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CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO

CAMERON

Cameron hated suits. The starched suit jacket fit snug over his shoulders and his tie threatened to strangle him as he sat in a comfortable leather chair.

He hadn’t even worn one to get married.

But today, the day of Tristan’s preliminary hearing, he’d expected both of them to be summoned to testify. Instead, Cameron held Rylan’s hand in his as they sat in their lawyer’s office.

Rylan sat back and glanced around the room, calm and collected. When he caught Cameron’s curious gaze, Rylan smiled at him. “Everything will be fine.”

On some level, Cameron knew that.

Since the incident, the private investigator, Dean Trevor, who worked for their lawyer had interviewed all of their friends and the witnesses from the restaurant. They’d gotten the videos and pictures of the incident along with Ruby’s, and the witnesses agreed to testify against Tristan if they went to trial.

Cameron had watched the video Ruby had recorded and although he wanted to rage at Tristan for every harsh word, punch, and finally the horror of his hands wrapped around Rylan’s throat, it was the defiance in Rylan’s face as he tried to fight back that made Cameron proud.

Remembering how he looked the morning after the assault, he glanced over at Rylan’s unmarred face and noted he looked relaxed and ready to hear whatever the lawyer came back to tell them. He leaned over and kissed Rylan’s cheek.

“What was that for?”

“I can kiss my brave and brilliant husband whenever I want.”

Rylan wrapped his arms around his shoulders and smiled. “Have I told you how much I love you today?”

Lowering his forehead to meet Rylan’s, he said, “I see it every time you look at me.”

Before Rylan could reply, he dropped his arms and sat back in his seat when they both heard voices outside the office. They were silent and looked straight ahead as the door opened, but when the lawyer sat down behind his desk, they glanced at each other for a lingering moment.

Cameron turned back to Thomas Sanchez and tried to read his expression but failed. After Thomas glanced at both of them, he steepled his fingers on the desk and sighed.

“The defense has offered a plea.”

“Do you know why?” Rylan asked.

“The district attorney presented the evidence, including the eyewitness statements and the damaging videos. And although I don’t want to downplay the assault, it was the hate speech that was the most damning.”

Rylan nodded as if he understood, but Cameron didn’t. But he waited to hear the rest.

“What would he plea to?”

“The D.A. offered five years in jail with two years’ probation once he’s released. The restraining order would be a permanent lifetime one.”

Cameron growled. “Is this a good deal for him or Rylan?”

“Despite having evidence on video of Mr. Scott confirming your previous assault and your new assault on display for all to see, if the D.A. presented the case to a jury, they might be lenient because this was his first charged offense or he might get more time than what is being offered. But the unknown here is what a jury will decide. And if you go to trial, you, Rylan, and the witnesses will all have to testify and although he has a right to a speedy trial, the defense might drag this out for as long as possible. But the decision is yours. I have to go back in a half an hour with your decision to the D.A.”

“I would like to agree to the plea,” Rylan said, his voice clear and concise.

Shock surged through Cameron and he turned to Rylan. “Why?”

The question came out harsher than he meant it to and he flinched when Rylan turned to look at him with his face pinched and hurt reflected in his eyes. Instead of answering him, Rylan turned back to Thomas.

“It’s my decision, right?”

“Yes.”

Cameron scoffed. “Don’t you think we should discuss this?”