Probable Cause （n.） – Olivia
PROBABLE CAUSE (N.):
SUFFICIENT REASON BASED UPON KNOWN FACTS TO BELIEVE A CRIME HAS BEEN COMMITTED OR THAT CERTAIN PROPERTY IS CONNECTED WITH A CRIME.
OLIVIA
Boop-deeee-boop! Boop-deeee-boop!
“Noooo, shut up!” I grabbed my phone and hit the side button, silencing the alarm.
There was no way in hell it was time for me to get up. I felt like I’d just shut my eyes ten seconds ago.
Snuggling under the covers again, I attempted to drift back to sleep.
Boop-deeee-boop! Boop-deeee-boop!
“Oh my god!” I grabbed my phone, ready to turn it off, but I realized it was a phone call.
Judge Ashton?
“Hello?” I answered.
“Hello, Miss Spencer,” he said. “Do you happen to know what time it is?”
“No.” I held back a groan. “But I’m sure you can look at your phone and find out the information for yourself…”
“I’d rather hear it from you.”
You’ve got to be kidding me…
“No, Judge Ashton,” I said. “I don’t know what time it is, but whenever I wake up for the day, I’ll look at my call log and call back to let you know.”
His low laughter came over the line, and my nipples hardened under its tempting sound.
“Are you still there for me, Miss Spencer?” he asked. “Do you have the time?”
I swallowed several curse words and sat up, tapping my screen.
“I’m here, and it’s currently three fifteen a.m.,” I said.
“Good to know our clocks are set to the same time then.” There was a smile in his voice. “Which means you should be up assisting me with an important task I need help with.”
“I don’t remember you giving me one.”
“That’s why I’m calling you.” His voice was suddenly terse. “I need to get to the courthouse early this morning, but another resident has borrowed my condo’s complimentary car and I can’t find my Audi in the garage.”
What the hell? “With all due respect, this sounds like a personal problem, sir…”
“Well, since two of my favorite cars were vandalized a few weeks ago, and I can’t drive those…”
A pang of guilt hit my chest, but then I remembered he had no idea I was the one who did it.
“I’ve decided that you should help me with my transportation arrangements for the rest of the week.”
“Do you want me to walk you through getting an Uber?”
“No, I can’t risk getting into one of those.”
“Why not?”
“Because I’ve lost count of how many Uber drivers I’ve fined and sentenced to defensive driving classes,” he said. “I don’t want to risk someone taking their anger out on me, you know?”
“I understand…” My cheeks heated. “Um, what about a cab?”
“Same issue.”
“Mara?”
“I would never wake Mara up at this ungodly hour,” he said. “She doesn’t deserve that.”
“So, I do?”
“Let’s not get personal, Miss Spencer,” he said. “Focus on how you’re going to make sure I get to work within the next hour.”
“Um…” My brain wasn’t fully functional at this hour. “Let me think.”
I slipped out of the bed and zombie-walked to my kitchen. Hitting the lights, I noticed a pink post-it on the coffeemaker.
Sooo happy you landed such an awesome job.
Your favorite blend is all set up for your second day!
XOXO
Lindsay
Thank you so much, Lindsay…
I pressed the brew button and grabbed a cup.
“I don’t have all morning to wait on you, Miss Spencer.” Judge Ashton’s voice was in my ear again. “I have a very heavy load today.”
I nodded as if he could see me.
“Are you thinking?” he asked.
“Yeah,” I said. “Have you ever considered narrating naughty audiobooks? I think you have the voice for it.”
“I meant thinking about my ride to work.”
“I still need some time.” I held my cup under the spout and drank it without adding anything.
I mentally went through my options, and I honestly couldn’t think of anything that would work except…
“Would you like me to pick you up and take you to work, sir?”
“Yes,” he said. “That would be very nice.”
And very freakin’ inconvenient. “Okay…I’ll be at your place in about twenty-five minutes if traffic is decent.”
“How do you know my address?”
Shit.
“I don’t—I, uh…no, I don’t,” I said. “I was going to ask for it via text message once I got in my car.”
“Hmmm. Okay, then. See you in twenty-five minutes.”
Half an hour later, I pulled in front of his condo building, right next to the valet stand.
Unlike the last time I was here, there was a new set of black cars marked “Ultimate Lot Security” slowly riding up and down the street.
I’m right outside.
In a gray Nissan.
He didn’t immediately come outside, and my engine couldn’t handle idling for more than a few minutes, so I put my car in park.
