by C. J. Thomas
A bitter tang filled my mouth with resentment as I glanced down to the article Sylvia had written. It was our picture, but the story was mostly about Kelly. I continued to read, and the further I worked my way through the story the closer I was to hyperventilating.
“Is it true?” Mom asked.
Closing my eyes, I didn’t know why she cared.
“That’s why you didn’t invite him in, isn’t it?” Mom folded her arms over her chest. “Because he’s guilty of killing that girl, Tonya Craig.”
Shaking my head, I sighed. “Mom, that’s not who’s outside waiting for me.”
“Mm hmm. Figures.” She set herself down in a chair. “According to that article, that man Kelly Black,” her eyes drifted to Kelly’s face in the photo, “has his sights set on killing the woman he’s currently dating …”
“It’s not true,” I whispered.
“That’s you sweetie. Isn’t it?”
My chest tightened and I felt trapped. Sylvia had used me. Pulled me in and convinced me that Kelly was the bad guy when it was she who was gearing up to attack us both. “This is such bullshit.”
“I would have agreed with you—”
I lifted my head to stare at Mom.
“—except this came in the mail and convinced me otherwise.” Mom unfolded a yellow piece of paper and handed it over to me.
I opened it with a faint pulse and reluctantly read it.
Your daughter is in grave danger. The monies she received in the inheritance will be gone if you don’t get control of it first. Act fast, Ms. Williams. You don’t have much time.
My stomach flipped. I felt sick. “So this is why you’re coming after the inheritance?”
“Is it true, baby?” The crown of Mom’s head pulled to the ceiling. “Are you in danger?” Her brow furrowed.
I felt my eyes close and as soon as they did, Tonya’s face flashed in the front of my mind. I didn’t want to be here. I wanted to be with Kelly, have him comfort me and promise me that he could make this all disappear. But I knew that was only a wish. The truth was, word was spreading like wildfire that I was laundering money for Madam and it was only a matter of time before what I was doing caught up to me.
Folding the note back up, I stuffed it in the crease of the magazine and rolled it up as I stood. “I have to go.”
Mom gave me a look. “What about your father?”
But I barely heard her as I stormed out of the house, realizing that all this time I wasn’t just being paranoid. My intuition was right.
I was next on the list to die.
47
Kelly
My legs were restless as I pulled at my collar.
I stopped in front of the heavy metal door and took a moment to peer inside the nearly empty visitor’s room. There he sat. The man of the hour. Blake Stone. The man I had been wanting to speak with for quite some time now.
And the one man who wasn’t supposed to know the real reason I’d requested to represent him.
When the guard made a move to unlock the door I held my hand up, needing a few more moments to fully collect my thoughts.
I had been waiting for this day to come for so long. And now that it was here I had to remember why Madam originally requested me to represent him. She wanted him convicted, not trusting the District Attorney’s office to seal the deal. She wanted me to throw the case.
A lot had happened since that first request, and even though the trust between us had deteriorated considerably, I, too, still wanted to see Stone put away for life and would do what I had to do make that happen.
I nodded to the guard to open the door with Oscar’s last words of warning ringing through my ears—Be careful what you ask for Kelly. You might just get what you’re after.
I still didn’t know what he’d meant by that, but something told me I was about to find out.
The door buzzed and my insides jumped.
A series of clicks unlocked each deadbolt, getting me to blink with each sound.
And when it finally slid open time slowed to a crawl.
Blake Stone sat with his back facing me. He didn’t bother to turn and see who I was. Instead, I stared at his broad shoulders and straight back. His hands were cuffed in the front, but he had freedom to move his arms.
I cautiously approached him with a faint heart. The longer I didn’t hear from him, the more I’d begun to doubt he would ever agree to meet with me. And now that I was here, there was more on the line than just doing Madam’s dirty work. This was revenge for all who had died, and I was going to make it personal.
When I rounded the table, his beady stare met with mine for the first time.
Thinking how Mario was the third person to die since this all had begun, I wanted nothing more than to ensure he was the last. And I was certain that with what Stone knew, I could put an end to it all. Because that meant stopping Madam and getting Kendra out from under her control.
“Mr. Stone,” I said, taking the empty seat across from him. “I’m Kelly Black. Your defense attorney.”
He laughed. “Not so fast, Mr. Black.”
I gave him a questioning look.
“I didn’t reach out to you. You requested this meeting. Not me.”
“You need my help, Mr. Stone.”
He cocked his head to the side.
“Your preliminary hearing is right around the corner. I’m guessing, since you are currently without representation, you’re ill prepared for such a critical step in getting free.”
Stone only cocked a brow.
“Blake—” I paused. “May I call you Blake?”
He shook his head. “I prefer Stone.”
“Stone. There is no sense in sugarcoating the predicament you’re in. I’ve seen the evidence the District Attorney’s office has compiled against you. They are coming at you hard—”
He dropped his head and started laughing.
Ignoring his unusual behavior, I continued, “Now, I will do my best to move for dismissal of some or all of the charges, but I think we should also be prepared to be happy with accepting a motion for bail reduction and consider it an early win.”
Stone slammed his cuffed fists down on the metal table in front of him. His face hardened as he breathed heavily. “I’ve heard you are the best, Mr. Black. And I’m well aware that the odds are against me. But don’t play me as a fool.”
I eyed him suspiciously, and all I could think about was how Mario was found dead in his cell earlier today. “No one is playing you for a fool.”
