Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Lana raised an eyebrow. “Please,” she said mildly.
“Thank you,” Riot said, turning to follow the judge to her chambers, but Judge Whitmore crossed her arms over her chest and stared him down.
Riot gave a disgruntled sigh before turning back to Lana. “What I meant was, will you please keep Violet and Caleb company until Judge Whitmore is finished with me?”
Lana’s lips twitched, but she nodded her head with a serious expression on her face. “Absolutely, I’ll keep them company, Riot. Violet and Caleb are two of my favorite people.” She gave Riot a death stare. The message was clear. Fuck with Violet and Caleb at his own risk.
“I appreciate you taking the extra time out of court, Lana. Thank you.” Riot gave her a slight nod before turning back to Judge Whitmore. “Better?”
She gave a curt nod. “Better, young man.” Then she led him to her chambers and shut the door.
I sat forward, putting my elbows on the table and my head in my hands. I wanted to get away from Doug. I wanted Caleb away from him too. Right now, the deputies were handcuffing Mr. Todd to take him away. I knew Doug would have someone on this the second he got outside. I didn’t want to make eye contact, so I sat passively and tried to ignore everyone around me.
“Hey, you OK?” Lana rubbed her hand up and down my back, trying to soothe me.
“Yeah. I just want to get out of here and lock me and Caleb in our room for a day and a half. Just forget everything.”
“Mom, you know he’s not going to leave us alone. Right?”
I sighed, reaching up to stroke his face with my hand. He was getting peach fuzz on his cheeks. He tried to keep it shaved off, but he’d missed a spot this morning. “That’s not for you to worry about, OK? I’ll figure something out. Just be aware and protect yourself. I’ll protect you too. We’ve got each other’s backs, yeah?”
“Always, Mom.” He looked uncomfortable. “Look, I’m not saying I trust him just yet. But maybe we could ask Riot to hang out with us for a couple of days? Just until things blow over.”
“That’s a very good idea, Caleb.” Lana leaned against the table next to me. “Riot’s a solid guy. I wouldn’t lie to you about that for any reason. Yes, he’s on parole. Maybe he’ll feel comfortable telling you what happened. But trust me when I tell you he didn’t do anything someone in his position wouldn’t have wanted to do themselves.”
Caleb sighed. “Maybe I was wrong and it’s not a good idea to hang out with the ex-con.”
“Caleb, honey.” Lana gave him a stern look. “When you hear his story -- and I don’t see a scenario where he doesn’t tell you his story at some point -- you’ll not only understand, but you’ll also remember what you said just now and realize you were wrong to judge him without knowing all the facts. Riot is exactly the person you want protecting your mother and you from a man like Doug Harrington.”
Caleb hung his head. “I’m sorry. You’re right. I shouldn’t judge. That was wrong.”
“Christ.” Lana shook her head. “Are you sure that kid has Doug Harrington’s DNA?”
“Very sure. Though, I agree admitting he’s wrong is not something Doug does easily.”
Caleb snorted. “Or at all, really.”
That got a small laugh from me. Or it might have been a sob. Either way, Caleb pulled me into his skinny arms and held me tight.
“It’s gonna be OK, Mom. It’s gonna be OK.”
Chapter Three
Riot
I could count on one finger the number of times I’d been in a judge’s chambers before. It hadn’t turned out so well before. I hoped this time wouldn’t end with me back in prison.
“Have a seat, Mr. Devereaux.” Judge Whitmore gestured to a chair in front of her desk while she took off her robe and hung it on a hook beside her chair. She wore a crisp, white blouse and a dark suit skirt. Then she removed a suit jacket that matched her skirt from a hanger next to her robe and put it on. The woman really was freakishly formal. She sat on the edge of her seat, her forearms resting on her desk. “Why don’t you tell me your plans now that you’re rejoining society.” She phrased her question congenially enough, but there was no doubt she expected an answer.
“I’ve only been out three days, Your Honor. I’m still trying to get used to sleeping in an actual bed.”
“I imagine there is some adjusting to do.” Her smile was genuinely kind. This woman was tough as nails, but she wasn’t cruel or unreasonable. “When I said I was familiar with your situation, I meant I know you were brought here today as part of your parole agreement to offer support to Mr. Caleb.”