When I’d fought, refusing to give in, a fool to think this was escapable.
“Savannah is just fine.” With lightness woven into my tone, I parroted the answer I’d given him then. My voice went quiet with sincerity. “But only when you’re in it.”
Now…now I wasn’t so sure I could ever see this place the same after he was gone.
Because I wasn’t the same.
And when you change, it’s impossible to stay in the same place.
I SHIFTED UNCOMFORTABLY AGAINST the hard, wooden chair, my nerves frayed and frenzied. Just because Kenny had this all wrapped up, the plea accepted by both parties, didn’t mean I was sitting easy. Furthest from it.
Being in the same room with Martin Jennings was punishment in itself.
My knee bounced a million miles a minute, and Kenny cut me a glance. Calm down.
I couldn’t.
An itch slithered along my skin. Did it make me sick I wanted nothing more than to stand up in the middle of court and take out Jennings?
He sat across the room, also facing the judge. That didn’t mean his arrogance wasn’t filling the room. Polluting the air. Felt like I was suffocating in it.
I tugged at my too-tight collar, fiddled with my tie.
“Mr. Stone,” the judge asked, the old man crotchety and bald, “you’re in agreement with the plea accepted by the state prosecutors?”
“Yes, sir,” I said, throat raw.
He nodded and peered at the papers through wire-rimmed reading glasses. He didn’t look up at me as he read the terms, the fine, and the probation.
I knew I should thank my lucky stars I wasn’t going to find my ass behind bars again, but hell, this shit stung. Jennings sitting over there cool as a cat, the prick kicked back like he was squeaky clean and not the bottom feeder he was.
Somewhere along the way, these bogus assault charges had taken the backburner to whatever corrupt intentions he had with Shea and Kallie. Yeah, I wanted out of this legal mess. Mostly because it meant I’d be free, better equipped to take care of my girls.
The judge kept reading, “The defendant may not come within one hundred yards of victim…”
Right.
They were telling me to stay away from Jennings. If only that would keep him away from Shea and Kallie.
The judge finished and we stood as he did, the man quick to exit to his chambers. The moment he did, Kenny turned to me and clapped me on the back. “Congratulations, Sebastian.” He narrowed his eyes in warning. “Let’s stay out of court, shall we?”
I shook his hand. “I’ll do my best.”
Dry laughter rolled from him. “I think you might want to dig deep to find that best.”
He knew me well.
I followed Kenny through the short gate where Anthony waited, doing my best not to look in Jennings’s direction. I probably deserved a pat on the back considering I could feel his pretentious glare burning into the back of my head.
Anthony shook my hand. A satisfied smile held his face. “I told you we wouldn’t allow you to go to jail for this. This is good, Baz. Really good.”
“You never let me down.”
His smile warmed.
Kenny led the way out of the courtroom, down the hall, and onto the courthouse steps.
A barrage of flashes went off.
No surprise.
The paparazzi descended the second I stepped out the door.
“Mr. Stone, can you tell us the outcome of the assault charges?”
“You made a public statement confirming your relationship with Delaney Rhoads…or Shea Bentley, yet you’re back in L.A. while Ms. Bentley remains in Savannah. Has that relationship ended?”
I knew it was a bad idea to engage them, but that one? Couldn’t keep my mouth shut.
“Ms. Bentley and I are still very much together.”
Anthony grabbed my upper arm, the same way he always did when he went into business mode. “Mr. Stone won’t be answering any further questions this afternoon. You can direct inquiries to my office.”