Promise Me: Diamond In The Rough 2

by Hart, Rebel

  “I’m sorry for whatever he did to you tonight.”

  Then, without letting her explain, I showed myself off to my room.

  32

  Clinton

  I sat in the lawyer’s office, hating the fact that my father was here. I knew this would happen, too. I told Cecilia not to tell him. I told her to just keep it between us. I didn’t need Dad coming to this damn meeting with me. Cecilia would’ve been fine. Hell, I could’ve done this damn meeting myself! I mean, it took me a little bit to grasp the fact that I was about to press charges on four boys who tried killing me. But, all I had to do was digest that fact. Digest the—the realness of it all.

  And of course, the second Cecilia updated my father, he was on the first plane ride home.

  “Did we have to do this today? This couldn’t have waited?”

  Cecilia scoffed. “Howard, you didn’t have to come. I told you I had this under control.”

  Dad shook his head. “The only thing you would’ve done is rack up a larger bill than necessary asking tons of unnecessary questions.”

  “So, you’re only here to moderate your funds. Is that it? You don’t care that we’re here to prosecute the boys who almost killed our son?”

  Dad paused. “You mean my son, Cece?”

  I kept myself poised in my chair, even though I wanted to melt into a puddle on the floor. The second the lawyer’s door opened, though, Dad shut his fucking face. Guess he’d learned his lesson with the doctor in the hospital. I peered over at Cecilia, watching as she crossed her leg over her knee, trying to keep her composure as much as possible, even though I saw the anger in her eyes.

  Thank fuck, I’m sitting beside her.

  “Afternoon. My name is Omar Littenberg.”

  The lawyer held his hand out for Dad and he stood to shake it. Cecilia stayed seated, but she shook his hand in kind. I stood, staring the man in the face with a grateful smile. And as I shook his hand, he held mine just a little longer than necessary.

  Had he heard what had happened from the hallway?

  Fuck. “It’s really nice to meet you. Thank you for seeing us on such short notice.”

  He dropped my hand. “Of course. When I caught word of what happened from the police station, I immediately cleared my schedule.”

  Cecilia smiled. “You came highly recommended by the detective over there.”

  Dad scoffed. “I’ll be the judge of whether or not you take my son’s case.”

  Omar sat down. “Actually, you have no legal voice in this room.”

  Dad paused. “Excuse me?”

  I sighed. “I’m eighteen, Dad. He doesn’t need your consent. Only mine.”

  “Well, if he wants his check paid, he’ll make sure he has my consent.”

  Cecilia hissed. “Howard, stop it. We’re here for our son.”

  “My son.”

  I sighed. “Yes, you came recommended by the detective at the police station. He said something about you taking on these kinds of cases before?”

  Omar nodded. “Mm-hmm. I specialize in juvie cases. Because they are usually presented to the court and judged in a much different fashion. You might be of legal age, but the boys who ran you down aren’t. They’re still seventeen, so their court proceedings will happen in a different light.”

  “Fair enough. So how much do you know about what happened?”

  “I know as much as I need to know. Let me rattle it off and see if I’ve got it right.”

  Dad sighed. “Can we speed this up a bit?”

  Omar darted his eyes over to my father. “This first meeting is free of charge. That’s usually how it works with most lawyers.”

  Cecilia humped. “Now, will you hush?”

  “Don’t you talk to me that way.”

  “I’ll talk to you however I want if it means you’ll sit down and support your son for once.”

  I sat there with my eyes closed, waiting for them to stop bickering. And when Omar cleared his throat, I opened my eyes.

  “The gist of it is you were approached by these boys, they chased you off, you tried to outrun them, and they ran you off the road and over a bridge. Correct?”

  I nodded. “That’s the gist of it, yes.”

  “Anything else you want me to know?”

  I felt my father’s eyes burrowing into me and I felt sick to my stomach. I wanted to tell the lawyer why they’d chased me off. I wanted to tell him I was defending the girl with me. Rae. And I saw he was waiting for me to bring her up. Cecilia reached over and took my hand, squeezing it for reassurance.

