Chapter 53
A Birthday Gift
SHADOW
Six Years Ago
Except for a few cars, the courthouse parking lot in Territory Five is nearly empty. I offer Peaches my elbow as I escort her down the stairs to her car.
Initially, Peaches was assigned a lawyer, a pompous jerk around the same age as my brother, Troy, who gave zero shits about her case.
He spoke to her once, barely listened to her side of the story, and left her sitting in containment for a week.
Without consulting his client, he pushed for a hearing, pleaded guilty on her behalf, and requested she be placed under house arrest until the trial.
He did nothing after that because both the client and victim were insignificant in his eyes, and the case wasn’t going to put him on the map.
If Jessica hadn’t asked me to investigate her case a few months after that night, no one would know that he abandoned Peaches or that her case was lost to the system. At Jessica’s request, and because I was pissed that her lawyer left her without any guidance or support, I became Peaches’s lawyer.
Sol walks ahead and climbs into the driver seat to drive her home to their territory.
I open the passenger door for her. I guess Sol forgot how to be a gentleman.
Before she gets in, she pulls me into a hug and kisses me on the cheek. “I don’t know how I will ever repay you,” she says, swiping her thumb across my cheek to remove her red lipstick.
“You don’t have to.”
She holds up her hand before I can continue. “Well, if there ever comes a time and you think of something, please don’t hesitate to ask. I’m a free woman because of you.” Her big green eyes fill with unshed tears.
I give her a simple nod and help her into the passenger seat.
I tap the roof of the car, getting Sol’s attention.
Jessica was right. He really needs some kind of hearing aid.
Smiling to myself, I pull out my phone and send a quick message to my dad, letting him know I’ll be in his office within a couple of hours.
Jessica deserves more than a text message, and I want to hear her voice. A quick glance at my watch tells me she’s probably still in training and won’t have a break for another thirty minutes or so.
I leave her a voice message. “Hey, Princess. Just wanted to let you know that Peaches is a free woman. I have a couple of errands to run before I meet with my dad for a debriefing, and then I will be heading over to you for dinner tonight. Can’t wait to see my birthday girl.
I love you. Oh, and Judge Alpha Harris sends his regards.
Love you, Princess. See you soon.” I smile down at my phone before I pocket it.
This is going to be a great day. I won my first case, and it’s Jessica’s birthday.
I plan to sneak into her room after her little dinner gathering for our own private celebration.
I just need to find the right gift. I tap my finger on the steering wheel.
I’ve been searching for the perfect gift, but nothing holds any significant meaning.
What does one get for a girlfriend who dresses like a boy, fights like a man, and doesn’t value material things?
If she wants something, she buys it herself, using her own money that she earned.
A smile crests my lips as I replay the conversation we had in her dorm room in the early morning hours, followed by our intense makeout session in my apartment.
Even after everything I said, she was just too tempting not to kiss, not to touch.
I wonder, if I returned there now, would the living room still smell like her?
Like a mixture of lavender and honey and the scent of her arousal.
I internally groan at the memory of her beautiful face—her eyes closed, lips parted, and the electricity that grazed my skin from her palms when she came on my fingers.
A breathy laugh escapes me as my mind shifts to the first conversation we had on that very couch, not that I would ever admit it to my brothers.
I guess watching all those porn videos wasn’t a complete waste of time.
I was able to satisfy her and still keep my oath of saving our first time for our wedding day.
I never knew it could be this way. I can’t wait to do it again and again.
A faint chuckle erupts in the back of my mind. Maybe if you let me take over, I can show you a thing or two.
That would be a hard no.
A few minutes later, I park at the mall. Teenagers and college-age kids linger around everywhere. Has summer break already started?
I spot a jewelry store and decide to start there.
A teenage couple stands a few feet in front of the display window having what seemed to be a bit of a disagreement.
The girl, not much older than Jessica, is everything my girl isn’t.
She wears designer clothing, jewelry that probably costs a small fortune, designer shoes, and a handbag.
Her makeup makes her look older, and her fake lashes are so long I swear, if she stands any closer to the kid in front of her, she will poke his damn eyes out.
“You know I can’t afford it. Hell, I could barely afford to put gas in my dad’s car just to come here and see you,” the boy says.
