Page 16 of Duress
“Alright, man. Why am I here?” I slump down in one of the leather chairs that face his obnoxiously large, bespoke solid oak desk. It looks like it belongs in the Oval Office, not some study in an overpriced McMansion. I’m sure he spent more than one of my paychecks on the gaudy piece of furniture. Whoever said money can’t buy taste was right.
“Dominick Reeves.” Bryce sits down in the chair behind the desk and steeples his hands under his chin. Could he look at more cartoonishly evil?
“What about him?” A sick sense of dread slithers through my gut at the mention of Dominick’s name. He is Serena’s ex-fiancé and an abusive piece of shit. Oh, and a dirty cop and a murderer. If Bryce thinks I’m going to help him get Dominick out of prison, he can get fucked.
“I heard a rumor that the confession by a one Brad Hopper was obtained under legally dubious circumstances. And without that confession, there’s nothing linking Dominick to the murder of Todd Dennison. Without the murder conviction, Dominick could go free in as little as a year. I’ve been tasked to get Dominick a new trial that will overturn the murder conviction. This case could set me up for life. I need you to admit that you coerced the confession out of Brad so we can get a judge to sign off on a new trial.”
I sit and wait for the punch line. Agotchamoment from Bryce. There’s no fucking way he’s serious about this.
“You’re kidding, right? You wantmeto help you get Dominick Reeves out on a technicality? The main who beat my current partner and put a black eye on the Birch Falls PD? That Dominick Reeves? You’ve lost your fucking mind.” I stand to leave, unwilling to hear any counter argument he has. I knew my brother defended scumbags, but this is beyond petty DUI busts or financial crimes. Dominick is dangerous. He is exactly where he deserves to be.
“Dane, sit the fuck down.” Bryce stands, leaning on the desk, his hands pressed to the shiny, polished wood.
“You are going to help me with this case. If you don’t, I’ll stop paying the rent on Mom’s house. I’ll open my own investigation into how exactly it was that you obtained that confession. I’ll look into your partner and her husband, Kai, and put together a story of how they conspired to put Dominick behind bars so they could be together. Do. Not. Test. Me.”
I open my mouth to respond, but Everly appears in the doorway, her hair pulled up in a messy bun, still dressed in only Bryce’s shirt. There is fear in her eyes as she takes in the scene before her. Bryce leaning aggressively over the desk; me with my arms crossed over my chest, jaw tight with anger.
“Dinner is ready, if you guys are hungry.” Her eyes bounce between us, like we are two lions ready to fight over the same piece of meat. The anger radiating off Bryce melts away in an instant; his normal, polished, cool façade slips back into place.
“Thanks, babe.” Flashing her his bestyou can trust mesmile, he saunters to Everly and backs her against the wall before crushing his mouth to hers in a possessive show of dominance. I try not to watch, but my eyes don’t miss the way his hand slides up her thigh, lifting the shirt just enough to show some dark purple blotches. What. The. Fuck.
When Bryce breaks away from the kiss, her eyes are wild with…fear? His face splits into a feral grin as he shoots a wink my way. “Come on, little brother. Let’s eat. You can think about my proposal.” He walks out of the study, leaving me and Everly alone. Her chest heaving, lips red and puffy, and her eyes blinking rapidly like she’s fighting back tears. I move to comfort her, but she shakes her head, halting me in my tracks.
“Ever—”
“Don’t, Dane. Not here. Not right now.” Her words are just loud enough for me to hear, but they freeze me in place all the same.
“But—” I begin to protest, but she looks up at me, a fierceness in her eyes I’ve never seen before.
“Not. Right. Now.” She bites out each word then turns on her heel, following Bryce to the kitchen, leaving me feeling impotent and angry at this entire fucked up situation.
