The Scales (The Black Land Series Book 3)

by D. Camille

  Khayla smiled broadly at the group. “Pay up! Where’s my money?”

  They all turned to her with deep frowns.

  “Come on Ma, before they hurt you.” Lance took his wife’s hand and led her to the dance floor.

  The first strike of lightning followed by a loud clap of thunder caused everyone to freeze. A few minutes later the heavy wind and rain arrived. Another lightening of the sky and a floor shaking boom caused the entire room to go dark before dim generator lights popped on and sirens began to sound signaling that a fierce storm or tornado was approaching.

  Mac went into action immediately. “We need to take cover! Everyone get away from the windows.”

  She turned to her officers. “Get everyone out into the hall!”

  The crowd began to file out of the glass-encased ballroom into the lobby. Mac orchestrated getting everyone out of the room before checking one last time for any stragglers. After a few minutes, Brandon grabbed her hand and led her in another direction.

  “Brandon! I need to make sure everyone is safe,” she protested.

  “They’re fine. I need to make sure you’re safe.”

  He continued to lead her to a small dimly lit, windowless room.

  “I need to be out there,” she told him.

  “They’re mostly police officers, Mackenzie. They can handle it, it’s a tornado warning.”

  Another loud burst of thunder made her jump and Brandon wrapped his arms around her, holding her close.

  “It’s okay baby,” he crooned in her ear while holding her gently.

  Mac softened in his embrace. “I know I get carried away.”

  “It’s your job,”

  Mac laid her head against him. “It’s been my life.”

  “I understand.”

  “Relax, hopefully this will pass quickly.”

  Mac held him tighter, reveling in his solid frame. It had been so long since she’d been able to rely on someone else’s strength.

  “How have you been Brandon?” she whispered.

  He sighed. “Working on the campaign and my cases, trying to keep my mind off of this really sexy woman who gives her all to a city she loves.”

  Mac smiled against his chest. “I don’t just have love for the city.”

  Brandon rubbed her back and kissed her temple. “Mackenzie…”

  “I told you about saying my name like that,” she whispered seeking his mouth.

  Their mouths connected and lit sparks, igniting a fire that began to burn within them both. “If we’re still being discrete, this has to stop or the chief will get some real freaky shit in a broom closet at the Policeman’s Ball.”

  “You brought me in here,” she reminded him, against his lips as she pressed closer.

  “Mackenzie…” he groaned and stepped back as far as he could in the small space.

  She protested and tried to move closer. “Baby, if we get down in this closet, everybody will know as soon as you walk out of here.”

  Mac placed her forehead against his chest. “I know, you’re right,”

  “But my body does not even care right now,” she confessed softly in the dark.

  “When this election is over, I won’t hide our relationship any longer.” Brandon told her.

  Mac laughed. “I don’t think we’re doing a good job anyway.”

  Feeling it was safe, Brandon pulled her close again. “I’m getting to the point where I don’t even care. I’m tired of living my life according to other’s perceptions because of my career.”

  “I know, me too.”

  They held each other as the rain continued to pour.

  “What did Patrice say? I saw your face while you were talking to her,” she asked.

  Brandon lifted his head to the ceiling. “The same thing everybody else is saying. I’m too close to the park shooting because of my own mother,” he said frustrated.

  “Are you?” Mac asked.

  “I don’t see it.”

  Mac touched his face in the dark. “Maybe you don’t want to.”

  Brandon sighed. “Mackenzie, when I lost my mother, I lost all my emotions.” He lowered his head. “It was like I became frozen inside, like ice. My father calls me the Tin Man.”

  Mac slid her hand around to the back of his head and cradled it. “You were devastated,” she whispered. “You were just a little boy.”

  “I didn’t ever want to hurt like that again so I turned everything off,” he said quietly. “One day I was a happy little four-year-old with the perfect mother, then she was gone. No warning, no reason…just snatched away.”

  “My father was there and he did everything he could, but nothing could replace her love and her touch,” he finished brokenly.

