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“Do you want him back?” Judge Hawthorne asked.
I felt my eyes go wide, “I’m not sure what you’re talking about.” The lie sprang to my lips before I could stop it.
The judge’s voice went sharp, “Don’t play stupid with me.”
I blinked. And then blinked again.
“Yes, sir, I do.”
“Then tell him the truth.”
My shoulders slumped, “That’s going to be a problem.”
“I’m not quite sure what that truth is,” the judge went on, “but I know there is one. And a man like Gate isn’t going to settle for anything less.”
I stared at my clasped hands and shook my head, “No he’s not. He shouldn’t.” Then I looked up, “But have you ever had a truth to tell that’s so heavy, you’re not sure the world will ever right itself if you tell it?”
“Seems to me that might be the only way to get things back into balance. Getting rid of that weight once and for all,” the judge said.
I wrinkled my nose, “Not what I wanted to hear, sir.”
“Mabye not, but it’s probably the best advice you’ve gotten lately,” he pointed out.
I gathered my things again and stood, “Probably so. And I thank you for it. I’m just not sure I can take it.”
The judge leaned back in his leather chair and steepled his fingers. “I’ve lived a long time. Long enough to know that men like Gate are a dying breed.”
I nodded, “I’m afraid that’s true.”
“But here’s something you might not know,” the judge went on. “So are women like you.”
“We are?” I asked with a furrowed brow.
“You are. So Gate’s got just as much to gain as you do.”
“I haven’t really thought about it like that,” I admitted. “And I’m not sure he’d agree with you.”
“You let Gate worry about that,” he said.
“Thanks for the talk, sir,” I said, turning for the door. “I’ll let you know how it goes.”
“You won’t have to,” the judge said after me.
And as I closed the door behind me, I had the strange suspicion that he was right.
*************************
Deuce
Posted up in the rotunda of the courthouse, Deuce watched the comings and goings of thousand-dollar suited attorneys, the denim-clad working class, and then the Iron Dragons, rolling through the courthouse encased in enough leather to make Kanpur weep with envy.
The brothers had ridden out, some hitting their patrols, some back to the compound, and Gate and Talon escorting Jeff and his mom back home.
But Deuce had waited around.
And when the elevator doors pinged open, he saw the reason why.
Smooth as silk in her designer suit and kickass heels, red curls pinned up, briefcase secured by some kind of ridiculous bow, but looking hot as fuck, Anna flipped open Ray Bans and perched them on her nose as she made for the main glass doors.
