Defense

by Sandi Lynn

  When I left the hotel, I pulled my phone from my purse and dialed Sheila.

  “Ariana, I was just going to call you. I’m at the courthouse. Where are you?”

  “I’m on my way.”

  “It seems that Gina Burroughs quit the escort agency three months ago.”

  “Really? Then who was she working for?”

  “Herself. Liza, one of the girls over at the agency, said that Gina had confided in her that she had a plan to take her clients with her and start up her own agency.”

  “Interesting. I’m almost at the courthouse. Is Luca there yet?”

  “Yeah. He’s standing right next to me.”

  “Great. I’ll be there in five.”

  The cab pulled up to the curb of the courthouse. After I paid my cab fare, I climbed out. As I was walking up the stairs, Wendy Graham walked up next to me.

  “I’m going for a double life sentence if this goes to trial, since the victim was pregnant.”

  “Figured you would.” I kept looking straight ahead.

  “Ariana, stop.” She placed her hand on my arm. “I’m offering fifty years. Take it or leave it. That is a damn good deal. I’m only offering this right now, at this moment. Once we enter the courtroom, the deal is off the table.”

  “I’m leaving it, Wendy. We’re going to trial.”

  I walked into the courthouse and found Luca and Sheila waiting outside the courtroom.

  “Where were you?” Luca asked in a low and authoritative tone.

  “I went over to the Peninsula Hotel and talked to the manager. We’ll discuss it later. Wendy is going for a double life sentence if we go to trial. She offered a plea bargain of fifty years, off the table the minute we step inside the courtroom.”

  “She can shove her fifty years up her cunt,” he spoke.

  I bit down on my bottom lip and looked at him.

  “Would you like to tell her that?”

  “Definitely.” A small cocky grin crossed his lips.

  I would admit that I had allowed my nerves to get the best of me. Standing in the courtroom, waiting for the judge and not knowing what the D.A. was going to throw at us was nerve racking.

  “Did you offer him the plea?” Wendy leaned over and asked in a low whisper.

  “Yes, and he said you can take your fifty years and shove it up your cunt.” I smiled.

  Her jaw dropped as she glared at me, her nostrils flaring in anger.

  “His words, not mine.” I shrugged.

  The judge entered the courtroom and took his seat. The D.A. presented her case, as did I.

  “Your honor, we are charging Mr. Russo with second-degree murder on two counts since finding out the victim was pregnant. With that new charge, and in light of new circumstances, we are asking that you revoke bail.”

  “What new circumstances?” I asked as I looked over at Wendy.

  “Yes, Miss Graham, what new circumstances are you referring to?” Judge Kingsley spoke.

  “Your honor, Mr. Russo has a history of violence. When he was fifteen years old, he was charged and tried for the murder of his father.”

  Instantly, my stomach felt sick and a wave of heat flowed through my body. My knees started to shake as I slowly sat down. I looked over at Luca and he immediately looked away from me. I swallowed hard as shock settled inside.

  “Mr. Russo, is that true?” Judge Kingsley asked.

  “Yes. And I was found not guilty by reason of self-defense, your Honor.”

  “Miss Graham, you know better than that.” He slowly shook his head.

  “Sorry, your Honor,” she spoke.

  “Due to the evidence presented and Mr. Russo’s plea of not guilty, this case will be tried by a jury and your motion for revoked bail, Miss Graham, is denied. You shouldn’t have pulled that little stunt.”

  “Again, I apologize, your Honor. The state is asking for the trial date to be set fairly quickly due to the fact that this is a high-profile case.”

  “Jury selection will begin in two days and we will meet back in this courtroom in one week to start trial proceedings.”

  “You won’t have enough time to prepare, Ariana. Object!” Luca whispered in an authoritative tone.

  I ignored him. I couldn’t even look at him.

  “Miss Williams, any objections?” Judge Kingsley asked.

  “No, your Honor.”

  “Court adjourned,” he spoke.

