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Tom gave a nervous laugh and ruffled his curls “That makes two of us, then. But thanks, Jesse. I needed to hear that, I think.”
“So, what’s next?” Jesse said, glad to move the conversation on and turning back to his workstation. “What can we do to counter all this crap?”
“Have your meeting with Darragh at sundown,” Tom said, moving to the door. “And do exactly what he says. That’s all you need to do. And, Jesse?” Jesse looked up. Tom smiled. “Thanks.”
Jesse blinked. “For what?”
“For understanding everything. Understandinghim. Probably better than I do”
Jesse nodded, unsure what to say. Tom smiled again, a mix of emotions in his eyes, and left.
* * * *
Jesse searched through his clothes for an hour before sundown, trying to decide what you should wear to a meeting with your vampire lover and his undead lawyer. With a frustrated noise, he dressed in plain black jeans and a white T-shirt, zipping a new hoodie over the top. He found Emory and Darragh Kelly in the study, conversing quietly over half-drank glasses of blood.
“Jesse,” Emory said, standing as Jesse entered. “Thanks for coming.”
“No problem,” Jesse said, taking the seat opposite the red-haired haemophile.
Kelly hadn’t moved. His emerald eyes were fixed on Jesse. “I thought I recognized the voice on that clip,” he drawled in his low, rolling voice.
Jesse winced and caught Emory’s eye. “I’m sorry, Em,” he breathed. “I really am.”
“Why are you apologizing?” Emory said with a slight curve of the lips. “The statement was very complimentary.”
“That’s not how the opposition will spin it,” Kelly said. “But if we prepare for this deposition carefully, we could make it work in our favor.”
“I don’t know much about all this legal stuff,” Jesse said, wiping his damp palms on his jeans.
“Of course, you don’t. That’s my arena,” Kelly said. He turned to Emory. “This relationship you two have. It’s grounded in mutual respect, I assume?”
“I believe so,” Emory said, looking again at Jesse.
“Yes,” Jesse said firmly. “Of course it is.”
“Good,” Kelly said, picking up a file from the table and leafing through it. “If this human genuinely cares for you, Emory, there’s a chance we can make other humans do likewise.”
“Look, mate,” Jesse said, nettled. “I want to help Emory. I do. But what’s between us is our business. I’m not spouting a load of personal shit to some stranger.”
Kelly drew out his phone and pressed play. The audio clip played again, and Jesse winced.
“Yeah, yeah, okay,” he said, gesturing impatiently. “We don’t need to hear it again.”
“My point, Mr. Truelove,” Kelly said, “is you’ve already shared your ‘personal shit’ with the whole world. My job is to turn it into an advantage rather than a catastrophic blow to Emory’s custody case.”
Jesse winced again.
“I do have some good news,” Kelly said, turning to Emory. “The court has now ruled that Dimity can stay with you until the custody hearing.”
“That’s excellent news,” Emory said.
“No shit?” Jesse said, moving to the edge of his seat. “So they admit it was illegal for that woman to take her away?”
Kelly lifted an eyebrow. “More like they’ve admitted there are no legal grounds at this stage to take her back. But you need to keep quiet about Christmas Eve at the mayor’s house,” he said, his expression darkening. “They don’t need any more ammunition.”
“Aren’t they going to ask me about that?” Jesse said, keeping his voice steady.
“I don’t know what they are going to ask,” Kelly said. “But if anything about that night comes up, your response is ‘no comment’. Understand?”
