Page 81 of Surrender

"Call her and put her on speaker," Harrison growls. I bristle at being told what to do, but I do and set the phone down face-up on my desk.

"Hey babe, what are you up to?" her sweet voice answers.

"Do you know anything about a lawsuit?" I'm shorter with her than I would like, but heat is creeping up around my neck and I hate that I'm in this position to begin with. To accuse Serenity, in front of a crowd of betraying me, when I know without a fraction of a doubt that she wouldn't.

"Lawsuit?"

"Yes. You were named in a lawsuit against The Envelope."

"What?" Her shock and outrage on our behalf are palpable through the phone and too quick to be fake.

"So, you know nothing about it?"

"Of course not. I would never sue you guys. Whoever is using my name is insane. Why in the world would they think I would speak against The Envelope?"

"It's saying that you were groomed, and coerced. That you've been manipulated into what we do here."

She scoffs. "Coerced into what? A job? Amazing sex with the man I love? They'll have a hard time proving that in court."

"Babe, you're on speaker phone."

"Oh," she says, but she doesn't sound embarrassed. "Hey guys."

Daniel and Cas reply with 'hello's', so I take her off speaker phone and walk down the hall.

"When is the court date? I'm assuming there will be a court date. Can I testify on your behalf? I mean sure, you may have manipulated me with your money, and cock, and thoughtfulness, and care, but that's not really against the law, is it?"

I laugh, feeling just a tad bit lighter. I know nothing illegal goes on here, Volkov's case is paper-thin. I'm surprised anyone would take his case at all, but he has more money than even I do, and I guess money talks.

"It's a week from now. Everything will be fine. The case talks about grooming and sex trafficking. Moving in together and falling in love obviously doesn't count. I just hate how you're being dragged in to this."

"Don't stress about it, Dec. If I have to go up before a judge and defend you, I can and will."

Chapter fifty

Serenity

The week crawls by, and while Declan is calm and confident, I worry for him. The Envelope can't get shut down. It's too important to too many people. Not just the employees and Declan, Daniel, Harrison and Madame, but to the patrons, too. They have a safe space to be themselves - every aspect of themselves - without judgement. Taking away that space just feels...cruel.

So, I dress in professional white blouse tucked into black pants and follow Anderson into the district courthouse to defend my man. I'm not able to sit with him as the prosecution lays out a series of details, he determines is indicative of sex trafficking and prostitution. He's leaning heavily on the morality of a sex club and trying to drag Declan's reputation through the mud. I sit behind him, stewing the entire time, swallowing down the things I want to say and picking at my cuticles.

Madame's sitting next to me and takes my hand in hers a few times when it gets really bad.

Behind the prosecution is Adrian. He gave me a tight nod when I walked in but he has been ignoring me for the most part.I'm hoping that disrespecting him the last time he came in sent a message - that I'm not his little zaya anymore and that he doesn't scare me.

Filling that side of the courthouse, though, seems like an army of outraged civilians. They whisper and react to every appalling claim the lawyer makes.

None of what this asshole prosecution is saying is true. There's always a grain of truth behind every claim, that then gets embellished and expanded or connected in a way to paint a terrible picture of The Envelope and Declan, specifically. My name is mentioned, but I don't take the stand until after lunch.

Fuming, I stand and walk out of the courtroom, needing a moment of calm. A storm of angry indignation is making me sick to my stomach. I bend over a water fountain, hoping that the cool water settles the acid in my stomach.

Suddenly, there's a hot, hard body at my back. I start to stand back up and push off the creep, when a low voice whispers in my ear. "I have a gun on your back, little rabbit. Stand up slowly, and walk with me calmly, and no one has to get hurt."

I can feel the press of something metal in my back, so I do as I'm told. I sincerely doubt he'll hurt me, but I'd rather not test that right now. The last thing Declan needs is to come out of that courtroom and find my guts spilled all over this shiny floor.

Adrian positions me underneath his arm, and I can see that he's got a pistol hidden under his long coat, draped over his arm.

"Where are we going?"

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