10. Ten
ten
Charlotte
Peter was going to kill me.
I blew out a deep breath and hit SEND on the text.
“Hey, Charlotte,” Blaire said, knocking twice on my office door before she entered. “Are you done with the—”
I was startled, having jumped in my chair at her intrusion, which sent my phone flying out of my hands and plummeting down hard in front of my desk.
I grimaced and squeezed my eyes closed when Blaire harshly surveyed the scene with her brows raised concerningly high.
“Are you okay?”
“I can’t do it,” I said, my chest heaving so hard I was on the verge of a panic attack. “I just can’t do it.”
I winced again, my body bristling tighter when my phone began ringing on the carpet. I didn’t have to look to know it was Peter.
“Charlotte.” Blaire took a calm step toward me.
“I just can’t do it.”
I rushed forward and slapped the phone out of her hand when she kneeled down to pick it up.
“Just listen to me.”
“Charlotte.” She pinned me with a thin, impatient glare. “Stop talking and just breathe.”
“Right.” I sat back on the edge of my desk and impulsively rocked myself back and forth, my breath shuddering. “Just breathe. Right. Yeah, I can totally do that.”
“You have to make a choice, Charlotte.” Blaire kneeled in front of me and grabbed my arms, ceasing my rocking. “I get that it’s your ex-husband, but you have to think about yourself here.”
“I’m not a monster,” I whispered, shaking my head as I looked at her. “I can’t do this to him.”
“Nobody said you’re a monster. But unless you put a stop to this shit now, then it’s only going to get worse. Do what’s best for you, Charlotte. Just know that it may not work out in your favor if you wait too late.”
“You’re right.” I understood what she was saying. I just hated how shitty it made me feel. “You’re absolutely right.”
I got myself together, and after taking a few minutes to give back the paperwork Blaire needed some friendly advice on, the alarm on my phone signaled it was time to leave for Karl’s arraignment. My body shook, and it was all I could do not to burst into tears on the way to the courthouse. I parked next to Peter and got out to meet his harrowing glare and perfectly locked jaw.
“Please tell me you’re joking,” he spat, his hazel eyes flashing in a way that sent chills slithering down my spine.
Despite the hostility, he looked good in his black suit and white tie. His dark hair was combed and styled in a fancy fauxhawk, and he must have been suffering through another eczema flare because he was wearing his favorite black gloves again today.
“Hey, Peter.”
“You’re dropping the assault charges?” he raged, scoffing as he grabbed ahold of my shoulders and shook me like a fucking maraca. “Are you out of your goddamn mind?”
“I’m sorry, Peter. I’d also like to address Karl before the court and judge.”
Peter stepped away and sucked in a sharp breath, glaring at me like I’d lost all of my sense of intellect. “Even if you drop the assault charges, you said it yourself that he won’t honor the restraining order.”
“He will,” I assured him. “Once he hears what I have to say, he won’t bother me anymore.”
And if he does, then I guess everyone was right and I’d be just another unfortunate soul who foolishly fucked around and found out the hard way.
“Charlotte.” Peter blew out a deep breath before he came closer and grasped my shoulders, squeezing them gently. “Please don’t do this.”
I could see he was trying. That he was genuinely trying to understand me and why I was being so goddamn stubborn.
But the sad truth of it was that he’d never understand, not even if I’d taken the time to sit down and write it out for him on paper.
Peter was more than just my lawyer. We’d gotten through law school together and aside from our professional relationship, we were friends, and I knew he would never intentionally do anything to hurt me. I understood he was angry with me but as my friend, I needed him to trust and have a little more faith in me. As my lawyer though, he still had a job to do, and I needed him to listen to me and do it.
“I’ve made my choice, Peter.”
He snorted and turned away, murmuring that I was making a horrible mistake.
“Then let me make it. Is that going to be a problem, or do I need to find someone else to represent me?”
Peter cocked his head back, looking genuinely appalled by my audacity. “You wouldn’t.”
“If you can’t emotionally separate yourself from the situation, then yes, I will.”
“Fine.” Peter blew out an enraged breath and shook his head at me. “Cue the emotional detachment.”
He turned back to his car long enough to retrieve his black briefcase, and then we were off, marching up each ankle-aching step until we made it through the doors and were in the correct courtroom.
