I wink at her and turn my gaze forward to the judge who has his brows raised at us in question, shrugging.
“Something that you’d like to tell the court, Mr. Lord?”
“Apologies your honor,” I say with a smile, nodding towards Jane, “I was just telling Ms. Gordon here how beautiful she looks today, I couldn’t help myself. She made sure I knew that your courtroom isn’t the place for fun and games, though. She’s very serious business.”
The judge chuckles and looks over at Jane with a smile, nodding.
“Thank you, Ms. Gordon. Shall we begin?”
Jane nods and starts to present our case, stating that because it was such an isolated incident that there’s no reason to keep me locked up. He seems to be buying it too, nodding along with her and looking over at me.
“So what you’re saying is that he basically just had too much to drink, and the entire situation was a giant misunderstanding?”
“Yes your honor, Mr. Lord deeply regrets his actions and has absolutely no intention on skipping town because of this. He’ll be patiently waiting for his sentencing at home while he continues to… work.”
I don’t really have to work, but that’s beside the point, and I nod along with her, looking to the judge.
Who, unfortunately, doesn’t look convinced. Shit.
“Mr. Lord,” He says with a sigh, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, “You’re telling me that the riot that you incited at the casino was purely a mistake, and you don’t think that we should keep you contained in the meantime? I have a hard time believing that you weren’t enjoying yourself and egging people on.”
He sighs and leans forward on the bench with a chuckle, smirking.
“There is mention of you not only inciting the riot but causing even more of a ruckus when police arrived, and I have a hard time believing you when you say it won’t happen again. How do I know that you won’t simply go out and do it again, causing more fuss?”
Shit, I’ve got to come up with something fast or I’m going to be heading back behind bars, and I can’t do that.
“Your honor,” I say with a grin, gesturing to Jane sitting next to me, “As beautiful as Ms. Gordon is and as much as I adore being in her company, she’s the last person that I want to have to anger on a regular basis. you have my word.”
I can see Jane rolling her eyes next to me with a sigh and much to my delight the Judge laughs, though my hope that he’s going to let me off easy dwindles as soon as he opens his mouth again.
“Mr. Lord I’m sorry, but as charming as you are, there just isn’t enough evidence to support the theory that you’d be well behaved as well as stay here to wait for your sentencing. I know this isn’t the outcome that you’re looking for, but I can’t see a reason not to keep you locked up in the meantime. You’ve got infinite resources and finances available to flee, as well as little to no stability here to keep you from running. I can’t see a valid reason to grant you bail at this time.”
Fuck! How am I supposed to get out of this right now? I can feel my heart starting to race and the thought of spending another minute in jail makes me feel sick to my stomach, and I know that I need to figure out something and I need to figure it out fast.
So I do the only thing that I can think of at this very moment.
“Your honor, I promise this won’t happen again and I can guarantee that I won’t be leaving.”
I look over at Jane nervously and she’s got her eyes narrowed, understandably confused as to what the hell I’m doing right now. Here’s hoping she doesn’t light me on fire for what I’m about to do.
“Judge,” I continue with a sigh, forcing a smile to my face. “I actually have quite a bit of newfound stability here in New York.”
“Oh, really?” He asked, brows raised as both curiosity and skepticism wash over him. “And what would that newfound stability be?”
“It’s recent, so I can understand why it may not be I your knowledge yet, but… I’m actually engaged.”
The judge laughs and smirks, shaking his head as he clearly tries to suss out whether or not I’m lying. I am, but he doesn’t have to know that, of course.
“And who exactly are you engaged to, Mr. Lord? I certainly don’t know who this mystery woman is.”
“You do, actually,” I say with a smile, shrugging my shoulders.
Here goes nothing.
“She’s standing right next to me. Jane Gordon.”
6
Jane
Oh, what the actual fuck is this stunt he’s pulling?
I was under no impression when I took this case that it would be easy or that I’d be dealing with a responsible gentleman, but I certainly didn’t expect to be standing in court in front of a judge while my client tells them that we’re secretly engaged and that’s the reason he isn’t going to flee on bail.
All in a day’s work, I guess.
I can’t figure out why the hell he chose me of all people to try and convince the judge that he was staying, but if I don’t decide right now whether or not I’m going to go along with this, we’re screwed. Though, if I choose not to go along with it then I’ve got no hope in ever convincing the judge that my client is trustworthy and honest—he’d never believe that after he pulled a stunt like this and I called him on it—and then my hope for winning the case is essentially down the drain.
So for now I’m doing my best to maintain a neutral expression while I argue internally and Riker is speaking with the judge, who is just as shocked as I am, though I’m giving it everything I have not to let that be known. The judge did laugh at some of his jokes earlier so who knows, maybe he can charm him into believing him, and I won’t have to perjure myself in court. My career is hanging on by a thread as it is, I don’t need to add deception and perjury to the added list of things on my record.
“Wait a second, wait a second.” The judge snarks, looking at me and then back to Riker with a frown and narrowed gaze. “You’re telling me that you’re engaged to be married to Jane Gordon, the woman to your left and also your lawyer?”
