Page 122 of Kane's Awakening
Chapter Thirty-Five
Kane
If I didn’t watch myself, I was going to become a damn alcoholic. Nearly every night since Ryker left me, I’d gotten drunk off my ass. I knew it was becoming a problem when I was at work that afternoon and already thinking about the drink I was going to have when I got home later.
Maybe instead of going straight home and drinking, I’d hit the gym and work out frustrations that way—push myself so hard that when I got home, the only thing I’d want to do was sleep.
Yeah, sounds like a plan.
“Is this all you need?” I asked, handing the files to Michael Kingston.
He’d called the department earlier on in the week, requesting arrest reports on a defendant he was prosecuting. In one of the files was an interrogation tape, too, that he’d had to petition the court to get, which had been granted.
Of course I was the lucky one chosen to be the delivery boy.
“It should be.” He took the files and flipped through one of them.
As he did, I couldn’t help but ogle him some. The black-haired, green-eyed attorney was known for being a hard-ass, and to most people, he was unapproachable. But fuck, the guy was one sexy sonofabitch, intimidation and all.
He wasn’tmysexy lawyer in a suit, though.
No one would ever compare to Ryker.
I refused to believe it was over between us. He might not have believed me yet, but he would. Eventually. I’d put him through a lot of shit in the beginning of our relationship, and he’d forgiven me for acting like an asshole, so I’d forgive him as well when he realized I’d never betrayed him.
“Looks good,” Michael said, closing the file. “Jackson?”
A familiar guy came around the corner. “Yes, sir?”
Jackson was Zack’s boyfriend, and I saw them at the gym many times. Funny. I didn’t know he worked as a paralegal, but it wasn’t like I had ever talked to him to find out. I seriously needed to reach out more instead of being an asshole hermit in my shell.
“Can you make a copy of this video and put it as Exhibit B in the file for the Anderson case?” Michael asked as he handed it to him.
My phone dinged, and I looked at it as they talked, seeing a calendar alert reminding me about Theo’s science fair that day. Shit. And there was a text from Ryker saying the same thing, plus several missed calls from him.
Checking the clock, I cursed under my breath. It had already started. Dammit! If I left right then, I could maybe make the end of it. I just prayed he was toward the end of the line and hadn’t presented yet.
“Okay, cool,” I said, interrupting them. “If that’s all, I’m gonna go.”
Hopefully it wouldn’t be a problem to take off a little early. Yeah, I’d still be in my uniform, but what the fuck ever. I’d promised Theo I’d be there for him, and I wasn’t going to be the kind of guy to break a promise to a kid.
I hit dial on my phone and waited for Ryker to answer.
“Hey,” he said in a harsh whisper. “Did you get my text?”
“Yeah. Sorry, I forgot. But I’m on my way now.”
“Well, it’s too late now.” Ryker snapped. “He’s already presented and we’re just waiting on the results.”
My heart dropped. “I-I’m sorry.”
“Please just try to get here as fast as you can. He doesn’t know you aren’t here yet, but he keeps looking at the audience.” Then, his voice softened. “I know we’re in a bad place, Kane, but—”
As I was walking toward the door, a man barged in.
“Michael Kingston?” he asked.
Without waiting for a response, he drew something forward.
