Total pages in book: 54
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 50373 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 252(@200wpm)___ 201(@250wpm)___ 168(@300wpm)
A firm grip on my shoulder had me turning to look over it. Caleb gave me a steady look. I swear to God, the kid was too grown up for my peace of mind. I should be the one giving him support, not the other way around. I smiled, reaching up to squeeze his hand.
“It’s gonna be all right, Mom.” He must have seen my unease as I’d watched Doug walk in. I knew better than Caleb what the look on his dad’s face meant, but Caleb knew his dad was absolutely furious.
“I got your back, too.” Riot’s deep voice sent a shiver through me. A quick glance his way and I met his gaze for a brief moment. His eyes were piercing, like he could see all my fears and pain and thought he was ready to help me fight them. He’d soon find out he was wrong. No one took on Douglas Harrington and won.
“Thank you.” I tried to smile, but wasn’t sure I actually managed it. Then I met my son’s gaze and I really did smile. Not so much to reassure him as because I couldn’t help it. Caleb would always make me smile as long as he was in the world. I’d fight for him with everything in me, but if either me or Caleb ended up killing Doug, it wasn’t going to be Caleb.
“I’ve got you both.” Riot put his hand on top of Caleb’s, as if he were shielding us by putting himself between us and everything else. I knew it was fanciful thinking, but just once in my life, I wanted someone to fight for me. For Caleb. I’d die for my son, but I knew his father wouldn’t. In fact, I was fairly certain Doug would sacrifice Caleb if it was in his own best interest.
The judge had been giving Doug and his attorney a piece of her mind, but everything seemed to have calmed down now. Lana leaned into me. “Don’t say or do anything. Don’t move a muscle unless Judge Whitmore gives you explicit instructions. Understand?” I nodded. Lana seemed like she was looking forward to whatever was about to happen. I turned my attention back to the proceedings.
“Now that we understand proper courtroom etiquette, perhaps we can move on?” She raised her eyebrows as her gaze landed on Doug and his lawyer, obviously waiting for one of them to say something.
“Yes, Your Honor. We sincerely apologize for any offense caused the court.” Doug’s lawyer was always good at making any wrong he did or harm he caused seem like nothing. Like any offense was subjective and open to interpretation, and his interpretation was really the only one that mattered.
Judge Whitmore merely nodded, a small grin on her face. “I see.” And I was certain the woman really did see. I might have lucked into the one judge in the whole district who wouldn’t cave to Doug’s demands. “Ms. Thompson. Tell me why we’re here.”
Lana stood and immediately got to the point. “Your Honor, my client is requesting emergency custody of her son, Mr. Caleb Harrington, for alleged mental and physical abuse. I’d like to add that I’ve brought this matter before the court at the request of Mr. Caleb himself. Not his mother.”
Judge Whitmore smiled kindly as she looked over my shoulder to Caleb. “Young man, is this true?”
Caleb looked over at Riot who nodded. Caleb stood and cleared his throat. “Yes, ma’am. I-I mean, Your Honor --”
“Your Honor,” Mr. Todd interrupted, “Mr. Caleb’s a child. A very impressionable one who loves his mother. Violet has manipulated her son just as she tried to manipulate Mr. Doug. Poor Mr. Caleb can’t see his mother’s duplicity.”
“That’s not true.” Caleb clenched his fists at his side. He hadn’t yelled, but he hadn’t been quiet with his remark.
Judge Whitmore raised a hand to silence Caleb. My son murmured a soft, “Sorry, Your Honor,” and lowered his head.
“It’s my understanding, young man, that you want to tell me everything you saw. Is that correct?”
“Yes, ma’am.”
I gasped. “Saw?” My voice wasn’t much more than a whisper. Lana gripped my knee hard, a warning to shut up. I hadn’t realized Caleb had actually witnessed anything other than the end of the incident. He hadn’t said anything to me to indicate he’d been there any longer than a few seconds.
Judge Whitmore’s gaze zeroed in on me. Yeah. She hadn’t missed my reaction. Then she sat back in her seat. “Very well, young man. Why don’t you come up here and sit beside me.” She indicated the seat next to her where witnesses would be called to give their account.
Riot was sitting on the outside of the aisle, so he had to stand in order for Caleb to get out of the row of seats. I’m not sure what I thought Riot would do. Maybe stand there? But he followed Caleb to the chair she’d indicated and kept going until he stood beside my son. Judge Whitmore held up a hand for him to stop, and Riot did. Instead of standing there with his arms crossed over his chest to intimidate, he adopted a relaxed pose with one hand over the other wrist in front of him. He stood perfectly still, not shifting his weight or even moving his head.