“That is correct, your honor, and I couldn’t be happier.”
He looks over at me with a dreamy smile that I’m not sure how he managed to look so convincing in all of this, and I just sigh and keep my eyes forward, still unsure of how the hell I’m going to explain this.
“Okay, so if you’re actually engaged, then why the hell were you gambling at a casino, consorting with groupies and making an ass of yourself?”
I manage to bite back the smirk that wants to make itself known when the judge makes that comment and I can see that Riker isn’t exactly pleased with the judge’s assessment of the situation, but much to my surprise he still remains calm and composed.
“Judge because my beautiful fiancé is so amazing and understanding,” He says with a grin in my direction, blowing me a kiss, “She understands that my lifestyle has been… different than what our future holds. The weekend was actually her idea!”
My eyes go wide and I look over at him with a glare, shaking my head subtly. Of course he ignores it and keeps going, and a single look over at the judge tells me that he’s not exactly buying it and is as confused as I am.
“And why should I believe that Ms. Gordon suggested that you go and do any of this?”
“She proposed it as a last hurrah of sorts, your honor. A way to get my partying out of my system so that she and I can start fresh on the life that we want to build together.”
The judge looks at him like he’s got three heads and then he looks at me, giving me a questioning glance as I continue to keep my eyes forward. Riker looks at me with a chuckle and then back to the judge, nodding.
“To be clear, she only suggested the gambling and having a good time bit, not the whole…. Inciting a riot. That was admittedly an unfortunate and unintended accident on my part.”
The judge is shaking his head and he drags his hand down over his face with a sigh, obviously still not buying a single word o
f what Riker is saying. And honestly, I can’t blame him. Who comes up with something like that on the fly and runs with it? I can tell that this is going to end badly and I look over at Riker, who is silently begging me to go along with it. There’s a pleading look in his eyes, almost panicked, and I can’t believe that I’m actually considering backing up his story. Though, what choice do I really have in this situation but to do just that?
My career is barely hanging on by a thread, and if I get one more loss in court, I’m done for. Not to mention the fact that Riker is a huge paying client. Even if I were able to find another firm to take me on after Terry inevitably fired me for losing, one look at the fact that I lost a billionaire client would ensure me that no one would take me. No one wants a lawyer who fucks up and loses the firm’s highest paying client.
So when the Judge turns to me with a sigh and raised brows, a silent prompt for me to either go along with it or end the farce, I know that I’ve only got one choice.
“It’s true, your honor. Riker Lord and I are secretly engaged, though I suppose it’s not so secret anymore now that it’s on public record. I gave him one last weekend to get all of his partying and misbehaving out of his system before we settle in as an engaged couple, and go public with it.”
The second the words come out of my mouth the judge’s jaw drops and the press starts going wild in the courtroom, snapping photos and gasping out in disbelief. I can’t say I blame them really. Riker and I are possibly the least compatible match in the entire world, not to mention this is just one big giant scandal.
The judge orders for order and once everyone is quiet, he leans forward on the bench and shakes his head, cocking his brow at both of us as he speaks.
“Well…in light of this new information, I suppose that I can find a reason to grant Mr. Lord bail, and have him come back for sentencing.”
I hear a hushed celebration next to me as Riker grins, nodding at the judge in thanks. As we’re getting ready to leave the judge stands and looks over at us both with raised brows, his tone sharp.
“Congratulations to the happy couple, but let me be clear on one thing folks: I’m letting Mr. Lord out on bail right now, but if I find out that you two are deceiving the courts, it’s Riker’s ass in Riker’s Island, got it?”
We both nod and then the judge leaves, and we make our way out of the courtroom and into a private conference area, completely unsure of what our next move is.
What the hell did I just get myself into?
7
Riker
Well fuck me sideways and call me Rachelle, that actually worked!
I can’t believe that not only did Jane go along with my on the fly plan, but that we both managed to keep a straight face and convince the judge that we are in fact engaged to be married. Honestly, she handled that situation in court with far more grace and poise and restraint than I thought she would, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t impressed.
I’m also a little turned on, but that could probably be a combination of the fact that she’s got a pair of legs in killer heels and curves that would make even the pope do a double-take as she walked by. And to top it all off, she’s one of those women who somehow gets even hotter when she’s angry, so the annoyance that I can tell that she has with me right now is sort of a bonus.
Once we’re dismissed from court, we make our way out of the courtroom and she ushers me into a private conference room meant for lawyers and their clients, locking the door behind us.
“Oh, locking the door, are we?” I say with a grin, wiggling my eyebrows. “Are we going to have our celebratory kiss now?”
She whips her gaze around to me with a scowl on and she stalks over, her face inches from mine as she hisses out at me to sit down.
“Alright, alright, calm down. we’ll sit and chat.”
