Page 65 of Rock Chick Bonus Tracks

Hector blew out a breath.

Once he’d done that, he shared, “Yeah. It’s possible. Judges aren’t infallible. In this case, the judge was new. Only appointed six months before Seth’s trial. Federal appointment, that’s about politics, not ability or experience, or even understanding of the law. Our team was worried we got him, because he seemed like a cowboy jackass who was aiming to make a name for himself, and that could swing both ways. Seth wasn’t found guilty on all counts, and gotta admit, we were shocked he got hammered with that big of a sentence. The judge pulled some shit with not allowing evidence during the sentencing phase, and I knew our prosecutor wasn’t feeling good about it. Now I know why.”

“So what does this mean?”

“His sentence can be reduced to five years, which means he’s eligible for parole next year.”

“Blooming heck,” she mumbled. But more clearly, she asked, “Why wouldn’t he want me around when he talked about that?”

“Because he didn’t know if you’d take it as good news or bad, and he didn’t want to be there if you took it as bad.”

“Oh,” she whispered, the sadness not lost on him, even with that single syllable.

He held out his hand to her, demanding, “Hand.”

She put hers in his.

He curled his fingers around and rested both on his thigh.

“Write to him,” he encouraged. “Let him know you’re feelin’ good about this possible change.”

“Okay.”

He brought her fingers to his lips and brushed them there.

“Do you still hate him?” she asked quietly.

“I won’t, if he gets out and considers his term in prison as indication he should retire. And then he retires. I will, if he causes you any worry, upset, or puts you in danger.”

“It’ll be interesting to see how that goes,” she murmured.

Maybe interesting to her.

Hector was dreading it.

He knew she’d pick him and her new life over her father if it came down to it. Regrettably for Seth, he might have spent years smothering her with his brand of protection to keep her safer than he did her mother, but he hadn’t spent those years being a good dad.

But even if she’d been dead for years, for Sadie, she’d essentially just lost her mother.

He didn’t want her to lose the last blood family she had left.

Nope.

That wasn’t right.

He never wanted her to lose anything she didn’t want lost ever again.

In other words, whatever happened, he’d suck it up.

For Sadie.

He came in the back door with Eddie. Jet was there, and Sadie was cooking dinner for all of them.

Eddie barely cleared the door after Hector when they heard shouted, “Are you high, Claree?”

Hector stopped and looked to Eddie.

Eddie grinned at Hector.

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