Page 46 of Judgment Day

“Judge Bailey had defended you?”

Exa chuckled sarcastically. “Of course not. He wasn’t upset with the offer. He was mad because I’d come down to the basement, which was off-limits to my adoptive mother and me. He’d turned the offer down and told the doctor that he had something else planned for me. He’d then ordered one of the maids to return me upstairs. I knew the maid, she was nice. She was also butt naked at the time and carrying a tray of champagne for the after-hours guests to drink. She put the tray down and returned me to my room. On the way out of the basement, I looked around, taking in what was happening. Along the walls, there were cages. In front of every cage was a lounge chair with only enough room for two people to sit on. Some of the guests were seated in the lounge chairs. Others were standing around mingling. Inside the cages were men and women. Mostly black and brown men and women. However, I did see a couple of white men. Maybe one white woman. I don’t remember. But, I know I saw a lot of black women in cages. That image is burned into my memories. After all these years, it hasn’t dimmed. It hasn’t faded. I still see them clear as day.”

Exa closed her eyes, trying to force those images out of her mind. Damn, she hated thinking about her past. She relaxed a little when she felt Scar’s hand against her face. His thumb brushed across her cheek. It was amazing how a simple touch from him could help her focus. Exa opened her eyes and smiled at him. She took a deep breath, then finished what she’d been saying.

“Anyway, I reminded the doctor of all of that. After hearing me recant the events of that night, his eyes widened, and he whispered, ‘Angel Bailey’, the name I hate. I knew then that he remembered me. I took his life that night. But his last words weren’t my name. They were, ‘The judge isn’t done with you.’ Can you believe that? Even in his last moments, he didn’t apologize. He didn’t say he regretted what he’d done to others. No, he told me the judge wasn’t done with me.” Exa shook her head. “Later, Nova told me he couldn’t apologize because he felt no remorse. Real monsters don’t feel remorse. They are who they are, and staring death in the face won’t change them. I can’t help but wonder if the judge will apologize during his last moments.” Exa sighed. “I guess I’ll soon find out.”

Even if he did apologize, it wouldn’t matter. No amount of apologizing or good deeds could make up for what he’d done. She didn’t care who forgave him. She never would.

The Timeless didn’t forgive.

Chapter Fourteen

Exa

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“Forget his apology,” Exa said. “I don’t need it.”

“I need it. I’m going to make him apologize to you,” Scar promised her. “That’s a must. But you’re in charge of this mission. Whatever you want to do. However you want to do it, I’m in. You’re the boss. Tell me what to do to help you bring an end to this bastard.”

In the midst of everything going on with his crew, he was still able to put her interests and needs first. This man was everything she’d dreamed of. When she was young, her adoptive mother had always told her to only give her heart to a man who was willing to die to protect it. Exa hadn’t believed men like that existed. At least, not until she met her savage. He made her believe in true love. He made her believe anything was possible.

“If you need to take a breather, you can,” Scar told her.

Oh, right. He’d asked her about her plan. And she’d just laid there, staring at him.

“I’ve got a plan,” she told him. “And I’m going to tell it to you. But, I was just taking a moment to bask in how awesome you are. Wait. Are you blushing?”

“Hell no.” He faced away from her.

She poked his shoulder. “My savage teddy bear is blushing.”

“I’m not.”

“You are.”

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