“Brothers,” I say, and the room quietens down. “I think it’s obvious why you’re here. Some of you have been expecting this day since—”
“Since Anna swayed her cute ass into The Windsor that first time,” shouts Chains, and the brothers laugh and cheer.
“I did not sway,” she huffs. “I was annoyed.”
“I’m taking her swaying ass and making her my ol’ lady,” I announce, and the cheers get louder. Anna turns in my arms and smiles up at me. “If you’ll let me,” I add quietly so that only she can hear.
“I’m glad you know who the real boss is,” she quips.
“Always.” I smile.
“Do I have to get a tattoo?” she asks. I nod my head. It’s tradition for her to have my name somewhere on her gorgeous body. “Can I choose where?”
“You are the boss,” I say, and she grins.
“Fine. I’ll be your ol’ lady, but only because I love your mom and your kid. I guess you’re alright too.”
I kiss her hard and she smiles against my lips. “Shower, now.” I swat her ass and she takes me by the hand and leads me upstairs.
Anna
It’s been two weeks since Riggs laid claim to me, but it feels so much longer because we have been consumed with Reggie’s trial. It was rushed through the courts because of the mayor. He wanted it put to bed to help his wife grieve and move forward. I’m not sure the loss of a child can ever be something you move forward from, but having met the mayor, he’s not the emotional type.
I’ve spent the last three hours staring out this window as rain drizzles down the window of the courthouse café. Riggs places my third coffee down in front of me. The jury went out to reach their verdict at lunchtime yesterday, and here we are again today, still waiting.
I run over everything that I said in my head for the hundredth time. Reggie’s defence lawyer was an ass and tried to completely rip my story apart, but luckily, Riggs recorded the entire car ride of conversation, right up until I cancelled the call. Hearing Reggie’s confession to killing the mayor’s daughter brought back memories of seeing her lifeless body. It also came out in court that the truck driver had a history of necrophilia and he’d paid Reggie for her dead body.
I sigh and Riggs takes my hand. “I hate this waiting,” I say.
“I know. We can leave if you like. I can ask the clerk to call us with the verdict,” says Riggs. I shake my head. I want to look Reggie in the face when I hear his verdict because I’m certain he will be found guilty.
Crystal, whose real name is Rebecca, walks towards us. “They’re going back in,” she says with a smile.
The courtroom is big. It’s a daunting experience and one I hope I never go through again. We file in one by one and fill the seats of the gallery. Most of the Kings Reapers are here for support and I love that I’m a part of their family. Eva holds my one hand while Riggs holds the other. I notice Cree’s little finger resting against Eva’s little finger on her other hand and I smile. He’s so ridiculously shy that it’s sweet.
“All stand,” says the clerk as the judge enters.
“Be seated,” mutters the judge. He reminds me of a tired looking headteacher. “Let’s get straight to it, shall we,” he continues, looking down at some papers the clerk hands him. “Can the foreman for the jury please stand?” A thin man stands and glances around nervously. This jury was selected from the outer parts of London, where they hoped Reggie would have no reach. The mayor wasn’t letting him get off this time.
The judge continues. “For the first charge in the battery and assault of Mrs. Anna Miller, how do you find the defendant? Guilty or not guilty?”
The man coughs and the judge rolls his eyes impatiently. “Guilty,” he says, and Riggs squeezes my hand. My eyes fall to Reggie and he’s staring right back at me from his little glass-covered box. I smile triumphantly.
“For the charge in the murder of Elise Alice Knowles, how do you find the defendant? Guilty or not guilty?”
“Guilty, your Honour,” says the man with a look of relief passing over his face.
I let out the long breath I didn’t know I’d been holding. Reggie keeps his eyes fixed to mine. The wound where I stabbed his neck is visible and he now walks with a limp from the police officer shooting him in his leg.
“You’ll never see Malia again,” I say, leaning over the balcony so he can hear me amongst the chatter of the courtroom. “I’m filing for divorce, I’m removing your name from her birth certificate, and in time, she’ll forget you ever existed,” I say.
“You can’t do that,” he growls, and I smile wider.
“I have friends in high places, Reggie. It’s already happening.”
I sit back in my seat and turn to Riggs, kissing him. “It’s over now.” He smiles. “We can move on.”
The judge rambles on about how sentencing will take place in another week, but he warns Reggie that he’s facing a long time behind bars and that he’s looking to impose the maximum sentence of life in prison with no chance of parole.
I leave the courthouse smiling from ear to ear. He’ll never darken my doorstep again. Malia and I are finally free.
Riggs stops and spins me to face him, planting a big kiss on my lips. “Let’s get the kids and go to Vegas.” He smiles. “I want to marry you.”
I laugh. “I have to wait for my divorce to be finalised,” I say.
“No, you don’t. I was waiting until this was over to tell you that it’s all gone through. The mayor sanctioned it as urgent and, well, he pulled the right strings to make it happen on the promise that we invite him to the wedding reception when we
