Page 50 of Jackson

“You say that like I have a magic wand. I’m not superwoman, you know that, right?”

“Yeah, but you’re also the best damn lawyer that I know,” I argued, setting my skillet down onto my stove and turning up the heat.

“I’m theonlydamn lawyer you know.”

“I have other friends!”

“Name two. And don’t say Mac, you fucking loser.”

I rolled my eyes practically to the back of my head. “What’s wrong with being friends with my coworkers?”

“Well, for one, what else do you guys talk about besides work?”

“Look, not everyone can dish like we do.”

“We’re gay, Jackson. No one can.”

I huffed out a laugh. “All right, fine. Whatever. Can you please meet me in town later today? He’s only got five more weeks here, so I need you to look at his case file, pronto.”

“I’ll look at it but I can’t promise you anything.”

“That’s fine. I just need another set of eyes on it because it’s driving me insane.”

“Why?” she asked.

“You’ll see.” Roxy whined at me again, her big doe eyes reminding me instantly of the man I’d had to leave behind an hour prior. “Text me when you want to meet. I’ll take the day off today and meet you whenever.”

“Fine. But you’re paying for our food.”

“Deal.”

When the other end of the line dropped, I pulled my phone away from my ear and set it down onto the counter next to me. While I believed in Nina and her skills as a defense lawyer, she had a point. She wasn’t a miracle worker and simply thinking that Ayen’s case could easily be overturned given the right circumstances didn’t mean that those would ever be presented in the first place.

The justice system was already fucked as it was for innocent people. It was downright rigged if you were ever convicted of anything, even if it was false or not. The odds were stacked against you the moment a pair of cuffs was slapped onto your wrists.

Though even with all of that, I still couldn’t let Ayen go back without a fight. It’d eat me alive if I did. If there was even a shred of a chance in getting him out of prison and giving him the freedom he so truly deserved, then I’d do whatever I could to see it through.

Even if by the end of it all he chose to stop seeing me.

All I cared about was getting him out of a place where he never should’ve been. Anyone with half a brain would think the same if they knew the facts. And I was sure once I got a hold of his case file, and saw the dark and horrible truth, that feeling inside of me would only grow.

There was no doubt in my mind that he was wrongfully convicted.

Probation for ten years, sure.

But prison?

No. It was too far for my baby bird.

Roxy whined again, pulling me out of my thoughts.

I reached over and placed a hand on her head, rubbing along her temple toward the back of her skull.

“I know, girl. I miss him, too. But we’ll see him soon.”

Her big brown eyes didn’t look all too convinced.

Actually… since I was going to be taking the day off from here in order to meet up with Nina, I’d need someone to watch Roxy in the meantime.

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