Lila needed me, and I had to get to her.
I rounded the corner and slowed my pace as I approached the open doors of the courtroom. The few stragglers left behind were trickling out. Lila came into view, her head down and arms crossed as if she was holding herself together.
By the time her head rose, I was only a few steps away. She collapsed into my arms, completely drained.
“I’ve got you, Honeybear,” I said as I locked her tight in my arms. My lips pressed against her forehead as my gaze rose.
A couple exited a few feet away, and the man looked in our direction. My eyes locked on his, and I tensed. Flames of hatred ignited and raged through me. I ignored the woman, because I knew instantly who he was. After all, he bore the exact same interesting gray-green eyes as my wife.
Stephen Palmer wasn’t the image I’d drawn in my mind, but then again, I’m sure time and age had changed him. He was bald, and shorter than me. What once looked like a solid frame was thinner and weaker thanks to his near sixty-year age.
His lip curled up, utter disgust on his face as he looked at Lila.
A hand clamped down hard on my shoulder as the words “don’t do it” were whispered in my ear. It was then I realized my whole body was tense, ready to storm down the hall and deck the bastard.
Noah was standing next to me, his gaze also locked on Lila’s father and stepmother. Together we watched as they walked down the corridor and out of the courthouse.
Once they were out of sight, I walked Lila over to a nearby bench and sat down, moving her to my lap. My hand made soothing motions wherever they touched as I looked down at her. She wasn’t crying, but I couldn’t decide if that was a good or a bad thing. She looked completely beaten down.
Lawrence, the prosecutor, walked out of the courtroom and toward us, followed by Andrew. The rest of his team continued on down the hall and out.
“It was a hard day,” Lawrence said as he stopped in front of us. “I’d order in and have a relaxing night. It’s going to be another hard one tomorrow. ”
“Is she done?” I motioned down to Lila.
He nodded. “We were able to finish up in time. Noah’s went faster than I anticipated, leaving lots of time for her. You and Andrew are up tomorrow, along with the doorman”—he opened up the file in his arm—“Michael Cline.”
“How do you think it went?” Drew asked. Sadness washed over his features as he looked down at Lila curled on my lap, not moving.
“I’m hopeful.” Lawrence gave a slow nod, then sighed. I was caught in his sights, and he motioned in my direction. “A reminder—you are not to talk about the case tonight.”
My lip twitched. Yes, I knew the rules, but I wasn’t about to let Lila suffer until after the jury deliberated. She was my wife. It was in my job description as her husband to make her happy. Plus, I couldn’t stand to see her so distraught.
Lawrence walked away, and I brushed Lila’s hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”
Her fingers flexed against my lapel and she turned further into my chest, her head resting in the crook of my neck. Little wisps of breath tickled my skin.
“You better just take her home,” Noah said.
Drew held out his hand. “I’ll go get your car.”
I dug my keys out of my pocket and handed them over. “Thanks.”
He nodded and headed down the hall.
My hand ran up Lila’s arm, but she didn’t react when I tickled the soft skin on the back of her arm. “She’s so out of it.”
Noah pulled out his cell phone and keys. “Run her a bath, get her to eat something, and remind her you’re there. I’m sure she’ll come out of it then.”
“Will do.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
I held out my hand. “Have a good night.”
“You too.” He smiled and shook my offered hand.
I stared after Noah, then looked back down to Lila.
“Come on, baby, let’s get you home.” I didn’t make her stand. Instead, I snaked my arm under her knees and pulled her close as I stood.
Lips pressed against my neck as we walked, and the hand on my lapel loosened, wrapping around my neck. I smiled—she’d be fine. The day took a toll on her and she needed a recharge, but it hadn’t damaged her. I worried about her, but I should’ve known by now how resilient she was.
Neither of us said a word the entire way home, which wasn’t very far—we lived close to the courthouse. Her head rested on my shoulder as her arms wrapped around mine.
After parking the car, I picked her up again, her body limp. Mike saw us through the door as we walked up and held it open.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Thorne?” Concern was etched into his features. I’d always known that Mike had a fondness for Lila. He once told me how she reminded him of his daughter.
“It was a rough day, that’s all.” He walked with us to the elevator bay and pressed the call button for me.
Mike nodded in understanding. “Sorry I couldn’t be there today—work and all.”
“It’s fine. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Mike pursed his lips and hiked his belt up higher on his protruding beer belly. “I’ve never been in a courtroom before, but I watch a lot of court dramas.”
My lips quirked. People always thought it was like what they watched, not remembering it was staged and they were actors. “It’s not like what you see on TV. It’ll be a lot like the deposition. They’ll ask you a bunch of questions, and then you’re done, only this time the audience is larger.”
He nodded. “I just hope we get the guy put away forever. After what he did…” He trailed off, lost in the memory. I knew by his expression he felt guilty that Adam got past him.
The elevator arrived and we got on, Mike pushing the button for the fourteenth floor. “Lemme know if you need anything tonight, okay?”
I nodded. “Thanks. We’ll see you later.”
“Night.”
The doors closed and the car jerked as we headed up. By the time we entered our condo, Lila was still unresponsive, so I sat her on the bed. I went into the bathroom and started the water in the tub, letting it fill as I pulled off my clothes.
I was down to my boxer briefs when I stopped and knelt down in front of her. “Lila, do you want to take a bath?”
