Page 51 of The Tower (Billionaire Brothers Grimm #1)

Thirty-Six

Ex Parte

R EED HEIRESS AND GRIMM BLACK SHEEP: ROMANCE OR REVENGE?

The headline screams at me from a dozen tablets and phones as the town car pulls into the courthouse parking lot.

Apparently, our kiss at Alexander’s party made quite the splash.

Beneath the lurid text is a photo of Liam and me on the rooftop, his hand cupping my face, my body leaning into his, our lips meeting in a kiss that looks far more cinematic than it felt at the time.

“Well, they certainly aren’t shying away from being bold,” Liam says, his voice carefully casual as he scans the massive crowd gathered outside.

My hands twist in my lap, anxiety tightening in my chest. I’d expected reporters, of course. Even a few curious onlookers. What I hadn’t anticipated was this—dozens, maybe hundreds, of people lining the walkway to the courthouse steps, many holding handmade signs.

SASHA STRONG

BELIEVE SURVIVORS

#FREETHEREEDHEIRESS

“What is this?” I whisper, unable to turn away from the spectacle.

Liam reaches for my hand, his fingers steady as they wrap around mine. “Public opinion,” he says. “Looks like someone leaked enough details to turn you into a cause. People are on your side, Princess.”

I turn to him, and his teasing smile just about melts me. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

I shake my head. “I don’t know. I guess, for … everything.”

The word hangs there, unexpected but true in so many ways.

“Yeah,” he says, his voice like a caress. “You’re welcome.”

He cups my face. “Don’t be nervous. I can’t sit with you, but I promise I am with you.”

“I know,” I say, realizing in the moment how deeply I mean it.

The car slows to a stop, and I catch sight of Ruby pushing toward us through the crowd, her auburn hair a beacon in the sea of faces. The door opens, and she’s there, reaching for me with both hands.

“Ready?” she asks, her eyes bright with a mixture of determination and concern.

“As I’ll ever be.” I grimace then slide out of the car to stand on trembling legs.

The moment I emerge, a cheer goes up from the crowd. It’s so unexpected that I freeze, my hand still in Ruby’s, my heart racing like a trapped bird in my chest. These people—these strangers—are here for me. Supporting me. Believing me.

A young woman pushes to the front, clutching what looks like a magazine. “Ms. Reed! I just wanted to say thank you. Your story gave me the courage to leave my shit of a boyfriend.”

Before I can respond, others press forward, their voices overlapping.

“We’re with you, Sasha!”

“My sister has agoraphobia, too—what your father did is criminal!”

“You deserve to be free!”

Ruby squeezes my hand, and I realize I’m crying.

Silent tears tracking down my cheeks as the enormity of what’s happening washes over me.

For so long, I’ve been isolated, cut off from the world by my father’s machinations.

I never imagined that my story would resonate with so many, that my pain might somehow help others find their voice.

Grimm appears at my other side, his arm sliding protectively around my waist. “We need to move,” he says, his voice low in my ear. “Jack’s waiting inside.”

I nod, letting him guide me through the crowd. People reach out, touching my arm, my shoulder, offering words of encouragement as we pass. It’s overwhelming, but not in the way open spaces usually are. This feels like being carried forward on a wave of support.

As we near the courthouse steps, I spot a smaller group off to the side—men in expensive suits, a few women with impeccable blowouts and designer handbags. Their signs are different:

VICTOR REED: LOVING FATHER

THE GRIMM AGENDA EXPOSED

“Idiots,” Ruby mutters, her grip on my hand tightening. “Ignore them.”

I try, but their hostile stares bore into me as we climb the steps. One of the women calls out, “How much is Grimm paying you to lie about your own father?”

I falter, but Liam’s hand presses into the small of my back, steady and grounding. “Keep walking,” he says. “They don’t matter.”

Inside, the courthouse is a maze of marble and dark wood, the air cool and slightly musty.

I spot Desmond Bane in the corridor, speaking in low tones with one of my father’s lawyers.

When he sees us, he offers that predatory smile I’ve come to dread.

But as the lawyer leans in to whisper something in his ear, Bane’s expression shifts.

His eyes narrow, calculating, and with a curt nod in our direction, he turns and walks toward the exit.

“Where’s he going?” I whisper to Liam.

“Not sure,” he replies, his expression thoughtful. “But Bane doesn’t waste time on lost causes. If he’s leaving …”

I catch his meaning immediately. “You think my father isn’t coming.”