  “Everything I’ve ever done, every case I’ve ever prosecuted was for her. To bring the justice to families that my family never got,” he gritted out.

  Mac held him close. “Brandon…”

  “I know you’re going to petition for me to recuse myself and that’s fine, but I won’t do it willingly. I know my job and I know what I’m capable of and if I thought I’d lose this case, I wouldn’t take it on,” he vowed.

  “I believe you Brandon. I didn’t know this was how you felt,” Mac whispered. “I was worried that this would be too much on you.”

  He buried his head in her neck. “Please trust me to do what’s right.”

  “I do…I won’t doubt you.”

  “Thank you Mackenzie. I really need your support on this.”

  Mac lifted his face and placed her lips on his. “You know I’ve got you Brandon, like you’ve always had me.”

  “We’re in this together baby,” she whispered fiercely, holding him close.

  Brandon smiled. “I love how strong you are.”

  “I love the same thing about you.”

  “You’re the only one strong enough to break that ice covering my heart,” he whispered to her. “That pretty high school girl never left my thoughts and over the years she unthawed me without my knowledge.”

  “I thought you were so damn smooth,” Mac confessed.

  Brandon lifted his head. “Were?”

  She laughed. “Are…you are so damn smooth Brandon Williams and I get more crazy about you every day.”

  “That’s better,” he kissed her hotly until they heard a knock.

  “Uh, the storm’s over OUT HERE,” Corvus said pointedly, through the door. “Y’all might want to come out of there.”

  Brandon opened the door and escorted Mac out to where Corvus was waiting and the lights were back on. He looked at the two and smirked. “Uh, you might want to go and fix your face Mac, ‘cause it looks like Brandon got a little carried away.”

  Mac put a hand to her lips. “Excuse me.”

  Both men watched her walked away. “Damn, she look real good out of that uniform.” Corvus commented.

  Brandon turned to him. “If Rion wasn’t your brother…”

  ******

  After the Ball was over, Mac and Brandon climbed in the car with Corvus, who drove them to the next destination, outside of the city.

  “Where are we going?” Brandon asked Mac.

  She smiled. “It’s my surprise for my sexy prosecutor.”

  Corvus rolled his eyes as he drove. He couldn’t wait to drop them off.

  They eventually arrived at the secluded lake house and Corvus parked the vehicle allowing Mac and Brandon to get out. Mac leaned down where he sat behind the wheel.

  “Tomorrow at noon,” she told him. “Not one minute earlier.”

  Corvus nodded. “Don’t hurt him too bad Mac.”

  Mac took Brandon’s hand. “Oh, I’m going to do my best.”

  Corvus laughed as he backed out of the driveway and took off.

  Brandon looked at Mac in question. “We’re at my parents’ lake house. I’m kidnapping you tonight.”

  “I’m your willing captive,” he said lowering his head to kiss her softly.

  The ground was still wet from
the earlier downpour as the two negotiated the path to the front door. Inside the living room, two massage tables were set up.

  Mac smiled. “You get a massage, dinner and desert.”

  “In that order?” he asked wrapping an arm around her waist.

  “Any order you want,” she whispered. “But the massage therapists will be here in a few minutes.”

  Brandon stole a kiss. “I can wait.”

  “We need to get undressed then.”

  She took his hand and led him into one of the bedrooms. Mac watched as he removed his tux and became completely naked and glorious. Brandon grabbed the large towel that was laid out for them and wrapped it around his waist.

  Mac turned so that he could unzip her dress then stepped out of it and Brandon’s eyes stayed glued to her as she removed her underwear and wrapped herself in a large towel. The doorbell rang and the pair headed out to meet the masseurs.

  An hour later, both had been worked over to the point of complete relaxation. Brandon looked at Mac on the other table.

  “Thank you Mackenzie, I needed this.”

  She gave him a sexy smile. “Me too.”

  With the massages completed, Brandon and Mac showed their attendants out then Mac led him outside to the back deck that housed a large bubbling hot tub.