  But I saw the look in my father’s eye. Even from the corner of my own. If I didn’t speed this up, there would be hell to pay.

  He probably has a plane to get back to soon.

  “Um, nothing I want to add for now. I’m really just looking for what we’d charge them with. I don’t know how that all works.”

  Omar nodded. “Fair enough. I know this is probably pretty overwhelming. So I’ll make it easy for you. Should you choose me for your case, I’d try the boys for attempted murder.”

  Cecilia gasped. “Murder?”

  Dad scoffed. “They didn’t try to kill my son. Come on.”

  Omar shot him a look. “I’m speaking with your son. I’d appreciate it if you didn’t interject.”

  The two of them stared off with one another before the lawyer’s attention fell back to me.

  “They intentionally went after you. They intentionally ran you off the road. I’ve seen the crime photos. I’ve read the reports. The theories. And from the looks of the scene, you got off your bike and tried making a break for the woods. Didn’t you?”

  I felt my face pale as Cecilia squeezed my hand tighter.

  “Is that true, honey?”

  Dad murmured under his breath, but I didn’t catch it.

  “Uh, yeah. That’s—that’s true. You can see that from the pictures?”

  Omar nodded. “Clear as day. Your bike is mangled in one place, but you went over the railing in another. There are separate sets of tire skid marks. Same tires, different areas. They intentionally pushed you over that railing. That’s as much attempted murder as anything I’ve ever come across.”

  Holy shit. “Well, I appreciate your bluntness and honesty. Thank you.”

  “Mr. Clarke, these kids are lucky you’re still breathing. Otherwise, they’d be staring down the barrel of a very unfortunate future. If it makes you feel any better, I can go easy on them. Suggest juvie for a spell, as well as a specialized schooling atmosphere and court-mandated therapy in exchange for no jail time and having their record expunged.”

  I paused. “I’m not sure if that makes me feel any better.”

  Cecilia butted in. “You have to do something, Clint. They really did a number on you. Even if you simply sue them for the hospital bills or something—”

  Dad snickered. “Yeah. Pay me back some of that money.”

  “Howard!”

  I rolled my eyes. “Please excuse him.”

  “Did you just excuse me for someone else?”

  I looked over at my father. “I did. Because you’re acting absolutely insane right now and I’m tired of it.”

  His eyes lit up with fire as he stood up from his chair. His eyes panned toward the lawyer as he buttoned his suit coat. Cecilia got up quickly and followed him out of the room, trying to talk some sense into him. And as the door closed behind them, I cleared my throat.

  “I’m really sorry for that.”

  Omar shook his head. “Not your fault, Mr. Clarke.”

  I sighed. “So, if I wanted to press charges, what would we do?”

  “We’d gather evidence and serve each of their families with a formal subpoena. The boys are being held right now, so there will be a bail hearing. In which case, I’ll call for no bail since the charges are attempting to take your life from you. I’ll pose that they’re a threat for now, then suggest they be moved to a juvie facility where they can continue their studies while keeping you safe.
Then a court date is set and we work on presenting the facts.”

  I nodded. “How long will this take?”

  “I have a few questions.”

  Dad came barging back into the room and the lawyer shot out of his chair.

  “Sir, you’ll keep your voice down and keep it kosher. Or I’ll have you removed from the premises.”

  Dad walked around the desk, standing toe to toe with the man. “My son needs to focus on his studies. Not fussing over putting four boys in prison.”

  “They tried killing your son.”

  “And he probably provoked them! Look, I know my son better than you. Better than anyone. He’s a troublemaker, just like they are.”

  Cecilia yelped. “Howard! Stop it!”

  “No! I’m done with you hopping all over my back and acting like my son is some wounded puppy. You said it yourself, Mr. Whatever Your Last Name Is, he’s a legal adult. He doesn't conduct himself like one, though. Every single issue I’ve ever had with this boy has been brought on by prior actions. Did he tell you two of the boys that approached him that night had gotten into a fight with him earlier in the week?”

