Page 50 of The Prince of New York

As I wantedto set an example of what a loving family might look like, upon entering the courtroom, I headed for my sister, kissed her cheek, and exchanged hugs with her husband. That the Californian picked up on my game without needing a cue pleased me.

I suspected he wanted to handle the matter personally, but for whatever reason, the parents involved trusted me over him.

Fools, both of them.

Olivia sat behind them with Edward and Madelyn, who did her best to pretend she was a statue and didn’t exist. Terry’s wife glanced in the direction of the man and woman seated before the judge, and if looks could kill, both would have been dead within an instant.

I wondered what horrible things the parents had said about each other and their child.

The bailiff let me into the front of the courtroom so I could approach the judge. “Your Honor,” I greeted. “What seems to be the issue?”

“Your Royal Highness,” the judge, an older man with a rather weary expression, rose to his feet and offered a bow. I returned his gesture with a slight nod, hating how my station demanded others respect me for no other reason than the circumstances of my birth. “I’m Derren Mason. Henders vs. Henders is a custody battle between a married but separated couple. Mrs. Henders has been accused of drug trafficking, manufacturing drugs, and violating her parole. Mr. Henders has been found guilty of six counts of assault, two counts of sexual assault, and two counts of murder. We need to decide the custody situation. There are two daughters, aged eight and two. Mr. Henders prefers the input of a single male official, and Mrs. Henders prefers a mother. They have agreed to accept your verdict on the situation due to your status as an empath.”

While I felt the entire fiasco was madness, I nodded to indicate my understanding of the situation, turning to face the rest of the courtroom. I spotted the children sitting off to the side with the bailiff.

I headed over, crouched so I was at eye level with the oldest of the girls, who had a bruised cheek, which she attempted to hide with her dirty blonde hair. Without a word, I dug out the comb I kept in my suit jacket and went to work fixing the tangled mess. She regarded me with wide eyes and sat still while I made her presentable. I did the same for her sister, but once I was done, the little girl held up her arms to be picked up.

Complying, I rose and settled her on my hip. “What’s your name?”

“Baby,” the toddler replied.

I glanced over at my sister in time to witness her flinch. Ethan caught her hand, lifted it to his mouth, and gave her a little kiss.

One day, we might heal from our past—one day.

“And your name?” I asked the older of the girls.

“May.”

“I’m Ian. Can you come with me so I can ask you a few questions?”

May’s gaze dipped to the floor, but she nodded and rose to her feet, following me to the witness stand. I had her sit in the seat while I carried her sister. The silence in the courthouse thickened, and I wondered if anyone dared to breathe.

“Do we have a truth sensor with us?”

“I am one,” the judge announced.

“We will not be making the children undergo any oaths. May, Baby, please tell the truth. The nice judge will have to tell me if you speak a lie, okay?”

“No lie!” Baby chirped.

I regarded the young child I held with interest. I’d met many smart children, but I couldn’t tell if the toddler’s ready acknowledgment of what I asked for her was normal.

“I’ll tell the truth,” May whispered.

Despite the softness of her voice, I had no doubt everyone could hear her.

As the judge had given me the reins for the case, I regarded the older girl with a solemn expression. “May, do you understand why we’re here?”

Her answer would frame how I handled everything else—and hopefully establish that I couldn’t care less about the happiness of two parents who couldn’t figure out how to put their children above themselves. I could understand Mrs. Henders a little better.

Children cost money, and drugs could make a lot of money.

However, an imprisoned man couldn’t bruise his daughter’s face.

She nodded. “Mommy hit us, and the nice lady next door told the police.”

I glanced at the judge, who answered my silent question with a nod.

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