Page 85 of The Seven Rings
“Lips, sealed.”
Trey walked over, sat on the edge of his father’s desk. “Motion to dismiss denied, bail set at five thousand. Trial date set for September. The judge didn’t take kindly to him calling Sonya a bitch in his court.”
Deuce scratched the side of his neck as Ace muttered under his breath. “Jury trial?”
“Requested, yeah. The possibility of actually going to jail has him scared shitless.”
“Good. Pushing in that house.” Ace all but snarled it. “Trying to strong-arm a woman that way.”
“Derrick Morley’s prosecuting. Lowell Chase for the defense.”
“Lowell’s not bad,” Deuce considered. “Morley’s better.”
“Yeah, and Morley agrees with my take. He’ll ask for a deal to avoid jail.”
“A little time in would teach him a lesson,” Ace said, “but dealing means Sonya doesn’t have to go through a trial. We’ll bank on getting arrested, facing all this taught him that lesson, and he leaves that girl alone.”
“After watching him today? I’m confident of that. If he was scared enough to run out of the manor, he’s still running scared. The fact is, she won’t be worth it to him after this. He’ll twist it around in his mind, but pushing at her won’t be worth the consequences now that he’s had a taste of them.”
“I’m going to agree. I’ve seen his type. Cowards under it.”
As Trey nodded at his father, Ace spoke up.
“That girl’s a jewel. And you ought to put one on her finger, boy.”
“Ace.”
Ace just sighed, turned to his son. “I don’t know where this boy gets his snail speed from. It sure isn’t from me.”
When it rang, Trey pulled his phone out. “This sure as hell isn’t snail speed. It’s Derrick Morley. Yeah, Derrick, got news for me?”
He listened, nodded, said, “Uh-huh. Yeah, agree, quicker than I expected. I appreciate it. Let me know when you have time for that beer. Yeah. Bye.”
He pocketed the phone. “The full fine of two thousand, eighteen months’ probation. Mandatory anger management. Defense grabbed at the first offer.”
“That’s a good outcome,” Deuce decided. “Done and over. Sonya can put it all away.”
“She has, but this will help keep it there. I’m going to my office, give her a call, and let her know.”
“Buy that girl a ring!” Ace called out as Trey left.
Trey just shook his head and kept going.
In her office, after speaking with Trey, Sonya just laid her head on the desk.
Clover tried Ariana Grande’s “Breathin.”
“I am, yeah, I am. And yeah, this has all taken too much energy, but now it’s relief. It’s like opening a vent so all that pressure’s gone.”
Sitting up again, she texted her mother, and since Cleo had gone off to paint at the cove, added her.
It’s done. He took a deal, pleaded guilty. 2K fine and eighteen months’ probation, add mandatory anger management. If he contacts me again, probation’s broken, and he goes to jail. We can all relax. Love you both.
Winter answered in seconds.
Not only good news, just wonderful news. You stood up to a bully—more times than once—and the bully paid. I’m proud of you. And love you both bunches.
Relax, hell,Cleo texted on the heels of Winter’s,celebrate! He got less than he deserved, but it’ll do. Now, in our world, he will cease to exist. Love you both back.