  Omar shook his head. “No. But I read that in the report.”

  I stood up. “How do you know that, Dad?”

  He glared at me. “Because I keep tabs on you. Everything you do. You got into a fight with two of those boys, didn’t you? On the football field, at school. You stormed up to them and started wailing on them. For no reason. And you don’t see them pressing charges on you, do you?”

  Cecilia stepped to the forefront. “Are you saying Clint deserved to be run off the road?”

  Dad rolled his eyes. “Hell, no! What I’m saying is that they came back for revenge. Like every single seventeen-year-old boy does when he’s been wronged. My son isn’t innocent in any of this. And the last thing he needs to be doing is batting off criminal charges of his own when he should be focusing on clawing himself out of high school. Because believe you me, his grades are barely there, at best.”

  I flopped back down into my chair. I didn’t know what else to do. What else to say. I didn’t have any more fight left in me, and I didn’t care. I stared at the wall, listening as my father unleashed. He went on a damn rampage as my stepmother tried to calm him down. And all the while, the lawyer stood his ground. Took everything in. Listened to him with a nod of his head.

  I just wanted to go home.

  No, not home.

  I wanted to go see Rae.

  “Mr. Clarke?”

  Omar’s voice ripped me from my trance. “Yeah?”

  Dad hissed. “You mean, ‘yes, sir.’”

  I nodded slowly. “I’m sorry. Yes, sir?”

  “It sounds like your family has some things you need to discuss. Pros and cons, and all that.”

  Dad huffed. “You’re damn right we do.”

  Omar pointed his finger. “One more outburst out of you and you’re hauled away in handcuffs. Do you hear me?”

  Cecilia stepped closer to him. “Howard, I’m begging you. Stop it.”

  He shrugged her off. “I’d like to see you try.”

  Omar shrugged. “Fair enough.”

  He pressed a button underneath his desk and two massive men appeared in the doorway. My eyes bulged as Cecilia stepped toward me, and I wrapped my arm around her shoulder. She gasped and squealed. We watched as Dad struggled against the two massive brutes. It felt like an out-of-body experience, watching him struggle like that. Watching him fight against them until they dragged him out of the office.

  Then one of them reached over and closed the door.

  “You aren’t going to throw him in jail, are you?”

  Cecilia’s voice sounded frantic. But part of me hoped the lawyer did. I looked over just in time to see Omar shake his head, though. Which disappointed me a bit.

  “No. He’ll just be removed outside until he can calm down. But this meeting won’t take much longer. I know you still have some things to mull over and discuss.”

  Cecilia nodded. “We do, but you’ve been very helpful. Thank you so much.”

  I watched the lawyer reach into his desk. He pulled out a small card, then scribbled something across the back. He didn’t hand it to my stepmother, though. He handed it directly to me. I took the card from him and he shook my hand. But he held my gaze with a fervor that magnetized me to my spot.

  “When you have a decision, you call me, okay? But, if you need anything—ever—reach out. I’m here to help. Always.”

  And as I read between the lines of his unspoken offering, I pocketed his card.

  A warning much like the one the doctor in the hospital gave me.

  33

  Raelynn

  Michael smiled. “You look nice today, Allison.”

  I watched my best friend blush. “Thanks, Michael. You don’t look half bad yourself.”

  “Is that a new shirt? I don’t think I’ve seen it before.”

  “Nah, it’s just been a while since I’ve worn it.”

  “Well, you should wear it more often. It really suits you. That color and everything.”

  I watched the way Allison smiled up at Michael. I saw the way he gazed down at her. I snickered to myself in the backseat, but the two of them didn’t seem to hear me. Like we’d done for a while now, the three of us were in front of Clint’s house. Picking him up for school. Even though he got stronger by the second, he still didn’t have a set of wheels to get himself to and from campus. And by his words, he’d rather ‘drop off that damn bridge again than ride a bus.’

