Justify My Love: An Interracial Romance (BWWM) (9 page)

“I can’t imagine how.” Scott said.

“Perhaps you have too little faith, son.”

The wait soon became excruciating to both men. As the hours passed, they exhausted every topic they could think of and then some.

“How’s the job, Scott? Ready to switch sides yet?”

Scott chuckled. “No, though you wish. Actually I rather like the Old Man. He’s fair and rewards those who work hard. Who knows how far I can go?”

A flash of green caught Scott’s eye and he nearly jumped out of his seat. “I think a doctor is heading towards us.”

“Don’t get your hopes up. There are others in this room also waiting for news.”

“No. He’s definitely coming towards us.”

“Mr. Conway?” The tall, grey-haired doctor asked.

“I’m Frank Conway.” Frank stood.

“I’m Dr. Reisner. We’ve got Ms. Davis stabilized and have stopped the internal bleeding. She had three bullets pumped into her. Luckily the damage they did wasn’t as acute as we first thought. She’s a very lucky woman. Seems that her briefcase may have slowed down and deflected the bullets. She’s in recovery and should be in her room within the hour. I’ll let you peek in on her then. Tomorrow will be a better day for a visit.”

Frank nodded. Relief had spread across his face. He’d grown quite fond of his young protégé and her loss would have been felt by him as well as the firm.

Scott fell back into his chair. As he let his breath out slowly, he silently thanked God.

* * *

Later on when Scott was alone in his apartment nursing a Scotch on the rocks, he thought about Marnie. Earlier at the hospital when the doctor approached him and Frank, the blood had pounded so hard in Scott’s head it had nearly drowned out what the man had to say. The fear that Marnie would be snatched away before he’d had the chance to try to win her was strong enough to disrupt his breathing. Perhaps the saying about not knowing how much you care about someone until you lose them summed it up.

He realized now how much Marnie meant to him. Stubborn, willful, and opinionated or not, he was going to make her listen and hear him out. He was going to get a second chance with her.

Chapter Twelve

When Marnie finally opened her eyes the following afternoon, she had no idea where she was at first. The leering face of John Kalb flashed in the back of her mind and slowly she began to recall being shot. She found herself hooked up to an IV and monitors. Then she remembered. What had happened to Marishka? Was she okay? She needed to know how she was and tried to move. Pain shot through her like a hot javelin. Her loud groan alerted Frank and Scott who had been sitting there in her hospital room waiting for her to regain consciousness.

“Marnie, it’s Frank. It’s good to see you awake.”

“Marishka? What happened to Marishka?” Marnie’s dry, cracked voice was hardly more than a whisper.

Frank shook his head. “I’m so sorry, Marnie.”

Silent tears slid down Marnie’s cheeks. Scott came around the other side of her bed and gently wiped her tears with a tissue.

“
Scott?
”

He brushed her hair from her forehead and bent to kiss it. “Hi, lady. You had us all worried. Now that I know you’re going to be okay, I’ve got to and take care of my stepsister’s funeral, but I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

Marnie may have been loaded up with a great deal of painkillers, but she noticed the concern and fear in his eyes. That had to mean something. But what confounded her more was his mention of a stepsister and her funeral.

“So sorry, Scott. Was she sick?”

“I’ll tell you all about it the next time I see you,” he said. “Right now I’ve got to run and you need to rest.”

Marnie watched him go. Why hadn’t he mentioned he had a stepsister when they traded stories about their families? But her vision began to blur and her thoughts became hazy.

Frank noticed. “Get some rest. We’ll talk more later.”

Marnie was already asleep.

* * *

The next few days were hectic ones for both Frank and Scott. They tried to stop by the hospital every day to visit with Marnie. Frank, aside from the cases he had to tend to, was on pins and needles waiting at any time for his oldest daughter, Alison, to give birth to his grandchild. His wife was driving him crazy with her nervousness. You’d think she’d have gotten used to this by now.

