Page 55 of Overruled

Bianca’s eyes are bright and wet when they meet mine as I join her back at our table, and she reaches to pat my cheek silently even as chaos ensues around us.

It’s one of the most gratifying moments of my life, and my entire being radiates with pride and fulfillment as Bianca mouths a quiet Thank you .

I shake my head to let her know no thanks is needed; this moment is all I need.

And in this moment…all I can think about is the one person I wish were here to see it.

···

Lorenzo is long gone when we exit the courtroom; once we adjourned, I caught him shouting at a blank-faced Eli in a mix of English and Italian before he stormed out of the room in a rage, and honestly, who can blame him?

I imagine losing half your fortune because you can’t keep your dick in your pants has to be a heavy blow.

I almost feel sorry for him, knowing that his woes are far from over. Almost.

Bianca and I promise to meet in the following week to finalize things, and as much as I would like to tell her about the rest of the revelations I stumbled across this week, it feels wrong not to tell Ezra first. I can only hope that she won’t be too angry when she learns I wasn’t immediately forthcoming about them.

But the last thing I expect after winning the biggest case of my career against all odds, I think, is for Eli Hart to find me after, his fingers touching my elbow gently to get my attention.

I expect him to have some sort of cutting words for me, to leave me with one last barb to assuage his ego, so what he actually says nearly floors me.

“You did a good job in there.”

I rear back, thinking I’ve misheard him. “Excuse me?”

“Don’t get a big head,” he chuckles. “But it was impressive.”

“Did you sustain some sort of brain injury before you got here?”

“I can see why he likes you,” Eli muses, leaving me gaping.

“What?”

“I am a lot of things,” he says with a smile that looks unpracticed. “But stupid is not one of them. My brother isn’t exactly subtle.”

“You have no idea what you’re—”

“It’s fine, Danica,” he placates me, holding up a hand to stop me. “I’m not going to say anything. Actually, I…” He frowns, his expression weary, and I notice for the first time today how tired he looks. So unlike his normal confident aloofness. “I wanted to give you something.”

I rack my brain for anything that Eli Hart could possibly want to give me, coming up with nothing. Which means I say nothing as he reaches into the breast pocket of his suit, handing me a flash drive.

“I want you to give this to my brother,” he tells me.

“To Ezra?” I take the flash drive gingerly. “Why can’t you?”

“I doubt he wants to hear from me,” he says, a sad smile forming on his mouth. “And honestly, I don’t blame him. I have some work to do before I can see either of them.”

“Either of them?”

Eli cocks his head. “He didn’t tell you?”

“Um…no. We haven’t…spoken in a while.”

“Ah.” He looks at his feet, frowning. “He quit the firm last week. Then he went straight to our parents’ house and took my mother away.

My dad is furious, of course, but so far, he hasn’t done anything.

” He looks back up at me, nodding toward the flash drive I’m still holding in my hand. “That will ensure that he never can.”

“What’s on it?”

“Everything I was able to copy from my father’s laptop,” he tells me. “Hopefully, it will be enough.”

I feel shock coursing through me. “You’re really going to help them? Why?”

“Because…she’s my mother,” he says quietly. “And I…haven’t been the best son. I want to try to make up for that.”

I look down at the tiny drive between my fingers, feeling floored and oddly touched on Ezra’s and Jackie’s behalf. I swallow, nodding. “You know, I’ve found things too,” I inform him.

“That doesn’t surprise me,” he chuffs with a laugh.

“Things that will mean some rough times for your father,” I go on. “He isn’t innocent, Eli. I intend to make sure everyone knows that. Are you okay with that?”

Eli looks away from me, shoving his hands in his pockets and pursing his lips.

“You know, I’ve learned a lot about family in the last few days.

I’ve learned that the loyalty we give because of blood isn’t always deserved.

It’s something I wish I’d learned a lot sooner, but all I can do is try to make up for it now.

” He nods solemnly, turning back to me. “So yes, I’m okay with it.

I can’t sit idly by anymore while people suffer.

And if you can…tell my mother…” His eyes shine, and the emotion there makes him look more human.

Maybe more than he’s ever looked. “Tell her I’m sorry that I ever did. ”

I tuck the drive into my pocket. “I think she’d rather hear it from you.”

“Right,” he says thickly. “Hopefully she will someday. When I deserve to tell her.”

I nod, not knowing what else to say. Everything about today has been an emotional roller coaster. Eli returns my nod, clearing his throat and holding out his hand. I eye it for a second before tentatively reaching to clasp it in a slow shake.

“Congratulations on your win, Ms. Pierce,” he says.

I grin, feeling the full weight of my victory. “Thank you, Mr. Hart.”

He lets go of my hand to leave me standing there, and it takes several seconds for me to remember how to use my feet, still slightly stunned by the conversation we just had.

I don’t believe I will actually need the drive in my pocket to take down Alexander—but the fact that Eli would give it…

I know it will mean the world to their mother.

I intend to make sure she hears all about it, if I can.

Which reminds me…I have somewhere to be.