by Artemis Hunt
“Brian.” Sam seizes his arms and tries to make him sit down. “You did everything you could. We did everything we could. That she had a motive to set you up is not in doubt.”
“But no one really knows what happened that night except her. I certainly don’t.” Brian runs a hand over his chestnut hair. “I-I still could have done it, you know. Maybe we should have called Dr. Robertson in as a witness to testify that I’m basically harmless. Maybe we should – ”
“Brian, it’s OK,” Karen says in a soothing voice.
Someone taps their door. “Jury’s in.”
“Oh shit.” Brian feels like bolting. His palms are sweaty and his skin feels as if it has been dunked in ice.
Sam grips his arm fiercely. “I’m here with you, all the way, OK?” She turns him to face her. Her wide eyes contain such a kaleidoscope of emotions that his chest suddenly feels weightless.
“I love you, OK?” she whispers. “I love you, Brian. I’ve loved you for a long, long time.”
The floor opens at his feet and it’s as though he is losing his balance.
“I-I love you too,” he whispers back. Just in case he doesn’t get to say it again. “I’ve loved you since . . . I don’t know when. Somewhere along the line, when we . . . oh shit. I just love you, OK?”
“Let’s go, Brian,” Karen says firmly.
They troop back into the courtroom and take their seats. The jury files in. Their faces are solemn. Mostly blank. Some of the women openly eye Brian with interest. He tries to gauge their expressions, but they are not giving anything away.
Behind him, he can sense Sam’s warm, comforting presence. Her love. Even if everything doesn’t turn out the way he wants it to, at least he has that.
The Judge comes in. Everyone stands and sits on ceremony.
“Has the jury reached a verdict?”
The foreman rises. She is a formidable-looking woman in her fifties. Six foot tall and with a frame which can take on several football players.
“Yes, we have, your Honor.”
“How do you find the defendant?”
Brian sucks in his breath. I love you, Sam, no matter what.
The foreman looks right at Brian when she says this in her dyke-ish, schoolmarm, stentorian manner. “We, members of the jury, find the defendant, Brian Morton, not guilty of first degree rape.”
There’s a rushing in Brian’s ears that almost drowns out all other sounds. He barely perceives the hug that Karen whips him up in. His vision is a blur when the familiar arms of Sam enclose him in a bear hug so encompassing that his ribs almost cave in.
“You did it,” he hears her whisper fiercely.
“I didn’t do anything,” he mumbles into her hair, “you and Karen did it all.”
“I’m so happy for you, darling,” he hears Angelique’s voice.
“Thanks, Mom.” His voice croaks a little at this. He opens his arms to embrace her in a three-way hug. He feels like hugging the world, he’s that relieved. If he has room to hug one more person, he would like to enfold Karen in it too. But she has gone across to Norma Hennessey to shake her hand.
His vision swims a little, but his faintness soon clears up. Across the room, Delilah Fawkes is glaring at him as if she would like to turn him into stone. But there’s sadness mixed in that stare – a wistful wanting of things that could have been.
I’m sorry, Adie, he thinks. But he doesn’t go to her. She has done too much for him to forgive her that easily.
Sam grabs his face and kisses him in full view of the courtroom. He kisses her back with all the hunger that has been denied him. It’s as if several megaton burdens have been lifted off his back.
Out of the corner of his eye, he sees a police officer approach Adie. Norma Hennessey is grim as Adie and the officer converse in low voices. Then Adie resignedly follows the officer out of the courtroom.
EPILOGUE
The reception area of ‘Shape’ is decked out for a party even bigger than the one they had on opening day. Balloons, streamers and multicolored ribbons dance everywhere, and the buffet spread is filled with pasta, all sorts of hams and sausages and rack of lamb, and more fried chicken and desserts that anyone can eat. Club music blares from the speakers, filling the gym with a pulsing techno beat.
Sam has invited everyone they can think of. Everyone they are speaking to, at least. Certainly not Delilah Faulkner, who is being charged with blackmail and falsifying an accusation. But Caleb and Cassie are here, and so is Angelique, who conveniently neglected to bring along her husband. Not that it matters to Brian, who is relieved his father isn’t here.
