I had to get to the courthouse as quickly as possible.
I’d had this issue before. But I was usually on the other side of it. As a criminal prosecutor, I always tried to catch the defense off-guard with impromptu court dates like this. It was an ugly tactic, but one that worked. However, my case with Max was a little different.
I was getting my first taste of what it felt like to be on the defense side of things.
And I didn’t like it one damn bit.
“Come on. Go faster,” I murmured.
I sped into the parking lot of the courthouse and flashed my credentials. After fighting with security and losing my way in the damn place twice, I finally found where I needed to be. I charged through the doors with my briefcase in hand, watching as my client—Maxwell Taro—turned around.
And I could’ve sworn I heard a groan from the prosecution as I walked down the aisle.
“My apologies, Your Honor. I didn’t realize we were holding a last-minute court session to reconfigure my client’s sentencing,” I said.
I shot a glare over to the prosecuting lawyer as he sat there, stone-faced and disappointed.
The entire time I argued for my client in court, I was only half there. I prayed no one could see how puckered my nipples still were. And I hoped with all my might that the makeup on my neck was still there. Link knew how to give a serious hickey. Multiple ones were still prevalent against my neck and my chest. My makeup worked overtime for me today, and I needed to hold my life together for just a second longer.
Just get through this court session, Joanna.
Still, I couldn't believe I’d almost had sex on my desk. With my office door unlocked, no doubt. What if a new client had walked in? Or one of my current clients? Hell, what if a police officer had walked in on us, needing my expertise? I could’ve done some serious fucking damage to the reputation I had already built in the community.
Yet, part of me didn’t care.
Not when it came to Link.
“Your Honor, if I may?” I asked.
The judge held out her hand. “Proceed.”
I walked up to her podium. “There is very little precedence to gird this case. We’ve already had a proceeding where we all agreed on the charges he would be tried with. And now, a month later, we’re all of a sudden changing things? I want to request discovery, so I’m working with what they’re working with.”
The judge nodded. “Will the prosecution please approach?”
I’d never met a man that distracted me more than Link did. Even as I stood there, waiting for the damn prosecuting attorney to walk up, my mind fell back to him. His throbbing muscles. His pulsing cock. His large hands, and the way his calluses felt against my skin. It made me shiver, but I did my best to keep it under wraps.
Focus. You're in court, Joanna.
“Your Honor, with all due respect—”
The judge held up her hand. “The defense has requested discovery. And I’m allowing it.”
The prosecutor stumbled over his words before the judge cut him off again.
“If you’re going to drag me out of a lunch date like this, you better bring something more than ‘you want more charges.’ I’m allowing discovery because, obviously, you must have something if you’re reconvening this court case for sentencing after it’s already happened. And without the consent and knowledge of the defense’s attorney.”
The prosecutor chewed on the inside of his cheek. “Yes, Your Honor.”
The judge reached for her gavel. “Discovery is granted. We’ll reconvene in two weeks’ time to either alter the charges or keep them as is. Dismissed.”
The sound of that gavel against her desk was music to my ears. I grinned at the prosecutor before I walked back to my desk, watching as Max stood. With handcuffs around his wrists, an officer walked him out of the room. But not before he peered over his shoulder and mouthed the two words that always brought me joy in this job.
“Thank you.”
I nodded and waved my hand at him before I gathered my things. I needed to get some lunch. I needed to check on Hope. And I needed to get back to work. Anything to distract me from Link and this bullshit with Skeleton.
“Two weeks’ time. Don’t forget that,” I whispered to myself.
I packed everything up in my briefcase and started out for my car. But I didn’t even get to it before a call rolled through on my cell phone. I looked at the number and sighed, knowing I’d have to change trajectory again. So, I tossed my stuff into the back seat of my car and headed toward the police station.
“I need to put a hold on things until Hope is safe,” I murmured.
I said it more out of spite than anything else, but it made sense. If I was going to give my sister all of my focus, I had to find a new lawyer for my clients. Or at the very least, truncate my hours at the job. Then again, I couldn't pay Link and the guys if I wasn't working.
Talk about a rock and a hard place.
I made my way to the police department and sat in a room, waiting on another client of mine. Our talk lasted over two hours, and by the time we were done I was light-headed from a lack of food. The day passed by in a blur of hunger, needy clients, and last-minute court cases. I didn’t even get home until well past eight, only to sit down at my kitchen table and pull out more fucking work.
“At least I’m making money,” I sighed.
The only good thing about all of this was that Link fell away from my mind. The second I stepped into that police department to speak with my other client, I didn’t give one more thought to that sexy hunk of man meat. But sitting at my kitchen table was a different story.
Especially since he had bent me over it the last time he was here.
“Nope. No, no, no, bed. Working from bed. Okay.”
I scooped up all my paperwork and sprinted upstairs. I tossed it down onto my mattress and shed my clothes in order to get into my nightgown. The silken fabric fell against my skin, cooling me off as I climbed into bed. Then, I gathered up all the papers and started filling them out.