  Standing on her tip toes, she kissed him. “Let’s get wet…” Mac dropped her sheet and climbed inside before settling back to wait for Brandon.

  “So I get desert now?” he asked watching her in the water.

  She beckoned him with one finger. “You get whatever that freaky mind can think of.”

  Brandon grinned. “Girl, you’re about to make me hurt you.”

  “I’m in good shape,” she taunted flexing her arm muscle.

  He dropped the towel and her eyes widened. “Let’s find out.”

  Brandon climbed into the water and settled across from her.

  “So who’s watching the city?” he asked.

  Mac shook her head. “Not me…not tonight.”

  Brandon looked around at the trees. “You did all this for me?”

  “Nah, I did it for Corvus.” She teased and he frowned.

  Mac floated over to him. “Of course I did it for you. You deserve it.” She kissed him.

  “You always tell me how hard I work but I know that you work hard too. I wanted to do something to show you that I appreciate you and…it’s more than sex.”

  Brandon lifted a wet hand and caressed her face. “Let me make it plain now. I’m in love with you Mackenzie. I think I have been for a while.”

  Mac bit her lip as her eyes watered. “I didn’t know if I should say it…”

  His green eyes darkened. “Say it baby,”

  “I’m in love with you Brandon,” she said shyly. “And I’m scared as hell.”

  Brandon stroked her cheek. “What are you scared of?”

  “That this is all a dream…” she confessed. “And I’m going to wake up any minute.”

  “It’s not a dream Mackenzie,” Brandon told her. “It’s real, I promise you.”

  She blinked and a single tear fell. “I know you say I’m strong, but I have fears too.”

  Brandon sat her on his lap as the water bubbled around them. “You don’t have to be afraid of loving me baby.”

  Mac laid her head on his broad shoulder. “Being chief is a lonely job.”

  “When you’re with me, you’re not the chief. You’re my incredibly beautiful and sexy woman,” Brandon told her as his hand began to caress her underneath the water. “And all I want to do is please her.”

  Mac threw her head back and closed her eyes. “I can’t wait to visit your closet again,” she breathed.

  “It’s waiting for you.” He kissed her parted lips as his hand explored her body. “Do you know how much I’ve missed you?”

  Her lids slid open. “I know I haven’t had a lot of time lately, but I’ve missed you too.”

  “It’s always worth the wait Mackenzie.”

  She smiled. “I swear that mouth makes me so hot.”

  Brandon proceeded to do all the things she liked to her mouth causing her to get wetter than the water that surrounded them.

  “Tell me what you want baby,” he whispered in her ear.

  Mac turned sexy eyes on him. “I want you to love me…”

  “Mackenzie Green!”

  Brandon and Mac turned to the sound of her name and Mac gasped, sliding under the water to cover her naked breasts. Brandon instinctively shielded her with his body turning to the man.

  Peeking over Brandon’s shoulder, Mac grimaced. “Daddy, what are you doing here?”

  “I got an alert that there was some activity at the house, so I came to check it out,” he informed her.

  Mac pressed closer to Brandon’s back to keep herself covered. “I told Mommy that I was using the house tonight.”

  Her father frowned. “Well she didn’t tell me.”

  Mac looked at her father who was staring at the naked couple in the water.

  “Uh, Daddy you remember Brandon,” Mac said slowly.

  Her father nodded. “Hello Head Prosecutor Williams.”

  “Good evening Dr. Green.”

  When her father continued to stare at them in confusion, Mac gave him a look. “Daddy? Do you mind?”

  “Oh,” He put a hand in front of his face. “I’m sorry.” Turning away he said, “Make sure you lock up when you leave.”

  He disappeared into the house and Brandon turned to Mac.

  “Well that’s embarrassing,” she said looking away.

  Brandon smiled. “Did we just get caught naked by your father?”

  Mac nodded. “Yes we did.”