  Needless to say, he only cracked that joke once before I got on him about it.

  I saw Michael go for Allison’s hand again and I silently cheered him on. Allison was terrible about moving while Michael was making a move on her. I’d watched her do it twice this morning. I felt so bad for the guy! Because I knew she wasn’t doing it on purpose. And when he finally got her hand within his, I mentally tossed my hands into the air. I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it because I didn’t want them to feel self conscious. Allison had always been easily embarrassed, and if Michael thought—for one second—he had embarrassed her, he’d stop everything he was doing immediately.

  And none of us wanted that.

  I watched their fingers intertwine before my gaze wandered out the window. I watched their reflection as the two of them talked softly amongst themselves. I liked the two of them together. They were cute. In my eyes, they were made for one another. But that kind of shit was also subjective. I tried to give them all the privacy I could afford. You know, with me being in the backseat and things like that.

  Come on, Clint. We’re gonna be late.

  I pulled my phone out and looked at the time. We’d pulled into his driveway ten minutes ago, and part of me was growing worried. Had he hurt himself again? Was something wrong? I looked around at the windows upstairs, clocking his bedroom window. I didn’t see the curtains fluttering. Nor did I see shadows passing by. The light was on, but no one was walking around. So he was obviously up.

  Maybe I should send him another text.

  I sent off my third text that morning, reminding him that we were outside. And if we didn’t get a move on, we’d be late for class. I peeked back over at Michael and Allison, watching as they continued to smile and talk and gaze into one another’s eyes. Allison had curled up into the passenger seat of the car, turning herself to face him completely. And Michael? Well, he was leaning well over the arm of his seat. Getting as close to Allison as he could before she pulled away from him.

  Such an adorable couple.

  A movement out from the corner of my eye caught my attention and I whipped my head back toward the window. My heart sang with delight as Clint walked out, his bag slung over his shoulder. But something was off about his movements. His eyes were downcast. He lumbered slower than usual. He wasn’t walking with the same sort of confidence I usually saw in him, and I wondered what had happened.

  Is his father home?


  Michael cleared his throat. “Is Clint okay?”

  Allison sighed. “So I’m not the only one that noticed. Good.”

  I shook my head. “I don’t know. Don’t say anything, okay?”

  Michael nodded. “I had no intentions of it. He’s been through enough lately. If he wants to talk, we’re here.”

  Allison backed him up. “Uh huh. And if he doesn’t want to talk, we’re still going to be here.”

  I threw open the car door. “Thanks, guys. I really appreciate it.”

  I helped Clint into the car beside me, and not once did he look at me. He closed the door and flopped down next to me, sitting his bag between his legs. I ran my hand up and down this thigh and squeezed his knee softly, trying to get him to look at me. But even from behind his sunglasses, I saw him staring blankly out the window.

  With his head turned away from me.

  “Morning.”

  I said it as softly and evenly as I could. So the worry wasn’t prevalent in my voice. But all he did was nod.

  Michael looked at him in the rearview mirror. “How’d you sleep?”

  Clint shrugged. “As good as I could.”

  Allison giggled. “I know how those nights are sometimes. Melatonin always helps me. I mean, I know it’s technically to help kids and all that. But it helps me, too. Especially if I’m worried about a test. Are you worried ab… out a… test?”

  The more Allison peered back at us, the more I shook my head. Too much. She was talking and saying way too much. Her nerves were getting the best of her, and Clint would sense that. She apologized with her eyes before turning back around, the car slowly bobbing and weaving as Michael drove us all to school.

  And the entire time, Clint was silent.

  On the one hand, I wanted to push it. I wanted to know what the fuck was going on. But I didn’t want to do it in front of Michael and Allison. Because I knew that would make Clint very uncomfortable. So I kept massaging his knee and his thigh until Michael dropped us off. He pulled up to the back doors of the school and let us out, then went to go park the car with Allison. I had a feeling we wouldn't see them again this morning. So I pulled Clint off to the side. Into the shadows of the side of the school.