Page 33 of Scandal

It was nearing twilight, the new moon providing too many shadows even though the parking lot was well lit.

I was barely two feet from my car when I noticed something had been placed under my windshield wipers. I stopped cold, scanning the parking lot, the sickening feeling remaining. As I walked closer, I realized it was a note in a perfect white linen envelope.

With shaking hands, I grabbed it, unlocking the car and sliding into the driver’s seat, manually locking the doors as if that would keep the boogeyman from getting inside. I laughed at myself as I struggled to pull the flap open.

The note was in block lettering, red as if the author was making a joke out of the entire situation. I felt anger instead of fear as I read the words over several times.

You should recuse yourself from the case. Obviously, I know what you did.

I burst into laughter. If I had to guess, I’d say there was a decent chance Jonny was behind the threats. The single word was the reason I thought so. Obviously. The single person who knewwe’d indulged in a torrid affair was the man himself. Earlier, I’d found a little white lie that Jenny had believed.

That made me very angry. Was he trying to goad me into telling everyone about our night? I honestly wasn’t certain. I started the engine, hating everything about my life. I was an officer of the court. I had to tell the truth. I knew it in my gut, but no matter how I presented the information, it would ruin me.

I needed to think this through carefully. I always did my best thinking by the riverfront. That’s exactly what I needed at this point. To get away from my familiar surroundings by myself.

Then I’d need to do something sooner versus later. A man’s life might be at stake.

Or at least his livelihood.

However, I would make it clear to the man that I wouldn’t accept any additional threats. Period.

CHAPTER 11

Jonny

No one would ever call me a patient man. That would simply be a lie. However, I’d done everything in my power to stay away from the stunning woman or even making contact. Through my Capo’s help, I’d learned where the lovely Sedona Beckett worked, risking my bail being revoked by standing outside her building watching the window where I knew her office was.

And I’d hungered for her more than I should have.

The moment she’d peered out the glass, I’d wanted to see her again. The desire was overwhelming, but not in my best interest. At this point, it was best if I laid low, although the fact the new attorney Baron had hired was getting stonewalled for information on what evidence they had other than my fingerprints was disturbing as fuck. Enough so I remained on edge.

Michael and Zephyr were my most trusted men, Capos who’d been in my family’s employ for twenty years. Now they servedunder me. I’d tasked them to try to gather information on why I’d been framed, including learning if there was another player in town. What they had already determined was that Liam O’Connor was out for blood, already making ridiculous statements about seeking revenge.

That was another solid reason I should stay away from Sedona, even though every part of me wanted not only to possess but also to protect her. From what I knew about Liam, he was as bloodthirsty as they came, considered the hothead of the O’Connor family. If he had any inkling I’d spent the night with her, I had no doubt her life would be placed in danger. Damn it. I’d never been caught in this kind of web before.

Sedona. Just thinking her name pushed my needs into being obsessive. She’d haunted my dreams during the little sleep I’d gotten. I hadn’t experienced that kind of a reaction to a woman ever in my life.

I’d spent time researching my true opponent, using my contacts in the States to find out everything I could about her. It was amazing what one could learn from social media. I’d delved into everything regarding her career, her successes, and her single real failure. She was amazing at what she did, but I’d gathered a sense of vulnerability, a true level of innocence that begged for corruption.

And I was just the man to do it.

I stared out at the water of the Ohio River, hoping for some sense of peace. Given my type A personality, I doubted that would occur. My hotel was across the street from the waterfront, the area packed with restaurants and bars, the music festive and the food spectacular. Sadly, I’d had almost no appetite since arriving.

Except my hunger for Sedona.

My hotel. It was the one Sedona had been staying at for a night. I laughed to myself as I walked close to the water, trying to put everything into some kind of perspective. It was difficult, creating a ‘fish out of water’ moment, which I wasn’t used to. When I heard the sound of a text coming through, I yanked my phone into my hand, half expecting it to be from Baron.

Laughing, I noticed the dozen emojis and my heart raced. I had everything to return home to, which was adding to the caution with my behavior. The two words from Christian were exactly what I’d needed to read.

Goodnight Daddy.

He had no idea how much I wanted to hear him to say the words out loud, but he hadn’t spoken since losing his mother, a woman I barely knew. Who was I kidding? The little guy didn’t know me at all, forced to place his trust into a stranger. And for all the money I had, the doctors I’d sought out, the answer had been the same.

Christian would talk when he was ready, the trauma of watching his mother die in front of his eyes too tragic for his young mind to handle. I never pushed him, but it was at times like this I longed to be a better father. He didn’t deserve to be born into a world where his father was such a brutal man.

And I’d never wanted to have a child in the first place.

Life could be cruel sometimes.

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