Total pages in book: 87
Estimated words: 84635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 84635 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 423(@200wpm)___ 339(@250wpm)___ 282(@300wpm)
I pressed my body into hers, snatched her other wrist, and raised her arms over her head. Her bones were so delicate I worried I might snap them if I weren’t careful. I eased the pulsing ache in my cock by pressing hard against her belly.
My entire being was focused on her. The sounds of her ragged breaths and tiny whimpers. The taste of her rapid pulse as I licked the smooth column of her neck. The feel of her soft body submitting to my demands.
I was a beast trying to hold a butterfly without crushing it.
Breathless, I ended the kiss.
Pressing my forehead to hers, I whispered harshly, “You can’t win. Give in to me.”
She tried to turn her face to the side.
Transferring my hold of both of her small wrists to one hand, I wrapped my free hand under her jaw, holding her in place. “Answer me,” I demanded.
Her dark blue eyes blazed with defiance. “You expect me to be your whore? I’d rather go to prison.”
Everyone in my world said yes to me. Board members, judges, senators, women. And here was this woman, literally against the wall with my hand at her throat, choosing a prison cell over me.
“Brave words for someone who is facing half a lifetime behind bars.”
“Because you bribed all the witnesses and doctored the video.”
I smiled. There was no point in denying it. “All the more reason why you should accept my generous offer.”
“Go to hell.”
My hand closed around her throat the moment the refusal left her lips.
Her eyes widened.
I stared down at her and for one second, I wanted to break her. The way a child smashed a toy rather than let someone else have it.
I released my grip and stepped back, already missing her warmth.
I moved to my suit jacket and snatched it up. Without turning, I bit out, “Fine. Take your chances with the jury.”
I had resumed my place leaning against the back wall of the courtroom by the time they brought Madison in.
She searched the room till she found me. She then raised her chin and stubbornly looked away.
She had gotten under my skin. I just wasn’t used to hearing the word no. And the challenge of turning that no into an oh god yes was one I had every intention of winning.
The trial progressed quickly after the recess. There was no point in stopping it.
She had made her decision.
The only witness left was a firefighter who had been at the scene of the accident. He fell in line by claiming it was Madison, not Jameson, behind the wheel.
It was then no surprise when Madison’s useless attorney rose and declared the defense would rest without even providing a single witness. The CA’s summation was brilliant and to the point.
I should know, since I was the one who had written it.
Finally, the judge allowed the jury to leave to start their deliberations.
Madison fidgeted in her seat and tried to avoid glancing in my direction. She failed several times. Every time, I caught her stare and held it, each time a little longer than the last.
The jury was out for less than fifteen minutes.
The judge cleared his throat. “Madam Foreperson, do you have a verdict?”
A matronly woman with garishly bright red hair rose. “Yes, Your Honor.”
“Very well, in the matter of the People of the State of Virginia versus Madison Hastings, how do you find?”
“We find the defendant, Madison Hastings—”
Madison shot out of her chair. “Wait!”
CHAPTER 11
SKYLAR
There was a surreal moment of silence after Madison’s outburst.
As if no one wanted to trust their own ears. Excitement buzzed in the air, people waiting to see what the crazy killer would do next.
After all, who the hell would yell out such a thing in open court?
The judge froze, mouth still parted around whatever he’d been about to say.
The jury foreperson glanced from Madison, then back to the judge, unsure of what to do.
The idiot commonwealth’s attorney rose, then sat down, then rose again, then sat, all in the space of two seconds.
Then the silence broke.
Reporters shot out of their seats; disobeying the court’s rules, they whipped out their cell phones as they raced out of the courtroom, hoping to be the first to get the sensational turn of events onto the Internet.
Hastings Hasty Outburst!
Chaos at the Courthouse!
Madison Hastings Defiant to the End!
Verdict Rejected! By the Defendant!
They were shouting their clickbait headlines into their phones over the din.
The judge’s face turned bright purple as he stood and actually threw his gavel at Madison.
She ducked just in time.
It flew past her and struck someone in the face, bloodying their nose.
That was when the real chaos began.
Chairs were overturned as people panicked and fought their way out of the confined space.
My gaze cut across the gallery to where Pierce was leaning against the back wall.
Not a flicker. Not a flinch. The fucking architect of this entire shit show.