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My attorney set up her area. She had files to enter into evidence, and she handed me a notepad. “Anything you hear that needs refuted, I want you to make a note. We’ll cover it when we present our side because I’m not going to cross-examine Natalie. I don’t want the court to be any more sympathetic to her. But don’t worry, I’ll make our case when I cross-examine Henri.” She took a sip of coffee from her travel mug. “We’re the only case on Judge Steinert’s docket today. Natalie is calling two witnesses to testify.”

“Two?” I’d known she was calling Henri to collaborate her story.

Regina looked at her paperwork. “Cory Livingston.”

“Her brother.” Two witnesses. I was fucked. Both would lie for her.

A shiver of dread ripped along my spine. I glanced across the few feet of space between me and Natalie. She leaned in and whispered to her attorney. As if she felt my stare, her gaze lifted to mine. Whatever I felt for her paled in comparison to the hatred she had for me. Her gaze narrowed, like she knew she’d won.

The bailiff stiffened in posture. “All rise. The Honorable Judge Steinert presiding. Court is now in session.” He turned to the judge. “Case number 01112026.”

“Thank you.” Judge Steinert took her seat behind the bench, and the bailiff indicated we could be seated with the sweep of his hand. “Will both petitioner and respondent stand and raise your right hand? Do you affirm that the testimony you are about to give is the truth?”

We both spoke in the affirmative which meant the first word out of Natalie’s mouth to the judge was a fucking lie. Then the judge called her to the stand.

“You filed for the petition. Can you please explain the events that led to the filing?”

For the next thirty minutes, Natalie painted a violent picture of our marriage and separation. That when she was finally brave enough to escape the relationship, that I’d used fear and intimidation to get her back, including the exploitation of Lili’s emotions. She brought up my history with the Crawlers, and my current association with the Hellers.

“During the marriage, he’d choke me, restrain me, and he’d force himself on me. He views women as property.”

The judge listened and asked questions. “How long have you been separated?”

“A year.”

I made notes on my paper. Context was important. I had wrapped my hands around her neck as she’d begged me to fuck her harder. I’d never had my hands on her in violence. I’d never forced myself on her. I’d never punched holes in walls. We’d had our share of fights, but it was Natalie losing her shit. My response was always to leave. The MC was my home.

Until Jaymi.

After Natalie concluded her testimony, her attorney called their first witness.

Henri entered the courtroom, took the stand, and swore to tell the truth. He couldn’t testify to events that happened in our marriage, but he had a lot to say about the night she alleged I stormed into the house, threatened them both, and had a violent encounter in front of Lili.

“We had the locks changed and a security system installed, but they won’t stop a bullet. Neither will the restraining order.”

Finally, my attorney was able to cross-examine him. Henri had to admit to living in the house I still paid for and to interfering in my role as Lili’s father. But he was unwavering in his retelling of the night I’d come to the house.

He used my words against me. Fuck around and find out. He was adamant that I’d threatened harm to Natalie. “He was out of control. Natalie has been terrified for herself and for Lili. She’s afraid of what he’ll do because he won’t accept that the relationship is over.”

Henri was dismissed, and the attorney called for the second witness.

“Was that as bad as I thought it was?” I asked Regina because Henri sounded pretty fucking convincing.

“It wasn’t good. But nothing we didn’t expect and haven’t planned for.”

Cory entered the courtroom. Natalie tilted her head and smiled at her brother. His gaze locked on me, and his mouth formed a hard line. I’d been high on anxiety all morning, but this was next level. My knee bounced under the table. The bitter taste of fear coated my tongue. Didn’t he understand that this was serious, life-changing shit? All he could testify to was that he believed his sister.

At least, when it came to the donut disaster. He knew a lot about my past.

“We haven’t talked about her brother,” Regina quietly said to me. “Is there anything you haven’t told me?”

I tried to speak around the hard lump in my throat. “He can bury me,” I whispered.

Cory raised his hand and swore to tell the truth.

Natalie’s attorney posed the first question. “Did the petitioner come to you after the threats made by Mr. Steele?”

“She did. She was upset, scared, and worried about her daughter.”