“Leveling up?” Sorrow mutters, but not quietly enough for us not to hear.
Arlo cracks up, shoving me aside so he can hug her. “I’m stealing your girl.”
“The fuck you are.”
When Sorrow giggles, the three of us look at her. I’m not sure any of us will ever take hearing that sound for granted. I know I won’t.
“I better get back in there,” Olivia announces.
“Yeah. Are you up for this, Sorrow? There is no fucking shame in saying no.”
She pulls herself free from Arlo and looks between us all before her shoulders drop. “I’m not sure I want to put myself through it all. I know what happened because I lived it, and hearing it is just making me relive it all over again.”
“Then let’s go home.”
“No. You need to be there. You need to see this through, not just for you, but for Katy.”
“She’s right,” Arlo tells me. “Go be with your sister and show those motherfuckers what it means to be a Bannerman, not the mockery they made of the name your ancestors gave you. I’ve got Sorrow. We’ll meet you back at the house when it’s done.”
I cup Sorrow’s jaw. “You good with that? Because I’ll do whatever you want. You are my first priority, and I know damn fine the guys all have Katy.”
“I promise I’m fine with that.”
I kiss her gently before pulling back and looking at Arlo. “Keep her safe.”
“Always.”
I square my shoulders and nod, offering Olivia my arm. “Let’s get this shitshow over with.”
She chuckles, allowing me to lead her back to the courtroom. We walk in silently, not wanting to draw any more unwanted attention to ourselves. I’m surprised to find Stephenson back on the stand.
“Mr. Stephenson, you stated before that you are close personal friends of Mr. and Mrs. Bannerman,” My parents’ attorney, Fredrick, asks as I take my old seat. The chair Sorrow was in before is occupied by Felix, who is holding Katy’s hand. Both look at me with worry.
“She’s okay,” I mouth as they both relax a little.
“Yes, we’ve been friends for many years.”
“But it’s been reported by many that you’ve been noticeably absent from friendly gatherings and parties hosted by the Bannerman’s of late. Why is that?”
“I don’t have the most sociable of hours. I can’t take time off for a party, unfortunately.”
“So it had nothing to do with the fact that the Bannerman’s have been distancing themselves from you?”
“If they had been distancing themselves, I hadn’t noticed. Like I said, I’ve been busy.”
“Yes, with your harassment of Miss Wells.”
I’m surprised when nobody objects before I remember that Stephenson doesn’t have legal counsel here. He’s just a witness.
“I was not harassing Miss Wells,” he states as Fredrick picks up a file.
“According to this, that’s simply not true. It seems as if the more unstable you became in your pursuit of Miss Wells,the more my clients ignored your phone calls and messages, correct?”
“No. They touched base every day until IA and the FBI became involved. Then they backed away, leaving me to deal with the fallout of a problem they started.”
“Only they didn’t start anything. You are the professional here, Mr. Stephenson. It was your place to do your job without prejudice. Can you say you did that, bearing in mind you are under oath?”
“No, I cannot.”
