Page 81 of The Reluctant Siren
“For a man who has spent the last couple of years of hislife inside a cutthroat criminal organization, you sound like Suzy FuckingSunshine,” she shot back.
“Harlow, I’m not going to throw your boyfriend to thewolves.” Jack stood there listening in like it was his right.
“Sure. Well, I’d still like for him to have a lawyer.” Sheknew all of her cousin’s moves. Not only did he believe in the rule of law, hewas ambitious. He wanted to move into a better role, and if Jensen’s case was astepping-stone, then those worn boots of his would come down hard.
“I don’t need a lawyer.” Jensen sounded stubborn. “I’ll givehim everything I have, and the DA will understand what I’m doing.”
“Baby,” a feminine voice said from the shadows beyond thehouse.
Her mom. Her mom was here.
“Are you okay?” Natalie Dawson rushed in, giving herdaughter a once-over. “Have they been treating you well?”
She hugged her mom, a deep feeling of relief flowing throughher. Damn. She hadn’t realized how much she needed her mom. She was a full-assadult with a dangerous job, and sometimes she just wanted her mom to hug her.“I’m good, Mom, but I can’t convince my idiot boyfriend that he should have anattorney if he’s going to talk to Jack.”
Her mom gave her a big smile. “Well, Papa and I fixed thatfor you. We found a lawyer for Jensen.”
Jack snorted. “Did you get some yokel up in the middle ofthe night? Cool. Let him sit in. He can’t pull a fast one on me.”
“I thought I did that when you were four and I convinced youthat your horse used to be a unicorn,” a deep voice said.
Oh, her mom was mean. So mean. She loved her mom.
Lucas O’Malley stood beside her dads looking cool as acucumber. He was dressed in a suit in the middle of the night like he was goingto go toe to toe with the Supreme Court instead of his own son.
Jack’s face fell. “Papa, are you kidding me?”
“That’s his father? I mean, he really looks like hisfather,” Niall whispered. “If we were at The Hideout someone would be poppingcorn right now.”
The thought brought a smile to her lips. He was right. Thetwins would be popping corn and Gabe would open the bar even if it was alreadyclosed because this was some good drama.
“Yep, but his family is very much like mine, so that’s Papa.His dad is the rancher I was talking about. Lucas is a lawyer and an excellentone, though he tends to stick to corporate law,” Harlow replied back.
“I still know how to ensure that a client’s rights aren’ttrampled over in the name of so-called justice,” Lucas assured them. “And I wasserious. I made that horn and everything. I hid it in the barn thinking yoursister would find it, but you did and decided you were the one with the unicornhorse.”
She could practically hear Jack’s teeth grinding. “I wastalking about the case. You are my father. You would be required to recuseyourself.”
“That’s for judges. As long as my client is cool with it,we’re fine.” Lucas held out a hand to Jensen. “Mr. Wiley, I’m Lucas O’Malley,and I’ve been hired to represent you. This is my son, but I assure you I won’tlet that affect me in the slightest when it comes to my job. The same way heabsolutely won’t allow a familial connection to stop him from ensuring a fullprosecution if he thinks justice will be served. And he’ll regret hurting hiscousin.”
Jack’s head dropped back. “Fuck this case. I’ll be insidewhen you decide to talk, Jensen. Wake me up and we can get started. It’s goingto take forever now because your lawyer is a smartass who likes to shove thelaw in everyone’s faces.”
“The term you’re looking for is due process, son,” Lucascalled out as Jack walked back toward the house. He sighed as though deeplysatisfied. “This is going to be fun. I love my son but as my husband would say,he’s way too big for those britches he’s wearing.”
“Mr. O’Malley, I don’t have the money to pay for more thanan hour or two of your time,” Jensen began. “Unless I get to keep the millionplus my criminal boss put into my account to frame me. Then I might be able toafford like twenty-four hours or something.”
“This is what I’m dealing with, Mom,” Harlow said. “No oneis serious.”
Niall moved in beside her. “We are absolutely serious. Ithink Jensen is on the confused side. It’s been a weird, wild ride. But youshould understand that we are entirely serious about your daughter, Mrs.Dawson. I know we met the other day, but it was a little chaotic. I forgot tomention that I’m your daughter’s Dom.”
“Hey,” Harlow said because were they just putting it all outthere now? “My parents are listening.”
“You didn’t mind when it was me,” her dad pointed out.
“Do I have to be punished?” Papa asked. “I’d like to remindeveryone that I’m the half that doesn’t cause a shit ton of trouble.”
“You did for me, brother,” Dad pointed out. “I told you Iwas handling this.”
“By offering up one of her boyfriends to the law,” Papa shotback. “Which is why I countered your move. You brought the son. I got the dad.”
