Page 31 of Kane's Awakening
Chapter Ten
Ryker
“Does the defense have anything more to add?” Judge Miller asked, eyeing me over his glasses.
“No, Your Honor,” I responded before sitting back down. My arguments had all been on point, and I suspected an easy decision from the judge. “The defense rests.”
That Tuesday felt way more like a Monday. In fact, I’d forgotten all about court that morning until Eric had called me in a panic and reminded me. He had written the date on the calendar in his office, but I’d never gotten around to adding it to mine. So, the chaotic rushing around to make sure I was prepared, plus the sleepless nights over Kane, had made that morning one for the birds.
Michael looked over from his table and held such an authoritative air to him it was almost intimidating.Almostbeing the key word.
The prosecutor might have made other attorneys feel like pissing themselves in his presence, but I wasn’t one of them. No, I had the opposite reaction. He was incredibly attractive: short black hair, piercing green eyes, tall and broad-shouldered, and could nicely fill out a suit. Intimidation was the furthest thing from my mind. His wedding ring had stopped me from ever making a move, though.
I nodded his way before facing ahead.
We’d had a bench trial—one with just the judge and not a jury—over the case, so the verdict should be quick. That was one of the advantages of having a bench trial. They weren’t as time-consuming as jury ones.
The case was pretty straightforward. My client had been charged with a DWI—driving while intoxicated—after smashing into a streetlamp, but I’d argued that since it was his first offense, he should’ve been granted leniency by the court.
The judge’s decision came within a matter of minutes, and the plea was accepted. Instead of jail time, my client had to attend AA classes and do a month and a half of community service to help pay for the damage he’d caused.
A majority of my cases were like that; uneventful for the most part. It’s why I could take on so many at once. However, there were the occasional clients who spiced things up and made me either second guess my career or laugh my ass off in private.
“Great work today,” Michael told me as I shoved my papers back in my briefcase and snapped it shut. His low voice was just as attractive as the rest of him. “Your client should be kissing your ass with the amazing deal you just got for him.”
“Thanks,” I responded with a polite smile. “Hopefully he doesn’t do it again.”
“Well, if all criminals learned their lessons, we’d be out of a job.” He grabbed his own briefcase and walked beside me down the aisle as we exited the room.
Ever since Michael had met his husband, the grumpy mood he was notorious for had lessened. He was like a different man. Happier. I didn’t know himthatwell, but anyone who’d ever met him before his marriage—even for just a moment—would’ve recognized the profound difference.
“How is married life treating you?” I asked, voicing my thoughts.
His whole demeanor immediately changed, and his green eyes sparked with the kind of joy that I dreamed of having one day. Before he could answer, though, a voice called out.
“There you are, Mr. Kingston.”
I looked in the direction the voice had come from and saw a tall, thin man walking toward us. Gabriel. I’d met him at last year’s office Christmas party, so I knew who he was right away.
His short blond hair jutted from his head in a sort of pixy style, and it had vibrant red highlights. He wore black stiletto heels, paired with dress pants and a purple shirt that was unbuttoned partway to show some of his smooth chest. A black jacket was slung over his arm, as was a purse.
Michael pulled Gabriel into his arms and kissed his forehead.
Gabe smiled and pulled back to touch their lips together. Even wearing heels, he was still shorter than Michael and had to rise up an inch or so to kiss him.
“How’s my princess?” Michael asked in a tone I’d never before heard him use.
The scene was intimate, emotionally at least, and I looked away, feeling like an intruder by witnessing it. I said a quick goodbye to Michael and left the courthouse, walking outside into the cloudy day.
My thoughts instantly went to Kane. Of what I couldn’t have with him. My dinner idea from Friday had been a complete disaster. Some guys could have frequent sex with the same person and not ever allow emotions to come into it—great for them—but I wasn’t like that. I needed to know where it was going to prepare myself.
So yeah, the conversation had been necessary. I hadn’t meant to imply that I wanted to date him right then, but I’d just needed to know where we stood and if there was any possibility of it going further than just a no-strings attached hookup.
Now I know all too well where we stand.
Many times since that night, I’d thought of texting him, but I’d refrained from doing so. I didn’t know what I’d say if I did.
Once I was in my car, my phone rang, and I checked the caller ID.