Then there was Angel’s funeral on Friday. He owed it to David, his old war buddy, to make sure his daughter was put to rest properly. He had helped bury June, David’s wife, buried David, and now he’d bury Angel, David’s stepdaughter.

* * *

Marnie wanted to talk to Scott alone, but he usually came to visit whenever Frank did. There was so much she had wanted to ask him, especially about his stepsister. Of course, in the beginning, she couldn’t keep her eyes open long enough to even think about having a lengthy conversation. Now as the days passed she could feel herself getting stronger. So she patiently waited.

One evening Scott arrived alone bringing her a bunch of magazines. He had come directly from work and was wearing a navy blue pinstriped suit that was superbly tailored to fit his tall, rugged body. He could have stepped off the cover of GQ. Marnie caught her breath, as her heart did that little skip it always did when Scott walked into the room. She had nearly forgotten how good he looked. She smiled mockingly to herself, thinking about how she’d thought she’d rid herself of all feelings towards him.

“You won’t throw me out, will you?” he asked.

“No. Not when you’ve come bearing gifts.”

He blew out his breath. “I wasn’t too sure if you’d talk to me—without Frank.”

“Not when we desperately need to talk,” Marnie said.

“About what?” Scott asked hoping for the best.

“I’m sorry about your sister. Why have you never mentioned her?”

Finally. This was the moment he’d sought so many weeks before. “If I had, we wouldn’t have had our misunderstanding.”

“What do you mean?”

“The woman you overheard in my apartment the night you called from the restaurant was my stepsister, Angel.”

Marnie’s eyes opened wide with surprise. She hadn’t sounded like a sister. “I don’t understand. The woman I heard sounded more like a lover than a sister.”

“Angel was so high on coke that she hardly knew what she was doing.”

Suddenly Marnie felt terrible—as if there might be room for more pain. “Oh, Scott, I feel so awful. I jumped to the wrong conclusion and misconstrued the entire situation. And to make things worse, I’d been unreasonable and wrong not to have given you a chance to explain. I’m so sorry.”

“I never told you about Angel because I was ashamed of her. I didn’t want you to know I had a stepsister who was so strung out on drugs, she’d sell herself for the money to buy them.”

“Did she die of an overdose?”

“No. She wasn’t that lucky.”

“How did she die, Scott?”

“She was murdered by a John. He literally beat her to death. Her features were totally unrecognizable.”

Marnie winced, closing her eyes. “How awful.”

“I begged her not to do what she was doing and to go into rehab, but she refused.”

“I’m so very sorry. I acted like a child. Can you ever forgive me?”

“Under other circumstances were you not in a hospital bed I’d milk this for all it’s worth. But to set things straight between us, let’s start again and allow me to take you to Umberto’s.

Fair enough?”

She smiled. “Yes. I’ll allow your motion, Counselor.”

Their eyes met and caught for a moment before Scott began to speak in a more serious tone. “I’ve put in a request to prosecute John Kalb. If the DA gives me the nod, I’m going to need input from you.”

“The file is still in my briefcase. Hopefully there won’t be too many holes in it.”

“It probably saved your life.”

“Too bad it couldn’t save Marishka Kalb’s, as well,” Marnie said, tears welling in her eyes.

“You couldn’t have prevented her death, honey.

“I know, but…”

The tears began to fall. Scott grabbed a tissue from the box on the counter and gently wiped her eyes. “I’ll make sure Kalb gets what’s coming to him. I promise,” he said, kissing the top of her head.

She closed her eyes and savored the feel of his lips for a moment. “I meant to ask you. Where’s Frank?”

“Allison went into labor early this morning. There was no way Louise would let him out of her sight.”

Marnie smiled. “I know. They’re what family is all about. I hope Allison’s delivery is a swift and easy one—for Frank’s sake.”

Scott chuckled. He took her hand in his. “Feeling better?” A shock of awareness sped up Marnie’s arm.

“Much. Thanks. I’m so glad you came,” she said, flashing him a smile.

