“You’re impossible, you know that?”
I wink at her and turn my gaze forward to the judge who has his brows raised at us in question, shrugging.
“Something that you’d like to tell the court, Mr. Lord?”
“Apologies your honor,” I say with a smile, nodding towards Jane, “I was just telling Ms. Gordon here how beautiful she looks today, I couldn’t help myself. She made sure I knew that your courtroom isn’t the place for fun and games, though. She’s very serious business.”
The judge chuckles and looks over at Jane with a smile, nodding.
“Thank you, Ms. Gordon. Shall we begin?”
Jane nods and starts to present our case, stating that because it was such an isolated incident that there’s no reason to keep me locked up. He seems to be buying it too, nodding along with her and looking over at me.
“So what you’re saying is that he basically just had too much to drink, and the entire situation was a giant misunderstanding?”
“Yes your honor, Mr. Lord deeply regrets his actions and has absolutely no intention on skipping town because of this. He’ll be patiently waiting for his sentencing at home while he continues to… work.”
I don’t really have to work, but that’s beside the point, and I nod along with her, looking to the judge.
Who, unfortunately, doesn’t look convinced. Shit.
“Mr. Lord,” He says with a sigh, shrugging his shoulders and shaking his head, “You’re telling me that the riot that you incited at the casino was purely a mistake, and you don’t think that we should keep you contained in the meantime? I have a hard time believing that you weren’t enjoying yourself and egging people on.”
He sighs and leans forward on the bench with a chuckle, smirking.
“There is mention of you not only inciting the riot but causing even more of a ruckus when police arrived, and I have a hard time believing you when you say it won’t happen again. How do I know that you won’t simply go out and do it again, causing more fuss?”
Shit, I’ve got to come up with something fast or I’m going to be heading back behind bars, and I can’t do that.
“Your honor,” I say with a grin, gesturing to Jane sitting next to me, “As beautiful as Ms. Gordon is and as much as I adore being in her company, she’s the last person that I want to have to anger on a regular basis. you have my word.”
I can see Jane rolling her eyes next to me with a sigh and much to my delight the Judge laughs, though my hope that he’s going to let me off easy dwindles as soon as he opens his mouth again.
“Mr. Lord I’m sorry, but as charming as you are, there just isn’t enough evidence to support the theory that you’d be well behaved as well as stay here to wait for your sentencing. I know this isn’t the outcome that you’re looking for, but I can’t see a reason not to keep you locked up in the meantime. You’ve got infinite resources and finances available to flee, as well as little to no stability here to keep you from running. I can’t see a valid reason to grant you bail at this time.”
Fuck! How am I supposed to get out of this right now? I can feel my heart starting to race and the thought of spending another minute in jail makes me feel sick to my stomach, and I know that I need to figure out something and I need to figure it out fast.
So I do the only thing that I can think of at this very moment.
“Your honor, I promise this won’t happen again and I can guarantee that I won’t be leaving.”
I look over at Jane nervously and she’s got her eyes narrowed, understandably confused as to what the hell I’m doing right now. Here’s hoping she doesn’t light me on fire for what I’m about to do.
“Judge,” I continue with a sigh, forcing a smile to my face. “I actually have quite a bit of newfound stability here in New York.”
“Oh, really?” He asked, brows raised as both curiosity and skepticism wash over him. “And what would that newfound stability be?”
“It’s recent, so I can understand why it may not be I your knowledge yet, but… I’m actually engaged.”
The judge laughs and smirks, shaking his head as he clearly tries to suss out whether or not I’m lying. I am, but he doesn’t have to know that, of course.
“And who exactly are you engaged to, Mr. Lord? I certainly don’t know who this mystery woman is.”
“You do, actually,” I say with a smile, shrugging my shoulders.
Here goes nothing.
“She’s standing right next to me. Jane Gordon.”
6 Jane
Oh, what the actual fuck is this stunt he’s pulling?
I was under no impression when I took this case that it would be easy or that I’d be dealing with a responsible gentleman, but I certainly didn’t expect to be standing in court in front of a judge while my client tells them that we’re secretly engaged and that’s the reason he isn’t going to flee on bail.
All in a day’s work, I guess.
I can’t figure out why the hell he chose me of all people to try and convince the judge that he was staying, but if I don’t decide right now whether or not I’m going to go along with this, we’re screwed. Though, if I choose not to go along with it then I’ve got no hope in ever convincing the judge that my client is trustworthy and honest—he’d never believe that after he pulled a stunt like this and I called him on it—and then my hope for winning the case is essentially down the drain.
So for now I’m doing my best to maintain a neutral expression while I argue internally and Riker is speaking with the judge, who is just as shocked as I am, though I’m giving it everything