“It’s possible. Bane is nothing if not pragmatic.” A hint of satisfaction creeps into Liam’s voice. “Rats and sinking ships.”

A chill runs through me at the implication. If my father isn’t here to defend himself …

Jack Granger, our lead attorney, waits for us in a small conference room, surrounded by stacks of documents and several associates.

“There you are,” he says, rising to his feet. Silver-haired and impeccably dressed, Jack exudes confidence like expensive cologne. “Quite the crowd out there.”

“Is my father here?” I ask, the question slipping out before I can stop it.

Jack’s expression shifts slightly. “No sign of him yet. His legal team arrived about twenty minutes ago, but Reed himself hasn’t been seen.”

Something cold and heavy settles in my stomach. “What does that mean?”

“It could mean many things,” Jack says, his words measured. “Most likely, he’s planning a strategic entrance. Or perhaps he’s trying to avoid the press.”

Liam’s jaw tightens. “Or he’s planning something else entirely.”

Jack nods, his expression grim. “We’ve filed additional motions this morning in light of the evidence from Dr. Chen. If Reed doesn’t appear, we’re prepared to argue for an immediate ruling in your favor, along with a referral to the district attorney’s office for criminal charges.”

The words wash over me, technical and distant. All I can think about is my father’s absence. This isn’t like him—he never concedes a battlefield, never surrenders control.

“What if he wins?” I whisper, voicing my deepest fear. “What if the judge believes him?”

Liam moves closer, his voice dropping so only I can hear. “That won’t happen. But even if it does, I won’t let him take you back. Ever. I told you. I promise you that.”

I don’t answer, but I hold his hand tighter, feeling safer in the circle of his protection.

“I’m going to check on something,” Ruby says, squeezing my hand once more before slipping out of the room. Her absence leaves a void, and I fight the urge to call her back, to keep my small circle of allies close.

We take our seats around the small table, and Jack continues briefing us on the legal strategy, but the words blur together.

I focus instead on breathing, on keeping the rising panic at bay.

In a few hours, my life will change irrevocably.

Either I’ll be free of my father’s control forever, or I’ll be legally declared incompetent, placed under his guardianship, and dragged back to a prison of medication and forced compliance.

“Sasha?” Liam’s voice cuts through my spiraling thoughts. “Did you hear what Jack asked?”

I blink, focusing on the attorney’s concerned face. “I’m sorry, what?”

“I asked if you’re prepared for the possibility that your father might make accusations against Mr. Grimm,” Jack repeats. “He may try to paint your relationship as coercive, suggest that you’ve been manipulated or even drugged.”

A bitter laugh escapes me. “That would be ironic.”

“Indeed,” Jack agrees with a slight smile. “But the court needs to hear the truth from you—that you left willingly, that Mr. Grimm has been protecting you, not controlling you.”

The truth. Such a simple concept, yet so complicated in this situation. I did leave willingly with Grimm, but our arrangement was hardly straightforward. And while he hasn’t controlled me the way my father did, there was a bargain struck, a price to be paid.

Everything.

But that was then. Now, looking at Grimm—at the tension in his jaw, the concern in his eyes—I see with perfect clarity how much has changed between us. Whatever his initial motives, whatever price he demanded, what exists between us now is something else entirely.

“I’ll tell the truth,” I say firmly. “All of it.”

Jack nods, satisfied, and returns to his documents. Liam’s hand finds mine under the table, his fingers interlacing with my own in a gesture that feels simultaneously possessive and supportive.

Ruby returns, her face flushed with excitement. “You’re not going to believe this,” she says, closing the door behind her. “The staff from Reed Tower—I mean, a lot of them—they’re here. In the courtroom. Mr. Williams, Anita, at least a dozen more. Grannie, too, of course.”

I stare at her, stunned. “They’re here?”

“They want to support you. And some of them are prepared to testify about what they saw—the medications, the way your father controlled everything.”

A lump forms in my throat. These people have come—risking their livelihoods—to support me. It’s more than incredible, it’s humbling.

“It’s time,” Jack announces, checking his watch. “They’re ready for us.”

The walk to the courtroom feels like a march to the gallows. My legs are wooden, my breathing shallow. Grimm stays close, his presence both comforting and electrifying.

As we approach the courtroom doors, Liam stops me with a gentle hand on my arm. “Remember,” he says, his voice low and intense, “no matter what happens in there, you’re not alone.”

For a moment, we just look at each other, the world narrowing to the space between us. Then Ruby clears her throat, and the moment shatters.

“Ready?” she asks.

I nod, squaring my shoulders. “Ready.”