Riding The Edge
Page 29
I finally let myself look at Reina—really look at her. I memorize her features and pray to whatever god will listen that while I’m alone, rotting in my cell my mind will allow me to remember all the many expressions her beautiful face has gifted me over the years. May I always recall the sound of her laugh and the sweet fucking sounds she makes when she comes undone.
You’re going to lose her, Parrish.
She’ll never wait.
“Ten years,” my lawyer counters. “Or we go to trial and leave it up to a jury to decide.”
“That’s fine with me,” the district attorney fires back. “We take it to court and your client can wind up doing anywhere between fifteen to life.”
“Jack,” Reina whispers, reaching for my face. “Are you with me?” she questions, searching my eyes for a sign that I haven’t drifted over to the darkness.
“I’m with you,” I rasp, wrapping my hands around her wrists.
“Your client is being charged with murder in the first degree. Now, we’re being generous here. The deal is fifteen years and full immunity for the club.”
Prying Reina’s hands off me, I glare at the suits sitting across from me.
“Do I need to remind you of my client’s medical condition?”
When in doubt, pull the crazy card.
“Twelve years, full immunity for the club and his private doctors are allowed to treat him inside,” he continues.
Mulling it over, the district attorney leans against the back of his chair and confers with the two assholes sitting on either side of him. Knowing these men hold my fate in their hands is enough to get my blood boiling and the wheels turning inside my deranged head. I envision inflicting pain on them and tearing their world apart. I want their wives to cry at night and their kids to wonder when and if they’ll ever see their fathers again.
Once a fucking sinner, always a sinner.
“Thirteen years and full immunity for the club. As far as his medical treatment goes, that will be up to the warden to decide. However, I assure you, Mr. Parrish will be treated for his condition.”
Thirteen years is better than fifteen and I turn my gaze toward my lawyer, waiting for him to agree or disagree. He looks at me then Reina and back to me, giving me a slight nod.
“Take the deal,” he says.
Thirteen fucking years.
One hundred and fifty-six months.
Four thousand, seven hundred and forty-five days.
Turning once more to my wife, I brush her hair away from her face and watch as she lifts her tearstained face.
“We’ll make it work,” she assures.
Nodding, I drop my hand and stare across the table. I pull the toothpick from my lips and lift my hand to my mouth, spitting in my palm before extending it to the district attorney.
Blow me, motherfucker.
“Jack,” Reina scolds.
“Thanks, but no thanks,” he grunts, declining my hand as he slips his papers back inside his briefcase. “My office will draw up the new deal and we’ll meet back here at six o’clock this evening.”
“That’s only seven hours,” Reina murmurs.
“Mr. Parrish has a family he needs to say goodbye to,” my lawyer asserts. “A young boy who is losing his father for thirteen years a pregnant daughter who is also ill. Give us tonight and we’ll be here first thing in the morning.”
“He just spit in his hand and offered it to me.”
“He’s a very sick man,” my lawyer says solemnly as he kicks me under the table.
Biting the inside of my cheek, I fake remorse and nod my head agreeing that I am indeed a very sick man.
A sick fuck whose number is up.
“What if he runs?”
“He won’t,” Reina says, surprising me. Bracing both hands on the table, she stands and stares down at the D.A. “Please,” she pleads. “I know you see him as a criminal. In your mind he’s just a menace to society, a man who has cheated the judicial system more times than a person should ever be allowed but to me and my family he is everything—our entire world. Put yourself in my shoes before you say no,” she cries.
“Reina,” I murmur, leaning forward to take her hands and draw her back to me. She resists, keeping her eyes firmly locked with the district attorney’s.
“Please,” she begs.
“For your sake, I hope he comes out a better man, someone worthy of you,” the cocksucker says. “Seven o’clock, tomorrow morning you will sign the deal and we’ll process you into the system. In the meantime, put a pair of blue and whites on Mr. Parrish in case he decides to push his luck and run.”
My maker begins to taunt me, reminding me and her about to get reacquainted.
You can run but, you can’t hide from me.
There is no time for crazy and so, I shake my head and beg for silence. I’ve got less than twenty-four hours to get my affairs in order, say goodbye to my family and remind Reina she is and forever will be property of Parrish.
Coming this September:
The conclusion of Jack & Reina’s story,
PARRISH