Page 53 of Tainted Truth

His rough hand turns my chin in his direction. “Next time, say it like you mean it, Mama.” Rio leans down and slams his mouth to mine in a passionate kiss. Even when the door opens and someone clears their throat, Rio doesn’t pull away.

“That’s enough, Rio. We have shit to get done.”

When I open my eyes, I look up to see Asher with his hand on Rio’s shoulder, pulling him away from me. Zane is gazing at Rio and me with a heat in his eyes. My cheeks flush knowing Zane and Asher saw Rio and me going at it.

I really need to chill.

Oh God. They really have turned me into a sex-crazed monster.

Or was she always there?

Fuck Inner Spencer and her horny ways.

Rio pulls up a chair and sits next to me while Asher takes a seat across from us. Zane leans against the wall next to the mirror with his ankles and arms crossed. The feel of the room goes from playful to formal and slightly claustrophobic.

Am I on trial here?

Asher sets a thick brown file on the table, and I hear a crinkle of paper come from next to me but just out of my sight. “Ms. Gray?—”

“Ms. Gray? Is this a joke?”

Ms. Gray, my ass. He wasn’t calling me Ms. Gray when I fucking had his dick in my mouth last night.

Asher gives me a stern look. “Ms. Gray, let’s start with something easy.” He reaches down and pulls out a clear plastic bag with a red piece of tape that reads “evidence.” He sets the bag on the table and asks, “Have you ever seen this before?”

My eyes widen. In the bag is my handgun. I glance to my side for guidance from Rio.

“You don’t have to answer that.”

Asher gives Rio an exasperated look. “Not helping, man.”

Rio shrugs. “My priority is my client. I’m advising her not to incriminate herself. That gun is a class D felony and we both know where you got it. Ms. Gray here could earn up to seven years in prison. I wouldn’t be a good lawyer if I didn’t intercede on my client’s behalf.”

Asher breathes an exhausted sigh. “Fine. If your client provides useful information, the potential gun charge will be dropped.”

“In writing,” Rio says with a smirk.

Asher groans and leaves the room.

My jaw clenches. “Was he really going to charge me with a felony?”

Rio shakes his head.

I frown. “Then why are we going through all the motions?”

Rio leans to the side and tilts his head to speak to me. “Mama, I’m a lawyer. I learned early on that you cross all your T’s and dot all the I’s—you can never be too careful. The government is sneaky and knows how to sway a jury.”

“Sway a jury? This wouldn’t have gone to a jury, right?”

Rio gives a noncommittal shrug. “You never know. The law isn’t black and white like everyone thinks. It’s all about what you can prove, or convince the jury of. A prosecutor would have no problem persuading a jury that you knowingly bought this gun illegally and were fully aware that the serial numbers had been filed off.”

I throw my hands up. “But you said Asher wouldn’t have charged me.”

“He wouldn’t. I can’t speak for his partners or his boss.”

That shuts me up.

After about twenty minutes of waiting, Asher comes back with the paper Rio requested, signed by Asher’s boss, Aaron Marreli. Rio looks it over, then slides it to me with a pen. I scribble out my signature and hand it back to Asher.

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