Derek elbowed him, his friend’s way of saying ‘good luck’ as the judge started talking to the jury. Lukus tried to pay attention, this was important, but his brain kept racing, replaying the scene that landed them here over and over. No matter how many times he relived it, he could never find anything he’d done wrong.
“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury, have you reached your verdict in this case?” The judge seemed as ready to get her Friday docket finished as Lukus was.
What looked to be the oldest man sitting on the end stood to address the court. “We have, your honor.”
“Bailiff… please.” She nodded from the bench.
The uniformed court bailiff walked to the jury box and took the piece of paper held out by the jury foreman before carrying it to the judge.
The hard-as-nails judge took a minute to review the piece of paper before raising her gaze in their direction. When Markus pushed to his feet, Lukus and Derek followed his example.
The pregnant pause seemed to go on forever before Judge McKinney finally spoke. “In the case of Tarkin and Kristoff versus Mitchell and Parker, the jury has found in the favor of the defendants. The note from the jury indicates that they believe the contract in place and the defendants’ actions on the night in question prevent them from finding in favor of the plaintiffs.”
Judge McKinney looked up at the jury, verbally polling them. “Jury members, please demonstrate by a show of hands if this is your unanimous decision.”
Twelve hands raised almost immediately.
Looks like they want to get the hell out of here too.
“Very well. We will enter a verdict in favor of the defendants in this case. The jury has also indicated that the plaintiffs are to be responsible for the legal costs for the defendants.”
For the first time, the two women who had sat stoically at the table opposite them grumbled to their lawyer loud enough that Lukus wanted to cheer.
“Thank you for your service, members of this jury. Court is dismissed.”
Lukus felt like whooping out a cheer, and Derek slapped him on his back so hard he lurched forward. Both men turned to their friend, who was now grinning.
“See, I told you not to worry.”
“You never said that. You said don’t borrow trouble.”
“Whatever. All I know is I wish I could be at the club tonight to see you two unleashed for the first time in almost a year.”
He let a low groan loose, looking forward to his evening already.
Grabbing their briefcases, Lukus took a deep breath and made an invitation he hoped his friend would take him up on. “Now that the case is over, let me take you, Derek, and Rachel out for a steak dinner tonight. You can invite that wife of yours.” Lukus paused, feeling unusually vulnerable by adding, “Don’t you think it’s time I finally meet her?”
A cloud of something Lukus didn’t want to examine too closely crossed his friend’s expression. For the hundredth time over the last four years, he tried not to feel hurt that there was a whole part of his best friend’s life he’d been cut out of. It was total bullshit, to be honest.
Markus waffled. “I don’t think we can make it. We already had dinner plans for tonight.” His friend must have picked up on Lukus’s disappointment because he added, “Let me see what I can do about getting us together in a few weeks.”
But he’d said that before and a few weeks turned to months and then years. As much as he wanted to get to the bottom of the problem, standing in the courtroom just a few feet away from the bitches who’d sued them chewing their lawyer’s ass out wasn’t the place or the time.
As soon as they stepped out of the courtroom, all three men turned on their cell phones as they walked to the elevators. Just before the doors opened, a long string of text messages started pelting Lukus’s phone from one of his senior security technicians.
One after another the messages got more urgent.
“There a problem?” Derek asked.
“I’m not really sure. Maybe,” Lukus answered truthfully.
The ding of a voicemail arrived just as they exited the elevator in the marble lobby of the courthouse. Lukus listened to the message with dread, keeping an eye on Derek and Markus as they said their goodbyes.
Well fuck. What the hell do I do with this?
Indecision hit hard. He needed to make a split-second judgement that could have lasting implications for his best friend. The very man who’d just pulled his own ass out of the fire.
Markus turned, putting his hand out for a shake just as Lukus put his cell back into his pocket. The men shook hands, but when Markus started to pull back, Lukus held on tight.
His friend knew him well. Their eyes met as Lukus pulled him closer to talk softer to prevent being overheard.
When no words came out, Markus prompted him, “What’s wrong?”
“I’m honestly not sure if you want to know.”
Chapter Five
Brianna
The numbers 9-1-7 would forever be burned in her memory. Against every instinct in her body, and almost on autopilot, Brianna had taken the elevator up to the ninth floor, pushing out of the crowd at the very last second. She’d sat in an uncomfortable chair near the elevator bank for almost ten minutes, trying to pluck up the nerve to just leave. She was counting on the fact that he was bluffing and hadn’t already texted Markus.
As scared to death as she was about the things Jake Davenport might do to her if he got her behind closed doors, she had come to the conclusion that losing Markus would be a hundred times worse.
Her husband was everything Jake was not. Kind. Gentle. Funny. Loving. She should be relieved to have a man like him in her life after the trauma she’d suffered at the hands of her ex. And she was. And that was why she’d pushed to her feet to stand outside of room 917.
Just one more time. She’d risk getting sucked in just one more time. She’d come too far now to turn back. She wasn’t leaving without the hard drive. Last time she’d been vulnerable, weak. She was stronger this time.
It was eerie that she’d just made her decision to knock when Jake swung open the door. He’d taken his shirt off and changed to a pair of perfectly fit, worn jeans. Bri’d be lying if she didn’t admit that her core clenched, recognizing the effect the asshole still had on her. If only she could focus on the bad, because there was more than enough of that.
Unfortunately, her body remembered the amazing ecstasy he’d pushed her to as well. It seemed an impossible task to separate the two in her mind.
They stood in a stare down for several long seconds before she found her voice. “I’m not coming in. Hand me the hard drive.”
He had the audacity to grin as he let his free hand roam across his muscular chest suggestively. “You want it, you’ll come and get it.”
When she stood frozen, the jerk stepped back letting the door slam closed with a loud thud. Furious, Brianna stepped forward to start pounding on the door. “You asshole! Open the door and just give me what I came for so I can leave.”
The door swung open so fast, it caught her off-guard. She’d been prepared for him to make her beg, since he loved that so much. Instead, he grabbed her wrist before she could step away from the door. Jake yanked her toward him so hard it felt like he’d pulled her shoulder out of socket. Fight or flight instincts kicked in as Bri heard the door slam closed again, this time trapping her inside. Pent-up angst fueled by adrenalin helped her kick and flail, connecting her foot with his shin and her heavy purse with his shoulder.