She rolls her eyes again and takes a seat across from me, and I can tell by the way that she’s taking deep breaths to calm herself and glaring at me that I’m in for a tongue lashing that I won’t forget. I can think of a few other things I’d like to involve her tongue with, but I’m pretty sure that right now isn’t the best time to mention those things.
Maybe for our honeymoon.
I snicker at the thought and she huffs and raps her knuckles on the table in front of me, snapping me out of my thoughts. I meet her gaze with a playful smirk.
“Trouble in paradise, dear?”
“Listen to me Riker,” She snaps, shaking her head, “I’ve got no idea why you thought that us being fucking engaged was such a smart way to get out of staying in jail or why you felt the need to do it, but this is not fucking funny.”
“You’ve got to admit Jane, it is a little funny. Plus the judge bought it, so we’re in the clear! It solves all of our problems. I stay out of jail and you can get me off on these chargers, and you get to bring a win to your boss so that you can keep your job.”
Her eyes go wide and she frowns at my mention of her boss. I give her a smug smile in response, nodding as I lean forward with my elbows on the table.
“That’s right, sweetheart. I talked to Terry and I know that you need to win this case.”
She purses her lips together and scowls, biting her lip and looking away from me as she takes another deep clarifying breath, clearly trying not to strangle me from across the table. It’s kind of hot if I’m being honest, and I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t at least a little bit enjoying it.
Okay, so I’m enjoying it more than a little. Sue me.
“I cannot fucking believe you, Riker. First, you contact my boss behind my back about all of this, and then you pull that stunt in court? You really are a piece of work. I can’t believe what you’ve gotten us into with this.”
I chuckle and lean back with a sigh, putting my arms behind my head as I relax and shake my head, grinning. She’s way too uptight about this, and as much as I’m enjoying the teasing, I also need to have her on board.
“Relax Jane, what’s the issue? You’re going to win this case, and I’m going to stay out of jail. Plus, having a high profile billionaire like me as both your client and your fiancé will work wonders for your reputation as a lawyer. There’s literally no downside to this. You just need to relax and roll with it, and I can promise you that I’ll make it as pleasurable for you as possible.”
I flash her a grin and a wink and she scoffs, pinching the bridge of her nose.
“You’re incredibly sexy when you’re angry, has anyone ever told you that?”
“Riker you have to be serious about this for a second.”
“Oh I’m very serious, anger is a good look for you, it gets me all a tingle when you make little threats like that.”
She mutters under her breath, and I can tell that she’s getting past the point of it being fun for me anymore, so I chuckle and sigh, leaning forward again with a smile.
“Okay okay, I’m listening. What’s the issue?”
“The issue is that this who ruse comes with a slew of extra precautions and exceptions that we’ll have to take, all because you decided that you couldn’t spend a little time in Jail.”
“Uh, excuse me, but have you seen me?” I balk, shaking my head. “I’m way too attractive to spend time in prison, so don’t even try to tell me that my concerns about going to jail weren’t justified.”
She rolls her eyes again and raises her brows, clearly frustrated.
“Okay so tell me this then, how the hell are we going to spin this? The whole world is going to be wanting details on this story, and then what? After the trial, no one is going to believe a thing when we go our separate ways.”
She’s got a valid point but lucky for her I’ve got a few tricks up my sleeve, and I give her a cocky smile with a wink as I explain my plan.
“Look we’ll play pretend for a bit, and then we’ll just call the whole thing off after trial, easy.”
“Right, because that isn’t suspicious or anything.”
“Look it’ll be easy enough to come up wit
h a reason to break things off I’m sure, and we can just lay low until then.”
“Okay that’s all fine and good Riker, but what about the fact that we both just committed perjury out there in court?”
“Hey, perjury is better than injury, which is actually what I’ll get if I go to prison. My asshole will never be the same, and I’m not willing to go through that, thank you very much.”
“Ugh, you’re too much.”
She shakes her head again and groans, finally relenting and giving in to my plans, and she leans forward with a defeated sigh.
“Fine,” she says firmly, brows raised as she leans in and whispers, “But we’re going to need to get me a ring to make this believable and you’re going to buy me a huge rock, and I’m going to keep it. Consider it extra payment for all the bullshit that you’re putting me through with this.”
I wasn’t expecting that and I laugh, nodding and looking back at her with a smile.
“The sass! I love it. Alright fine, we’ll get you a nice pretty diamond, deal?”
“Deal. I have to go. I’ll see you in the morning.”
“Okay honey, see you later.”
She scoffs and I grin back as we go our separate ways, and I find myself anxious to see what life is like when you have a fiancé, even if it’s fake.
I guess I’ll find out tomorrow.
8
Jane
Getting up this morning and seeing that my name is plastered across social media and the news is not something that I’m accustomed to, and I’m not sure that there is any amount of coffee that is going to make it seem less foreign. The fact that not only is my name all over the news but that it’s also associated with Riker is a whole other level of crazy in my mind as well, and the entire situation is really throwing me off. I know that it’s a big deal that Riker is ‘off the market,’ but it doesn’t mean that I’m particularly thrilled about being involved with it.
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