Page 85 of Say You're Mine

A new resolve hardens within me, steely and unyielding. I may be caged, but I'm far from beaten. I'll find a way out of this. I'll get back to Cara, to our child. And when I do, I'll make sure Elaine never threatens us again.

The sound of footsteps pulls me from my thoughts. A different guard this time, younger, less openly hostile. He slides a tray of what passes for food in this place through the slot in the door.

"Dinner time, Deveaux," he says, his tone almost bored. "Better eat up. You've got a big day tomorrow."

I eye him warily. "What's that supposed to mean?"

He shrugs, already turning to leave. "Heard you've got some fancy lawyer coming to see you. Must be nice, having friends in high places."

My heart leaps. A lawyer? Could it be Dante, making his move already? Or is this another of Elaine's tricks, another way to twist the knife?

I force myself to eat, choking down the tasteless slop. If there's even a chance of seeing someone from the outside, I need to keep up my strength. I need to be ready.

As night falls, bringing with it a chorus of muffled sobs and angry mutters from the other cells, I lie on my bunk, staring at the cracked ceiling. Sleep eludes me, my mind too wired, too full of plans and possibilities.

I think of Cara, wondering if she's lying awake too, her hand on her belly, whispering to our child. The image brings a lump to my throat, a physical ache in my chest.

"I'm coming home to you," I whisper into the darkness. "Both of you. I swear it."

Morning comes too soon and not soon enough. I'm a bundle of nervous energy, pacing my cell, every muscle coiled tight with anticipation. When they finally come for me, leading me to a small, windowless room, I'm practically vibrating.

The door opens, and for a moment, hope flares bright in my chest. But it's not Dante who walks in, not any lawyer I recognize. It's a woman, tall and sleek, with sharp features and even sharper eyes.

"Mr. Deveaux," she says, her voice cool and professional. "I'm Alexandra Kincaid. I've been retained to represent you in this... unfortunate matter."

I eye her suspiciously, searching for any sign of Elaine's influence. "Retained by who?"

She smiles, a predatory flash of teeth. "I'm afraid that's confidential. But I can assure you, I have your best interests at heart."

I snort, unable to keep the bitterness from my voice. "Yeah, I've heard that before. Usually right before someone tries to fuck me over."

Alexandra doesn't flinch, doesn't even blink. "I understand your skepticism, Mr. Deveaux. But I think you'll find I'm very good at what I do. And what I do is win cases."

She opens her briefcase, pulling out a thick folder. "Now, let's discuss your options. The prosecution's case is strong, but not unassailable. With the right strategy, we might be able to get the charges reduced, maybe even dismissed entirely."

As she talks, laying out potential defenses and plea deals, I find myself torn. Part of me wants to trust her, to believe that this might be my ticket out of here. But another part, the part that's been burned too many times, screams that this is just another trap.

"What about Cara?" I interrupt, cutting through her legal jargon. "My wife. Is she safe? Has anyone tried to-"

Alexandra holds up a hand, silencing me. "Mr. Deveaux, I advise you not to discuss any details about your personal life or relationships at this time. Anything you say could potentially be used against you."

Frustration bubbles up, threatening to boil over. "I don't give a fuck about that," I snarl, leaning forward. "I need to know if she's okay. If our baby-"

"Your wife is fine," Alexandra says, her tone softening slightly. "As far as I know, she's safe and the pregnancy is progressing normally. But June – may I call you June? – you need to focus on your own situation right now. You can't help them if you're locked up in here."

I slump back in my chair, the fight draining out of me. She's right, of course. But the thought of Cara out there, facing God knows what while I'm stuck in here, powerless... it's almost more than I can bear.

Alexandra leans in, her voice dropping to a near-whisper. "Listen to me carefully, June. I know you have no reason to trust me. But I promise you, I am here to help. There are... forces at work that you don't fully understand. People who want to see you free, who want to see justice done."

My pulse quickens. Could she be working with Dante? With Judith? Or is this just another of Elaine's elaborate games?

"What do you mean?" I ask, matching her hushed tone. "What forces?"

She shakes her head, a flicker of something – fear? excitement? – crossing her face. "I can't say more. Not here. But if you trust me, if you follow my lead, I think we can get you out of here. Back to your wife. Back to your child."

I study her face, searching for any sign of deception. But all I see is a steely determination, a fierce intelligence that reminds me, oddly, of Cara.

"Okay," I say finally, making my decision. "I'm in. Whatever it takes."

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