  Brandon looked toward the door where Dr. Green had exited. “I guess having dinner with him will be awkward after this. He probably thinks I’m doing all kinds of things to his daughter.”

  Mac wrapped her arms around his neck as he turned back to her. “Baby, my daddy can’t even imagine half of the things that you do to me…”

  Chapter 10

  “Chief Green, are there any updates on the victims?” a reporter shouted.

  A week later, Mac stood in full uniform addressing the media on the current situation concerning the shooting at the park. The current Mayor was in attendance as well as Brandon and Patrice. The sea of reporters waited anxiously for her response.

  “Yes, the male victim is about to be released and the little girl is making progress.” Mac paused and glanced in Brandon’s direction. “The family is now contemplating taking the mother off of life support.”

  “So this case could be turning into a homicide?” someone shouted.

  Mac turned her attention to the reporter. “We’re keeping a close eye on the situation.”

  “Will you be asking Head Prosecutor Williams to recuse himself if it does become one, due to his personal experience?”

  Mac’s voice was firm. “Prosecutor Williams has a proven track record for this city. His record is spotless even after the large volume of cases he’s had to take to trial. In the event that a trial is needed, I will allow the head prosecutor to run his office as he sees fit since I have no merit or basis to request anything different.”

  Patrice turned to Brandon and shook her head with a sarcastic smile. Mac had just given her the ammunition that she needed to bury both of them. She looked across the room at one the reporters then nodded.

  “Chief Green, is it true that the reason you’re not going to ask Prosecutor Williams to recuse himself is because the two of you are involved in a relationship?”

  Patrice smiled as Mac turned to address the reporter. “Are you aware of the Prosecutor’s record?”

  The reporter nodded.

  “Who has a better one?” Mac questioned.

  “No one,” the crowd answered.

  Mac pinned the reporter with a stern look. “So how would it serve the city to have someone with less experience prosecuting a case of this magnitude?”


  “Unless you’d like to see the perpetrators of this type of violence continue to roam our neighborhoods injuring and/or killing innocent residents?”

  All heads turned to the reporter in question, waiting for his response. When she received none, Mac turned back to the crowd.

  “I’m going to turn over the podium to the Head Prosecutor for an update from his office.” Mac turned and watched as Brandon came to stand next to her. He looked down at her in a navy suit and tie before turning to the microphone.

  “Good morning everyone.”

  His green gaze scanned the crowd and saw the satisfied look on Patrice’s face. He knew that she had more to come. Mac moved to step down from the podium and Brandon halted her with a hand on her arm.

  Mac’s eyes flew to his in warning as she remained standing stiffly next to him in front of the crowd. Brandon spoke again to the reporters. “I stand before you today as the city’s Head Prosecutor and Mayoral candidate. Those two things are very important to me because of my love for this city.”

  “I thought that I needed to present a perfect image to assure the public of my loyalty but apparently politics can be a very dirty game,” he pinned Patrice with a look. “And not one that I’m going to play.”

  “The question was asked if I’m involved in a relationship with Chief Green and the answer is a resounding yes.” He turned to a startled Mac and gave her a soft look before facing the crowd again. “And anyone who has a problem with it should address their questions directly to me.”

  Brandon looked out at a startled Patrice. “Now, as far as the Prosecutor’s office, we will be filing charges against two of the suspected shooters this week. Two young men have been arrested and are in custody. The third suspected shooter is also in custody with an ongoing investigation in progress to determine if charges will be filed and what they will be.”

  “As far as my role in prosecuting the cases, I will decide on a case by case basis. If any issues or conflicts arise, Prosecutor Tauri Patterson-Shaw will step in to oversee in those instances.”

  “Are there any questions?” Brandon asked looking over the crowd, stopping on the reporter who’d initiated the first question about his relationship with Mackenzie.

  A few more questions were asked by different reporters about the actual shooting and then Brandon ended the conference. Mackenzie gave him a look then disappeared into the crowd before Derek was at his side. “We need to do damage control.”