Chapter 50
Fifty
REESE
I’m rooted in place.
A man comes rushing into the courtroom, and I’m sick with fear.
He says he has evidence, and I’m terrified to see what Benedict has constructed against me by using this man.
The bailiff steps forward.
“Let him through,” the judge orders.
I’m shaking. I can’t even fathom looking at Malaki because I’ll break.
Not only did he stay after I had a spiraling meltdown and told him to go, but he just offered to care for my daughter.
If I make eye contact with him now, I’ll crumble to the floor.
“Here.” The man hands the bailiff a folder, and I eye it the entire way until it lands in Judge Ramirez's hand.
Benedict and his lawyer are muttering to each other, and to my surprise, they don’t seem to know who the man is.
“And who are you?” the judge asks.
Everyone turns toward him.
“My name is Mark Poole. I am a freelance private investigator hired by Mr. Young. Those documents show Mr. Whitney has intended to use this custody filing to punish Ms. Moreno for refusing a relationship with him.”
What?
Benedict’s lawyer grips onto his arm as he tries to stand. He glares at him and pulls Benedict to sit.
The judge says nothing as he flips through the papers, his eyes narrow as he scans each one. “How did you obtain these?”
“They were obtained through a cooperating witness, your honor. They are willing to testify to that if need be.”
The judge blinks after staring long and hard at the PI.
He turns to Benedict’s lawyer. “Care to explain why I’m holding copies of multiple emails from your client to various outside sources regarding his plan”—he flips to the first paper—“to destroy Ms. Moreno?”
I gasp.
The judge flips to another page. “And this email in particular is to you…” He flicks his glare onto the lawyer. “It reads, ‘If she doesn’t cave, then I’m taking that kid. It’s only half hers anyway. Figure it out, and figure it out fast.’”
“It?” I press my hand to my mouth. “You called your daughter an ‘it’?”
“This is fucking ridiculous!” Benedict shouts. “He probably constructed these emails himself!” He stands and turns toward the PI. “What cooperating witness do you even have? You’re a lying piece of shit!”
“Your personal assistant,” he says. “The one who filters all your emails.”
Benedict looks as if someone slapped him. “Tell her I said she’s fucking fired.”
The judge slams his gavel three times. I jump with every loud bang. He stares at Benedict. “This motion is a misuse of the court’s time. The evidence clearly proves your bad faith, Mr. Whitney, as well as your behavior in my courtroom.”
I almost sag with relief.
“This was not an emergency–it was retaliation. Therefore, this emergency request is denied and dismissed. I strongly advise you to think twice before filing further unfounded claims again.”
Judge Ramirez looks to his bailiff. “Escort him out of my courtroom immediately. I want him off the premises.”
The bailiff heads for Benedict as Judge Ramirez continues on.
“And if he acts disorderly in any manner, I will hold him in contempt of court.”
I swear the bailiff's mouth twitches. “Yes, your honor.”
Benedict’s jaw is rock solid, the angular side of it sharper than ever. He brushes his lawyer’s hand off his arm and walks out of the courtroom without looking in my direction.
My eyes fill with water, but I bite the inside of my cheek to keep my emotions in line.
“You are dismissed, Ms. Moreno.”
I smile tightly at the judge.
“And for what it’s worth…I think your daughter is just fine with you and Mr. Young.”
Me too.
He stands and then exits the courtroom to his chambers.
I turn around and immediately search the room for Malaki, only to find him right in front of me.
Our eyes lock, his blue eyes filled with worry as he scans my face.
He takes a step toward me, and I can’t take it.
I break in half, right there in front of him, in the middle of the courtroom.
A sob climbs from the deepest parts of my body, and before I collapse, he’s there to catch me.
“Dimples,” he whispers against my hair. “It’s okay.”
It is.
For now.
Hopefully forever.
“I’m so sorry,” I choke out.
I furiously wipe my tears but stay pressed against Malaki. His heart beats as quickly as mine. Being wrapped in his strong arms has me hating myself for pushing him away.
“Please stop crying,” he pleads. “I really can’t take it. It’s almost as bad as when Charleigh cries.”
I sniffle and shake my head against him. “I am so sorry for what I said. I’m so sorry I pushed you away and told you that you were going to make things worse.” I sniffle again. “It’s not true. My life is so much better with you in it.”
“Obviously,” he jokes.
I finally pull back and stare into his eyes. A line of worry etches in between his eyebrows. He grips my face and uses his thumbs to wipe my tears.
“You hired a PI?”
He nods. “There was no way I was letting him take you or Char from me.”
“And you were going to take custody of her if it came down to it…” Another tear slips from my eye. “You really do love her, huh?”
He wipes my face again. “I love both of you, Reese. Don’t you understand that?”
My lip wobbles. “Why? I’m a–”
Malaki’s hands weave through my hair as he brings me closer. His breath fans across my face, silencing me.
“You’re you,” he says. “That’s why. I love everything about you.
Your kind heart, the way you take care of everyone around you, your dimples, your laugh…
” His mouth hovers over mine. “I think about you every single minute of the day.
Coming home to you and Charleigh—hell, even Zoe—is the one thing I look forward to above everything else.
“Did it come as a surprise? Maybe a little. I didn’t necessarily think our fake engagement would turn into forever, but goddamn do I want it.”
I’m completely swept off my feet in love with him too, and this may be the first time I actually let myself feel all of it.
I wrap my fingers around his wrists. “I love you too.”
His perfect smile is the last thing I see before he’s pressing his mouth to mine. I close my eyes and let the warmth of stability and love fill me to the point that I forget where we are.
Someone clears their throat, and we break apart.
The bailiff stands there with an awkward smile on his face.
“Sorry.” Malaki removes his hands and interlaces his fingers with mine. “We will see ourselves out.”
The bailiff chuckles as we head for the doors.
Right before Malaki pushes through, he stops walking and peers down at me. I look up at him, my eyes puffy from crying. “Unless…”
“Unless what?”
His eyebrow crooks upward. “Wanna get married? We’re already in the courthouse.”
I pause for a moment.
Malaki snickers. “I’m kidding, Dimples. I think Zoe would take a bat to my knees if we got married without her to witness.”
I laugh abruptly as Malaki pulls me down the hall. “You’re right,” I say. “And Charleigh would make a super-cute flower girl.”
His fingers squeeze mine. “True.”
We step outside, and fresh air fills my lungs.
“Malaki?”
He peers at me. “Yeah?”
I exhale. “I don’t want this engagement to be fake anymore.”
His steps falter, and he spins me to stand in front of him. A slow smile curves on his face as his hands fall to my hips. “It never was for me.” His blue eyes move back and forth between mine, and he says, “Pick a date, Dimples.”