Chapter 17
Chapter Seventeen
Parker
I took Paige to Four Kinds for dinner. I hadn’t been back there since my last date embarrassed the hell out of me.
“I promise you’ll love the food here,” I said to her.
“Does Detective Kind own this place?” she asked.
“It’s technically his brother Sebastian’s restaurant, but the four brothers have a stake in it.”
We were promptly seated at a table and handed some menus.
“Hi, Parker.” Natasha, our server, smiled as she set a breadbasket on the table.
“Hi, Natasha. How are you tonight?”
“No complaints. What can I get the two of you to drink?”
“I’ll have a Tom Collins,” Paige said.
“Scotch for me,” I said.
Paige opened the menu and began looking at her choices. I couldn’t stop stealing small glances at her as I pretended to look over the menu. She was so beautiful, and I was waiting for her to drop the bomb that she was leaving Los Angeles.
She reached over, grabbed a piece of bread, and spread some cherry butter on it. Taking a bite, her eyes widened.
“What the hell? This is amazing.”
“Right?” I breathed out a laugh. “That cherry butter gets me every time.”
“Look who’s here.” Sebastian smiled, walking over. “How are you, Parker?”
“I’m good, Sebastian. I’d like you to meet Paige Winters. Paige, this is Sebastian Kind, Simon’s brother.”
“It’s nice to meet you, Paige. Simon talks about you.”
“The pleasure is mine, Sebastian. I hope all good.” She smirked.
“I believe he used the words: tough and kind of scary.” He smiled.
“Good. I like those words.” She laughed. “Can I just tell you that I’ve traveled around the world and I have never had such amazing bread and butter in my life.”
“Thank you. I’m happy you’re enjoying it. I have to get back to the kitchen.” He placed his hand on my shoulder. “It was good to see you, friend, and good to meet you, Paige.”
“He seems very nice.” She smiled.
“All the Kinds are exceptional people.”
As she grabbed another piece of bread and spread the cherry butter over it, a feeling of dread washed over me, for at any moment, she could leave, and I’d never see her again.
After we ate, we went home and went down to the beach.
The sound of waves crashing against the shore always soothed me. But tonight, it didn’t.
We sat in the sand as the moonlight illuminated us. I reached over and grabbed hold of her hand. She looked at me, and our eyes locked. I gently smiled at her and then stared at the water while my thumb softly stroked her skin.
“What’s wrong?” she asked. “It seems like something is bothering you.”
I couldn’t tell her what I felt.
“Nothing is bothering me. I’m just relieved all of this is over. I need a drink.” I stood up, bringing her up with me.
We walked hand in hand back to the house.
Walking over to the bar, I grabbed the bottle of scotch and then set it down.
I walked over to where she stood, grabbed her face, and smashed my mouth against hers.
Swooping down, I picked her up and carried her to the bedroom, our lips never parting.
Within seconds, our clothes were off, and our bodies melded together as I hovered over her, stroking her cheek.
“You’re so beautiful,” I whispered.
She moaned as her fingers dug into my shoulders.
When I thrust inside her, time slowed as we lost ourselves in each other. Nothing mattered—not the world, not the firm. Nothing existed beyond this room, this bed, this moment.
Our breath quickened as I rapidly thrust in and out of her.
My lips nipped the sensitive spot right below her ear.
She arched her back, her nails digging into my flesh.
She orgasmed with such fierce intensity that it sent me spiraling, and I was unable to hold back.
Moans escaped my lips as I strained every drop.
Pulling out, I rolled on my back and placed my hand on my chest before extending my arm out to her.
Her body snuggled against mine. She wasn’t just another woman.
I’d built my life on calculated decisions and control. Women were temporary. Convenient. Replaceable. But Paige wasn’t, and that was a problem. She didn’t fit into the tidy boxes I’d constructed for myself. She made me question everything I’d already settled a long time ago.
“Can I ask you something?” I asked.
“Of course.” Her fingers softly stroked my chest.
“That night we had dinner at my mom’s house. You seemed really nervous. Why?”
“Families aren’t my jam. I know you can understand that.” She lifted her head and looked at me. “I told you about my childhood. Hearthstone always called us a family. Families are a promise I no longer trust.”
“Why?” My brows furrowed.
“Because promises are what people use to trap you. They say you’re safe. They say you belong. And then they make you pay for it.”
“Is that the reason you act like you don’t need anyone?” I asked.
“That’s why I don’t need anyone. Needs get you killed if you’re not careful.
Hearthstone made me exactly what they needed.
They made me so I wouldn’t flinch when someone screamed.
So I wouldn’t hesitate to pull the trigger.
