Page 20 of Justice's Reward
“The nurse made her mistake by calling Ariel a low-life skanky biker whore. Pit doesn’t take to his wife and the mother of his child being treated that way. He grabs the woman by the arm, drags her to the doorway, shoves her out, and tells her she better not come back in the room if she knows what’s good for her,” Charlie said.
“What a bitch. She needs to be fired,” Macy said, fuming.
“I agree, but that’s not the end of the story. The nurse goes to the security guardand makes up a story that Pit is hurting the baby. Two security guards come in just when they’d fallen back asleep. When Ariel sees that this is going south and she’s not sure she can keep everything civil, she sends aCode Rossto her whole family, who is staying in the RV in the parking lot and the hotel across the street from the hospital.Code Rossis the bail bonds’ code forEverything’s not okay, help needed,” Charlie says, chuckling.
Charlie breathes deep, then continues. “Baron, War, Roam, Brew, and Remi show up in the room ready to take on whatever is needed. The security guards start to get upset, but Ariel asks them why they are in the room. Remi records what is said and gets the nurse on video stating what she told the security guards. Ariel tells them that the nurse and her husband disagreed with herhusband sleeping in the bed provided for him and that they’d asked her not to come back. Ariel gave them the option of leaving her husband alone, or she was calling all the news organizations and giving interviews on how atrociously she and her family were treated after she’d just given birth five hours before. The nurse withdrew her statement and the security guards apologized. I’m sure the nurse thinks it’s over, but I can guarantee Remi and Ariel will have some way to take care of this. But that’s why I think Ariel deserves an eye candy video.”
Adley ate her food, wondering what the woman’s problem had been. It seemed strange she’d target Pit. Adley wondered if anyone else had problems with her.
Justice pulled out a chair and sat down beside her. He smelled fresh and clean from the shower. At least listening to the storyabout Ariel and Pit had calmed her hormones down, and thank goodness, Justice now had his shirt on. He still had put his ball cap on backwards. His eyes glanced over her.
“Did you get enough to eat?” Justice asked.
Adley nodded, “Yes. Do you have a whiteboard around here?”
“Hmm, no. Why?” Justice asked, buttering his muffin.
“I work better visually and wanted to get all the information in one place,” she said.
“Would butcher paper work? Pit orders big rolls for the restaurant. We could tape it to the wall,” Justice offered.
“Yes, that would be perfect,” Adley said.
“FNG, drive to the restaurant and bring back a roll of butcher paper,” Justice yelled.
“Right away,” he said, grabbing keys and running out the door.
“Can I tell you I love prospects? How can we get some?” Judith asked.
Adley chuckled along with everyone else. She had to admit, they were very helpful.
Chapter Thirteen
Justice watched the woman he’d been imagining in his bed since he’d first met her a year ago. Since then, each time he’d tried to get closer, she’d flipped him off or given him the cold shoulder. It seemed being his attorney had started a slow thaw of the armor Adley wrapped around herself.
But knowing she’d been in danger had made him face some hard decisions. He wanted her with every fiber of his being, and if her reaction to him working out yesterday morning said anything, it screamed that she wanted him too.
When she’d thrown herself into his arms after the attack at her house, he’d realized that it was exactly where he wanted her.
Yesterday, the prospect had delivered the butcher paper, and Adley had spent part of the day laying out the information they had gathered on the wall. When she’d added about being chased at the Arboretum, his heart had almost stopped. He hadn’t even known she was in danger. She could have been lost to him before he made a move.
She’d added all the things that had happened to the Saint’s since his arrest, and she’d added anything that had happened to her from the Arboretum to the current time.
They’d all hung out in the main room of the clubhouse until bedtime last night. Adley, her mom, and her sister had fought over who got to hug and hold Ian. Today,Pit and Ariel were coming home from the hospital. Ariel’s family was heading back home to Bluff Creek and planned to come for an extended weekend in a couple weeks. Pit and Ariel wanted time with just their son and no one staying at their house or having to entertain company.
Pit and Ariel were supposedly getting here after lunch, then taking a nap. They all planned to gather for supper and then go over what Adley had on the list. Justice was hoping that if they talked through it all, something might come to light.
Macy had just taken Ian from Adley. His mom was in the room, and she’d watch Ian without him even asking if he took Adley somewhere. She’d probably shove them out the door. She’d caught him right before he walked into his house last night and told him he needed to seize the day becauseAdley was perfect for him. He’d agreed with her, which, instead of making her happy, had her looking at him like she couldn’t understand him. She’d grabbed his ear and then pulled him down close to whisper, “Then what are you waiting for?”
He walked up close to Adley, leaning down by her ear. “Go for a walk with me?” he asked. He’d prefer a ride, but until he knew what kind of danger Adley was in, he wasn’t taking her for a bike ride by themselves.
She turned, stared into his eyes, and what she saw must have convinced her of something because she nodded yes. He took her hand and led her outside. Although Kansas City was usually brutally hot in August, it was only in the seventies that morning. He led her across the compound, but instead of heading toward his house, he headed closerto his mom’s and aunt’s houses. There was a wooded area between their houses where he, Pit, and Tack had played, built a clubhouse, and ran wild. He wanted to show her a little of his past.
“Thanks for coming with me,” Justice said, feeling like a dork because he normally had no problem talking with women. But Adley was special.
“Where are we headed?” she asked.
He smiled at her as they walked. How long had it been since he’d walked just holding a woman’s hand?
