Total pages in book: 58
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 59287 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 296(@200wpm)___ 237(@250wpm)___ 198(@300wpm)
“Yes?” I turned around to face him.
“How was your first day?”
“Long,” I said. “But very fulfilling.”
“I asked about your day, Miss Spencer, not your fantasies of me.”
“Excuse me?”
“I wanted to catch up with you about your real schedule while you’re here,” he said. “It’s important that you follow it as of tomorrow.”
“Can you rewind back to that previous sentence you said?”
“I don’t remember it.” The look in his eyes made it clear that he did. “Anyway, from here on out, you need to arrive here and clock in at five thirty.”
“A.m.?”
“It wouldn’t be p.m., Miss Spencer.”
“Are the other clerks expected to come in at that time?”
“The other clerks aren’t criminals who owe me.”
“What?” I arched a brow. “What did you just say?”
“Every clerk in my chambers serves a different function,” he said instead. “Yours requires you to be here at five thirty. Every morning. No exceptions.”
I bit my tongue.
“This is the part where you ask me why, Miss Spencer.”
“I think it’s best for me to say as little as possible to you right now.”
“Good point.” He nodded. “You also need to get the coffee and breakfast orders for my support staff, and you’ll need to make sure the bailiff is briefed on my red flag dockets.”
“What’s a red flag docket?”
“Figure it out.” He paused, and I figured his list of demands was over, but then he stepped closer.
“You’ll also need to make sure that my courtroom is spotless. My janitorial engineer is feeling ill, so I figured I’d give him a break for a few weeks and let you handle it.”
“Wouldn’t it be easier to just hire a temp until he gets back?”
“No.” He clenched his jaw. “It would be easier for you to just follow my instructions and not question them.”
So, this is why they made me sign that six-month promise…
“Make sure you finish reading my guidebook as soon as possible, Miss Spencer,” he said. “I’m assuming you haven’t finished it, since you’re doing a lot of talking back.”
A sarcastic rebuttal was begging to escape my lips, but I kept my mouth shut.
“Anything else you want to say?” He looked as if he could read my mind. “You don’t have much time to rest before you’ll have to return…”
“I’m really looking forward to working under you, Judge Ashton.” I forced myself to be professional. “I have a very good feeling about it.”
“I’m glad to hear that.” He stepped back. “I can assure you that we’re going to have a lot of fun together…”
PROBABLE CAUSE (N.):
SUFFICIENT REASON BASED UPON KNOWN FACTS TO BELIEVE A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED OR THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY IS CONNECTED WITH A CRIME.
OLIVIA
Boop-deeee-boop! Boop-deeee-boop!
“Noooo, shut up!” I grabbed my phone and hit the side button, silencing the alarm.
There was no way in hell it was time for me to get up. I felt like I’d just shut my eyes ten seconds ago.
Snuggling under the covers again, I attempted to drift back to sleep.
Boop-deeee-boop! Boop-deeee-boop!
“Oh my god!” I grabbed my phone, ready to turn it off, but I realized it was a phone call.
Judge Ashton?
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hello, Miss Spencer,” he said. “Do you happen to know what time it is?”
“No.” I held back a groan. “But I’m sure you can look at your phone and find out the information for yourself…”
“I’d rather hear it from you.”
You’ve got to be kidding me…
“No, Judge Ashton,” I said. “I don’t know what time it is, but whenever I wake up for the day, I’ll look at my call log and call back to let you know.”
His low laughter came over the line, and my nipples hardened under its tempting sound.
“Are you still there for me, Miss Spencer?” he asked. “Do you have the time?”
I swallowed several curse words and sat up, tapping my screen.
“I’m here, and it’s currently three fifteen a.m.,” I said.
“Good to know our clocks are set to the same time then.” There was a smile in his voice. “Which means you should be up assisting me with an important task I need help with.”
“I don’t remember you giving me one.”
“That’s why I’m calling you.” His voice was suddenly terse. “I need to get to the courthouse early this morning, but another resident has borrowed my condo’s complimentary car and I can’t find my Audi in the garage.”
What the hell? “With all due respect, this sounds like a personal problem, sir…”
“Well, since two of my favorite cars were vandalized a few weeks ago, and I can’t drive those…”
A pang of guilt hit my chest, but then I remembered he had no idea I was the one who did it.
“I’ve decided that you should help me with my transportation arrangements for the rest of the week.”
“Do you want me to walk you through getting an Uber?”
“No, I can’t risk getting into one of those.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve lost count of how many Uber drivers I’ve fined and sentenced to defensive driving classes,” he said. “I don’t want to risk someone taking their anger out on me, you know?”