Page 24 of Theirs to Take

“Right,” Alex said. “I don’t know what the police will have planned for you once I turn over the evidence against you. That’s between you and them.” He stood and turned to walk out of the judge’s chamber.

“Wait—isn’t there anything that I can do to change your mind?” he shouted after Alex.

“No,” Alex said, not bothering to look back at the guy. There would be no changing his mind. Nova suffered for so long now without her little boy and this was one small way he could help her seek justice for what happened to her. There would be no changing his mind at all.

Nova met him in the entryway and gasped when she saw that he had little Jack in tow. She pulled her son into his arms and kissed him all over his face, making him giggle. “Is he here to stay?” she asked.

“He is,” Alex said. “For good.” He could see how emotional Nova was and he needed to talk to her without Jack’s little ears listening in.

“How?” Nova asked.

“Hey buddy,” Alex said, messing up his hair. Her son smiled up at him and he couldn’t help but smile back. He was so much like Nova; he instantly fell in love with the kid. “How about you watch some television, buddy, while I talk to your mommy?” he asked.

Jack smiled, nodding his little head. “Can I?” he asked his mom.

“Sure, honey,” she agreed. “But just one show and then, you can help me make dinner.”

“Yay,” Jack shouted, pumping his fist in the air. He ran off to the family room and as soon as Nova heard the television turn on, she turned to Alex.

“Spill it,” she ordered.

“I missed you,” he said, pulling her into his arms and covering her mouth with his own.

“I missed you too,” she admitted when he broke the kiss. “But I’ve been dying to find out how your meeting went.”

“Well, I met with the judge, and he was willing to help me. He’s issued a warrant for Simon’s arrest from the evidence that I presented him, and I think that the charges will stick.”

“Evie’s research and evidence worked,” she said. “I just hate that she lost her job because she helped me.”

“It did help. In fact, if it wasn’t for her evidence, we’d have no case against Simon at all. Evie saved Jack,” he said. “You know, I offered her a job at my firm, and she refused.”

“She did?” Nova asked.

“Yep,” Alex said, “she said that she doesn’t want to be a charity case. I tried to tell her that there was no way that she could be a charity case, but she refused to listen to reason.”

“I’ll talk to her,” Nova insisted.

“Actually, I think I have a better idea,” he said.

“You look like you’re hatching a plan, Alex,” she breathed. “I love it when you have a plan.”

“I am,” he admitted. “My brother is single and he’s starting with the firm in a month. He’ll need a paralegal and well, that’s where Evie will come in.”

“Wait, I’m confused,” Nova said. “Are you saying that we should fix Evie and Rod up or we should get him to hire her?”

“Both,” Alex said. “Why can’t we do both? We’ll just have to be a little bit sneaky, crafty, and conniving,” he said.

“All my favorite things to be,” Nova teased. “When do we make this plan happen?” she asked.

“Well, I just got the call from the courthouse that full custody of Jack has been returned to you,” he said.

“The judge has agreed to do that?” Nova asked.

“He has, but it will take a week or so before the paperwork is legally filed. First, Simon has to be arrested, then we can petition the court to show that he’s an incompetent parent and not a good role model for his young son. The judge has already signed off on your paperwork, granting you full custody of Jack.”

“How did you get him to agree to all of that?” she asked.

“I assured him that his name would be left off the list of judges who were paid off by Simon’s firm,” he admitted.

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