The girl sneers. “Then, I guess you don’t love me as much as you claim to.”
The boy looks like he’s out of this girl’s league, in faded jeans, a cotton t-shirt, and worn shoes. His hair is long and messy, like he just rolled out of bed. Despite his disheveled appearance, something about the kid grabs my attention.
I walk by, approaching the store’s entrance.
“Are you fucking kidding me right now? You’re checking out an old dude!” the boy grumbles.
What the fuck? I’m twenty-two. I glance down at my three-piece suit.
I have just gotten out of court. Maybe that’s why he thinks I look old or, well, older than my age.
Does Jessica see me as an old man when I’m dressed like this?
Starting to feel a little self-conscious about how Jessica views me, I loosen my tie.
Toby’s deep rumbling laughter fills my head.
Oh, fuck off.
“Well, maybe you should take notes. He’s fucking hot and obviously has money.”
“I may barely have two fucking cents to rub together, but no one will ever love you as much and as fiercely as I do. At the end of the day, that’s what counts.”
Good for you, kid. That girl is not worth his time.
I stand in front of the window, watching them bicker back and forth in hushed tones.
From the reflection of the glass, the kid’s aura turns into an angry blue blaze of energy.
I glance over my shoulder quickly to ensure it's just his energy and nothing else.
“Sorry, babe, money matters, and I will mate a man just like him.” She walks away, leaving the poor kid in the dust.
The display window starts to tremble. The magic energy expands at my back.
Fuck! Not here, not in front of all these people.
I turn around slowly, hoping to defuse the situation before he exposes himself.
His hands clench at his sides. His face is a mask of fury and wounded pride.
My skin starts to prickle from his emotional pain. Damn, she burned this kid.
I glance in the girl’s direction as she gleefully joins a group of chatty teenagers, like what she did doesn’t fucking matter, like he didn’t matter.
“Hey, kid,” I call out. Slowly, his red-rimmed eyes glance my way.
Don’t start a fight with me, kid. It won’t get her back.
The ground rumbles. A quick glance around ensures that I’m the only one who can feel it.
I reach into my back pocket and pull out a business card from my wallet.
Taking a few steps closer, I hand it to him. “How old are you?”
He glances down at the card. “Why? Trying to get to me so you can steal my girl from under my nose?”
A sharp laugh escapes me. “She’s not my type. Besides, my girlfriend is hotter and a lot nicer.”
“You got anything to do with that Larson guy from this territory who hits on young girls at the clubs?”
Shit, he’s talking about my younger brother, Travis. Stupid fuckboy. Pinching the bridge of my nose, I explain, “That would be my brother, Travis. You got a problem with him?”
He barks out a laugh. “Yeah, me and about half the guys around here. She thought you were him.”
Unfortunately for me, Travis and I look alike. I clear my throat. “When you say young, I assume you mean eighteen and over?”
His face blanches, and his energy shrinks a little.
Fucking Travis. I need to talk to him about this shit today before I head back to Emerald Territory. “Can I interest you in a cup of coffee? Maybe we can chat about the bullshit my brother likes to pull.”
He shakes his head. “I’m not a snitch.”
Fine. I’m trying to be nice, but if he wants to act like a little prick, then I won’t beat around the bush. I’m surprised at how patient I have been with him this far. I lean in a little closer. “I suggest you chat with me anyway before you blow up the damn mall with your fucking magic.”
His eyes widen, and a prickle of fear ghosts across my skin. He jerkily nods his head.
I gesture toward a little coffee shop down the way, and he follows me, all the while still staring at the girl. But she looks straight at me. “Ignore her. Act like you’re interested in what I am telling you. Got it?”
His eyes finally leave her face, and he glances at me. I’m the last person who should be giving a teenager relationship advice, but I feel for him. I know what it felt like when Jessica pushed me away. I feel his pain and fear.
My phone buzzes in my pocket. I stop walking, and the kid turns to face me for guidance. Shit, I have no fucking clue. I hold up a finger, retrieve my phone, and read the caller ID. Thank fuck it's Jessica; maybe she can help me with this more humane interaction.
“Princess.” I answer the call, a little more formal than I would have normally answered. By now she knows the difference.
The kid’s jaw drops.