Page 39 of Made For Me

“Can I come in with you?” I ask, taking a step forward. “You can say I’m your assistant.”

“You look like Tarzan and you also look like the Hulk getting ready to escape.” He shakes his head. “I’ll be back.”

I look at my father and Max. “Is he the best you could find?”

“He’s the best there is out there,” Max assures me. “His retainer speaks volumes.”

“How much was it?” I put my hands on my hips and he looks at my father.

“I have to go call Jillian,” Michael says. “Come get me if anything happens.”

He walks out and the three of us don’t say a word, every single second feeling like an hour. Every minute feels like an eternity. “What the fuck is taking so long?” I hiss, looking back at the door he walked into.

“It’s been four minutes,” my father points out, neither of us moving. I pace the little waiting space back and forth. I have never in my life felt so useless. I have never in my life felt the pain that I am feeling right now. I have never in my life wanted to trade places with another human, until now.

The door opens and Stuart comes back out. “How is she?” I rush to him.

“In shock,” he says, and I put my head back and hiss out. “Her prints are done. She knows some of the guys in there, so they want to get her out fast.” He looks down and then up again. “The prosecutor knows she isn’t a flight risk.” I groan. “Bail is going to be set at seventy-five thousand.”

“Fine. I have that covered,” I state. “Should I call someone to fill out papers or something?”

“My office is working on the paperwork. I don’t know how to say this, but she is going to have to stay overnight.”

“No fucking way,” I grit between clenched teeth. I thought I felt helpless before, I lied.

“I tried my best but the docket is closed for the day.” He looks at my father. “I could call in a couple of favors but with everything she is facing with the case, I am not going to do it. The last thing she needs is to be showed favoritism.”

“So we just let her rot all night in jail?” I throw my hands up, and I swear to God, I really wish I could break walls right now.

“They have her in a cell by herself. She knows half the men in the back there. She is going to be fine without being fine.”

“She is not going to be fine,” I say, closing my eyes.

“There is nothing we can do,” Max says. “If there was, we would be doing it.” He slaps my shoulder.

“I’ll be here first thing tomorrow,” Stuart declares. “Call me if you need me.”

“What do you mean, you have it covered?” My father looks at me.

“It means that I’m going to be covering her bail,” I say, putting my hands on my hips, “and her lawyer fees.”

Max just pffts out, “Really?”

“Really,” I say and then Michael comes in.

“What’s going on?” he asks and then looks at the three of us. “What happened?”

“Julia is going to be in until tomorrow,” Max says to him.

“Dad,” he says, his voice filled with as much pain as I feel right now. “We can’t leave her in there.”

“We have no choice,” Max says softly. “Bail is set at seventy-five thousand.”

“It’s fine,” Michael says and then my father laughs.

“Yeah, Chase is covering it.” My father slaps my shoulder now.

“Why?” Michael asks, his eyes going small as he glares at me.

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