CHAPTER 14
EVERLY
EVERLY – 21 YEARS OLD
It’s Thanksgiving, and the smell of roasting turkey wafts through the air. My mom and Aunt Clara are busy putting the finishing touches on the sides, while Dad and Uncle James are in the den watching football with my cousins A.J. and Nick. I’m busy pacing around the dining room, setting the table for eight. Bryce is coming to Thanksgiving dinner, and I keep having to wipe the nervous sweat from my palms between place settings. We’ve been dating for two months now, and this is the first time my parents will be meeting him.
I was surprised when he suggested we spend Thanksgiving together. I thought he would be going back home for Thanksgiving break, but he surprised me by saying he wouldn’t be making the three hour drive to Birch Falls. He said he doesn’t care for his stepdad and that holidays are weird for him, so he usually spends them with friends. He’smentioned in passing before about how his own dad left when he was twelve, when his mom gave birth to his brother, but it turned out the baby belonged to another man. His father was so blindsided by the revelation, he just…left. Thinking about the pain a young Bryce must’ve felt being abandoned by his father after his mother’s affair, I don’t blame him for skipping the holidays when he can.
The doorbell chimes as I finish setting the table. The clock shows 4:30 p.m. Bryce is right on time. Thank god. My dad, a federal district court judge, is a man big on punctuality. I’ve seen the lecture he’s given lawyers, witnesses, and other court attendees when they disrupt court proceedings with tardiness. I didnotwant Bryce to be on the receiving end of Judge Strauss’swhy are you disrespecting my timestare. Not the first time they meet.
My dad has never approved of any of my former boyfriends, but I’m hoping the fact that Bryce is a law student will work in his favor. All the previous boys I’ve dated were like me. Creative. Musicians. Artists. Writers. All useless wastes of space in my father’s eyes. As far as my father is concerned, I’m going to college for psychology. I haven’t told him yet I’m planning to double major in psychology and fine arts so I can go into art therapy. I’m hoping the psychology half of the degree will make the art half more respectable in his eyes, but that’s future Everly’sproblem.
When I open the door, Bryce is standing there with a bouquet of flowers and a bottle of wine. He’s wearing a pale green button-down under a dark navy blazer, dark wash jeans, and Italian leather loafers. He looks every bit the up-and-coming hotshot lawyer he plans on being, and I know instantly Dad will approve of him. The nervous energy that has been jangling through me all day melts away, and I momentarily get lost in his warm brown eyes while we stand in the doorway. Bryce is so handsome, it’s unreal. I still can’t believe he noticed me—the shy, artistic introvert, of all people—at that party all those weeks ago.
“Everly, who’s there?” My dad’s booming baritone startles me from my stupor, reminding me I need to actually invite Bryce in. Stepping aside, I hold my breath as Bryce walks in, his face not betraying any worry about what verdict the Honorable Judge Strauss will bestow on him. Bryce deftly shifts the wine and flowers to one hand and offers the other to my father for a handshake.
“Judge Strauss, pleasure to meet you. Thank you for letting me join your family for Thanksgiving.” My lungs begin to burn from lack of oxygen, but I don’t move a muscle as I watch the two men in front of me. My dad grips Bryce’s hand in both of his in a show of dominance, and I see the smallest twitch in the muscle of Bryce’s cheek betraying how strong my dad’s grip is.
“Bryce, nice to meet you. I’ve heard a lot about you from Everly. You’re pre-law?” Dad smiles at Bryce, and just like that, I remember how to breathe. I let out a relieved exhale as Bryce glances at me out of the corner of his eye and gives me a reassuring wink.
“Yes, sir. I plan on focusing on criminal law. I’d like to work my way up to your position someday. Everly has told me a lot about you, and your career is one I aspire to have.”Oh, there we go. Bryce’s humble southern charm melts away Dad’s normally frosty demeanor.
“I like you already, Mr. Carmichael. Come join me in the den while the ladies finish getting dinner ready. Everly, will you go see how much longer it will be until we eat?” Dad takes the wine and flowers from Bryce, only to hand them to me. Bryce flashes me that megawatt smile that reassured me after Brody accosted me at that party, and I know now, like I knew then, that everything will be okay.
CHAPTER 15
