“Walk.” He points to the right, and I grind my teeth as I move past him.
If the judge is anything like the assholes who have been taunting me for the past few days, there’s no way in hell I’m getting out on bail.
Rhett shoves me again when we reach a different hallway, and I find him grinning when I look over my shoulder. He’s trying to get me to snap—to add to my list of offenses. Before Emery and Charlie, I might have fallen for it. Now, I cling to any hope of seeing them again, resisting the urge to kick this asshole cop in the fucking nuts.
“Sit.” He stops when we reach a bench at the end of the hall. “Try anything, and I’ll happily put a bullet in your head. It would save everyone a lot of trouble. And trust me, the judge won’t mind.”
Excellent.
I’m definitely not getting bail set.
Rhett strides away as the door at the other end of the hallway swings open, and another cop leads Chaos through. He shoves Chaos down onto the bench, glaring at him. I get the feeling Chaos didn’t show the same restraint I did.
Venom joins us next. We’re seated in a row waiting to be called in front of the judge while the cops gather by the door to the courthouse and talk shit about us.
“Have you talked to Willa?” I keep my voice low, shifting toward Chaos.
He shakes his head. “The only call they let me make was to Tanner.”
“Same.”
“He said she and Emery have been looking out for each other, but I fucking hate it.”
Tanner told me the same thing, and like with Chaos, it didn’t make me feel better.
“This shit doesn’t make sense,” Venom says, leaning closer and keeping his voice low. “I thought we stripped the footage once the case was closed.”
“We did,” Chaos confirms. “I did it myself. Someone must have downloaded it before that happened.”
“Maybe. But why didn’t they just use it back then?” The video was all the Feds would have needed to lock the three of us up for the explosion. Instead, whoever had the video held back.
“No idea, but they held onto it until now for a reason.” Venom’s jaw tightens.
We’re all thinking the same thing. Whatever their reason, it can’t be good.
The cops quiet as something comes through their radios.
“Looks like it’s time,” Chaos grumbles.
Rhett rolls his shoulders back, gripping his belt as he walks over. “Looks like you’re up first, asshole.”
“Lucky me.” I smirk, and he grabs my shoulder, pulling me to my feet and slamming me against a wall. My eyes narrow on him. “What do you think it says about you that you have to hit a guy when his hands are tied behind his back?”
“That he’s a fucking coward,” Chaos answers.
I appreciate it, but my brother needs to keep his mouth shut because this isn’t his first strike.
“Have fun running your mouths now.” Rhett chuckles, pulling me off the wall and pushing me toward the courtroom. “I have a feeling the judge will be shutting you up real soon.”
My stomach turns to lead at his comment.
I glance back at Venom and Chaos, and the same defeat casts shadows over their expressions.
We’re fucked.
Rhett leads me into the courtroom, and the first thing I do is look for Emery. Tanner already warned me that she’d be leaving Charlie at home, and as much as I miss her, I don’t blame her for keeping our daughter out of this.
I scan the faces in the gallery, but Emery is nowhere to be seen.
