Page 50 of The Prey
His phone rang again.
Jason checked the screen.
His so-calledfriendfrom Wichita Falls. Damn it. “Excuse me, I need to take this.”
“We’re going to discuss this. You can mark my words.” Walters had a temper—Jason had seen it before. He forced himself to bite back what he wanted to say.
Jason didn’t need this shit. “I apologize. Just having an off day.”
Hanan stared right through him. “Sure you are. Watch yourself, Clarke. Don’t make an enemy of me. You won’t like the results.”
“Thought I already had. Years ago. How long you been screwing her?” Jason just didn’t want to stop. He wanted to know. He honestly wanted to know. “Years?”
“That’s none of your business,” Giavonna said. She actually stepped in front of Hanan. Like she was going to protect him or something. Hell, they looked like brunette Ken and Barbie there. So pretty perfect together. Beautiful, rich, connected.
Of course Hanan didn’t have to scheme and manipulate to get what he wanted in this damned county. He was too damnednetworkedfor that. “Guess when you marry her, you’ll have everything then, won’t you? A hot, rich wife. Friends in high places. Going for B-3 anytime soon?”
“Hudson or me?” Giavonna asked. He heard the sarcasm. Damned bitch was watching him out of those eyes of hers. Making him feel like a dumbass. She’d always been good about that. One reason he’d wanted to tame her back then. “We both have standing offers to join Barratt, Barratt, & Barratt anytime we want, you know. Do you want to discuss that with Mac Barratt? He’s somewhere around here if you do.”
“You’ve always been a snotty bitch. Think you’re better than everyone else. You’re just Hanan’s little whore, aren’t you?”
Hanan stepped around her. “Back off, Clarke. Now.”
“What are you going to do if I don’t?” Hell, fighting with this asshole would be stupid right now. Jason understood that on a rational level, but he was just so fucking fed up with this place, and the shitheads in it. From Hanan and his whore all the way up to that prissy ass bitch behind the bench. Collins was just as snide as the rest of them.
She’d been just as snide to him all morning.
“Laugh at you. Right in your face,” Giavonna said. “What do you think we’re going to do about you, Jason? You arenothing.Nothing you do or say matters to us at all. And never has. No matter what youdo.”
40
She wasn’tafraid of him anymore. Gia had looked into Jason Clarke’s washed out blue eyes and had realized the truth—he was just a man. A cruel, evil one, but he wasn’t a superhuman monster.
He could hurt her, yes. He could hurt anyone. But anyone could hurt someone else at any time. She had seen evidence of that with her family and friends over the past month.
She wasn’t going to spend even a moment longer being afraid of him. That allowed him power over her that she just wasn’t going to give him any longer.
The bailiff gave them an update. Judge Collins would be returning to the courtroom in thirty minutes. Gia was going to take that thirty minutes and figure out what she was going to do next.
Jason Clarkedeservedto face charges for what he had tried to do to her. And all she had to do get answers about why her case had disappeared two years ago was turn over whatshehad to cops she trusted. She had two TSP to choose from very easily, and she had no doubt that Murdoch and Charlie would believe her. Would help her. Of course they would.
She had just been too afraid of allowing Jason Clarke back into her life in any way. But she wasn’t going to be afraid of him now. No matter what.
41
Jason sawthem the instant the judge looked up and dismissed them for the break. The cops. They were at the rear of the courtroom and they were obviously waiting for someone.Hanan.
It was Hanan they were wanting to talk with. One guy was a big bastard, even taller than Hanan. He looked fierce. The other cop was that Fields guy who was around Value all the time. They pulled Hanan aside.
He watched. His phone buzzed again. It was another friend from Wichita Falls. Former colleague. He read it quickly.You in trouble? Cops are looking into your old cases. You have some explaining to do. Fast.
Shit.
Someone was digging into him. It was real.
Jason suspected he knew exactly who was doing it.
His eyes met Hanan’s.