Karl and his attorney Ben were already here standing and waiting, and an incredulous sigh slipped past Peter’s lips as he approached the podium and deposited his briefcase on top of it.
“All rise,” the bailiff shouted before I could ever plant my ass in a seat. “The court is now in session. The Honorable Judge Carter presiding.”
Judge Carter, an older woman with thinning white and brown hair and glasses hanging at the tip of her nose, entered the courtroom and claimed her rightful spot on the bench. She offered Peter and Ben a warm smile and then dove right on in asking about Karl’s charges. I told myself I wouldn’t look at him, but temptation got the best of me, and I ended up sparing a glance in Karl’s direction. I was glad I did, because from how torn and guilt-ridden he looked as he stared up at the judge, I knew in my heart that I was making the right choice.
I was married to this man for ten years. What Peter and everyone else failed to understand was that I was a walking audiobook when it came to Karl Greene and the things that would make him piss the bed at night—figuratively speaking, of course. Sure, we had arguments like all married couples did, but as I expressed numerous times, things had never gotten violent between us. I know it doesn’t condone what Karl did, but after tossing and turning all night thinking about it, I had a better understanding of why things escalated this far. Overall, Karl wasn’t a bad guy. I had memories with this man, beautiful memories I’d forever cherish despite all the pain and heartache he put me through recently. If I’d thought for one second that he’d ever lay a hand on me or purposely intended to cause me physical harm, I’d have never agreed to marry him.
This was his last chance, though.
Just because I wasn’t letting his ass rot in jail didn’t mean Karl was getting off Scot-Free. I was still filing for a restraining order.
“Charlotte, are you with us?”
I was so distracted by my thoughts that I hadn’t realized Judge Carter was speaking to me directly until I took in the shock staring back at me on Karl’s face.
“Yes, ma’am,” I agreed, clearing my throat as I met her pinched gaze. “That is correct. I would like to drop the assault charges against my ex-husband.”
“But yet you still want to pursue the restraining order?” she questioned with a slight head tilt.
I nodded. “That is correct, Your Honor.”
“Would you be offended if I asked why?”
I gave her the best smile I could muster. “Not at all, Your Honor. In fact, I’d be happy to explain it to you and my ex-husband, if I may?”
Surprisingly, Judge Carter agreed. “You are free to speak as you wish, Ms. Greene.”
“Thank you, Your Honor.”
I swallowed hard as I stared between Peter, Judge Carter, Ben, and Karl. What made it worse was when I’d turned around to steady my breathing, I found Chief, Detective Rhodes, and Hutch, posted beside the doors.
Great. What the fuck were they doing here?
“Ms. Greene?”
“It’s like this, Your Honor.” I spun on my heel and kept my face hard enough to cut through marble. “Karl Greene and I were married just over ten years. Not once in those ten years has he ever raised a hand to me, and I believe the only reason he gave in to those emotions is because not only is he still grieving the death of his mistress, but after over six months of separation, we just recently finalized our divorce. Karl wanted to reconcile but as he very well knows, I don’t condone cheating. I think his grief has driven him down a dark path and given that he’s just been temporarily suspended from duty, I no longer feel the need to press charges. I truly feel like he’s suffered enough.”
I broke eye contact with the judge and focused on Karl, struggling to level my breathing. It was hard fighting back the tears.
“I loved you. I’ll never understand what I did or why you didn’t just talk to me instead of running off and secretly burying your cock inside of a fucking teenager—”
I sucked in a painful breath and shook my head, apologizing to Judge Carter when she grabbed her gavel and slammed it down three consecutive times.
“When it comes to the terms of the restraining order,” Peter piped up, clearing his throat. “We ask that Karl Greene not be allowed within a hundred-foot radius of Charlotte Greene in any indoor and outdoor setting. We ask for all contact in any verbal or nonverbal form to be denied.”
“And if I may, Your Honor,” I stubbornly and unprofessionally interrupted. “I ask to please approach my ex-husband.”
“Now Ms. Greene…”
“Please, Your Honor.”
She hesitated for a moment, sighing as she frowned. “Fine. Permission granted. But if you attack him, I cannot help you, Ms. Greene. You will be detained.”
“Charlotte,” Peter called out in warning, but I waved him off, keeping my eyes locked on Karl.
“We promised each other forever, but I guess somewhere along the way you must have gotten lost.”