“Why?” He slid is arms forward and hunched over.
I gave him an arched look.
“Why did you request to represent me?”
Without taking my eyes off his glare, it crossed my mind that maybe he’d been made aware of our plan to convict him. “Simple. I didn’t want to miss out on the publicity this trial is sure to create.”
The corners of Stone’s mouth curled. “You’re a media whore.”
“Yeah. I guess so.”
“Funny, seeing as the media is destroying you in the news lately.”
I cocked my head to the side.
“You haven’t heard?”
I shrugged and shook my head.
“They’re liars. All of them.” He laughed. “I didn’t believe it when I read it, either.”
My brows knitted as I was still uncertain what he was referring to.
“I mean, you,” he raised his brows, “responsible for the death of Tonya Craig?” He shook his head and grinned. “The balls they have to go and blame you for also getting Mario Jimenez killed. Can you believe it?”
Leaning back in my chair, my eyes rounded.
He knew.
Mario had only died a couple hours ago, yet he knew.
There was only one reasonable explanation to how he knew, and as I watched Stone’s eyes glimmer above his smirk, I knew right then and there that I was looking into the eyes of Mario’s killer.
“Truth be told, Kelly,” he laced his fing
ers together, “I’ve been keeping my eye on you for quite some time.” Stone started taking control of the situation. “Ever since you started making Madam’s business look legit.” He winked.
A slight chill rolled over my skin.
Stone knew more about me than I’d thought, and I wasn’t sure if it was a good thing or something that should make me worry.
“You do your job well. Not everyone has what you have.”
“Let’s talk about your case,” I said, bringing my hand back to the table.
“I’d prefer not.” He narrowed his eyes. “You’re a more interesting topic. Don’t you think?”
Nodding, I said, “If by interesting you mean working 80-100 hours per week to allow men like you to remain free, then, yes, I am quite interesting.”
He laughed. “It’s nice. But I prefer my definition of what it means to be Kelly Black.”
“Then tell me, Stone. What does it mean to be Kelly Black?”
“An anti-hero criminal defense lawyer ready to shed his integrity for the sake of his clients.”
“Has a nice ring to it,” I said, bobbing my head.
“You know, Kelly, you’re a dream come true to someone like me.” His smile spread to his ears. “No wonder Madam scooped you up and refused to share.”
“You don’t seem too concerned about your future.”
He glanced to the wall, then back to me. “That depends.”
“On?” My brow arched as he lifted his clenched hands from the table.
He dipped his head as one side of his face smirked. “If you agree to represent me or not.”
I couldn’t keep from staring at his hands. There was something inside them he didn’t want me to see. “What is that in your hand?”
“Let me ask you a question, Kelly Black.” He leaned back but kept his fists glued to the table. “How did it feel when you learned you were the reason Tonya Craig got killed?”
“I had nothing to do with that.” My jaw ticked.
He tossed his head back and laughed. “And I almost believe you.” His smile disappeared. “But not everyone will.”
“What do you want from me?” I asked.
“What everyone wants.” His eyes darkened. “What Madam, Maria, and Tonya asked of you.”
My heartrate increased with each additional name he dropped.
“I want to be set free from all my sins.”
I sat there thinking about everything that had happened thus far. I wondered where Sylvia had disappeared to, why she was running, and how Parker was taking the heat for something he hadn’t done. “Are you guilty?”
He laughed. “Are you?”
“The media lies. Isn’t that what you said?”
He flicked his brows. “Touché.”
“You should know that better than anyone.”
“Then you should know that I’m not answering anything until I know we have attorney-client privilege.”
“You know I’ve already offered you my services.”
“Yes, but I need to hear you say it and make it official.”
“I’ll represent you. Nothing you say to me can incriminate you.”
Stone lifted both his arms and held his hand out. “Shake on it?”
With my heart slamming against my ribs, I kept my eyes fixed on his as I debated whether or not I could trust him by giving him my hand.
He nodded to his hand again.
I glanced over his shoulder to the guard standing on the other side of the heavy door.
Then, when I brought my hand to his he opened his palm, letting go of a small piece of paper.
It floated into my palm. “What is that?”
“Open it and see.” He grinned.
I stared at him as my fingers slowly unfolded the corners. Then I read it and all the air was knocked from my lungs. A sudden coldness hit my core and I felt dizzy.
“You?”
Stone laughed. “Kelly Black,” he sneered before repeating what I’d just read. “Look what you made me do.”
Continue the series by reading Black Promises. Click here and start reading today!
Afterword
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Also by CJ Thomas
City by the Bay series
Ruin Me
Promise Me
Save Me
Take Me
Control Me
Tempt Me
Hollywood Dreams series
Big Willy Box Set
Beyond Tonight Box Set
On My Knees Box Set
Capture Me
Heat
Hard
A Kelly Black Affair
Black Desire
Black Demands
Black Obsession
Acknowledgment
I want to thank all of my readers for being supportive with each new story I write. It’s because of you and your willingness to WANT to read my stories that make this all possible. Mwah!
I also want to thank my editor, LNS, for bringing my stories to life and constantly providing constructive advice on how to improve my craft. The same goes to my street team and beta readers, for without you, I’m not sure I would have the confidence to continue living inside my characters’ heads day after day.
And last but not least, my family for giving me the love and inspiration to keep writing.
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