So I wouldn’t cry when I lost something.
So I would never be weak again. They took away everything that made me feel warm. ”
“I don’t believe that because I know somewhere inside, is you, before the accident and Hearthstone. The warm part of you.”
“I’m really tired,” she said.
“Goodnight, Paige.” I kissed the top of her head.
“Goodnight, Parker.”
My eyes flew open at the sound of my alarm.
Reaching over, I shut it down. Rolling over, the other side of the bed was empty.
Climbing out, I slid on my underwear and went downstairs, thinking I’d find her in the kitchen making coffee.
She wasn’t there, and a sick feeling rose in my stomach.
Running up the stairs, I pushed open the door to the guest room.
All her things were gone, and the room was cleaned as if she’d never been here.
Walking back to my room, I sat on the edge of the bed, grabbed my phone, and sent her a text.
Where are you?
I stared at the screen, waiting for those three little dots to appear. Nothing. Throwing my phone down, I climbed into the shower and let the hot water stream down my body. My biggest fear had come true. She’d left. But the worst part was that she couldn’t even say goodbye.
I heard a knock at the door. It was her. I knew it was. Racing down the stairs, I opened the door to find Julian standing there.
“Morning, bro.” He pushed past me. “My car won’t start, and Laurel took the day off to go on a field trip with the girls. So, I need to ride with you.”
“What about Roman?” I sighed, running my hand through my hair.
Instantly, his brows furrowed.
“Roman already left. He had an early meeting with a client. What’s your problem? You don’t want your brother riding with you to the office? We have court at ten o’clock.”
“It’s fine.” I walked into the kitchen.
“What’s wrong? Where’s Paige? I didn’t see her car in the driveway.”
“She’s gone.”
“What do you mean she’s gone?” Julian asked.
“She packed up and left in the middle of the night,” I spoke with irritation.
“Oh. Shit.”
“Yeah. Not even a goodbye.” I grabbed my keys off the island. “Let’s go.”
“Objection, your honor! He’s badgering the witness.”
“Objection sustained. Mr. Hamilton, I’m warning you.”
“I’ll rephrase the question. Miss Maddox, did you see my client pull the trigger?”
“Yes, I did.”
I walked back to the table where Julian handed me a file folder. Opening it, I pulled out a picture.
“Your honor, I’d like to enter this photograph into evidence.”
“Objection! The prosecution hasn’t been made aware of that photograph,” the ADA said.
“Your Honor, it was just made available to me late last night. I didn’t have time to get it to ADA Jacobs until now,” I said.
“How is this picture relevant?” ADA Jacobs shouted.
“You’ll see your honor. I promise.”
“Overruled. Continue, Mr. Hamilton.”
“Miss Maddox, is this you?” I held up the photograph.
The color drained from her face as her bottom lip began to tremble.
“Miss Maddox, answer the question,” the judge said.
“Yes.”
“You’re sure this is you?” I asked her.
“Yes, of course.”
“Care to explain to this courtroom how you were in two places at once? This picture is timestamped at the exact time you claimed you witnessed my client shoot Mr. Cavalier. How much did Galactic Enterprises pay you to lie?”
“Nothing. I swear! That photo is wrong. I was at that club the night before Mr. Cavalier was shot.”
I took a few steps closer to her and let the silence stretch long enough for everyone to feel it.
“Miss Maddox. Let me get this straight. You testified that on the night Mr. Cavalier was shot, you witnessed my client shoot him.”
“Yes,” she answered quickly.
“And you gave that statement to the detectives on April 10th.”
“Yes.” She nodded. “I swear I saw him. I was coming from the bathroom when I heard arguing.”
“Let’s talk about what happened after you gave that statement. Miss Maddox, do you have a bank account at TriStar Bank?”
“Umm, yes,” she said, her eyes diverting to the prosecution.
“Checking account ending in 2251?”
She hesitated for a moment, then nodded.
“Yes.”
I took a piece of paper out of the folder.
“Miss Maddox, do you recognize this document?” I held it up in front of her.
“It looks like a bank statement,” she said.
“It is. It’s your TriStar bank statement for April.”
The prosecutor stood from his seat. “Objection, Your Honor. Relevance?”
I glanced at the judge. “This goes directly to bias, motive, and credibility.”
“Overruled. Proceed, Mr. Hamilton.”
I diverted my attention back to the witness. “Please tell the jury what your account balance was on April 10th, the day you spoke to the detectives and gave them your sworn statement.”
“I—I don’t remember,” her voice trembled.
“That’s okay. We have records for that. Your balance was three thousand ninety-four dollars and seventeen cents. Does that sound correct?”