“Charlotte—”
“Just shut up and listen to me, Karl. That restraining order goes into effect just as soon as I walk out of this courtroom.”
His bottom lip wobbled, but he remained mute, letting me speak.
“It’s not my fault your mistress died, and it’s not fair that you’ve been taking all of your frustrations out on me because of it. You’re a good man, and the last thing I want to do is throw your ass in jail, but if you ever come near me or so much as dare raise a hand to me again, I will. I may be dropping the assault charges but please listen to me when I say with the last bit of intolerable patience I have left, that you have got to stop this shit, Karl. I’m tired of suffering over your mistakes and from this point forward, I’m not going to allow you to do this shit to me anymore. I’m sorry it’s come down to this, but you left me with no other choice.” I paused to take a breath and nodded toward Judge Carter, signaling I was finished. “Thank you, Your Honor, for letting me speak.”
“Very well then.” The judge blew out a relieved breath and then gave Ben another subtle smile. “Given what I just witnessed, I can only assume your client is pleading guilty on the stalking charges?”
“He is, Your Honor,” Ben replied.
She nodded and then leveled her stern sights on Karl. “After walking out of this courtroom, you are no longer allowed to be within a hundred-foot radius of Charlotte Greene in any public setting. Verbal and nonverbal contact is forbidden and to ensure you abide by these orders, all phone calls will be monitored until further notice. Should you decide to disregard these orders and get caught, you will be in direct violation of the restraining order and a warrant will be issued for your immediate arrest. Do you understand, Mr. Greene?”
“Yes,” Karl nodded, his voice shaking. “Thank you, Your Honor.”
“Great. I’ll get the paperwork going and have it distributed to your lawyers soon.”
“Excuse me, Judge Carter,” Chief said from the doorway, stepping forward with his hand raised. “Permission to approach the bench?”
Karl looked like he was about to shit a brick, but instead of offering him any speckle of comfort, I just smiled sweetly at Chief as he passed by me and then made my way over to where Detectives Rhodes and Hutch were casually leaning against the wall. Embarrassment burned fatally hot against my cheeks as I realized they had heard my whole fucked-up pity spiel.
“What are you two doing here? Did you catch a break in the case?”
“Afraid not,” Detective Rhodes replied. “I hate to be so blunt, but things aren’t looking too hot.”
“But to answer your first question,” said Detective Hutch, who had his large arms folded tightly to his chest as he glared at Karl like he was a roach he wanted to stomp with his black sneaker. “Captain Burgess told us about Karl’s arraignment. He thought it was a good idea for us to be here for emotional support.”
“You didn’t have to do that. Really, it’s okay. I just hate that I had to do this shit to begin with. What’s up with Chief though? Why is he here?”
Rhodes let out a dark chuckle, and my eyes couldn’t help but widen in horror as I watched Karl kick his seat and furiously pound his clenched fists atop the desk. He tried to make a play for Chief, but thankfully reconsidered when Ben grabbed ahold of his shoulders. Judge Carter ordered Karl’s immediate removal and just like that he and Ben were accompanied out of the room by the bailiff.
Fuck, fuck, TRIPLE FUCK.
“What the fuck is going on now?” I groaned.
“Chief requested Karl wear an ankle monitor,” was Detective Hutch’s fast retort, his lips curled in a satisfied smirk. “And judging by Karl’s reaction, I’d say The Honorable Judge Carter agreed.”
“But I don’t understand,” I said, gaping between them in utter confusion. “Karl’s been suspended. They took his badge, gun, and the cruiser.”
“Yes,” Rhodes did not hesitate to agree, “they did. However, Chief isn’t fucking around and is taking Karl’s abuse of power very seriously, perhaps personally if I’m being frank—but you didn’t hear that from me.”
“He’s not under house arrest,” Hutch explained. “Karl can come and go as he pleases but the initial purpose is to keep track of his location while he’s on suspension. He can go anywhere he wants and do whatever he wants as long as he doesn’t come within a hundred feet of whatever path your shiny high-heeled feet are walking on.”
“But what if Karl refuses?” I asked, ignoring his remark about my feet.
“It’s in his best interest that he doesn’t. I don’t think Chief will let him back on the force otherwise.”
Which meant Karl would be out of a job for good.
Fuck.
Now I had to go work some magic to ensure that exact thing doesn’t happen.