Read Online Into Temptation (A More Than Men Novella) by Kira Sinclair - Free Book Online Page B
Authors: Kira Sinclair
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muscles, but she ignored the sensation. She just wasn’t used to being out of control. He was probably busy doing…whatever.
Deliberations could take hours or days; there was no prediction. Part of her hoped for a quick outcome, to get this over with. The rest of her hoped they took days to find him guilty. Days she’d have with Brone before she lost him forever.
But she wasn’t even to get that.
After lurking in the halls, searching for any sign of Brone and finding none, she’d gone back to her office. She was only there a short time before a call from the court came in telling her they’d reached a verdict.
Normally a quick decision would have worried Evie, but this time the three-hour deliberations were clearly in her favor. Brone had worked his magic.
She rushed back into the courtroom, her heart thudding heavily against her ribs. This was it. There was barely time to register Brone’s absence. Did that mean he was already gone? Without even telling her good-bye.
The foreman stood.
Evie swallowed. Regret and panic crawled up the back of her throat, bitter and unavoidable. Her gaze scraped across the crowd, looking for the familiar comfort of his dark blue eyes. She needed him. Needed the steady reminder that she’d made the right decision.
But he still wasn’t there.
And then it was too late.
In a low monotone the foreman read, “On the first count of kidnapping, we find the defendant not guilty.”
And everything dropped out from under Evie.
No, that wasn’t right.
But the foreman continued to pronounce Monroe not guilty for each of the charges laid against him. At first Evie was numb. Stunned. And then she was angry. What the hell had happened?
There was a commotion in the back of the room. She wasn’t the only one stunned by the outcome. The man with the dark eyes who’d sent that shiver of dread down her spine exploded into a rage. Knocking over benches, slamming people out of his way. He was headed straight for her, but before the guards could reach him, Brone materialized out of nowhere. His heavy hand wrapped around the other man’s arm, and he hauled him out of the room.
Now he was there. Where had he been five minutes before? Brone had done this. He’d screwed her. Why? Why would he do that? Why would he leave Megan vulnerable?
Megan. Evie’s stricken gaze flew to Monroe’s. He sat quietly, hands folded in his lap as reaction rippled through the room. As if the verdict was no more than he’d expected.
He sent a sly, mocking and menacing glance in her direction. The side of his mouth quirked up, and beneath the cover of the table, his hands rubbed together with gleeful anticipation.
Evie’s heart stuttered and threatened to stop. Fear gripped her. But she wouldn’t let him see her reaction. She had to get through the next few moments, and then she could figure out what to do next. Megan.
On autopilot, she requested that the judge poll the jury. Each one informed the courtroom they agreed with the verdict. Left with no choice, Evie dropped heavily back into her chair.
The judge dismissed the jurors. The courtroom cleared. Bailiffs led Monroe away so that his paperwork could be processed and he could be released.
Several minutes and she was alone. Almost. At some point Brone slipped back inside. Her body registered the moment he appeared, the sizzle of awareness betraying her almost as much as he had. But she wasn’t ready to deal with him. Not yet.
She was too…angry and scared and angry and heartsick.
“How could you do this?”
“How could I not?”
With deliberate slowness she stood. Her shoulders were no longer slumped as she turned to look at him. Her chest ached. It hurt. His betrayal hurt. More than it should have considering she’d known exactly what he was — a demon straight from Hell.
He stood before her, feet planted wide and hands hanging loose at his sides. Anyone peeking in the tiny window at the door would think he was relaxed. But Evie knew
Deliberations could take hours or days; there was no prediction. Part of her hoped for a quick outcome, to get this over with. The rest of her hoped they took days to find him guilty. Days she’d have with Brone before she lost him forever.
But she wasn’t even to get that.
After lurking in the halls, searching for any sign of Brone and finding none, she’d gone back to her office. She was only there a short time before a call from the court came in telling her they’d reached a verdict.
Normally a quick decision would have worried Evie, but this time the three-hour deliberations were clearly in her favor. Brone had worked his magic.
She rushed back into the courtroom, her heart thudding heavily against her ribs. This was it. There was barely time to register Brone’s absence. Did that mean he was already gone? Without even telling her good-bye.
The foreman stood.
Evie swallowed. Regret and panic crawled up the back of her throat, bitter and unavoidable. Her gaze scraped across the crowd, looking for the familiar comfort of his dark blue eyes. She needed him. Needed the steady reminder that she’d made the right decision.
But he still wasn’t there.
And then it was too late.
In a low monotone the foreman read, “On the first count of kidnapping, we find the defendant not guilty.”
And everything dropped out from under Evie.
No, that wasn’t right.
But the foreman continued to pronounce Monroe not guilty for each of the charges laid against him. At first Evie was numb. Stunned. And then she was angry. What the hell had happened?
There was a commotion in the back of the room. She wasn’t the only one stunned by the outcome. The man with the dark eyes who’d sent that shiver of dread down her spine exploded into a rage. Knocking over benches, slamming people out of his way. He was headed straight for her, but before the guards could reach him, Brone materialized out of nowhere. His heavy hand wrapped around the other man’s arm, and he hauled him out of the room.
Now he was there. Where had he been five minutes before? Brone had done this. He’d screwed her. Why? Why would he do that? Why would he leave Megan vulnerable?
Megan. Evie’s stricken gaze flew to Monroe’s. He sat quietly, hands folded in his lap as reaction rippled through the room. As if the verdict was no more than he’d expected.
He sent a sly, mocking and menacing glance in her direction. The side of his mouth quirked up, and beneath the cover of the table, his hands rubbed together with gleeful anticipation.
Evie’s heart stuttered and threatened to stop. Fear gripped her. But she wouldn’t let him see her reaction. She had to get through the next few moments, and then she could figure out what to do next. Megan.
On autopilot, she requested that the judge poll the jury. Each one informed the courtroom they agreed with the verdict. Left with no choice, Evie dropped heavily back into her chair.
The judge dismissed the jurors. The courtroom cleared. Bailiffs led Monroe away so that his paperwork could be processed and he could be released.
Several minutes and she was alone. Almost. At some point Brone slipped back inside. Her body registered the moment he appeared, the sizzle of awareness betraying her almost as much as he had. But she wasn’t ready to deal with him. Not yet.
She was too…angry and scared and angry and heartsick.
“How could you do this?”
“How could I not?”
With deliberate slowness she stood. Her shoulders were no longer slumped as she turned to look at him. Her chest ached. It hurt. His betrayal hurt. More than it should have considering she’d known exactly what he was — a demon straight from Hell.
He stood before her, feet planted wide and hands hanging loose at his sides. Anyone peeking in the tiny window at the door would think he was relaxed. But Evie knew
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