Brian and Caleb are hugging each other and talking quietly in a corner. Brian looks amazing. It’s as if years have been lifted off his face, and he looks well-slept and serene. He has cut his hair in a different and more attractive style, and worn a white T-shirt which shows off his biceps nicely.
Cassie comes up with a plate laden with macarons. “Great spread you have here for Brian’s celebration party. Delilah still pressing charges against you?”
“Yes.” There’s no way Sam can get out of the breaking and entering charge, but Karen is confident the judge will be lenient.
“We’ll try to get you off on community service,” Karen said. “Under the extenuating circumstances, there’s no way anyone can prosecute you beyond that. A sentence of community service will be a legal way of letting everyone know that they can’t get away with vigilante investigation or justice.”
“I know,” Sam replied ruefully.
But still, that’s the best she can hope for.
The tinkling of a fork on a glass arrests their attention. Brian is in front of the reception desk. He beams. Sam thinks he has never looked so gorgeous.
He announces, “I want to make a speech, and I promise you it will be as short as the hem of Lydia’s skirt.”
He makes a mock grab for Lydia’s ass.
Lydia gives a yowl as she covers her ass. Everyone laughs. The trainer’s skirt she is wearing today is so short as to practically give everyone an eyeful of her lacy white panties.
Brian looks directly at Sam and holds out his hand. It’s a look filled with so much love and resolution that Sam’s heart expands to soar beyond the confines of the gym. She steps up beside him.
He doesn’t let go of her hand as he turns back to the crowd.
“This is not an Oscar acceptance speech, but there are some people I have to thank. My attorney, Karen Sandler, for sticking with me even though I’m the greatest screw-up there is.”
Karen raises a champagne glass toast to him. A curl of a smile graces her lips. Sam knows that Karen has been intimate with Brian, but then who hasn’t? That was the past. This is the present, and Brian is a different man – a different soul with the hardship of bitter experiences behind him. He would do anything for her, Sam knows.
Just as she would do anything for him.
They both know that now about each other. They may do stupid things. Things that don’t totally make sense to anyone else, including the law. But their intentions and hearts are in the right place.
With each other’s.
Brian continues, holding on tightly to her, “I want to thank my best friend, Caleb, who bailed me out of jail. It wasn’t the first time he had to do this, and I assure you it won’t be the last.”
Laughter again.
“To my colleagues in ‘Shape’, who took over and shook up the place like they own it. Great job, Thor, for managing this joint when we were shacking it up at the courthouse. We hear you’ve been shacking up plenty over here too. But that’s a good thing. For the females.”
Thor pumps a triumphant fist into the air as several women cheer. He doesn’t hold her any ill will, Sam knows. She’s glad she didn’t sleep with him after all.
Brian hugs Sam to his body.
“And finally, most of all, I want to thank my partner, Sam, for everything. For putting up with me. For being there when I needed her, and even when I didn’t
know I needed her. She’s my partner in every way I can think of.” His voice chokes a little at this. “As I am hers. And it’s time to make it public.”
In front of everyone, he tips Sam’s waist back and kisses her long, hard and deep. All the breath whooshes out of her as his tongue probes the landscape of her mouth. Her knees buckle and her entire body goes limp with overwhelming emotion.
Their audience of friends, colleagues, and a single family member cheers. If any of the women in the ranks have any regrets that Brian is kissing Sam and not her (and yes, Sam is thinking Lydia and Karen), they are buttoning up their envy nice and proper.
The entrance is suddenly darkened by a tall man. Jefferson Morton stands there, his eyes twinkling as he watches his nephew kissing the love of his life. Brian and Sam finally come up for air amid applause. Brian notices his uncle and goes over, dragging Sam.
They pump hands vigorously.
“I’m sorry for every doubting you, son,” Jefferson says, clapping Brian on the back.
“Hey, no skin off my nose. I had me doubting myself. Uncle Jeff, I want to introduce you to my girlfriend, Samantha.”
Sam smiles shyly at Jefferson. “I’ve heard so much about you.”
