Cain held his breath. That wasn’t the most important charge.
“On the charge of attempted murder, the jury finds both James and Gabrial Dorsey guilty.”
The crowd of friends and family gathered behind them cheered. The clerk continued reading, but Cain didn’t hear. He pulled Roe from his seat and hugged his friend. The omega was several months pregnant but had still made the trip from Maine to Georgia to attend the trial.
“We got them,” Roe said, voice cracking.
“Yes, we did. Well, Jasper did most of the work, but we helped,” Cain said, grinning. Fortunately, the judge had allowed the two men to be tried together. Only one trial for Roe to attend was more than enough. Cain and Jasper had agreed to forgo pressing charges for the contracts placed on their own lives. They both wanted this done and over. Jasper had just found out he was pregnant and wanted to focus on his career and family. Cain wanted to be with Mal and Teddy.
“Guilty on all charges,” Jasper said, smirking. “The sentence will be a minimum of five years in prison. Minimum.”
“It should be more,” Roe said, sniffling. “I’m so happy this is over.”
Cain nodded, as he let Roe go. The man they had hired to kill Roe, Bollinger, had made a deal with investigators, so he was only sentenced to five years. Likely James and Gabrial would get at least ten years.
Ian McKenzie, Roe’s fiancé, wrapped an arm around Roe’s shoulders and pulled him into his arms. “No more worrying about that trash anymore. You’re free of them.”
Roe wiped his face, but the tears kept falling. “Why can’t I stop crying. God, this is good news.”
“After years of being hunted by those bastards, the relief must be unreal.” Cain shook his head. “Go home, Roe. Hug the kids and get some rest. You don’t have to worry about this shit anymore.”
Roe pulled Cain and Jasper into a group hug. “Thank you for sticking with me through all this. I know it wasn’t easy.”
Cain frowned, remembering the day Roe had come to the law firm, shaken and scared. The omega’s family had been friends with Cain’s parents, but that wasn’t why he’d taken the case. James and Gabrial had done everything they could to isolate the omega and his children. James had wanted Roe’s family’s business, and Gabrial had wanted to get rid of Roe permanently.
Cain had known if his firm didn’t help Roe, no one would. Gabrial had a way of charming everyone he met. At the time, he had already ruined Roe socially and had even gotten the police to ignore Roe’s complaints about being stalked and harassed.
“It’s done,” Jasper said, eying Cain. “Are you really going to leave Atlanta now?”
Cain nodded. “The firm is in good hands, and I’m ready.”
McKenzie slapped his shoulder. “We drove past the house you bought the other day. Isn’t it a bit too big for you?”
“I looked through the window,” Roe said, wiping his eyes again. “Why do you need a kitchen that size? You don’t cook.”
“You could always ask for a key and go inside,” Cain pointed out, ignoring their questions.
He couldn’t really explain what led him to buy the large house across the lake from his parents without telling them about Mal, Teddy, and the daughter they would have in another few months. Considering he hadn’t told his parents or brothers yet, that would be a bad idea.
It had been months since he’d seen Mal in person. Their calls and the short moments in between yoga sessions were barely sustaining him. He had watched every single cooking episode on Mal’s channel more times than he wanted to admit. Cain needed the omega in the same room as him, talking to Cain, brightening the room with his laughter. He wanted to care for his pregnant omega. To rug his feet and pamper him in every way possible.
Cain shook his body, rolling his shoulders back. Tension disappeared and excitement took its place. He was finally going home. He could picture himself sitting in the light-filled kitchen, Mal moving about, describing some ridiculous prank he pulled on a Wilson while cooking one of thesimplemeals that weren’t actually simple to make. It was time for his happily ever after.
Two days later,Cain sat on his very own dock, wrapped in a thick coat, poorly knitted scarf, and an odd, knitted penguin hat that was too big for any child to wear. He had forgotten how cold Maine was. Spring was warmer than winter, but still much colder than Georgia. His parents and brothers sat with him, eachone much better prepared for the weather. He noticed none of them had to wear a knitted penguin hat.
“You have a newborn son and a daughter on the way,” John Benson, his father, repeated, face slack with shock. “They’ve been in Maine and you’ve been in Georgia for months.”
Susan Benson, his mother, looked just as shocked. “Why are we only hearing about this now? Frank told us you were dating someone, but that was months ago. This is what we get for giving you space.”
Cain winced. “I wanted to tell you in person, but I was stuck in Atlanta. The Dorseys had a contract on me, so I did not want any of you to be in danger. The man they hired is in jail now, awaiting his own trial. Jasper will handle that of course.”
“A contract,” John echoed, voice rising. “Son, what were you thinking. That’s why you missed the holidays, isn’t it? Why didn’t you say anything. That kind of situation is exactly when you need your family around you.”
Cain shrugged. “I had a bodyguard.”
“He had a bodyguard,” Carter, his brother, said mockingly. “Would the bodyguard have kept you company and supported you while you went through this?”
Puzzled, Cain arched a brow. “Well, that is not what I paid him to do, so probably not.”