  I got up from my chair and grabbed the files from the table.

  “Sorry, Ariana. I thought Mr. Russo would have told his lawyer everything, including his past.” Her brow raised as she walked out ahead of me.

  I was at a loss for words, still shaken by what I’d heard. But more so that Luca didn’t tell me. I walked out of the courtroom at a fast pace, trying to escape what I had considered another betrayal. Luca caught up with me and grabbed hold of my arm, his grip tight as he held me in place.

  “I’m sorry, Ariana. But you have to listen to me.”

  “Listen to you?” I spoke through gritted teeth. “That’s all I’ve done is listen to you. I’m your lawyer. Why didn’t you tell me?” My voice raised. “You hired me to defend you and you kept something as serious as that a secret? I was fucking blindsided in there!”

  “Let’s discuss this back at my place,” he spoke.

  “No. I’m going home and I want to be alone. You can wait for my call.” I yanked my arm from his grip.

  My heart was broken. Broken because he didn’t trust me enough to tell me about his past. He didn’t have faith in me that I’d understand, just like my family didn’t. When I arrived home, I poured a glass a wine, drew a hot bath, and climbed into the bubbly vanilla-scented water. Maybe it was best if he had one of the other partners defend him. I wasn’t sure about anything anymore. I soaked in the tub for as long as I could, got out, slipped into a pair of sweatpants and a tank top, and laid down on the couch.

  Chapter Twenty-Eight

  Luca

  I should have trusted Ariana and told her everything. But I let my fear of her thinking I was a monster take over. It wasn’t only because of what I’d done; it was also how I felt about it. I sat at the bar and drank while I tried to figure out what I was going to do. I’d hurt her again and this time, I couldn’t afford that since she was my lawyer. Fuck. What had I done? Pulling my phone from my pocket, I dialed her number and she declined my call, so I sent her a text message.

  “Ariana, please. I need to explain everything to you.”

  I patiently waited for a reply. Nothing. Those three little dots shrouded inside a bubble never appeared. I couldn’t blame her. I’d be pissed too if it was my client. I just never dreamed that bitch, Wendy Graham, would pull a stunt like that. I had no clue how she even found out. My records were not only expunged but also my last name was different. That right there raised my suspicion. She was going after me to destroy me for all the clients I got off and the cases she lost that made her look bad. I ordered one more drink and then looked at my watch, which read eight o’clock. I needed Ariana to understand and I was going to make her listen.

  I arrived at her apartment and lightly knocked on the door. She didn’t answer, so I knocked a little harder.

  “Ariana, open up!”

  “I can’t talk to you right now, Luca. Please, just go.”

  I closed my eyes and rested my forehead against the door. If she wouldn’t let me in, then she’d have to listen from the other side.

  “I was fifteen years old and my father was an abusive alcoholic who beat on me and my mom for years. I did what I had to do to save my mother’s life.”

  ****

  Ariana

  I sat on the floor with my head against the door and listened to the pain that resided in his voice. As angry as I was at him, I couldn’t let him stand in the hallway for all the neighbors to hear. I stood up, turned the lock, and opened the door.

  “Come on in,” I softly spoke.

  He stepped inside my apartment with his head lowere
d and his hands tucked into his pants pockets.

  “He came home drunk that night. He went to the bar after his shift ended instead of coming home for dinner. After me and my mom ate, she told me to go upstairs and finish my homework while she cleaned up. I offered to help her and she told me no. It was as if she knew he would start the minute he walked through the door. About an hour later, I heard him walk in and the screaming started. Then I heard dishes being broken and the cries of my mom telling him to stop. She had always told me that when things got bad like that with them, I was to stay put and not get involved. So, I stayed upstairs and prayed that it would be over with soon.”

  I sat down on the couch while he paced back and forth, reliving that awful night.

