Page 71 of Shared By Her Brother's Best Friends

“What?” Emma asks startled, pulling back so she can look up at me in horror. “But it was self-defense! You didn’t do anything wrong!”

“Emma, I killed a man, they can’t just let that go, they need to at least investigate thoroughly. Don’t worry, my lawyer is confident that the charges will be dropped. They’re letting me out on bail.”

Emma starts to silently cry, hugging in close to my chest and shaking her head.

“Emma, look at me, it will be okay,” I say cupping her chin in my hands. “Worst case scenario my lawyer says I can get a plea bargain, one that likely won’t even end up with me in jail. I’m not going anywhere.”

She nods, wiping her tears, and kisses me, “You’d better not.”

“I promise,” I reply, kissing her back. “How did it go for all of you?” I ask, looking at the others.

Mason shrugs, “Surprisingly not too badly, all things considered. They pressed me, but we expected that.”

He claps me on the shoulder, his silent way of telling me he’s here for me and that he sympathizes with my situation.

“I’ll speak to some people, see if we can get these bullshit charges dropped, you’re helping the feds as a key witness in a major trial, there’s no way that we want to fuck that up and see Kane back on the streets because they alienated their key witnesses,” Bess says angrily.

“I’ll still testify, no matter what. We need Kane behind bars to keep Emma and Max safe,” I insist.

“I know that, but they don’t, do they?” Bess asks with a wink, heading off to work her magic.

When we arrive at the hospital to visit Jacob a short while later, my phone rings just as we’re going inside.

“It’s my lawyer, I’ll catch you guys up,” I say as I answer.

Emma looks conflicted but allows herself to be dragged away by an excited Max, eager to visit his uncle to ‘wake him up’. The kid’s so confident I almost believe he might be able to do it by sheer force of will.

“Ty speaking.”

“Good news! They’re dropping the charges! You must have friends in high places,” he says with a chuckle.

I breathe a sigh of relief. “Something like that.”

“They need to speak to you again of course, and you may be called as a witness to the trials of the two accomplices, but you’re a free man. Enjoy it. I’ll be in touch.”

“Thanks, Bob,” I say, hanging up the phone and heading inside with a spring in my step.

When I reach Jacob’s room, I’m amazed to find my old friend awake and propped up in bed.

“Ty, look, I did it! I woke Uncle Jacob up!” Max declares excitedly dancing around the room.

“I can see that,” I reply with a smile. “Good to see you awake J-Bird, you had us worried there for a moment.”

“Nah, I’m indestructible,” he says with a smile, chuckling at his own joke and making himself wince in pain.

While Max is busy chatting away with his uncle and the others Emma comes to stand by me.

“We should probably keep Max’s magical healing powers a secret, the world will all want a piece of him if not,” I quip with a grin, making Emma laugh.

“Jacob woke up in the early hours of the morning, there was an administrative error, and they failed to notify us. No magical powers, just modern medicine,” she whispers back.

“I don’t know, I’d say Max is pretty special,” I reply, looking over at the boy.

“He is, isn’t he,” she replies proudly. “So, what did your lawyer say?”

“They dropped the charges, I’m officially a free man,” I reply enjoying the look of joy the news brings to her beautiful face.

“Ty, that’s wonderful news!” she replies with a smile, hugging me tightly.

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