Both Simon and Lector bristle and step forward, and Zack copies them, swinging around to search for a threat.
“Hale, what a surprise,” Ricky says with a laugh. “Yes, Calli’s here.”
“Yeah, well, we haven’t got time for surprises.” Callisto’s paralegal stalks into the room and glares at Callisto.
“What’s going on?” Callisto asks.
“Well, if you’d answer your damn phone, you’d know,” the pissed-off man says. He eyes Calli up and down as he closes thedistance and clucks his tongue. “And just fucking great, you’re still in your pajamas.”
“You’re not making any sense,” Callisto shoots back, tone brittle.
Hale drags on his elbow. “I know you’ve been through shit with a manhunt and whatnot, but you need to get dressed. You’re due in court in fifteen minutes.” He shoves Callisto bodily toward the stairs. “Go.”
The blood drains from Callisto’s face. “What? But I don’t have anything scheduled today.”
His colleague huffs. “No? How about the fucking case you ran out of yesterday? God knows why, but the judge ordered an overnight rescheduling. You’ve got a big penalty fee to pay, but I’m sure that won’t bother you much.” He blows out through his lips, looking both frazzled and proud. “You must’ve been born under a lucky star, Callisto Wren.”
I wobble. They gave him a second chance at his career streak?
“Holy shit!” Callisto cries from the bottom step. “Are you serious?”
Hale lifts his arm and looks at his watch. “Fourteen minutes.”
Callisto bolts up the stairs, and Ricky charges after him, their footsteps thundering overhead.
Hale spins and pushes escaped wiry hair toward his topknot before bowing slightly. “Mrs Wren, and Misters Wren, please forgive me for intruding on your meal.” He’s suddenly like a completely different person.
Without waiting for an answer, he swings toward me. “Ms Jones, I’m horrified by what happened to you and thrilled to see you standing here in one piece. Tomorrow, or when I get a chance to breathe, I’ll be sure to send flowers, but today I need to borrow your lawyer.” He turns and shouts up toward the second floor. “Twelve minutes.”
A giggle escapes me, and I press a finger to my lips. “I see why Callisto loves working with you,” I say.
He grins. “Well, the pleasure’s all mine. He might be a bit of a—” he blanches, gaze flitting to the senior Wrens. “A bitspecial, but he’s brilliant at what he does. Working with him keeps things interesting.” He climbs a few steps and calls out, “Ten minutes. Your ride is leaving.”
Shit, the case. I should be there to watch Callisto’s triumph!
Hale sees me lunge forward and holds out his hand. “Don’t strain yourself, Ms Jones. I’m sure you’ve been through the wringer since yesterday. If you prefer, I can call you when things wrap up, and you can come pick him up.”
My panic evaporates. “That’d be great, but you sound certain that he’s going to win.”
He heads for the door, smirk lighting up his face. “He’d have to be a nincompoop to lose this one.”
Zack glides to my side and takes my hand. “Cal-ee smart,” he declares proudly.
Hale shoots his fingers at the big alpha. “Right you are. Let’s just hope we can get that smart alpha to the courthouse in time.”
Callisto flies down the stairs, still buttoning his vest. He pauses to kiss my cheek, but Hale hisses at him, shooing him out the foyer.
“Good luck, alpha!” I shout as the door slams shut.
Chapter sixty-two
Callisto
The judge closes the folder on his desk and shuffles the evidence sheets into a neat pile before looking up. My heartbeat pounds so loud it throbs in my ears. I told my pack it was no big deal giving up my win streak, but I suppose working so hard towards a single goal for years made it part of me.
And now we’re a breath away from a verdict.
Judge Harmon removes his glasses and scratches his nose. Feels like an eternity before he begins. “Given the evidence presented before me, I see no way the marketing claims published by the defendant can be considered valid, a fact Pulse Corporation senior staff were aware of before choosing to publish the marketing materials. Furthermore, the plaintiff was negatively impacted by the unfulfilled claims.”
