Page 19 of Lost Boy

Not only was his father going to be pissed when he realized that Mitch wouldn’t be under his control any longer, but the firm would never let him go. He’d thought of walking away every day for a year but if he left, he knew that the few clients that Mitch was able to help, would suffer.

The agreement that his firm worked as public defenders twice a year always fell to Mitch. It was the one time for Mitch the cases called to him as a lawyer. Because it wasn’t that Mitch didn’t like what he did. He hated who he did it for. Men and women who he knew were guilty, had no remorse, and would do the same thing again. Money spoke in his world and it made Mitch sick. There’d be consequences if he left. Whatever firm he joined would be targeted. That was why he hadn’t taken his friend Gregory up on his offer to join his family law firm.

Jace and Grant wouldn’t understand.

No one did.

Mitch was stuck and he didn’t know how to get himself out of the mess he was in. It wasn’t fair to Byron. Especially not when what Mitch wanted was Byron to fix the mess that Mitch found himself in. He needed to be fair to Byron though. He was a young guy. He could get another boy easily.

The ringing of his cell phone had him jumping in his seat. Just like usual lately, his stomach cramped as soon as he’d heard the dreaded thing. Mitch never received good calls. There was always a demand from his father or the firm.

Picking up his phone Byron blew out a relieved breath. It was Byron.

He’d promised to answer the phone if Byron called. He couldn’t ignore the younger man.

Damn it. “Hello?” Shit, his voice had squeaked. He cleared his throat. “Hello.”

“Are you okay boy?”

Mitch paused. He didn’t know what to say. He couldn’t fucking talk.

“Obviously not,” Byron said when Mitch didn’t answer. “Take a deep breath.”

Mitch took a deep breath.

“Now blow it out.”

Mitch did.

“Again.”

Byron walked him through several more minutes of deep breathing until Mitch was much calmer.

“Is that better?” Byron asked.

“Yes sir.”

“Good, can you tell me what happened?”

“I panicked?” Mitch hadn’t meant to answer but the words just came out.

“Why did you panic?”

“I can’t press send,” Mitch confessed. “This isn’t fair to you. You don’t know what you’ll be getting into.”

“Mitch,” Byron spoke calmly. “If you didn’t want me, I’d back off. I know that you do though. As you’ve told me as much. Send me the email.”

“I should…I need to make changes,” Mitch tried. He needed to remove some of the checkmarks he’d made.

“No.” Byron didn’t raise his voice but Mitch still flinched. “Send me the email.”

Mitch clicked the mouse and the email was being sent.

“Did you do it?” Byron questioned.

“Yes.”

“Good boy. I promise that everything is going to be okay. Nothing you marked yes or no will change a thing.”

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