Chapter 13
CASH LOOKED SO handsome in his suit...gorgeous, but still so lethal. No matter how much he cleaned up, Bryn knew she'd always see the wolf in him, the feral dangerous side that had saved her life, the wildly passionate and seductive man who shared her bed every night.
He looked over at her, and smiled, but tension was thick in his green eyes. His jaw was clean-shaven for the first time, and she missed his whiskers. He held her hand tightly in his lap, his fingers entwined with hers.
Beside him sat Drake, also wearing a suit. His arm was in a cast, and he had stitches down the side of his temple and at the base of his neck, from a bite that had nearly killed him. It had been only three days since the fight, but their wounds were already beginning to heal.
They were the only people in the back row of the courtroom. No one was sitting near them. No one would even make eye contact, not since Drake and Cash had testified at Jace's trial about how Damien and Grigori had forced them to shift.
They'd both revealed themselves as werewolves to save Jace, a sacrifice that would forever strip them of the anonymity they both burned for. She'd backed them up, her own wounds evidence of the battle they'd fought.
The jury had debated for less than twelve hours, and the verdict was about to be delivered.
Jace was sitting with his head down at the front of the courtroom. He was in even worse shape than Drake from the fight with Damien, his left foot almost completely severed. But even worse was the dead look in his eyes. He was a man without hope, without spirit, without a will to live.
The judge called for attention, and Cash squeezed her hand as the courtroom fell silent, waiting for the verdict. Bryn couldn't take her gaze off Jace, barely listening as the judge began to talk. Jace's head was down. He wasn't even watching the judge. He was just staring at the floor, his shoulders hunched.
She knew he was thinking of Melissa, the woman he'd killed. Cash had told her that he remembered everything he'd done while he'd been in the killing rage, which meant that Jace recalled every moment of killing that woman. Being acquitted would not bring her back, and it would not erase the stains from his soul. She knew that, because she'd lived with the same guilt her whole life. It had taken Cash's love and support to help her past it. There were still times when he woke her up from nightmares and held her until they subsided, and she knew that would continue for a while…but she also knew he would stand by her without question.
Jace didn't have someone to hold him at night. He didn't have someone who would love him with every ounce of her soul. He didn't have someone who would see past the wolf and love him no matter what.
Cash looked over at her, and smiled, a private, tender smile that made her heart tighten. "Thank you for believing in me," he whispered. "Without you, I'm the one who would be sitting up there, with blood on my hands. You were the only thing strong enough to break me free of Grigori."
She traced her finger along his jaw. "I'll always believe in you, Cash."
"I know. I need that." He pressed a kiss to her knuckle. "I can't live without you, Bryn. Life is too dark without you in it."
Warmth flooded her, the kind of warmth that came from deep inside, that couldn't be destroyed by any external force. "Back at ya, big guy."
He chuckled, and kissed her knuckles again. "You're such a sassy little thing."
She grinned. "I know. That's why you love me."
"That, among other reasons," he agreed. "Like your great ass."
She bit her lip to keep from laughing aloud. "Seriously? We're in a courtroom."
"Ssh." Drake elbowed Cash. "The judge is about to deliver the verdict."
They both settled immediately, turning their attention to the front of the courtroom. The judge was solemn and serious in her black robe as she read from the paper the jury had given her. "And for the charge of first degree murder—"
There was a pause, and Bryn held her breath, leaning forward, gripping Cash's hand.
"—we find the defendant, not guilty."
Relief rushed through her, and she felt like jumping to her feet and fist pumping. The crowd gasped, and someone burst into tears in the courtroom. Cash let out a breath, and bowed his head, pressing their joined hands to his lips. Beside him, Drake leaned back in the seat, covering his face with his hands. But Jace flinched, as if someone had hit him.
The judge continued. "For the charge of involuntary manslaughter, we find the defendant not guilty."
The courtroom erupted into a frenzy of discussion, cheers, and shouts of outrage. Cash let out a low whoop, and punched his hands together, sandwiching hers between them. Drake sighed loudly and seemed to sag in his seat, weeks of tension draining from his body. Everyone stood up, talking excitedly, but Jace still didn't move. He just sat there, hunched over, staring at the floor.
Bryn's heart sank at his response. "He doesn't want to be exonerated," she said.
"It's not his fault," Drake snarled. "Grigori is responsible for that woman's murder, not Jace."
"It doesn't matter if it's his fault or not," Cash said, squeezing her hand. "He's taking responsibility for it." He glanced down at Bryn, his face understanding.
Tears clogged her throat, and she knew she would be forever grateful for Cash's acceptance of her past, and his ability to help her let go of her guilt. He was a lethal protector, but he was also a man of deep emotions and compassion, despite the rawness of his childhood.
Jace's lawyer stood up and began shaking hands, but still Jace didn't move. "He's not going to be okay," she said, her throat tight. "Look at him."
Cash squeezed her hand. "He is going to be okay, because he has us."
Drake stood up. "Damn right he does. Let's go get our boy." He walked out into the aisle, ignoring the whispered looks and the way people moved out of his way. Bryn hurried after him, and Cash stayed right beside her, always keeping his body close enough to her to shield her, a habit she knew he'd never stop, at least not until Grigori was no longer a threat.
The three of them reached Jace, who looked up as they approached, clearly sensing their presence. His eyes were empty, his face sunken and weathered. "It doesn't change anything," he said.
"No, it doesn't." Cash held out his hand. "You were innocent all along, and you still are. Let's go, Jace. It's time to get out of here."
For a long moment, Jace just stared at Cash's hand, then he finally locked wrists with Cash, and let Cash pull him to his feet. Drake handed him his crutches, and emotion flashed across his face. Deep, raw emotion that showed Drake's intense loyalty toward Jace. Like Cash, Drake had a heart that he kept carefully hidden, but she knew it was there.
Three men, so powerful, so deadly, so loyal that they would sacrifice anything for those they loved.
They waited for Jace to extricate himself from behind the table, but just as he reached them, a loud crash sounded from the other side of the room. Instantly, the three men formed a tight circle around her, shielding her on all sides with their bodies.
"Sorry!" One of the security guards called out, and she saw that a table had collapsed. The crowd dispersed, and her three escorts relaxed, moving away from her again, not far, but enough to give her space. Except for Cash, who put his arm around her, keeping her tight against his side as they moved through the crowds of people wanting to interview the three werewolves.
Werewolves who had just shown everyone, including herself, that they were her family, her protectors, her home. Cash pressed a kiss to her hair, and she smiled up at him. He grinned back, a wicked gleam that promised that when they were alone, he was going to show her exactly how important she was to him.
And she knew she was going to love every second of it.