Page 34 of Red Queen (Red Thorns Crew 3)

I nodded slowly. “Still doesn't tell me who you are.”

She sighed. “Mr. Ryddle. My name is Jessica Hall. I’ll be your attorney. Unless, of course, you have someone else at your disposal?”

Her tired eyes searched my face and I wondered how many other people she had seen before me.

“No, I don’t have any representation.”

She nodded. “All right, then. Let me take a quick look at your file, then we can talk. How’s that sound?”

I shrugged. “Got all day.”

She chuckled, but I didn’t return the sentiment. So she cleared her throat and dropped her tired brown eyes back to my folder. She flipped the pages over, turning them around so I couldn't see what was on them. Every once in a while, she’d sigh. Heavily. Or click her tongue. A few times, she even shook her head. Which didn’t fill me with the greatest of hopes.

“Not good, huh?”

Her eyes flickered up to mine. “We can determine that once I’m done reading. Hold on.”

I licked my lips. “Like I said, got all day.”

“Mm-hmm.”

I went to lean back in my chair, but the cuffs stopped me. So I rested my forearms against the table. I was tired. Deep in the marrow of my bones, I was fucking exhausted. And this woman’s sounds didn’t do shit for my confidence. Ten years, at least. Probably more. This wasn’t the first time I’d been arrested. This was simply the only time I’d made it this far in the judiciary process.

I’d say ten years, at least, for the shit that’s already on my record.

I watched the woman gnaw on the bottom of her lip. After what seemed like an eternity, she finally closed the file. Her movements weren’t as sharp as they had been when she first came in. She leaned back in her chair, tucking her hair behind her ear. And after crossing one leg over the other, she clicked her tongue.

“You’re the youngest son of Ashton Ryddle.”

I nodded. “Yes.”

“And this is your fourth arrest.”

I nodded again. “Yes.”

She studied me. “Did you do it, Mr. Ryddle?”

I blinked. “Do what?”

She sighed. “What you say in this room stays between us. Lawyer-client confidentiality. But I need to know what kind of man I’m representing in order to do my job properly and see that you get the best deal out of all of this that you can.”

I quirked an eyebrow. “What are you asking me, Miss Hall?”

She didn’t flinch. “Did you shoot your father last night at his estate?”

“No.”

“Do you know who did?”

“No.”

She leaned forward, clasping her hands together. “Would your answer change if I told you your father came out of surgery this morning and doctors have confirmed he will survive with no permanent injuries?”

I felt my jaw flex. I fucking knew it. I knew my father would survive this. That fucking psychopathic devilish immortal son of a bitch! I tried to maintain my cool expression on the outside, but inside, I was fuming. I was fearful. I was worried for my men, and for Dani, and for anyone that might have been involved last night. If this woman was actually telling the truth, then we were all in danger. Dani. Myself. Dani’s parents. Rupert. My men. John.

Anyone who had anything to do with me, even remotely, was in danger.

The woman nodded. “You don’t need to answer right now, Mr. Ryddle. I understand loyalty. And I understand how clubs like yours work. You won’t give up one of your men, so I’m not going to get you to try. But you should know that your men are already falling like flies.”

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