Read Online Defenseless by Adrianne Byrd - Free Book Online

later.” He got up from the chair. Just as Dwayne reached for the door to leave her office, Sonya stopped him.
    â€œYou know, don’t you?”
    Dwayne turned back around to face her. “Excuse me?”
    â€œMy mother. You know, don’t you?”
    Dwayne nodded his head. “Why didn’t you tell me?” he asked, his eyes leveling with her own.
    Sonya took a deep breath, then walked over to stand in front of him. “Would you have taken the case if I had told you that mother was serving time for the exact crime my sister is charged with?”
    Dwayne’s expression told her the answer to that question. “But you knew I would find out.”
    â€œMaybe I was just trying to buy some time,” she said, looking away from his intense stare.
    â€œTime for what?” Dwayne asked as she walked back to the window to look out at the tiny people below.
    â€œI knew if you met my sister that you would know the kind of person she is, and that this is really two different cases.”
    The room was silent. Sonya was too afraid to turn around. She didn’t want this man to see her tears. She had already let him see her cry before, and she refused to let that happen again. Sonya inhaled his fragrance and knew that he was now standing behind her. Suddenly it became difficult to breathe and her stomach was doing those funny tricks again.
    â€œYou’re right,” she heard him say, his breath warm against her neck. “I can’t turn down this case now.” Sonya’s knees grew weaker by the seconds. Slowly she turned around to face him. He was standing closer than she thought. Their eyes held each other spellbound, and Sonya couldn’t pull away if she had tried. She noticed how curly his lashes were. He was leaning closer, and Sonya’s heart felt like it was about to explode in her chest. He was going to kiss her. Sonya knew it as she tilted her face upward in anticipation, her eyes closed.
    â€œMiss Walters?” Tina said, bolting through the door.
    Sonya jumped away from Dwayne and looked away toward her desk. She could feel her cheeks flame from embarrassment.
    â€œI must be going,” Dwayne said, his own voice cracking. “I’ll talk with you later, Miss Walters.”
    Sonya nodded in response, refusing to look at him. When she heard the door close behind him, she released her breath that she had unconsciously held. She looked over at Tina, who was smiling from ear to ear. “This better be important.”

Chapter 7
    One week later…
    â€œD addy, time to get up!” Bridget yelled.
    Dwayne peered up at his clock, which read five-thirty. Does that girl ever sleep? He couldn’t fathom ever having so much energy. He heard Bridget’s stereo blasting well past two o’clock this morning, and now she was waking him up. Aging is such a cruel joke.
    Finally Dwayne mustered up the strength to throw one leg over the edge of the bed and then the other one. He appreciated the fresh aroma of coffee brewing downstairs. The girl did have her good qualities, he thought, smiling.
    After his morning shower, he made it down the stairs dressed in his blue Father’s Day robe. He poured his ritual cup of coffee and turned on the nine-inch TV that sat on the kitchen counter.
    â€œToday in local news, Sergeant Freeman of the Atlanta Police Department announced the department’s new plan of affirmative action to help prevent crime.”
    Â 
    Dwayne sipped at his coffee as he watched the graying sergeant take the podium.
    â€œGood morning, ladies and gentlemen. On behalf of the Atlanta Police Department, I’d like to address our current problem with the alarming number of homicide cases. In May, we had a record high of fifty-two cases. And already for the first week in June, we’ve had fifteen cases—”
    â€œWhat’s the department’s plan, Sergeant?” a reporter butted in.
    â€œTo enforce tougher