Now, it was just a waiting game, according to the doctors, on when his brain would heal enough to allow him to wake up.
I was sitting there, reading a book on my phone while holding onto Justice’s hand, when I heard it.
“I think it’s time to leave the hospital and let him heal on his own. Without you breathing down his neck.”
I turned at the sound of my father’s voice, hoping I wouldn’t see what I knew to be there.
“What are you doing here?” I asked, voice disgustingly soft.
My father looked intimidating in his suit and tie.
Like he was better than me.
“The game that you’re playing is finished,” he said. “It’s time to start acting like an upstanding citizen again. Time to start participating in life like a person actually setting out to make a change. Plus, Justice Rector’s family is here. They can watch over him now. It’s time to stop playing the ‘I’m upset’ card.”
I clenched my jaw and looked at my father over my shoulder.
“Go away,” I said, sounding just as worn out and tired as I felt.
“Don’t you think that you’ve put this family through enough?” he asked. “Listen, I’ll even pay for college. I’ll pay for you to move away, too. When you come back, you’ll be graduated. You’ll be able to contribute to the family.” He paused. “I’ve had my secretary send you law schools that are well-to-do in the country. Ones that I’ve donated to so they’d be willing to take on your grades.”
I stiffened.
The idea of leaving and not coming back had always held merit.
But not now.
No longer did the idea of escaping this town sound like heaven.
Not when I had my entire life here now.
My entire life being Justice Rector.
“I love him, Dad,” I finally said. “I’m not leaving. It was nice of you to stop by all because of little old me but…”
“I didn’t stop by because of you,” my father said, trying to relieve me of that notion. “I stopped by because a fellow judge is in the hospital having heart surgery today. But I thought I’d come by on the off chance that you were still here, acting like you cared when we both know you’re staying with him because you want to stick it to me.”
What a fucking dickhead.
God, he really knew what to say to get under my skin.
He always had.
“Get out.”
That time, it didn’t come from me.
It came from the man that I was holding onto like my life depended on it.
I whipped my head around and stood, my hands going to Justice’s face.
But his eyes stayed locked on the man in the doorway.
“Get. Out,” he repeated again.
The Judge narrowed his eyes.
“I think…”
That was when it got even better.
“My son asked you to go.” Loki’s deep, scary voice came from behind The Judge.
My father turned to see that Channing and Loki were both standing there looking like pissed off statues.
Channing was clenching and unclenching her hand, looking for all she was worth as if she was about to beat the snot out of my father if he said one more word.
Good. That made two of us.
“I’m going,” my father said. “There’s absolutely no reason to start a fight in the hallway of a hospital over something as insignificant as this.”
With that, he left us alone.
And I started to cry.
Loki and Channing walked in then, both smiling big.
Justice pulled me into his chest and started talking to his parents, but I couldn’t listen.
I was too focused on what was going on in my heart to pay attention at first.
“Baby, you’re killing me.” Justice’s worried words finally penetrated my foggy, couldn’t-stop-crying brain.
I sniffled and leaned up, my eyes puffy and swollen.
“You’re okay,” I whispered huskily.
He winked. “Fine.”
Channing snorted. “Sure you are. That’s why your head is so swollen.”
Justice closed his eyes and smiled.
“I really want a burger.”Chapter 24
Don’t ask me to adjust my air conditioning. Bring a goddamn blanket.
-Justice to Royal
Justice
Today’s visit with her father was killing two birds with one stone.
Possibly even three.
As I walked into the courthouse with only one destination in mind, I felt…free.
I was officially released to go back to work.
My girl was happy and healthy.
Marcus was no longer in the picture.
And I was about to take out the trash.
I didn’t bother to call ahead and make an appointment; I was fairly sure the motherfucker would refuse to see me.
That was why I’d walked right into St. James’ office, past his secretary, and straight into his open office door.
When I got there, I closed the door with a solid thud.
He looked up with a scowl of annoyance.
“What are you doing here?” The Judge asked, looking at me like he’d rather be hit in the face with a fly swatter than talk to me.
“I’ve come to talk to you about a few things,” I said. “One, I want to buy the welding shop from you. He told me he did when I looked him up. When I found him fishing at the lake at his new home in the middle of nowhere.”