Jefferson gives her a slow grin. “I never thought I’d live to see the day my nephew here would commit himself to someone. In every meaning of the word.”
Brian blushes. Sam is delighted. She has rarely seen Brian blush.
“So what do you say, Brian?” Jefferson says. “Your old job is yours if you want it back. Vanguard hasn’t been the same without you.”
Brian contemplates this for a long time before saying, “Thanks, but no thanks, Uncle Jeff. Sam and I have a good thing going here in this gym, and I think I’ll make my own way from now on.”
“Don’t close your options, my boy. You never know when you’re going to need them.”
“Maybe,” Brian says, laughing. He squeezes Sam’s shoulders. “But I’m pretty much set for now. I’ve got everything I need.”
A prickly feeling runs through Sam. Her cheeks ache from smiling.
Looking up at her tall, phenomenally gorgeous boyfriend, she’s pretty much got all that she needs too.
EROTICA BY APHRODITE HUNT
The ‘Romanced by the Damaged Millionaire’ series
Damaged Beauties
The ‘Bound and Shackled to the Billionaire’ series
His Indecent Proposition
His Indecent Demands
His Indecent Desires
His Indecent Secrets
His Indecent Revelations
The ‘Initiation’ series
Open Your Legs for Me
Blindfolded and Spread-eagled
Thighs Wide Apart
Teacher, Please Spread my Pussy
The Final Initiation
The Initiation: A Bundle of 5 Stories
The ‘Initiation 2’ series
Open Your Legs for my Family
Bend Over for my Family
Publicly Display Yourself for Me
Sex Slave at Sea
Paraded before the Billionaires
Sex Slave at the Auction
The ‘Initiation 3’ series
Sex Slave to the Dictator
Shackled by the Dictator
Punished by the Dictator’s Daughter
The Sex Slave’s Final Punishment
‘The Royal Captive’ series
Prince Miro’s Capture
Prince Miro’s Submission
Prince Miro’s Enslavement
Prince Miro’s Punishment
Prince Miro’s Escape
Prince Miro’s Final Confrontation
The Royal Captive: Vol 1 to 3
The Royal Captive: Vol 4 to 6
The ‘Naughty Nymphomaniac’ series
I was a Naughty Nymphomaniac
Officer, Please Spread and Cuff Me
Gang Banged by the Chain Gang
Tempting the Hot Navy SEAL
The ‘Delicate Piercings’ series
Her First Clit Ring
Her First Clit Ring 2: Menage
Her First Clit Ring 3: Desensitization
The ‘Undercover’ series
Undercover: Exposing the Bad Doctor
Undercover: Stealing from the Sexy CEO
The ‘Alien’ series
Trapped with Sex-Starved Aliens
Trapped with Sex-Starved Aliens 2
Hot, Wet and Steamy (individual stories)
When He’s Inside You
My Stepson is a Naughty Stripper
The Gorgeous Naked Man in my Storm Shelter (Erotic Suspense)
A Xmas Gift: The Sperm Donor
WORKS BY ARTEMIS HUNT
EROTIC ROMANCES
The ‘Inhumanly Handsome, Humanly Flawed Alpha Male’ series
A Virgin Enslaved
The Pretend Boyfriend
The Pretend Boyfriend 2
The Pretend Boyfriend 3
The Pretend Boyfriend 4
The ‘Maid for the Billionaire Prince’ series
Mysterious Desire
Forbidden Desire
Infamous Desire
Royal Desire
Maid for the Billionaire Prince
ROMANCES
The Body Snatcher Wears Lipstick
Snow White and the Alien
Dear reader, as this list is not always comprehensive due to more stories being churned out after this point in publishing, please visit http://artemishunt.blogspot.com/ and http://aphroditehunt.blogspot.com/ for more stories and updates. I write as Artemis Hunt for erotic romances with a more romance feel and Aphrodite Hunt for pure erotica and erotic romances which are slightly kinkier. So please be aware of what you’re getting into, dear reader, when you read one of my stories. Thank you so much for your support.
Table of Contents
The Pretend Boyfriend 4 (Alpha Male Erotic Romance)
Midpoint
EPILOGUE