still a child. “Young man, let me extend my apologies on behalf of the state for your ordeal. You’re free to go.”
Smiling, I turn to Perry, holding out a hand for him to shake as his mother wails behind us. “I’ll be in touch. Go hug your mom.”
Tears stream down the young man’s face as he nods. “I will. Thank you for believing me.”
“Of course. Never doubted you for a second. Good luck.”
Perry races to his mother, enveloping her in a tight hug and I gather my things, since this was my only case for the day. The opposing attorney gives me a death glare as he storms past me, but I don’t give a fuck. He had all the information he needed so he could avoid this embarrassment.
The drive back to my firm is spent in a great mood and I whistle the whole way up to my office as the elevator takes me to the tenth floor.
My good mood is made even better when I push my office door open and find Zeke on my couch, looking like sex personified in his well-worn jeans and cut across his chest. There have been plenty of nights that I imagined myself on my knees for him, my mouth stuffed full of his cock while he wears nothing but his cut.
It takes great effort to shake that thought away and smile at him without giving away just how far in the gutter my mind went. “Well, this is a surprise,” I say in a voice that comes out practically normal, if not a little breathy.
Zeke stands, walking up to me. “Counselor.” I give him a dry look, making him snicker. “How did it go?”
My heart shouldn’t pitter patter in my chest at Zeke’s interest in my work, especially this case, but it does. “Good actually.” I step around him and sit behind my desk. “The kid should be released by now. I actually plan to follow up with him, suggest he sue the city. This happens far too often for me to let it go.”
Sitting in the chair across from my desk, Zeke crosses his arms and smirks at me. “For a man that knows all about what we do, you’re a mighty upstanding citizen.”
I roll my eyes. I know he’s giving me shit. “Hardly upstanding. Besides, there’s no changing you deviants. After Rax, I don’t think I can handle much more, so even though none of you are angels, I do what I can to keep you all out of prison.”
Rax one hundred percent killed that guard, escaped prison, and took Finn hostage before they fell in love. But he’s my family, even though I’m not a member of Devil’s Mayhem. I would do anything to keep him out of handcuffs, along with the rest of the brothers.
Growing up, my biological brother and I weren’t close at all. It was like he had a competitive streak with me, always trying to one up me. I’m not sure why—it’s not like our parents pitted us against each other. For some reason though, he had to do what I did, but better. It stopped in adulthood, but our relationship was already tarnished and strained before we could work things out. I rarely see him or my parents, as I don’t go home often and we don’t talk unless we’re around my parents.
The MC is like the family I never had but always wanted. They welcomed me, even though I didn’t manage to keep Rax out of prison. Even though they pay me, they don’t treat me like an employee. They invite me on their rides and charity events, let me show up to the clubhouse when I want, call me to shoot the shit. They might be a little rough around the edges—okay, really fucking rough around the edges—but they’re my family. I’ll always keep their secrets and protect them. A far cry from what I thought I’d be doing as a lawyer, but I still use my power for good for the most part. Like with this case.
Zeke flashes his megawatt smile at me and I swear I swoon. “I think you can handle more than you think.” Is that innuendo? Can’t be, right? Zeke doesn’t feel that way about me. We’ve been friends long enough where he can tell me if he wants something more.
That’s rich coming from me since I have big feelings for him and haven’t said shit about them.
Deciding to ignore the comment, I sit back in my chair and study him. “Why are you here? Not that I mind your surprise visits, but from what I recall, you said this building gives you the itch.”
“Yeah,” he says with a shrug, “it still does, but I came to see you. I can survive for a bit.”
“What’s up?”
“Linc got into some shit. Had some coke on him when he was pulled over by a rookie cop. I need?—”
“Say no more. I’ll take care of it.” Chance, the police officer on our roster, can disappear the evidence. If that doesn’t work, I can figure out a legal loophole to get him off. I’ve gotten better at this lawyer thing since Prez put me on retainer.
“Thanks.” I dip my head in acknowledgment. “What do you think about becoming a patched member?”