Until 9:15 rolled around.
I abandoned work for my phone at the same time, every night. I scrolled through my contacts until I found that burner phone number, then I dialed it and held the phone to my ear. One ring. Two rings. Three rings.
I braced myself for that fourth ring before Hope finally picked up.
“Pineapple. Pineapple. I’m fine. Sorry.”
I sighed with relief. “I was halfway to my car, you know.”
She giggled. “You’re in your bed and you know it.”
I slid further beneath my covers. “Well, I would have been had that fourth ring come and gone.”
“Just like we agreed to.”
“Thanks for the safe word, by the way.”
“I figured you might need it after the phone rang for so long.”
“What were you doing anyway?”
She snickered. “Trying to swallow a mouthful of peanut butter.”
I barked with laughter. “You’ve always loved that stuff.”
“I don’t know why you hate it.”
“Because it’s slimy and oily and too sweet.”
“So, all the best parts. Got it.”
I grimaced. “More for you, since I don’t want to be anywhere near it.”
“To answer the question you haven't asked yet, though, I’m fine. Today was good. Quiet. Silent.”
“That’s good to hear. You’ve got enough food?”
“Yep. Your haul you brought over is going to last me for a while. I don’t eat much when I’m worried.”
“Well, try to eat at least two meals a day for me, okay? The last thing I need is you passing out from malnutrition because you aren’t keeping up with yourself.”
She snickered. “Okay, Mom.”
I shrugged. “Hey. Whatever it takes.”
“So, how was work?”
I sighed. “It was work.”
“Going that badly, huh?”
“
It’s not bad or anything. It’s just…”
“Not quite what you expected?”
I sighed. “I don’t know. Maybe I’m just expecting things to happen too quickly. But I thought I’d be more established than this.”
“I mean, you’ve only been there—what?—four months?”
“I’ve had my own place for business for four months. I’ve been working in this area for well over a year now.”
“Still. Having your own business is different than working from home. Or whatever it was you were doing up until this point. Give it time. Network. Have lunch dates with the other lawyers in town, or the police officers, or whoever it is that hits you up all the time. Those connections will start to talk, and then other people will talk. And soon, you’ve got a full schedule without spending a dime on advertisement.”
I grinned. “Since when did you become such a business-minded person?”
“Hey. I have my talents. Plus, I read a lot in California. Those men were boring as fuck.”
We giggled, but my giggling quickly turned into laughter. And pretty soon, my sister and I were laughing as if we hadn’t just been separated for the past however many years because of our different lifestyles.
“Oh! My God! My stomach. I can’t. Holy shit, ow, ow, ow, ow.”
Hope snickered. “That felt so good. I can’t even remember the last time I laughed like that.”
My heart ached for her. “I’ll come see you soon, okay?”
“No, no, no. Don’t come unless it’s absolutely necessary. I don’t expect to see you again until you’ve got those two guys in tow.”
“But Hope—”
“Please, just listen to me. Okay? I know you’re independent and strong-willed. But you have to listen to me. Just this once. All right?”
I sighed. “Well, since I have you on the phone, that meeting should be happening soon. The crew’s agreed to help, so expect us sooner rather than later. Once I have the details, I’ll let you know.”
“Thank you, Jo. I really appreciate this.”
“You’re my sister, Hope. Of course, I’m going to help.”
She yawned. “All right. I should get some sleep while I’m actually tired.”
Her yawn spurred mine. “Good idea.”
“You have good dreams, okay?”
“And you stay safe until we see each other again.”
“I promise I will.”
I smiled. “Good. Night, night, Hope.”
“Goodnight, Jo.”
I hung up the phone and abandoned my work as I turned over onto my side. My eyes drooped heavily as darkness fell upon my mind. I slipped off into a deep slumber, where the darkness behind my eyes gave way to a bright white light. And as a shadowed figure walked toward me, it reached out its hand.
Before it spoke.
“Hey there, beautiful. Come on.”
I reached for the hand outstretched toward me as Link’s voice settled against my ears. He pulled me up, tugging a bit too hard as I fell against his solid body. His arms cloaked my back as his lips invaded mine. His tongue pressed through my barricade as I melted into his arms. Our tongues dueled for control as his hands ripped at my clothes. They fell away in shreds until his naked body fell against mine. And as our backs fell to a bed that automatically appeared beneath us, I arched my back.
“Yes, Link. Holy fuck, don’t stop.”
And as his soft, wet kisses trickled down my stomach, my legs parted for him.
Before his tongue parted my folds the way he parted my lips.
11
Link
I sat on my bike with the guys surrounding me. We were three miles out from that fucking motel, and there were already patrolmen we had to get past. My men and I were in the shadows of the trees, timing the patrols. Watching out for them and wondering if we could get closer to this place before Skeleton was alerted to our presence.
“All right, guys. You know the drill,” I said.
Ash sighed. “I don’t think we’re getting much closer without them spotting us.”
Bowser piped up. “It might not be a bad thing for them to know we’re coming.”
