Raiden (The Kent Brothers #2) - A.M. Hargrove Page 0,92

everyone by hugging her.

“How are you holding up?” he asked.

“By a thin thread.”

“You’ve got this. They can’t hurt you up there.”

“No, but what about afterward and what about Aisling?”

“She’s safe, Sinead. They’ve protected you these last months, right?” I asked.

“Yes, but you don’t know my father’s men as I do.”

“It’ll be over soon,” Cruze said, wrapping his arms around her again.

What was going on between these two? I glanced at Raiden and he shrugged. It was a conversation we’d save for later.

“Are you good with the questions? Have they gone over everything?” I asked.

“A hundred times at least.” A nervous laugh leaked out of her. It would be terrible to be in her shoes. I couldn’t imagine what she was going through.

“If it makes you feel any better, we’ve missed you and the little sassy one.” I don’t know what made me say that.

It brought a brief chuckle out of her. “I’m sure you haven’t. She’s a mouthy one, Aisling is. I think she inherited her grandfather’s sharp tongue.”

“You can say that again. It may be a curse now, but who knows? It might propel her to an awesome career later in life. Maybe she’ll become an attorney.”

Sinead shrugged. “If she can keep her mouth closed long enough to learn anything.”

After we exhausted the small talk about Aisling, Cruze asked Sinead if there was anything he could do for her. This thing between them was more than a casual relationship. He seemed really into her.

“Listen, when you get up there and if you feel unsure of things, just look my way and I’ll give you the thumbs up,” Cruze said.

Like that would bolster her confidence. But then I thought of how Raiden helped me. Maybe it would give Sinead what she needed.

They brought lunch in for us and we discussed the questions they’d given us and how we’d each handle our parts.

Sinead’s team came in soon after to escort her back to the hotel.

“Don’t worry. Anyone who would hurt you is now in jail,” Cruze said as he hugged her.

“I hope you’re right.”

“I am. We’ll see you tomorrow.”

In the car on the way home, I said, “Cruze, you and Sinead seem to be close.”

“Maybe. I feel like she needs a friend right now.”

“She does. I’m glad you’ve stepped in to fill that role. Just be careful.”

“What do you mean?”

“You understand that after the trials are over, she’ll disappear and you won’t have any contact with her?”

“I am aware,” he snapped.

His response told he was touchy about the subject. But he had no choice, especially if he wanted her to stay alive.

Court appearances filled our days and were very repetitious. Aiden’s trial was first. He was the kingpin in the operation, and if he went down, the others would follow.

We assembled in a room, and as we waited, they brought in Sinead. She trembled, and that didn’t bode well.

“Here,” I reached into my purse and pulled out a bottle of CBD oil. “Take some of this to calm your nerves.”

“Will it make me sleepy?”

“No, but it will ease your anxiety.”

I filled the dropper for her and pushed the contents of it into her mouth.

“Thank you. How fast does this work?”

“It’ll start in about twenty minutes. Take some deep, calming breaths. That should help too.” I prayed it worked. A trembling voice stumbling over testimony on the stand wouldn’t help with this case. We needed her to exude confidence.

We walked over to the corner and I taught her square breathing, inhaling to a count of four, holding the breath for four counts, exhaling for four, and then holding for four more. That slowed the heart rate and decreased tension in the body. Five minutes later she was slightly better.

“How is she?” Cruze asked.

“Getting there.”

I handed her the drops. “Sinead put these in your purse. If you need to use more, you can do it later.”

“Thank you.”

They came for us and we filed into the courtroom, sitting in the front row. Cruze held Sinead’s hand. Then they brought in Aiden. When he saw her, Cruze said, “Don’t look at him. He’ll try to rattle you.”

She glanced in the opposite direction, and I saw him scowl as his face reddened. He was pissed. It must be awful to know your flesh and blood would testify against you and that will put you in prison for life.

They called Drex to the stand first. The prosecution asked him questions from Danny’s imprisonment to Aiden’s arrest. Then came the cross-examination. It was brutal. We knew it would