“I am aware of every statute in Florida. Can’t forget that you and I graduated law school together,” I winked trying to lighten the mood. Behind me I heard sniffling. Noelani was hurt.
“What is it that you want me to do? What is it that you want us to do?” She waved her hand to everyone behind us. “Please tell me you have a plan.” My plan.
I sighed stuffing my hands in my pockets. “I do. Everything I’m about to layout will seem impossible but I promise it’s not. I have everything thought of. All I need you to do is make sure that no other judge gets this case, but Stanley and the state defense attorney or attorneys are the names I give you. I also need my affairs sorted out before they try to place a hold on my assets.”
“Let me guess, you want me to represent you?” She walked back around her desk to get a tissue.
“Yes. I won’t make you look like a fool. You made partner. It’s your name out there. I would never jeopardize your career.”
“What do you call this, Amell? I’m going to lose in court based off the evidence in that file alone.”
“True.” I nodded. “But you will be recognized as the one who solved the mystery after all these years. Either you represent me or work against me with the state and trust me, you don’t want to be on that side of the courtroom with the people who were responsible for locking me up once this is all said and done.”
Angry, sad eyes stared back at me. I knew what I was asking sounded like the worst joke in history, but I needed everyone in this room to trust me.
“Fine. Let’s get down to business shall we.” Shaking her head, Mahogany looked over at the chief. “What’s your part in this?”
Chef Chatterjee gave a tight lip smile before standing. “See that’s the thing…”
Chapter 16
Krishna
“Why am I the enemy here, Krishna?” Pacino’s smug remark and presence made me want to smack a few of his dreads out of his head. And to think I used to crush on this man.
“Because he’s leaving again…with you.” Two glorious weeks of hiding out had come to an end.
Amell doubted me. I knew him better than he knew himself. This man has been the focal point of my life since I was sixteen years old. I knew everything there was to know about Amell Kalmin. Three nights ago he made angry, passionate love to me. When it comes to him that’s nothing new, but what was new was the emotion behind his eyes and the thrust from his pelvis to mine.
He gazed at me like his world, me, was about to be taken away. He pounded in me like he wanted to leave a time capsule of his love in my womb. Whenever the collision of our gaze became too much, he’d switch positions that wouldn’t allow me to look him in his eyes.
“Krishna.” His dark and grumpy voice coated my arms with chill.
Witnessing his effect on me Pacino smirked. “Your man summoned you.”
“Shut up.” I shot him the bird and walked over to where JD and Amell stood.
My poor baby JD. When Amell told me what his uncle did to him I wanted to drive to Bradford County and kill the man myself. While Pacino and Amell were leaving to only God knows where, JD and I were getting on another plane to Virginia for Black Beach Weekend. He finally turned eighteen and wanted to experience some black culture. How I got nominated for the job, I don’t know, but I was happy to go away for a week to help my little baby forget about the trauma he endured.
“Give me some loving, Gazelle.” Amell stood beckoning me. Right as my arms wrapped around his thick neck my eyes started to fill with unshed tears.
I’ve been avoiding his eyes all day. Looking at his face but not looking at him. Something in my gut told me that I wouldn’t be seeing him for a while after we parted. He claimed that he and Pacino were about to go out of town on business, but their jet didn’t even have a pilot on board yet. Paying attention to those little things made my stomach queasy.
“Gazelle, stop worrying. Have fun with JD in Virginia and then head to DC to help JD get situated with his condo. I purchased the one he really liked.” That made me step back and stare up into those hard onyx eyes.
Prior to the shit storm dropping on us you couldn’t get Amell to shut up about going to DC to help JD get situated before he started his summer classes at Howard University. Like a proud parent he was happy to see JD head to the next chapter of his life, but now he was sending me instead.
Why?
Why would he miss such a pivotal moment?
Amell continued to hold me and talk and all I had the strength to do was listen and hold my tears at bay. He was leaving me indefinitely. I read between the lines. In the same sentence of saying that he had a surprise for us in DC after we left Virginia, he slid in that he needed me to make sure that I ordered a new monthly supply of food for his damn fish and to make sure that Cassian fed his dogs. This list of things was a final list. He was leaving me.
Releasing me he stepped over to JD who had been quiet since he woke up this morning. “You wanted to see some real ass and titties so Krishna is taking you to the place where you’ll have a variety of it. I know she’s not one of the guys but she’s the perfect hype man.” Amell winked at me and I swallowed the vomit desperately wanting to spew past my lips.
“Amell, why are you…do you really have to go right now?” JD’s eyes were hidden by dark Ray Bans, but I knew from the heavy emotion in his voice that he was barely holding on.
Amell wasn’t fooling anyone. His trip, all these plans, it all had to do with what had happened to JD. Regardless if he refused to tell me I knew it to be sure because of his actions. But why leave when he needed him the most?
The same boy that he’s been helping raise since he lost his mother at the age of four just confessed that he murdered a man who thought he’d get his perverted disgusting fetish off with a young kid he heard about from his bunk mate. So not only was he dealing with the trauma of all those years of silently being abused but he dealt with knowing that he killed someone.
This wasn’t the time for Amell to play hero.
JD needed him.
Cassian and Atlas needed him.
My mother needed him.
I needed him.
“How about you come with us and then go on your bro trip with Pacino?” I knew that once Amell made up his mind about something there was no changing it, but I needed to try again.
His shoulders dropped along with his head. Amell was torn and didn’t know how to ask for help. His damn pride at being Mr. Fix It kept him from seeing what he needed was right here in front of him.
Amell pulled JD into a hug and whispered something to him that wasn’t privy for my ears to hear. JD kept shaking his head and every time he tried to speak Amell would hug him tighter. Whatever he said to him made him go to the plane that waited for us without saying another word.
“So, this is it, Amell?” My throat ached from suppressing the need to cry. “I’m a lot smarter than you think and I know that you have something planned. My words won’t make you stay but all I know is that when we get back you better be here waiting for me.” I rushed into his arms and hugged him.
Squeezed him until he felt like melted clay against my chest. Kissed his lips until my breaths turned into harsh spasms of wheezing. Prayed over him until God opened up the skies and made it drizzle.