I tilt my head to the side, mocking him as a grin works its way over my lips. “You can try.” I shrug. “But you won’t succeed.” I step forward, seeing Luke and Ty out of the corner of my eye on opposite ends. “I, however, will succeed, because it’ll be your ass in prison rotting away.”
He laughs condescendingly before shaking his head and storming past me. “Good luck with that.”
“Darrell won’t get you out of this one,” I say, my voice teasing. “He’s dropped you now that you’ve served your purpose. He’s done what he does best… disappeared.”
He freezes, his head turning as he faces me once more. He tries to cover the fear in his eyes but I can see it: he’s scared. Good. He should be.
“I’m guessing you’ve tried to contact him but have been unsuccessful?”
“I don’t know what—”
I take two steps toward him, only a few feet of space between us. “You think it’s acceptable to put a fifteen-year-old girl behind bars? For trying her as an adult when you know you shouldn’t have? She was your family. You should have helped, not made it worse.” I drag my gaze over him. “You’re a slimy piece of shit who used her situation to get your hands on money to keep up your habit.”
“What are—”
“I know every single thing there is to know about you, Aaron Derek Deacon.” I pause. “Every. Single. Thing.” He pales, his hand wandering to his pocket. “Now, now,” I tut. “You don’t want to be getting rid of that coke that’s sitting in your pocket.” I shake my head. “That’s an added bonus for when you get arrested.”
He stares at me for a beat before his eyes scan the courthouse, not seeing a single officer in sight. When he notices, he stands up straighter. “You don’t have shit on me.” He twirls around. “Tell Alexis I said hi.”
That motherfucker!
I let him get three steps away before I nod my head and watch as Luke steps forward, grabbing his arm forcefully and whispering something in his ear before slapping the cuffs on him and walking him down to an SUV that has been sitting at the curb for the last five minutes, waiting for us to hand him over.
I don’t move from the steps for several minutes, watching as he gets inside and knowing that it’s only a matter of time now before we can get Lexi out. Everything is in motion and I’ll soon have her in my arms again where I can keep her and our baby safe.
The guys all come to stand beside me, a united front as the SUV pulls out into traffic, but then the woman with the stroller catches my attention again.
Time. Time has become relative, because when you find that one person who means everything, you’ll wait a thousand years for just
one touch.
My bare arms itch from the roughness of the scratchy blanket that I’m lying on. The brown color no doubt hiding a multitude of sins. I heave a sigh, looking up at the yellowing ceiling of the block that I’m staying in. This one is low security, something that I’ve never been in before and it’s completely different to my whole time spent in prison.
For years I was in maximum security with some of the worst people there could be, but this place is a breeze compared to that.
My hand rubs against my stomach, the small bump sending flutters through my abdomen. I had a scan last week and seeing the baby’s head and little arms and legs made it all the more real. The baby is perfect, but the situation wasn’t because there was one person missing in that room.
I haven’t seen Evan since he came to visit three weeks ago and bought me all of that chocolate and chips. At first I didn’t understand when I went to the visiting room and saw Mal and Cal sitting there instead of Evan. But once they explained that he’s working on getting me out of here, I understood. I miss him, more than anything. The last few days when I’ve tried to call he hasn’t answered, and I can’t help but wonder if I’ve done something. But I bat that thought away as soon as it comes because he promised me to always be there: to never leave.
I swallow as I feel the telltale sign of tears pricking the back of my eyes, covering my face in my hands and taking deep breaths.
“Deacon, you’re up.”
I startle at the deep voice, pulling my hands away from my face. My eyes take in the guard, his fierce face covered in a scowl.
“What?” I whisper, sitting up and placing my feet on the floor.
“You’re up, gather your stuff.”
“Huh?”
“You’re out, get a move on. I haven't got all day.”
Wait, what? I’m out?
I sit here for several seconds, trying to process what he’s saying before scrambling up off the bed and collecting all of my things in a mad rush and following him out.
I tamper down the hopes that start to spring free as he leads me through all of the hallways and to the main section where he then opens a gate, tilting his head at me. I scramble forward, into a room where he tells me to put my things down and then proceeds to hand me a plastic bag before placing the clothes that I was brought in in front of me.