Page 29 of Client Privilege

Her response came almost immediately: “On my way.”

I ran a red light, then another. At this hour, the streets were nearly empty. I pressed the accelerator to the floor, my car’s engine roaring in protest as I took corners too fast, my heart hammering against my ribs.

“No protective order now,” Marcus’s voice continued through the speaker. “No one watching. Just you and me, like it should be.”

“I’m three minutes out,” I told the dispatcher. “Where are your officers?”

“Units are approaching the scene now, sir.”

I could hear Alex trying to stall, his voice so small compared to Marcus’s threatening growl. Every instinct screamed at me to drive faster, push harder.

“You’re coming home with me tonight. Where you belong.”

“No,” Alex’s voice, stronger than before.

“That wasn’t a request.” The menace in Marcus’s tone made my blood run cold.

I blew through another intersection, narrowly missing a delivery truck. Three more blocks. Two more. One.

The Parkview Motel’s neon sign came into view, its garish red glow illuminating the nearly empty parking lot.

As I screeched to a halt, two police cruisers pulled in simultaneously, lights flashing but sirens silent.

I leapt from my car, pointing toward room twenty-three where the door hung partially open.

“He’s in there,” I shouted to the officers emerging from their vehicles. “Marcus Delaney. He’s assaulting my client.”

The officers moved with practiced efficiency, hands on their weapons as they approached the door. I followed close behind, heart in my throat.

“Toronto Police!” one officer announced, pushing the door fully open.

The scene inside turned my stomach. Marcus had Alex pinned to the bed, one hand pressed against his throat, the other tearing at his clothes. Alex’s phone lay discarded on the floor, still connected to mine.

“Get off him! Now!” the officer commanded, weapon drawn.

Marcus looked up, momentarily frozen in surprise. That second of hesitation was all they needed. The officers rushed forward, pulling Marcus off Alex with controlled force. As soon as he was free, Alex scrambled away, eyes wild with terror.

When he saw me standing in the doorway, something broke in his expression. He launched himself toward me, colliding with my chest, his entire body trembling violently.

“I’ve got you,” I murmured, wrapping my arms around him. “I’ve got you. You’re safe now.”

Marcus struggled against the officers as they cuffed him, his face contorted with rage. “This isn’t over!” he shouted. “You think this changes anything? I own this city! I own him!”

“You don’t own anything anymore,” I said coldly, holding Alex tighter as he shook against me.

Sandra appeared in the doorway, breathless, a blanket clutched in her arms. She took in the scene with one quick glance, her professional composure never faltering despite the hour and circumstances.

“Here,” she said, approaching us with the blanket. I took it gratefully, wrapping it around Alex’s shoulders.

Marcus continued shouting threats as the officers led him toward the cruiser. “You’re making a mistake! Do you know who I am? This isn’t over, Alex! It will never be over!”

I turned Alex away from the sight, shielding him with my body. “Let’s get you out of here,” I said softly.

He nodded against my chest, unable to speak.

“I’ll get his things,” Sandra said, already moving efficiently around the small room, gathering the few possessions scattered about.

“Thank you,” I murmured to her, guiding Alex toward my car.

He moved like someone sleepwalking, each step mechanical and uncertain. When we reached the car, I opened the passenger door, but he seemed incapable of letting go of me long enough to get inside.

“It’s okay,” I said. “I’m not going anywhere.”

Finally, he slid into the seat, the blanket pulled tight around him. Sandra appeared with his backpack and a small duffel.

“Everything’s here,” she said, placing the bags in my trunk. “I’ll follow you back to your place.”

I nodded my thanks, too overwhelmed to speak.

The drive to my home passed in silence. Alex stared straight ahead, tears streaming silently down his face. I reached across once to squeeze his hand, and he clutched at my fingers with desperate strength.

When we arrived, he made no move to exit the car. His energy seemed completely depleted, his body limp with exhaustion and trauma.

“Let me help you,” I said gently, coming around to his side.

Without thinking, I lifted him into my arms. He weighed almost nothing, his body curling automatically against my chest. Sandra opened doors ahead of us as I carried him into the house and up the stairs to the guest room.

I laid him carefully on the bed, intending to step away, but his fingers remained tangled in my shirt.

“Don’t go,” he whispered, the first words he’d spoken since the motel.

“I won’t,” I promised, easing down beside him.

He shifted closer, his head coming to rest on my chest, tears soaking through my t-shirt. I wrapped an arm around his shoulders, holding him securely as silent sobs shook his frame.

Sandra appeared in the doorway, setting Alex’s bags down quietly. Our eyes met over Alex’s head, and I saw in her expression the same fury that burned in my chest. She nodded once, understanding without words, and slipped away.

I lay there in the darkness, listening to Alex’s breathing gradually slow as exhaustion claimed him. My mind raced with everything I’d heard tonight—the jury tampering, the threats, the violence. Marcus had crossed every line, broken every law, and still believed himself untouchable.

The rage I felt was unlike anything I’d experienced in my professional career.

This wasn’t about winning a case anymore.

This was about justice in its most fundamental form.

Marcus Delaney had hurt someone I cared about—was still hurting him—and I would use every legal tool, every connection, every ounce of my knowledge and skill to make him pay.

Alex stirred slightly against me, his fingers still clutching my shirt even in sleep. I tightened my arm around him, a silent promise that he wasn’t alone anymore. Whatever came next, he wouldn’t face it by himself.

Outside, the first hint of dawn lightened the sky. In a few hours, I would begin the process of destroying Marcus Delaney. But for now, I simply held Alex as he slept, finally safe.