For a moment Scott was so dazzled by the smile, all the words flew out of his head. “Really?” he managed.

The nurse walked in to let them know that visiting time was over.

“I’ll try to be back tomorrow. Is there anything you need?” Scott asked.

She nearly said you. “A hacksaw and a change of clothes. I’ve got to break out of this place.”

“Not so fast. You’ve got to mend first,” Scott said gently stroking her face.

Marnie smiled. Her skin prickled pleasantly at his touch. “I don’t know if I can make it. Jail is probably more stimulating.”

“Especially if you get in with the right crowd. Good night, Marnie.” He smiled and leaned over to kiss her cheek.

His lips felt soft against her cheek yet she could feel the heat of the kiss surge through her skin.

“Goodnight.”

Long after Scott was gone, Marnie thought about what they’d talked about. She’d definitely been the disagreeable one and her actions were quite unfair. Yet…Scott hadn’t written her off as a lost cause. There could only be one reason why. He cared. She smiled at that thought. Then a tiny voice in her head whispered, “Maybe he merely hates to lose.” Even so, there had to be some caring involved. And that revelation made her smile.

The nurse came in to prep her for the night. Her name tag read June Reagan. She had a sweet, round, freckled face and the merriest blue eyes.

“Is that your man?”

“No, only a good friend, I guess.”

“You’re not sure?” Reagan asked, pudgy hands on her ample hips.

“We weren’t speaking for a while—at least, I wasn’t.”

“Well, if you want my advice, you should never stop talking to that one. If nothing else, he’s a hottie!”

“It’s probably the best advice I’ve gotten lately,” Marnie said.

Marnie’s last thoughts were about Scott holding her, kissing her…before, laced with sedatives, she drifted off to a dreamless sleep.

Chapter Thirteen

Marnie was going stir-crazy in the hospital. She knew she was getting better because she could feel the subtle changes in her body allowing her to do a little more each day before the onset of pain. The worst part had been the breathing. One of the bullets had shattered a rib, which in turn, had punctured her lung, collapsing it. Every time she’d taken the slightest breath, it sent a bolt of pain right through her chest as if she’d been impaled by a hot poker.

Try as she may, she couldn’t prevent her mind from straying back to the shooting and the senseless murder of Marishka Kalb. The guilt pains weren’t going away as easily as her physical ones. She couldn’t get over the hurdle of not knowing whether or not there was something else she could have done to prevent the poor woman’s death. The ironic part was that Marishka finally got her wish to be forever free of her husband, John. The sad truth, of the matter, was that she always knew he would eventually kill her. She just didn’t know when.

Marnie had been in the hospital over two weeks, but they felt like months. Many of her associates came to visit, but the only visitor she truly looked forward to seeing was Scott. Her whole being seemed to be filled with waiting for him and when he walked into her room, her entire world brightened.

When he kissed her hello, she drank in the comfort of his nearness, but when he left, he took all the light from the room leaving her saddened. Just hearing his voice caused her heartbeat to quicken. And when he touched her cheek or hand, warmth spread through her.

Scott had begun to invade her sleep, as well. One of her dreams was so vivid she thought it was actually happening...

A man carrying an assault rifle walked into the courtroom during a trial that Marnie was litigating. Scott came rushing into the courtroom and whisked Marnie off to safety, locking them both in a jury room. All he said was, “Sex is the best defense for fear,” and kissed her. The kiss sent a spiral of ecstasy through her. His tongue explored the dark corners of her mouth as his hands explored the curves of her back. Then she felt the heady sensation of his lips against her neck. Her eyes closed as she moaned softly, pleasure flowing slowly through her body. She wanted to feel him inside her, rocking her world.

The sounds outside the room faded away as Scott pushed her back onto a small couch. His lips began to ravish her mouth as he reached beneath her skirt. He began to rub her sex through her pantyhose and panties. Her body arched and bucked. She wanted more—no needed more.

