“Ms. Burke, when did you grant Kelsey Rawlings permission to install recording devices in your home?"
“I never granted that permission,” I say loudly, shaking my head.
The judge just stares at me for several long seconds.
“I find that hard to believe, Ms. Burke,” she finally sighs.
My breath catches my throat. I can't believe she is saying that.
“I never granted permission! Not ever!” I blurt out.
“But you did accept money for this? After the fact?”
I shift from foot to foot. “Yes, I suppose I did… It was in Kelsey's will.”
“So you have already been compensated? For your… performance?”
My mouth is dry, my ears fi
lled with a rushing sound like wind or water.
“Listen… I don't… I mean, I never thought that I would —”
The judge coughs delicately to cut me off, her eyebrows raised imperiously. She is done with me, and I can tell. I've seen that expression so many times on Kelsey's face, I know exactly what it means.
“Ms. Burke, I would suggest that if you would like to seek an injunction against, um… Head Monster, LLC, that you secure appropriate counsel, and bring that case before the appropriate jurisdiction.”
“Um…”
I can't say anything else. The gavel bangs against her desk and that's it. Case dismissed. In addition, I'm supposed to pay Britt’s fucking court costs. Can you even believe that?
I stumble out of the courthouse, shading my eyes against the bright New York sunlight. The Town Car rolls against the sidewalk and the shaded window slides down. R smiles at me from the dark interior.
“How did it go?” he calls out. “Victory dinner? I've got champagne here, just let me—are you all right?”
I don't know what to say. My legs have stopped working and I just stand there, trembling. He flings open the door and rushes to me, wrapping his arms around me and holding my body still as my core shakes so hard I'm not sure if I'm supposed to cry or scream or shatter into a million pieces.
We stand there for a long time as people walk by us. I don't even care anymore. I have no sense of shame left, no sense of privacy or personal space. Everybody can stare at me all the time.
Then I realize, it's because he's here. Because the only person who makes me feel safe in the whole world is standing right in front of me.
“It's all right. It's not over yet,” he murmurs as he rocks me gently back and forth, swaying where we stand. “I've got about two hundred more lawyers that I can get on this. Everything I've got, we will throw at her. When we are done with her, she'll have to sell the fillings in her teeth.”
I almost want to chuckle at the ridiculousness of that threat. He is trying to make me laugh. I flatten my palms against his chest to push him away slightly so I can meet his eyes.
“You know what, King, let's do that,” I nod.
His face is twisted with sincerity. I can tell how badly he feels for me, how he would give anything to make me feel better.
“And… I think I'm falling in love with you too,” I say.
Shock spreads across his features, then happiness.
“It really took you a long time to say that,” he says quietly.
“I wanted to be sure,” I explain.
“And you are sure now?”