The Mercenary Next Door (Rogues and Rescuers #2) - Lucy Leroux Page 0,92

the picnic blanket for emphasis. “And then the lawyer tried to trip me up, to try to discredit Laila before she even took the stand.”

Her friend’s loud and indignant voice almost shook the leaves on the tree next to them.

They sat in the shade, protected from the sun’s bright rays. Below them, the hill the green hill was starting to brown in the summer heat, but the deer that inhabited the Forest Lawn cemetery were still out in force, grazing on the other side of the narrow lane.

Earlier, a hearse had passed, leading a caravan of mourners to a plot to the east.

“Jasmine’s parents chose a beautiful spot,” Laila observed.

“Laila, don’t talk about her as if she isn’t here,” Rosamie chided, patting the plaque with Jasmine’s name on it in silent apology.

“You’re right. I apologize, Jasmine,” Laila said, patting Rosamie’s hand as well in commiseration. “Go on with the story.”

“All right then,” Rosamie said, resuming her tale. “And then the smarmy-ass lawyer tried to get sneaky with me, implying all sorts of shit. I told the fucker where to go and came this close to getting slapped with a contempt of court, but the judge settled with just giving me a warning because of the circumstances. But the real kicker came when the asshat finally called Laila to the stand.”

Rosamie’s eyes closed, reliving the moment. “I don’t know how the hell it happened—the gods must have been smiling on us—but every single one of Auric’s security teams was stateside that day. But I didn’t realize that until Laila walked into the courtroom, and they all stood. It was like they were coming to attention. They all moved at the same time, completely in sync. I got chills. Literal chills. Ransom was there, too, in his suit looking so fucking hot I just—”

“Rosamie, focus.”

“Yeah, sorry,” her friend said, apologizing to Jasmine’s plaque. “Back to the courtroom. Again, all those warriors stood, showing Laila their support. It was so fucking breathtaking and damn in-ti-mi-da-ting,” she said, drawing out every syllable.

Laila nudged her. “You forgot to tell Jasmine how Frederick Dubey tried to hire them.”

“Oh, yes!” Rosamie gesticulated, slapping her forehead. “The fucker did! Joseph’s dad tried to hire Auric on some bullshit protection detail. It was a thinly disguised bribe—as if the Dubeys were hoping Auric would somehow turn on Mason and Laila. But Ian Quinn told Dubey where to stick it.”

“He did,” Laila confirmed, wiping a smudge on the plaque with a napkin.

“And so did Elias Gardner, which seemed to shock the hell out of Franklin because their fathers were like part of the same lacrosse team in college or some stupid fuckery like that—as if that’s supposed to make them the same. Elias was a Navy seal. Franklin is a politician,” Rosamie finished with a delicate shudder.

Laila smiled, deciding not to remind Rosamie how she’d pushed Laila to become a future politician’s wife.

But a career in Congress was no longer in Joseph’s future. Not after the way he had broken down on the stand. In a halting voice Rosamie swore was an act, Joseph repeated what Elmer had told Detective Silano—Oscar was the one who had come up with the plan to hand Jasmine off to the Lugge cousins.

From across the courtroom, Joseph had pleaded with Laila to understand that Jasmine was meant to get medical attention all along. Then he had started crying, tearfully confessing he still loved her.

Mason hadn’t like that at all. Neither had Laila, but she’d expressed only pity, taking Mason’s hand when he placed a territorial arm around her shoulders.

“The judge gave Elmer and Oscar the max, but Joseph and Bryce probably won’t serve their full terms,” Rosamie finished sadly. “And Franklin didn’t even get charged.”

“On the bright side, he’s going to have a hell of a time getting reelected,” Laila said, hugging Rosamie to her side.

“True,” her friend admitted. “He’s too tight with Oscar for people to believe he didn’t know anything.”

“Yes. The press is tearing him apart.”

“Well, it was stupid of him not to resign after the shit hit the fan,” Rosamie sniffed.

They sat there a while longer, telling Jasmine all about Rosamie and Ransom’s hair-raising island vacation and Laila’s New Orleans wedding.

Rosamie threw herself on the ground. “Oh God, the food. I still dream about those crayfish.”

“The best part was the honeymoon.”

Rosamie smacked her. “Don’t rub it in. Ransom’s mission is taking forever and a half. I am frustrated.”

“Actually, I meant the return leg from Europe where we had a two-day layover