Page 19 of Hart of Vengeance
Kelton interrupted our little interlude. “If you get out on parole, you need to stay away from your brother. You could put your freedom in jeopardy. Unless you consider the FBI’s offer.”
“He’s my brother.” That nagging doubt of whether Duke was responsible for my incarceration was glued to the back of my mind. I wanted to believe Duke hadn’t framed me. I wanted to believe our bond was as tightly sealed as it had been when we were kids. “Would you abandon yours?”
The Maxwell brothers were tight—so tight they would die for each other. Dillon bragged constantly about them and talked about his dream that maybe one day Duke, Dillon, and I could develop a bond like them.
Hell, we had been brothers through and through while growing up. We would’ve died for each other back then. Sadly, our paths had gone in different directions. I believed the three of us wanted the same things—family, wealth, and a life without guns, drugs, and gangs. Dillon was the only one who had done something with himself. He’d opened a women’s shelter to help those in need.
Kelton cleared his throat, his nostrils flaring. “We’re not here to talk about me. I care about you—my client. As much as Duke is blood, you can’t go near him.”
“Are you afraid I’ll revert to selling drugs?” Not that Duke sold drugs. Or for all I knew, maybe he did.
Kelton smoothed a hand down his red tie. “As your attorney, I’m advising you to consider what kind of future you want. One back here?” He waved his hand around. “Or one out there?” He stabbed a finger at the small window.
“You should take them up on their offer,” Jade rushed out. Then she froze, fear resonating on her as she regarded her boss. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to say that.”
“It’s all right,” Kelton said. Then he fastened his blue gaze on me. “Let’s say for argument’s sake, you take their offer. You would be taking a criminal off the street. Your record would be cleared, and you would have a future without the murder charge hanging over your head.”
I belted out a laugh. “I get that you uphold the law, Kelton. If I were in your shoes, I would tell me to take the offer too. But what kind of life would I have if I put my brother behind bars?” As pissed off and confused as I was with Duke, I wasn’t sure I could send him into a hellhole. “Besides, I want my record cleared because I didn’t kill Hector Alvarez, not because I gave the Feds someone they’re itching to put away.”
But Duke might be responsible for sending you to jail. If he is, then you get what you want, and you put a criminal away.
Jade squeezed the hell out of her pen. “He’s evil. He’s responsible for Savannah going to jail.”
My jaw came unhinged. “Savannah’s in jail?” I guess she wasn’t the lady on the phone.
Kelton let out a heavy, frustrated sigh. “Let’s get through your parole hearing. Then we’ll deal with the FBI situation.”
I desperately wanted to hear more about Savannah and more of Jade’s melodic voice. I needed to take in all of her—her voice, that fruity scent wafting around the room, and her appearance. Then I could have the images of her embedded in my brain for when I jacked off later that night or maybe when Farley brought me back to my cell.
But Kelton was right. I had to get out first. Any amount of speculation and arguing over whether or not I should narc on Duke was pointless.
One thing was certain—I would do everything in my power to be the professional, stoic inmate at my parole hearing and convince them I was worthy of reentering society.
Because when I was free, Jade and I had some catching up to do.
7
Jade
Kelton and I left the prison, not saying a word to each other. I was in my own head, coming up with an apology for speaking my mind about Duke. But Denim had my mind completely out of sorts with his damn sexy smile as he undressed me with his eyes. Professionalism had gone out the window. Well, maybe not the entire time. Or maybe I had been professional on the outside, but my stomach had been rattling, and my hands had been trembling. I’d had to squeeze the pen just so my fingers wouldn’t shake like a powerful earthquake.
My heels scuffed along the pavement. The clicking and clacking centered me as I kept up a brisk pace with Kelton. He seemed deep in thought. I had a feeling he was waiting for us to get into the car before he unleashed his wrath on me, or maybe he was searching for the right words to fire me.
I inhaled deeply, hoping the crisp fall air would soothe the burning sensation in my throat. But all it did was saturate me with the musty scent of rain that lingered in the air. I glanced up at the sky. Dark, ominous clouds greeted me. The setting was appropriate given how the morning had gone thus far.
I’d gone through every scenario the night before on how to keep my shit together when I saw Denim.Don’t look at him. Don’t stare at him. Doodle to keep my hands occupied. Don’t fidget. Be professional.I’d repeated those things before I’d fallen asleep. But saying them and prepping for the day hadn’t helped one freaking bit.
The man had commanded the room. Granted, I wasn’t digging his prison attire, but I, too, was undressing the gorgeous hunk with my eyes. When he strutted in, I noticed that his angular jaw was unshaven.Yum.His blond hair was unkempt and curled at the edges as it grazed his shoulders.Double yum.His blue eyes were clear, bright, and glued to me like I was a magnet.
My heart skipped, tripped, and jumped when he smiled at me.
Damn him.
That spark we’d had in high school when we had first met outside chemistry lab flared instantly. But what had me squeezing my thighs together was the hunger swimming in his blue depths—sheer, clear, and absolute.
He knew I knew it too. I could feel it in my bones.
He hasn’t been with a woman in six years. What you saw on him was desperation for any woman.
