Judge

I wiggle in his lap, wanting to get closer to him. “Time for what?” I ask, wanting to know everything I can about him. Everything about him pulls at me and I want all of him. He’s mine to have. I know it.

“I wanted to be lawyer. I just didn’t want to be like them. I didn’t want my career choice to be my life. I wanted what other families had.” His hand moves to my hip, holding me close to him. “I wanted to show my father he’d done it wrong. He could have the career and still have a family that you could be close to. That you didn’t have to pick one or the other.”

“No, it’s not too late,” I agree. That’s what I’d always wanted. A family that cared about one another. Wanted to spend time together. Not because it was what they were supposed to do from time to time but because they wanted to.

“It’s why I bought this house. It was my first step. I got it right when I became a judge. I’m still not sure if my father was happy about that. He never liked that I chose to work for the city and not go into the family practice.”

“Why did you?”

“It was what called to me. When I get my eyes locked on a target I can become a little bit of a bulldozer to get what I want.”

“I hadn’t noticed,” I tease, fighting a smile but losing the battle.

“But then it was all I did. I got the home but nothing called to me, so I kept on working. I started to think maybe I was just like my father. I only chose not to get married so there was no one to neglect.”

“Is that why you wanted me to know that you’d meant to pick me up today?” I ask. I was surprised when he’d said that.

“I really am sorry, kitten.” I see the guilt all over his face.

“Hey, you’re new to this,” I try to reassure him. I don’t want him to lump himself in with his father. “I mean, whatever this is,” I quickly add when I realize what I said, because to be honest, I have no idea what we are. I feel my cheeks warm.

“Don’t do that. Nothing between us, remember? I was talking about you when I said maybe I’d been waiting. That’s why I hadn’t taken the next step in my life. Waiting for a little thief to come and steal my…” He pauses for a moment. My heart starts to pound. I want him to finish his sentence. Steal his what?

It takes me a moment before I realize it’s not only my heart pounding, it’s the front door, too.

“Stay put. I’ll be sending whoever it is away,” he tells me. Standing easily with me in still in his lap before placing me back in his chair. I watch him stroll out of the room. I still want to know so badly what he was going to say. Did I steal his heart? Because I’m pretty sure he’s stolen mine. No, I’m certain of it.

I stand when I hear voices. My first thought is that it’s a woman. That was how it was at my uncle’s. One after another showing up. Never the same except for Sasha. I even noticed when I worked with him for a few days that his office was mostly filled with men. I don’t think he likes keeping the same woman around, but for some reason was okay with Sasha and me. My stomach turns as I remember. I will never understand it. I saw the women who came and went. They were beautiful. He could have his pick, but he focused in on me for some creepy reason.

I move farther down the hallway and relief fills me that the voices I hear are those of men. It’s short-lived when I peek around the wall. I see two police officers standing in the entryway. Smith stands with his arms crossed over his chest looking ready for a fight.

Both cops notice me and draw Smith’s attention. “Eat your dinner,” Smith orders. That sweetness we had moments ago is gone. His edge is back. Not that I mind his edge. I enjoy both sides of him, but this is different. That same wild feeling I’d gotten from him earlier is there once again. How can I read him so easily in the short time I’ve known him? It’s not as though it’s some special skill set I have or I would have seen it sooner with my uncle. It’s Smith that I had it with. I think he has it with me, too, but I’m guessing he has a good read on most people.

“Miss Nora Vaughn?” one of the officers asks. Both look to be in their mid-twenties and remind me of college boys in uniforms. I nod and step out from behind the wall.