Page 75 of Omega's Fever

“Mr. Hayes.” Sutter slides a pen across the table. Her voice drips satisfaction. “If you’re accepting the deal, I’ll need your signature. Initial each page, full signature on the last.”

“Don’t.” I grab his wrist as he reaches for the pen. His skin is warm under my fingers, pulse steady. Legally, he has to have his counsel on board with it. It’s my responsibility to ensure that he understands the terms of the deal. “Victoria, you know Kellen needs to have his counsel agree to this first. You need to give me a moment with him. I’m advising against it.”

Kellen gently extracts his hand from mine. The loss of contact feels like losing a limb. “If that’s true, I need to dismiss my counsel.”

“What?”

“I’m taking it, Milo. Sooner the better.” He won’t look at me now, focused on the plea agreement.”

“I’ll represent myself.”

“That’s a terrible idea.”

“Probably.” He starts initialing pages.

“Tell Judge Melkham that we have agreed a plea,” Sutter tells the guards. She is looking far too satisfied for my liking.

“Kellen, please—” I’m begging now and I don’t care. “We can work something out. A better deal. More time to investigate—”

“It’s done.” He sets the pen down on the final page. His signature stark against the white paper. Kellen Hayes.

Sutter gathers the papers with obvious relish. I sit frozen, watching my entire life shatter yet again.

So much for my baby being the most well-nourished. Now it’s going to have to live with my terrible cooking.

“The judge is ready,” the guard announces.

We file through the courthouse hallways like a funeral procession.

Kellen walks between the guards, hands cuffed in front of him now that he’s officially accepting imprisonment. I follow behind. Court employees stop to stare. Word travels fast here. Tomorrow we’ll be gossip over coffee.

The last time we were in Melkham’s chambers, he chastised us for being inappropriate in court. Now I’m claimed and pregnant. At least, that makes our relationship official but I don’t know whether that’ll make it better or worse in his eyes.

Melkham himself sits behind his massive desk like a king on his throne. He reviews the paperwork while I stand there like a fool, Kellen steady beside me despite everything.

“Mr. Hayes wishes to dismiss counsel and proceed pro se?” Melkham’s frowns.”

“Yes, Your Honor.”

“You understand you have a constitutional right to an attorney? That representing yourself in a criminal matter is highly inadvisable?”

“I do.”

“And you’re waiving that right voluntarily? No one is coercing you?”

I want to scream that of course he’s being coerced. That Cobb Sewell has a gun to our heads even if we can’t see it.

“I’m waiving it voluntarily,” Kellen says.

“Very well.” Melkham rolls his eyes then makes a note with an expensive fountain pen. “Mr. Warren, you’re formally dismissed as counsel in this matter.”

The words sting more than they should.

“The plea hearing will be Thursday morning, nine a.m.” Melkham sets the papers aside with finality. “Just a formality at this point. You’ll agree to the charges, I’ll accept the plea, and we can all move on with our lives.”

He looks directly at me then. “Congratulations, counselor. The match will no longer be binding.”

I stare. I want to punch him in the face, but he’s right. The conviction doesn’t just send Kellen to prison, it legally voids our prime match too.