Scott pulled down her panties and pantyhose and ran his tongue over her clit. She nearly shrieked with pleasure, but she wanted him in her and reached for the zipper on his slacks. He smiled knowingly and took his cock out. Marnie guided it into her pussy and together they pumped rapidly. Just as they both were climaxing, the gunman burst into the room.
Marnie woke screaming. The nurse came rushing in.

* * *

Scott put his heart and soul into his work. He truly loved being on the side of the righteous, winning in court and getting convicted felons off the streets. Of course, he was never too certain how long they’d remain in jail, but putting them out of commission was the first step. To him it was personal. He didn’t mind working hard and putting in the extra hours necessary. The Old Man ran a tight ship and was well aware of the caliber of work Scott was doing. That’s why he granted Scott’s request to prosecute John Kalb without considering another ADA who had been on the job longer.

When a slighted ADA went to the Old Man to inquire why he had been passed over and the case given to a newbie, Edward Chalmers laughed and told the man to suck up his hurt pride and get over himself. Teamwork counted in his department more than the hurt feelings of individual prima donnas.

Scott knew there might be some resentment from the others if he was assigned the Kalb case. He just didn’t care. He wanted that case so badly that he would have done nearly anything to get it. Frank didn’t have to warn him about his anger and desire for revenge being a two-edged sword. Just as it could work for him, it could also blindside him, narrowing his insight and clouding his judgment. Even so, this was the one case he didn’t want to lose. He’d keep his emotions in check. He intended to prosecute Kalb to the maximum extent of the law.

* * *

“Here’s my list of expert witnesses,” Scott said, handing Marnie the list of names.

Marnie read the list, recognizing most of the names. She came to one she didn’t know. “Who’s this?”

“A psychiatrist out of D.C. who has had a great deal of experience with power-control freaks.”

“His practice is certainly in the right area,” Marnie said.

Scott nodded. “Between the doctor’s testimony and the documented evidence of his pedophilia, it won’t be difficult proving Kalb killed his wife with malice aforethought. When he was outed publicly, he took quite a hit to his reputation and standing in the community. Revenge was his driving force to even up the score against his wife and the attorney who assisted her.”

“I always felt I was in the presence of pure evil when Kalb was near.”

“He’s far from charming, that’s for sure. I had the pleasure of meeting him and his lawyer the other day.”

“Is Dariah Phillips defending him?”

“No. I heard that she didn’t want any part of him after what happened.”

“So who’s the unfortunate soul who got stuck with his case?”

“Stuck is a kind word. A guy from the same firm named Marshall Greene.”

“Who could blame Dariah? She probably feared for her own life. You know, he could have shot her also that day. After all, he probably holds her for responsible for his loss in court.”

“Guess she was the lucky one,” Scott said.

Marnie sighed. “She went through her own hell having to sit next to him in court.”

“Getting back to the list, is there anyone else you would add?”

“No. I think you’ve covered all your bases. I liked Marishka and want to see justice done. I don’t want to see that man institutionalized for a few years and then come waltzing out free to go after the kids.”

“I intend to do whatever I can to convict and put him away for a very long time. You have my word on it,” Scott said, giving Marnie’s hand a gentle squeeze, but held onto her hand several more beats before finally releasing it.

“I know you will.” Her eyes froze on his lips. How she wanted to feel them on her body.

“Well, I’ve got to get going. Some of us have to work, you know.”

That elicited a raised eyebrow from Marnie, which was quickly followed by a smile. She had noticed the telltale bulge in his slacks.

Scott then leaned over to brush her lips with his. It was a struggle for him not to take the kiss deeper. “I’ll try and stop by tomorrow.”

Marnie would have loved to reach out and run her hand over his growing erection, but instead watched him leave. How she wished he’d stayed longer. Feeling so alive when he was around, she found him to be her intellectual equal and enjoyed talking with him. He wasn’t condescending like some men, or intimidated by her like others. And he made her cream in her pants—had she been wearing any.