Total pages in book: 33
Estimated words: 31165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 31165 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 156(@200wpm)___ 125(@250wpm)___ 104(@300wpm)
But Francesca had known she would lose on those points. They were setting up her long-term strategy.
She had been building a connection between them and Bronson. He even “tripped up” during his cross-examination, making himself appear lost and unsure and giving the jury the impression that the prosecutor was a bit of a bully and possibly coercing him into incriminating himself. She didn’t care what they thought of her as long as they liked Bronson.
After speaking with him for a few hours before our session was called, I was confident he knew what to do.
Rafa had sat quietly and listened the whole time. When we stood to leave, he shook my hand. “I’m impressed. Are you sure you don’t want to come work for me?”
I raised an eyebrow and met his stare. “You can’t afford me, Rafa.”
He laughed and turned to walk out of the room. “I don’t know about that,” he tossed back.
“I’m not going to pretend that my brotherhood never skirts the line, Rafa.” He stopped and looked back at me. “And I might create a false narrative for the jury to believe, but only through assumption. I will not lie in court.”
Rafa cocked his head and studied me for a moment. “Do you think Francesca would?”
He had me there. “No.”
“I would never ask her to,” he returned. “But everyone has a price, Ash.”
“Not if it means betraying a bond that is unbreakable to me.”
He watched me again for a moment, then nodded. “Lealtà prima del sangue,” he said in a low voice. “Loyalty before blood. It’s something I understand and respect.”
With that, we left the small space and entered the imposing courtroom. A cold room made of marble and wood, with a dour-faced judge, a prosecutor who looked like he thought I was the scum of the earth, and twelve people who I saw as blank slates. No matter what had happened previously in the trial, they were my masterpiece to mold.
With the exception of my home and the clubhouse, this was the place I felt most at home.
The thought startled me because I suddenly realized it was no longer true.
Nora. She was my home. Wherever she was, as long as I was with her, it was home.
Refocusing on my surroundings, I mentally smiled. That wouldn’t stop me from kicking ass. And just like that, the charismatic, intelligent Texan emerged.
By the time I was done, I’d convinced the jury that my client was basically an innocent bystander with no knowledge that the art was stolen, no direct ties to the merchandise, and no criminal intent. I’d even managed to infer that the police had so many unsolved smuggling cases that they were going after my client unjustly in order to make themselves look good.
All this without telling a single fabrication…or an outright accusation. The jury was convinced they’d come to these conclusions on their own, and I’d simply given them the tools to figure out the mystery through their own intelligence.
After the verdict, declaring my client not guilty, I told my client to keep his ass out of trouble and packed up, eager to get back to my woman. She’d sent me a text earlier, and I hated that I’d had to wait until now to respond. She hadn’t come right out and said anything, but I was willing to bet she’d had an argument with her mom. So I sent her the information for my house and the code I’d already programmed for her.
Rafa stopped me on the courthouse steps with a hand on my shoulder.
I glanced back at him, and he smiled. “You’re one hell of a lawyer, Ash. Thank you. And though I know I will never get the call, I still have to put the offer out one more time. If you’re ever interested in coming to work for The Family, you will be received with open arms.” His grin widened, and he glanced at my extremely expensive, perfectly tailored suit before adding, “And bank accounts.”
The corners of my mouth lifted slightly, and I shook my head. “You want me to drain those bank accounts? I’m not opposed to that. But you’ll have to get King’s permission.”
Rafa’s expression turned frustrated.
This time, I actually laughed. “Yeah, good luck with that.”
9
NORA
My day had started out so well, but it took a decided turn for the worse four hours after I returned home when my mom got back from her luncheon. I hadn’t seen her before she left, but since her spot in the garage was right next to mine, she knew I was home and headed straight for my room.
She didn’t bother knocking before she flung my door open and stomped over to my bed, where I was lying on my stomach while reading. Tilting my head back, I smiled up at her. “How was your lunch?”