I rounded the corner and slowed my pace as I approached the open doors of the courtroom. The few stragglers left behind were trickling out. Lila came into view, her head down and arms crossed as if she was holding herself together.
By the time her head rose, I was only a few steps away. She collapsed into my arms, completely drained.
“I’ve got you, Honeybear,” I said as I locked her tight in my arms. My lips pressed against her forehead as my gaze rose.
A couple exited a few feet away, and the man looked in our direction. My eyes locked on his, and I tensed. Flames of hatred ignited and raged through me. I ignored the woman, because I knew instantly who he was. After all, he bore the exact same interesting gray-green eyes as my wife.
Stephen Palmer wasn’t the image I’d drawn in my mind, but then again, I’m sure time and age had changed him. He was bald, and shorter than me. What once looked like a solid frame was thinner and weaker thanks to his near sixty-year age.
His lip curled up, utter disgust on his face as he looked at Lila.
A hand clamped down hard on my shoulder as the words “don’t do it” were whispered in my ear. It was then I realized my whole body was tense, ready to storm down the hall and deck the bastard.
Noah was standing next to me, his gaze also locked on Lila’s father and stepmother. Together we watched as they walked down the corridor and out of the courthouse.
Once they were out of sight, I walked Lila over to a nearby bench and sat down, moving her to my lap. My hand made soothing motions wherever they touched as I looked down at her. She wasn’t crying, but I couldn’t decide if that was a good or a bad thing. She looked completely beaten down.
Lawrence, the prosecutor, walked out of the courtroom and toward us, followed by Andrew. The rest of his team continued on down the hall and out.
“It was a hard day,” Lawrence said as he stopped in front of us. “I’d order in and have a relaxing night. It’s going to be another hard one tomorrow. ”
“Is she done?” I motioned down to Lila.
He nodded. “We were able to finish up in time. Noah’s went faster than I anticipated, leaving lots of time for her. You and Andrew are up tomorrow, along with the doorman”—he opened up the file in his arm—“Michael Cline.”
“How do you think it went?” Drew asked. Sadness washed over his features as he looked down at Lila curled on my lap, not moving.
“I’m hopeful.” Lawrence gave a slow nod, then sighed. I was caught in his sights, and he motioned in my direction. “A reminder—you are not to talk about the case tonight.”
My lip twitched. Yes, I knew the rules, but I wasn’t about to let Lila suffer until after the jury deliberated. She was my wife. It was in my job description as her husband to make her happy. Plus, I couldn’t stand to see her so distraught.
Lawrence walked away, and I brushed Lila’s hair behind her ear. “Are you okay?”
Her fingers flexed against my lapel and she turned further into my chest, her head resting in the crook of my neck. Little wisps of breath tickled my skin.
“You better just take her home,” Noah said.
Drew held out his hand. “I’ll go get your car.”
I dug my keys out of my pocket and handed them over. “Thanks.”
He nodded and headed down the hall.
My hand ran up Lila’s arm, but she didn’t react when I tickled the soft skin on the back of her arm. “She’s so out of it.”
Noah pulled out his cell phone and keys. “Run her a bath, get her to eat something, and remind her you’re there. I’m sure she’ll come out of it then.”
“Will do.”
“I’ll see you in the morning.”
I held out my hand. “Have a good night.”
“You too.” He smiled and shook my offered hand.
I stared after Noah, then looked back down to Lila.
“Come on, baby, let’s get you home.” I didn’t make her stand. Instead, I snaked my arm under her knees and pulled her close as I stood.
Lips pressed against my neck as we walked, and the hand on my lapel loosened, wrapping around my neck. I smiled—she’d be fine. The day took a toll on her and she needed a recharge, but it hadn’t damaged her. I worried about her, but I should’ve known by now how resilient she was.
Neither of us said a word the entire way home, which wasn’t very far—we lived close to the courthouse. Her head rested on my shoulder as her arms wrapped around mine.
After parking the car, I picked her up again, her body limp. Mike saw us through the door as we walked up and held it open.
“Is everything all right, Mr. Thorne?” Concern was etched into his features. I’d always known that Mike had a fondness for Lila. He once told me how she reminded him of his daughter.
“It was a rough day, that’s all.” He walked with us to the elevator bay and pressed the call button for me.
Mike nodded in understanding. “Sorry I couldn’t be there today—work and all.”
“It’s fine. We’ll see you tomorrow.”
Mike pursed his lips and hiked his belt up higher on his protruding beer belly. “I’ve never been in a courtroom before, but I watch a lot of court dramas.”
My lips quirked. People always thought it was like what they watched, not remembering it was staged and they were actors. “It’s not like what you see on TV. It’ll be a lot like the deposition. They’ll ask you a bunch of questions, and then you’re done, only this time the audience is larger.”
He nodded. “I just hope we get the guy put away forever. After what he did…” He trailed off, lost in the memory. I knew by his expression he felt guilty that Adam got past him.
The elevator arrived and we got on, Mike pushing the button for the fourteenth floor. “Lemme know if you need anything tonight, okay?”
I nodded. “Thanks. We’ll see you later.”
“Night.”
The doors closed and the car jerked as we headed up. By the time we entered our condo, Lila was still unresponsive, so I sat her on the bed. I went into the bathroom and started the water in the tub, letting it fill as I pulled off my clothes.
I was down to my boxer briefs when I stopped and knelt down in front of her. “Lila, do you want to take a bath?”