  “You could see our living room from the stairs and I saw him drag her by her hair across the floor. She was begging him to let go, but each time she cried out, he would pull her hair harder. He was drunk and was screaming obscenities at her. Calling her a whore and all kinds of other horrible names. My mother had never been brave enough to stand up to him, but on that night, she said something I never thought she’d say.”

  “What did she say?” I asked.

  He turned and looked at me, and the sadness in eyes overwhelmed me.

  “When he finally let her go, after kicking her in the ribs before walking away, she looked at him and said, ‘I’ve had enough and you will never hurt me or my son again.’ He turned around, picked up a pillow from the couch, and started smothering her with it. I ran to their bedroom and got one of his guns from the top shelf in his closet, loaded it, and ran downstairs. I pointed it at him and told him to stop and let her go. I’ll never forget the anger and rage in his eyes when he turned around and glared at me. He got up, threw the pillow on the floor, and came after me, telling me that I was next. I pulled the trigger two times and he went down. My mother looked at me in shock as she sat on the floor with tears running down her face and her hand cupped over her mouth. When I went over to him, he was still alive. I pulled his phone from his pocket with my shaking hand and went to dial 911. Before I knew it, my mom had gotten up off the floor and grabbed the phone from me. ‘He deserves to die,’ she said. A few moments later, he was dead and then she called my grandfather, who called 911.”

  I swallowed hard as the tears I fought to hold back came rushing from my eyes. He stood there, a few feet away from where I was sitting, and looked at me. There was no expression on his face and his stare was blank. I got up from the couch and wrapped my arms around him, laying my head on his chest. It took a few moments, but he finally embraced me. His grip around me was tight as if he was afraid to let me go.

  “I’m so sorry, Luca,” I whispered.

  “Do you want to know what the worst part was?” he asked.

  “What?” I asked as I lifted my head.

  “I never regretted doing it and I was happy he was dead. Now you know what kind of monster I really am.”

  “No.” I brought my hand up to his face. “You’re not a monster. You did what you had to do to save your mom and yourself.”

  “But I didn’t have one ounce of remorse.”

  I took hold of his hand, led him to the couch, and climbed on his lap.

  “He abused you and your mom. You ended the nightmare you lived in, and if it was me, I’m not sure that I’d have any remorse either.”

  He ran his hand along my cheek as he spoke, “I’m so sorry I didn’t tell you. I never wanted you to find out what I had done. I didn’t want you seeing me as someone who took another person’s life. You’re special to me, Ariana. I think about you all the time and I always want to be with you.”

  “Then why did you let me go? You acted like it was no big deal. That I was just another woman you got sick of.”

  “That’s not true. Letting you quit the firm and walking out of your life the way I did was out of fear. I knew from the first moment I looked up from Lisa’s desk and saw you standing there that you were different. I’d never felt what I did inside at that very moment. But I couldn’t allow myself to get too attached to you because I was afraid that I’d be like him. That I’d lose control and anger would overtake me like it did my father. That’s what I meant when I told you that I was protecting you.”

  “You’re nothing like him, Luca. If you were, you wouldn’t have pulled that trigger. Don’t you get it? You were protecting your mom. You’re a protector, not an abuser. You protect the people you love. You don’t hurt them.”

  “I’m sorry if I hurt you,” he whispered as his thumb swept over my lips. “Would you ever be able to find it in your heart to forgive me?”

  “I do forgive you, Luca.” My lips brushed against his.

  “I’m so sorry.” He hugged me.

  “It’s okay. I understand now.”

  He broke our embrace and kissed my lips.

  “Thank you for understanding. I need you to know how important you are to me.” His hand caressed my cheek.

  I brought my hand to his face and smiled as our eyes stayed locked on each other’s.

  “Now.” I jumped up from his lap. “We have some serious work to do to prove you did not murder Gina Burroughs and we don’t have much time.”

  “I told you that you should have objected to that,” he spoke.

  “It’s fine. I work better under pressure anyway. Oh, and by the way, I really like you too.” I smiled.