“Um, Miss?” A valet gently tapped on my window. “Miss?”
“Yes?” I rolled it down.
“This area is for residents and their visitors only,” he said. “Are you here to see someone?”
“Judge Ashton,” I said. “I’m picking him up for work.”
“Huh?” His eyes widened. “You sure about that?”
“Yes. I’m very sure.”
“He’s getting into this?” He stepped back and looked at my car, as if he refused to believe someone on Judge Ashton’s level would be caught dead inside of it.
Before I could answer him, my passenger door opened—revealing Judge Ashton in an impeccable navy blue suit.
“Good morning, sir!” The valet rushed away from my side, taking his stunned looks with him. “Do you need any assistance?”
“I’m okay, Mason.” Judge Ashton nodded at him, then he flashed his perfect pearly whites at me. “I think I can handle getting into this car on my own.”
“Should I have one of the new security cars tail you, perhaps?” he asked. “Just in case this breaks down on the way?”
“I’ll be fine, thank you.” He settled into the passenger seat, and the soft woodsy scent of his cologne made me inhale it and want to lean even closer.
He adjusted the seat, pushing it back and lowering the headrest.
It should be illegal for a man to look so sexy this early in the morning…
“Okay, Miss Spencer.” He shut his door and looked over at me. “You can pull off now.”
I turned my key, and my heart sank when I remembered I couldn’t just “pull off.”
BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!
“Please blow into the interlock device,” the ugly box warned. “Until the light turns red or green.”
Heat rushed to my cheeks, and I hesitated.
This can’t be happening right now.
“You have a DUI on your record, Miss Spencer?” he asked. “I’m shocked Mara was able to look past that and hire you.”
“I don’t have a DUI.” I couldn’t believe this. “A judge over-sentenced me for some minor traffic violations.”
“They couldn’t have been too minor if he had something like this put in your car.”
This asshole really doesn’t remember?
“Hurry up and put your lips on it, so we can go...” He unhooked it from the holder and held it up to my mouth.
I leaned forward and blew into the straw while pure wickedness gleamed in his eyes.
“Your blood alcohol level is 0.00!” The box exclaimed. “Driving permission is granted!”
The engine turned over, and I waited for the second part of my humiliation ritual to begin.
The second device turned on, serving me the same annoying words as usual.
And I was now sharing the car with two Judge Ashtons.
“Were you in my courtroom?” He looked at me as his video played. “Did I sentence you to this punishment?”
“Yes.” I barely managed. “You did.”
“Hmmm.” He was definitely holding back a laugh. “Well, I’ll have to look at your record and see if I was too harsh.”
“You were.”
“I doubt it,” he said as the gearshift unlocked. “But it’s good to see my court orders working. I feel a lot safer in this contraption you call a car now.”
I bit down on my tongue as hard as possible and finally pulled onto the road.
Fortunately, he didn’t try to engage in any small talk on the way to the courthouse.
Unfortunately… I could feel him staring me up and down for the entire drive.
Parking Lot for Judicial Staff Only
Must Display Official Badge in Front Window
All Others Will Be Towed
I coasted right in front of the sign where I’d secured a great space yesterday.
At this hour, only a couple of other cars were here.
“I appreciate the ride, Miss Spencer.” He finally looked away from me and unlocked his door.
When he stepped out, I glanced at the time.
Four twenty-nine.
I hate my life.
He shut my door and walked around to the driver’s side.
I could tell he wanted to say something else—to toy with me just a little more, so I rolled down my windows.
“Yes?” I asked.
“Now that you’re here,” he said. “You might as well stay and clock in early.”
“Come again?”
“You only have an hour before you have to report to work.” He smirked. “It doesn’t make sense for you to drive all the way home for what? A ten-minute nap at best?”
I fucking hate you… I held back the words on the tip of my tongue.
“From the looks of things, it seems like you’re already dressed for the day,” he said. “I can hold the back door while you park, if you like.”
“No, that’s okay, Mr. Ashton.”
“Judge Ashton,” he corrected me.
“Noted,” I said. “I’ll sleep in the parking lot until I have to go inside.”
“There’s a bed in my office.”
“I have a feeling you wouldn’t let me use it.”
“Not for sleeping probably…” His eyes met mine. “But it’s available.”
I was far too exhausted to wonder if he’d actually said the words I thought I heard.
“I’ll see you at five thirty.” I rolled up my windows and drove to the farthest row.
Then I grabbed a blanket from my backseat and used up every single second of my final off hour to rest.