Stanton Box Set

Ben, this is Detective Smith. I am just ringing to let you know that we have found Mr Julian O’Reilly. He is deceased and it appears he has been dead for a long period of time by suicide. Maybe over twelve months. Call me and I will let you know what we have found.

Julian is the man who has tried to kill both Joshua and me—the software geek. He’s dead? The bastard is dead. I close my eyes in relief and up until now I didn’t realize how scared of the man I actually was. He couldn’t have killed Tash if he’s been dead that long, so this narrows the suspects down. This is good. This is progress.

My eyes flick back to the court proceedings as I hand the phone onto Nicholas so he can read it.

“That is all, Mr Wells. I call to the stand Mr Todd Smithson.”

Joshua drops his head and Vincenzo whispers something in the ear of his secretary and she nods and scribbles something down on a pad. I turn to see who is coming out and my stomach drops. It’s that fucking idiot that Joshua is on the assault charge for. This just gets worse.

“Hello Todd,” the prosecutor purrs.

“Hello,” Todd replies.

He points to Joshua. “Do you know this man?”

“Yes,” he replies.

“How do you know him?”

“I lodged an assault charge against him in Australia.”

“Why would you do that?”

“Because he attacked me one night in Australia when I was dancing with Natasha Marx.”

The prosecutor frowns. “Please explain what your injuries were?”

“I had a broken nose and three broken ribs,” he replies.

“All because you were dancing with Miss Marx?”

“Yes.”

“Why is that?”

“He was insanely jealous. He just ran at me on the dance floor and attacked me right there and then, and then when we were taken to the security office he attacked me again. He was arrested and spent the night in jail.”

The questioning goes on but I have stopped listening—they are twisting everything. For hours I sit still, traumatised by the evidence they are supplying. Witness after witness attesting to Joshua’s cocaine usage, his cage fighting, his dominance and his past womanising. Finally, when I don’t think any of us can take any more, I hear the words “Court adjourned, resuming 9 am tomorrow.” And the sound of the hammer rings through the room. Joshua drops his head into his hands as the journalists go into overdrive.

It’s about twelve at night and I am tossing and turning in my bed. What’s going through Joshua’s mind right now? Is he ok? I have never felt so out of control—Natasha, Joshua, work… Nicholas. He is staying in the bedroom next to mine and it’s comforting. What does that mean?

He walks past the door in pyjama pants. “Are you still awake?” he whispers.

I roll onto my back and my eyes drop to his muscular naked torso and the scattering of dark hair on his chest. “Yes,” I reply. He walks in and sits on the side of my bed and takes my hand in his. “Are you ok?” he asks.

I smile sadly as I look at his face in the darkness. “I don’t know to be honest,” I reply.

He tenderly swipes the hair back from my forehead and his eyes hold mine. “It will work out, sweetheart. I don’t want you scared in here alone,” he whispers gently.

For some reason those words bring a lump to my throat.

“Let me sleep in here tonight. Nothing sexual. Just sleep,” he whispers as his eyes hold mine.

I bite my bottom lip and nod. “Ok,” I whisper nervously.

He smiles and walks around to the other side of the bed and climbs in behind me and pulls my body close to his and wraps me in his strong arms. I feel myself instantly relax as he kisses my temple from behind.

“I’m her