Page 74 of Omega's Fever

Six weeks ago, if Kellen hadn’t matched with me, I’d have encouraged him to take it. It’s a good deal.

“This is ridiculous.” I push the folder back.

“The jury knows that maybe some of the witnesses are a bit shaky.” Sutter’s fingers tap against the table. “I have three more ready to testify that your client in charge and we haven’t even got to the financial records yet.”

“I’m looking forward to that. At best, they’re circumstantial.”

“They’re compelling.” She leans forward, and I catch a whiff of her perfume.

“Mr. Warren, let me be frank. If convicted at trial, Mr. Hayes faces mandatory life without parole. Multiple counts, consecutive sentences. He’ll die in prison.”

That’s not going to happen. “Your ‘evidence’ isn’t—”

“The evidence is enough.” She cuts me off smoothly. “You know it, I know it, and more importantly, the jury will know it. This deal guarantees he’ll be out in seven years. Maybe less with good behavior. Your child will still be young enough to—”

“How do you—” I stop myself. It doesn’t matter how she knows.

“Seven years versus life, Warren. It’s not a hard choice.”

Seven years. The baby would be starting school. And there’s no guarantee that Kellen would survive prison. Not with how often he gets into fights.

“No.” I shake my head, forcing strength into my voice. “We’re not interested.”

“Milo.”

Kellen’s voice is quiet. Too quiet. I turn to look at him, and my protests die in my throat.

He hasn’t said a word since we sat down. His hand rests on the table, fingers splayed across the wood grain. I know those hands well now. The scars across his knuckles from years offighting. The way they’re gentle when he touches me.

“Hell no.” My words come out cracked.

“I’ll take it.”

I turn to stare at him fully, certain I’ve misheard. His face is carved from stone, jaw set.

“Kellen—”

“I’ll take the deal.” He pulls the folder back, starts reading through the terms more carefully. Like he’s studying a shopping list instead of signing away a decade of his life.

“You can’t be serious.” My voice cracks, rises. I sound hysterical even to myself. “We’re winning. You have a real chance at an acquittal.”

“I have to take it.” His voice is flat, matter-of-fact. He doesn’t look up from the papers.

Not this again. We’ve discussed it. Things are different now. He’s claimed me. I’m pregnant. We’re going to fight to stay together.

“Don’t be silly, Kellen.”

“No.” He looks at me then, really looks at me. His dark eyes hold mine. There’s something else going on.

I know we have challenges. Ha! Challenges is a mild word to use for what we’re facing. We’ve got the pregnancy. The target it puts on both of us. The way Cobb’s people have been watching, waiting. How easy it would be for something to happen. A car accident. A mugging gone wrong. A dozen different tragedies but we can’t live our lives like this.

“We can protect—”

“No, we can’t.” Kellen’s voice stays soft, but there’s steel underneath.

Something happened yesterday. He told me he’d found Penelope and Damon but they couldn’t help. Now I’m not so sure. They said something to him. Something that has changed his mind.

“It’s a good deal,” He turns back to the plea agreement. “Seven years. I can do seven years.”