Chapter 26
Killian
“Killian!”
I looked up from the coffee I was pouring to see Erica rushing toward me in the break room. I’d just gotten to work and had enough time to put my things down and grab a hot cup of Joe before she rushed me.
“What’s up?” I asked.
“Put the coffee down and come to my office. You have to hear this.”
I really needed this cup of coffee. After Alayah and I got home last night, we’d showered and cuddled in my bed. Cuddling turned into kissing, and before I knew it, I was face deep between her thighs again and again. I’d quickly come to realize the taste of her was a favorite of mine.
The great part about that was she seemed to love looking down at the top of my head as much as I liked having it positioned between her thighs. I indulged in her twice last night and this morning before I dropped her off to work.
“Killian, did you hear me?” Erica asked.
“My bad. Just give me a second. I’m coming.”
“Hurry up,” she yelled over her shoulder as she walked out.
I turned back to my coffee and quickly added my cream and sugar. After giving it a stir, I left the break room and headed for Erica. When I walked in, it looked like tornado had hit her office. Files and papers were all over the place. She was sifting through them like a madwoman.
“What happened in here?” I asked.
“Close the door.”
I did as she asked then took a seat while she gathered some papers.
“You are not going to believe what I found,” she said, huffing as she took a seat behind her desk.
“Killian, when I say I’ve been working my ass off on Alayah’s case, I’ve been working my ass off.
Rodney West’s family may have money but they are full of bullshit and corrupt individuals.
The lawyer who served as the family’s counsel, a cousin.
Two of his family members served on the jury—all different last names, so nobody made the connection.
“They played like they didn’t know each other so well.
The fucking judge… Killian, the judge was his Rodney’s step-grandfather.
The Mr. West we saw in the courthouse is not his father.
His father died when Rodney was twelve. His mother married that man when he was fifteen and gave her children his last name.
The judge was never married to Mr. West’s mother.
He’s his lovechild outside of his marriage. ”
“Hold on. You’re giving me a shitload of information.”
“It gets worse. The officer that got to the scene first, another cousin. Killian, they had to have been feeding each other information.” She handed me the stack of papers in her hand.
“What’s this?”
“Rodney West’s juvenile records…unsealed.”
“How did you get this?”
“I filed a motion to unseal his records after the Eastons retained me. When they first came to me last year and told me the story, I asked them for some time to do my own research to ensure I could help. When I dug into Rodney, I found a few different petty charges on him, nothing to make me raise an eyebrow. Then I saw he had sealed juvenile records. You know when you file a motion to unseal them, you can see the dates since it’s in the process of becoming a public record.
“His juvi record dates back to age thirteen. In that file is a record of him being a peeping Tom, and there are several allegations of him touching girls inappropriately, but somehow, the charges were dropped. I went through every name on that list and spoke to them personally. These are their written statements.” She handed me more papers.
“When I told them about Alayah, they all had the same look of guilt on their faces. You know why? All six girls—now adult women—were paid for their silence by the judge.”
It was like my brain was on overload from all the information she’d just thrown at me. This was a game changer. Every person involved could be brought up on charges of obstructing justice.
“They knew what he was doing?” I asked in disbelief.
Erica nodded. “They did. I can only imagine the conversations that took place in that household. They knew he was a sick individual and left him to prey on innocent girls all for the sake of keeping up their image. I’m going after everybody that helped cover this shit up.
Someway, somehow, Kennedy is going down for this, too. ”
“The tapes. Alayah kept mentioning tapes.”
Erica shook her head. “The tapes might be a lost cause. They searched every inch of the Chamberses’ house, his place, and his parents’ place and found no trace of the tapes. It’s like they just disappeared.”
“They have to be somewhere. She wouldn’t just pull a story like that out of her ass.
We know sexual deviants sometimes keep trophies of their victims like underwear, hair clippings, and whatnot.
If he had those tapes, he kept them somewhere where he could watch them—admire what he’d done.
He wouldn’t be able to help himself not to. ”
Erica thought for a moment. “How often was he at that house when you went over there?”
“Every time I was there, he was there. I remember her telling me he spent the night four maybe five times a week.”
“They have to be there.”
“And just how do you suppose we get a warrant for that? You’re bringing evidence against a judge, Erica. Nobody is gonna wanna touch that shit.”
“The Wests aren’t the only people with connections, honey. It might take me some time, but I’m gonna get it.”
I took a long sip of my coffee. “Do we tell Alayah?”
“Well, she asked me to let it go, so technically, I’m not operating as her lawyer right now.
Once I get everything I need, I’ll present it to her.
I need your help, Killian. You can work off the books, but I need you behind the scenes.
Somebody has to help me put this whole thing together.
I want her conviction overturned and her off parole. She deserves to be completely free.”
“Whatever you need, I got you.”
“Alright, lover boy.”
I tried to hide my grin. “Whatever.”