Sly snickered. “Unless Skeleton gives the cue to open fire on us.”
I nodded. “Then, we make sure our guns aren’t visible as we ride up. We give them no indication that we are here for a fight.”
I looked around at my guys before we shifted our guns around. We tucked them beneath our leather jackets and slid knives and things into our back pockets. Then, with a nod of my head, we inched our bikes out of the woods. We rolled our tires onto the asphalt in between patrols, then revved our engines. One by one.
“At least he’ll hear us coming!” Ash exclaimed.
I grinned. “Good.”
I pushed off, and one by one the guys settled in behind me. With Ash immediately to my left and Bowser to my right, my men fell in stride behind me. We didn’t speed. We didn’t spin out our tires. We didn’t needlessly rev our engines. We didn’t do anything that signaled that we were trying to measure our dicks today. Because all I wanted right now was to uphold my promise to Joanna.
I wanted to get Hope the fuck out of that contract.
The first patrolman we found widened his eyes before he paused on the side of the road. His lips murmured as he talked into a radio on his shoulder, but I didn’t pay it any mind. Everyone was aware of us as we rode up. Every single patrolman, every single woman that was out for a walk, and every single hired hand the Jags had on their payroll. They all watched us as we pulled into the motel parking lot. They all watched us as we got off our bikes. They all watched us as we made our way inside.
Then, Skeleton stepped out into the lobby.
“Well, well, well,” he said.
I nodded. “Skeleton.”
He held out his arms. “Welcome to Bones Motel. But I take it you’re not here for my services.”
I licked my lips. “We’re actually here to speak with you about your services, yes.”
He quirked an eyebrow. “Oh?”
I snapped my fingers and all of my men whipped out their guns. They marched toward the front doors, aiming at all of the men who had their own weapons drawn. Skeleton’s eyes bulged as the girl at the front desk ducked beneath it. She shrieked, and doors slammed in the distance as my eyes stayed locked with Skeleton’s.
“What? No gun for you, too?” he asked.
I shrugged. “Only if you pull one. Then, I get to prove that I’m faster.”
He nodded. “You think so, huh?”
“I’m still standing here, aren’t I? Must mean I’m good at something.”
He jammed his tongue into his cheek. “What do you want, Link?”
“I want you to stop pimping out girls who want to be free.”
He snickered. “Then, they shouldn't sign contracts without reading them first.”
“Something tells me you make sure they can’t read it before they sign it.”
“You got any proof of that?”
“I’m not the police. Since when do I need proof for anything?”
He paused. “What the fuck do you want, Link?”
“I want a very specific contract in my hand, right now.”
“Got a name for that contract?”
“Hope.”
His face fell. “You’re fucking kidding me.”
“Missing merchandise is such shit, isn’t it? But people aren’t merchandise. Not in this town. You get me her contract. Right now. Or my men level yours and take all of your women with us.”
His eyes fell over my shoulder and I held up my hand. I prepared myself to snap, which would start a turf war unlike anything the Jags had ever seen. I saw a glimmer of something behind Skeleton’s eyes. I watched his shoulders roll back as his muscles stiffened. And when he held his nose in the air, he conceded.
“Wait right here,” he said.
“You’ve got a minute,” I said.
He walked into the backroom and I saw something move o
ut of the corner of my eye. I whipped my head over to the front desk and watched as a girl peeked her eyes over the edge of it. The fear in her eyes was unmistakable. The yellow of her eyes told me about the condition of her body. My heart went out to her. The way she clung to that desk like her life depended on it made me sick.
I’ll come back for you. All of you.
“Here,” Skeleton hissed.
He walked up to me and shoved a sheet of paper against my chest.
“This is it?” I asked.
He took a step back. “That’s it.”
“One piece of paper.”
He shrugged. “We’re simple around here.”
I narrowed my eyes at him as I held up the sheet of paper to my eyes. I read it, my eyes darting around the page. There wasn’t more than three paragraphs’ worth of information on here. And the only thing it stipulated was that the person who signed it was a “contracted employee” of Bones Motel until such time as “the signee is fired.”
No quitting. No negotiations. No, nothing.
I glared at Skeleton before I ripped the contract in half with my hands.
“From this point forward, Hope is no longer your employee.”
He snickered. “She can’t go anywhere unless I fire her.”
I clapped my hands and all of my men turned behind me. Pointing every single ounce of fire power we had at this bullshit man the Jags called a ‘president.’
“Then, go ahead and fire her. Or we’ll fire you,” I said.
He drew in a deep breath, holding up his hands. “Okay, okay. Damn. She was my least-selling girl anyway. Turns out, not many men like thighs that rub together.”
I growled. “Fire her.”
He rolled his eyes. “From henceforth this point on, Hope—also known as Ruby—is hereby fired from Bones Motel and anything to do with the Jags. There. Happy?”
I looked over at Ash. “You get that?”
Ash nodded. “Got this whole thing on recording.”
Link (Dragon Riders MC Book 1) Page 9