  A smile crossed his lips. The captivating smile that I’d missed and was happy to see again. He got up from the couch, swooped me up in his arms, and carried me to the bedroom.

  “We can work later.” He smirked.

  “I was hoping you’d say that.”

  Chapter Twenty-Nine

  Luca

  It felt like a weight had been lifted off my shoulders telling her about my past. After we made love, we climbed into the bathtub and her body meshed with mine.

  “This is the second bath I’ve taken today.” She looked up at me.

  “But I’m sure this one has already far exceeded the one you took earlier.” I smiled as I kissed her nose.

  “It definitely has.”

  “I want to know how Wendy found out about what I had done. It’s really bothering me.”

  “What do you mean?” she asked.

  “My last name hadn’t always been Russo. My real name was Luciano Benedetti. The only people who called me Luca were my friends and family. After I was found not guilty and acquitted of all charges, I officially and legally changed my name from Luciano to Luca and took my mother’s maiden name Russo. I wanted no part of my father’s name attached to me,” I spoke as I ran the loofah sponge up and down her arm.

  “I don’t blame you. You wanted a fresh start. Kind of makes me think about who I really am. Shit, Luca. My birth certificate is a lie. My last name technically isn’t even Williams; it’s Brooks.”

  “Well, I happen to like your name, Miss Williams. I think it fits you very nicely.”

  “Thank you, Mr. Russo.” A small smile escaped her.

  “Do you think your mom is still in New York?” I asked.

  “You mean Julia?”

  “Yes.”

  “I don’t know. Maybe. She’s probably hanging out in the lobby of your building, waiting for you to walk through the doors.”

  “Well, she’s going to be waiting a while because I’m not going home tonight.” I smiled.

  “Does that mean we’re having a sleepover?”

  “That’s exactly what it means.” I grinned.

  “So can we like pop some popcorn and watch girly movies?” Ariana asked with excitement.

  “We can watch any movie you want to. That’s if we’re not too tired from what we’re about to do.” My lips pressed against the side of her neck.

  She let out a light moan as she tilted her head to the side, giving me more access.

  ****

  Ariana

  The next morning, I jumped out of bed and made a pot of coffee before Luca woke up. There was a lot of wor
k to be done this next week and I needed every minute I could get. I sat down at the table and opened the case files.

  “Good morning.” Luca walked over to me and kissed my head.

  “Morning. Coffee’s ready.”

  “Thanks. You should have woken me up.”

  “You were tired, plus I couldn’t sleep. I have too much information rolling around in my head.”

  He chuckled. “Welcome to the world of being a defense attorney.”

  Luca poured himself some coffee and took a seat across from me.

  “The one thing the DA can’t prove is that you had a motive because you didn’t have one.”

  “Motive is irrelevant when I was caught with the weapon and her blood on my shirt.”

  I got up from the table and took a seat on his lap, wrapping my arms around his neck.

  “I will find out the truth. I need you to trust me.”

  “I do trust you. If I didn’t, I wouldn’t have hired you.” He kissed my lips.

  “Good. No more secrets. So, if there’s anything else you’re not telling me, you better spill it now.”

  “There isn’t anything else. I promise.”

  “You said your record was expunged, right?” I asked.

  “Yes. Why?”

  “Do you think you can get your file from your grandfather?”

  “Yes. I’m sure he still has it. I don’t understand why you’d want it.”

  “I just want to look at it.”

  “Why? That has nothing to do with this case.” He cocked his head.

  “Listen, Luca. You have a past and, who knows, maybe I’m grasping at straws. But I think it’s important that I know about that case.”

  “I’ll call him. Maybe we can drive out to his place tomorrow.”

  “Sounds good.” I got up from his lap. “I have to go. I have a client to clear.” I winked. “There’s an extra key in the kitchen drawer. Make sure to lock up.”

  As soon as I left my building, I pulled out my phone and called Sheila.

  “Sheila, it’s me. I need you to come with me to Gina’s apartment.”