Highest Bidder Collection - Lauren Landish Page 0,337

twisting in confusion. “I didn’t hire-”

“Mr. Payne hired me as your counsel,” Dana says.

I try to keep my hands from trembling. “I’m guilty. I’ve already admitted that I’m the one who killed Danny Brooks. I’m going to jail.”

Dana has a sad expression on her face as she gazes at me, but it quickly turns professional once again. “Please come with me. We’ve got to get you prepared for your pretrial hearing.”

Chapter 33

Zander

My hands are white-knuckled as I grip onto the back of the wooden row of seats in front of me. This isn’t real. It can’t be. This isn’t how it’s supposed to go down.

“Just stay quiet,” my father says from my right and it’s a damn good thing my grasp is on the bench. The need to beat the shit out of him is riding me hard. He got me out. He pulled his strings and got me out. But she’s still in custody.

“She didn’t do it,” I tell him again. My voice is raw, my eyes stinging and bloodshot. I haven’t slept, eaten. I look and feel the same.

“Get yourself together,” my father says through clenched teeth as if anyone in here could hear him.

There’s hardly a soul in the courtroom. The judge isn’t here yet, but the defense, Miss Mills, and prosecution are at their benches as is the court reporter and a few people occupying several seats of the benches where my father and I are. Although we’re alone in the row.

“She didn’t do it,” I tell him again, this time turning my head to face him. He’s clean-shaven and his suit is crisp. If anything, he looks better today than he has in years. I’m slumped forward and next to him I imagine I look the opposite. Unkempt, although my suit is at least clean and pressed.

I let out a shaky breath as the back door opens in front of me, just to the left of the witness stand and a cop ushers my sweetheart in.

My heart crumples in my chest as I lean forward. She doesn’t look at me. Her eyes are on her hands as she walks in.

I hate my father. I hate trusting him. He promised me she’d be alright. But this is too much.

Please don’t say anything, Arianna.

They couldn’t charge me with her confession. My father’s spinning stories in the press and coming up with plans and deals. But all of them leave her here in the courtroom to face the charges. I only need to hear the bail amount so I can pay it and take her away.

We can run. I’ll run forever with her. I have enough money. I’ll take her wherever we can hide.

“All rise,” the bailiff says in a commanding voice and I lift my heavy body, but I don’t move my eyes away from my sweetheart.

Her hair sways as she stands, and I get a glimpse of her profile as she turns her head to watch the judge come through the heavy double doors on the right. Her cheeks are reddened and tearstained. The sight of her in an orange jumpsuit shreds me.

My father’s hand rests on my shoulder and I slowly pull my eyes away from her to look into his gaze. The same eyes as mine.

“She’ll be fine,” he tells me beneath his breath. The bail hearing continues as I search his face for something to give me confidence in him, trying to settle the disdain rising to the surface.

“And what are the allegations against the defendant?” I hear the judge’s heavy voice call out.

“Murder in the second degree,” the prosecution answers the judge.

“I need her out of here,” I tell my father, my body trembling with the need to go to her. The skin over my knuckles feels as though it will split if I grip the bench any harder.

“She shouldn’t be there-” I tell him, but he cuts me off.

“Quiet,” my father hisses, the admonishment clear in his voice. I’ve never needed him. Not for one goddamned thing in my life. But right now I do.

“She’s not a flight risk,” I hear my attorney say. Dana’s the best there is. She’ll get her out. But I need it to happen now. Today.

“On the contrary, it’s evident that she has access to financial means. Enough to flee the country.”

“What access?” Miss Mills asks with disbelief. The room spins around me as I take in the words, white noise drowning out parts of the conversation as I turn back to Arianna. She’s staring ahead