“Don’t deny it. You’ve had this glow to you since she moved in. I love to see it. You just keep her happy, and we won’t have any problems. I want to see my girl flourish.”
“So do I. My goal with Alayah is to keep her happy.”
“Good. Because I like you and all, but if you break her heart after all this, we will have beef forever.”
I chuckled. “I don’t want any smoke.”
“I’m glad we’re on the same page. Now, I hope you have your thinking cap on because we have a lot of work to do.”
I took another long sip of my coffee and placed it on the desk. “Let’s get to it.”
It was Saturday, and Alayah and I were headed to the Eastons so she could spend time with her sisters.
We’d stopped to get the battery for Adrienne’s car before making our way over.
They all decided that they wanted to get out of the house.
Of all things, the girls decided that they wanted to go to an indoor zip-lining and obstacle course spot downtown.
I bought the tickets last night, and even though I wasn’t the biggest fan of flying across a rope suspended in the air, I would indulge to make them happy.
Later, Kadeem, his family, my sister, brother in-law, niece, and my parents were coming over to the house to grill and eat.
I’d invited the Eastons to come along as well.
I figured it would be good to get everybody together so they could start getting used to one another.
Letting Alayah go wasn’t in the cards. She had very little family, and I wanted my family to become hers, too.
We pulled up to the house around ten, and the girls came out with smiles on their faces. I could tell they were wearing makeup because the bruises on their faces weren’t there. They climbed in the backseat and reached over to hug their sister before buckling themselves in.
“Don’t you two look happy,” I said as I pulled onto the street.
“Well, you’d be happy, too, if you didn’t have to look at this ugly bruise today,” Adrienne said. “Aunt Penny did a great job covering it up.”
“Bruises and all, you’re both still as pretty as you’ve always been,” Alayah said. “It’s nice to see you without it though. Y’all ready for this zip line and obstacle course?”
Miyah nodded. “Are you gonna participate, Mr. Lake?”
“Please, call me Killian. And yes, against my better judgment, I’m gonna get up there.”
“Don’t tell me you’re afraid of heights,” Adrienne said. “A big man like you?”
I chuckled. “I feel safer on the ground.”
“Don’t worry. I’m sure my sister will nurse you back to health if you fall. I mean, aren’t girlfriends supposed to take care of their boyfriends?”
Alayah rolled her eyes. “I see what you did there. Mind your business.”
“Come on, Layah. You have to give us something. I need to know if Mr. Lawyer Man here is as good a boyfriend as he is a friend.” She tapped my shoulder. “You better treat my sister like a queen. She’s been through enough.”
“I hear you, Adrienne,” I answered. “I assure both of you that Alayah is safe and well taken care of with me. I love your sister very much.”
The two of them squealed in delight while Alayah stared at me with wide eyes.
I didn’t mean to say that out loud, but once the words left my mouth, I felt like a weight had been lifted from my shoulders.
I loved Alayah Chambers. I think I’d always loved her.
I just never got the chance to love her out loud.
Now that I had the opportunity, it was all gas, no brakes.
Alayah sat quietly for the duration of the ride while her sisters chattered away in the backseat. I could tell she was still processing what I’d said. I didn’t need her to say it back—I just needed her to know.
When we pulled into the parking lot of Urban Indoor Adventures, the girls filed out of the car. Alayah sat there for a moment before turning to me.
“You love me, Killian?” she asked, barely above a whisper.
I nodded. “I love you. Every part of you—whole, broken, and healing.”
Tears slipped from her eyes as she stared at me. “You mean that?”
“Of course I mean it.” I took off my seatbelt and leaned over into her space.
“I want you—all of you—whenever you are ready for me. When you feel like you can’t love yourself, I’ll love you enough for the both of us.
I’ll remind you of your worth when that little voice in your head is being cruel.
I choose you. I choose you through your laughter and your tears, through your triumphs and struggles.
“I see you, baby. You are invaluable, Alayah, and you deserve the kind of love that you’ve poured into others.
I know you carry burdens from your past. You have deep wounds that are healing but may never completely heal—all that trauma, all that pain has made you strong, resilient, and incredibly brave, even if it was intended to break you.
You’ve weathered storms that would have broken a weaker person, and you’ve broken through those barriers with a heart still capable of kindness and love. How could I not love you?”
“Killian,” she whimpered. She cupped my face and kissed me softly. “I love you, too.”
We shared another kiss, this one passionate and filled with the love we’d just professed. It was crazy how much of a difference those three little words had already made.
The incessant tapping on the window finally forced our lips apart. We looked up to see Adrienne standing in front of the car with her hands on her hips.
“I know y’all are in love and everything, but y’all can do all that later. Come on!”
Alayah and I looked at each other and shook our heads.
“Teenagers,” she mumbled. “Let’s get out of here before I have to tell Miss Thang about herself.”
I chuckled as I opened the car door. “Let’s go.”