She said yes.
And she’ll keep saying it until I have what I need.
I can’t fight the triumph that surges through me at the thought. My inheritance is in reach with only a few hurdles left. Zaya has already promised me a year, and eventually I’ll figure out how to broach the subject of having my kid.
I’ve already convinced her of this much, what’s this one last thing?
It’s not like I’d expect her to raise it, that’s what nannies are for. I saw more of my nanny than I ever did my father or Giselle, and I turned out just fine.
Maybe I could even convince her to give it more than a year.
I force away the rogue thought as my fingers tighten on the steering wheel. That is the craziness talking, the impulse I seem to have for destroying things that were working just fine before. This isn’t about love or any other fluffy emotions. Love is a weakness that opens your heart up to being ripped apart.
Zaya Milbourne betrayed me once, I’m not going to give her a chance to do it again.
I want to own her, possess every part of her, and I want everyone in Deception to see me do it. Then I’ll toss her away when it’s all over and done with.
Securing my inheritance is the glorious icing on the cake.
But it isn’t about love.
“Are you okay?” she asks.
I force myself to look at her, finding her staring at me. “Fine.”
The district attorney’s office is busy because it’s a Monday morning. That doesn’t stop me from breezing past the reception desk like I always do.
“You can’t just go back there,” the secretary calls as she half-stands, but I hear the resigned note in her voice.
Because she knows as well as I do that yes, I can.
But Zaya hesitates, falling back by a few steps as she looks nervously around the crowded office. I grab her wrist and pull her after me, loving the little squeak of surprise she makes.
“You’ll be a Cortland, too,” I murmur just loud enough for her to hear. “Get used to the fact that normal rules no longer apply.”
She makes a disgusted sound, but follows behind me as we push through the glass doors that lead to the offices. I can’t help but notice she doesn’t pull her hand away.
West is on the phone when we burst in. There isn’t any surprise on his face, just resignation, as he waves at me to shut the door. He usually has the male equivalent of a resting bitch face, so it’s an angry expression that passes over us as we step into the room. I have to drag Zaya over to the desk and push her down into the seat because she is so obviously intimidated.
People think that West only got his position through nepotism until they come face to face with him in a courtroom. The man is like a pit bull who grabs ahold of things and refuses to let go. I hope his mood is amenable today, but it’s impossible to know for sure until he opens his mouth.
Zaya sits gingerly, tucking her hands underneath her thighs as if she worries we’ll see them shaking. She shouldn’t bother, West is amazingly perceptive when it comes to people. I’ve always been able to read her like a book, so he’ll know her every secret at a glance.
West barks something into the phone that I can’t translate because it’s in advanced legalese, before slamming the down the receiver and turning to us. “The next time you bust in here like this, I’m having you arrested for trespassing.”
I doubt the threat is a serious one, but who can ever really be sure? Slouching down in the chair like everything bores me, I cross my arms over my chest. “That’s no way to treat family, dear uncle. I always thought you enjoyed our time together.”
“Smart ass.” His narrow-eyed gaze swings away from me and settles on Zaya. “We haven’t officially met, but I assume you’re Zaya Milbourne.”
She nods, eyes wide.
“So, you must be here about your brother.”
Instead of answering, she hesitates and looks at me. It’s interactions like this that make people see weakness and think they can just roll over her. But Zaya isn’t afraid, she just won’t commit to any course of action until she has thought through every angle. For now, that means letting me take the lead.
I’ve seen the core of steel inside of her every time I try to get her to do something she truly doesn’t want to do.
“She saw the police report,” I tell him. “It looks worse than it should. Zion isn’t some cartel boss.”
With an annoyed sigh, West reaches for the stack of files on his desk. “And you thought it made sense to come see the attorney prosecuting the case instead of maybe, I don’t know, hiring him his own lawyer?”
Zaya has gone tense beside me, her eyes narrowing. I gently tap her knee, a reminder that this is under control. “
He can’t even make bail. The public defender’s office is a joke. C’mon Uncle West, this is ridiculous.”
“I shouldn’t be talking to you about this at all, especially without a defense attorney present,” West points out, voice caustic. “You’re lucky I like you, nephew. Anyone else would have been tossed out on their ass.”
“We’re already here. Spill.”
“These are serious charges.” West skims a few pages before shaking his head. “A group of young men were picked up on suspicion of committing a serious assault and robbery. Apparently, some or all of them held up a convenience store in the Gulch, and the cashier was injured.”
