At the metal table, which is firmly anchored to the floor, sits Mr.Eliander. And next to him…
Ah, fuck.
Jules must have bleached Sophie’s hair because it’s tied up in a blond messy bun. Her fair skin looks ashen, and dark circles lie under her reddened eyes. Her full lips are pale and chapped, and she’s wearing one of my hoodies. It’s far too big for her and makes her look even more lost than she already is.
Damn… What the hell is she doing here?
Sophie rises, but doesn’t approach me. Instead, she meets my gaze with steely resolve, while I’m afraid I might lose my mind at any moment. "Why are you doing this, Cole?"
Her voice is just a whisper, but it still threatens to bring me to my knees.
I can’t look at her. If I look at her even for a second longer, I’ll throw everything away, which is why I avert my gaze and fix my eyes on my lawyer instead.
"What the fuck?" I bark at him, but he doesn’t even bat an eyelash. "Why is she here?"
"I can’t let you do that. It goes against everything I believe in and everything I am."
My anger boils over as I fight with everything I have to ignore Sophie’s presence. "You’re my damn lawyer. Your job is to defend me when I say so, and nothing else."
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Sophie cast him a concerned glance, but he continues speaking undeterred, his voice now taking on a certain edge. "Sit the hell down and talk to her. You owe her that, Cole."
I can’t believe it. Who is this guy who’s acting like he’s my fucking dad right now?
"This is way beyond your responsibility, don’t you think?" I ask in an icy tone.
The corner of his mouth twitches briefly before he answers and says something that makes me want to smash his face in. "I no longer have any responsibility here. The prosecutor’s office received a letter a few minutes ago. I’m stepping down as the defense in this case. I’m no longer your lawyer."
Stunned, I stare at him while I wonder if this is real because it feels like a fucking nightmare.
"Cole…please."
My gaze shifts to Sophie of its own accord, immediately settling on the amber-brown of her eyes.
She shakes her head, pure desperation written all over her face. "I’mbeggingyou. Don’t do this."
My head is threatening to burst because this is too much. She shouldn’t be here. And she can’t fucking look at me like that because I’ll give up.
"I have to get out of here," I declare mechanically and turn away to leave the room, but Sophie’s voice makes me freeze again.
"I love you," she calls after me, making the walls I’ve just built around myself shake.
Endless seconds pass, during which no one moves or says anything, until she speaks up again, causing everything in me to collapse.
"Don’t just leave. And don’t make that fucking deal with the prosecution. Please, don’t do this to me, Cole."
FORTY-SIX
SOPHIE
My heart is about to explode. Any moment now, it will happen. I know it.
It’s crazy how much an organ can take. It beats, falters, stings, cracks, breaks, and stops beating, but it still keeps on loving.
And oh, how it loves! Every single beat of my heart is for Cole, no matter how hard he tries to push me away. It beats solely for him, and I will not allow him to ignore that. I will not allow him to give himself up and go to prison for something he didn’t even do. He’s too precious, even if he can’t see it himself.
"Did you just swear, darling?" There’s disbelief in his voice, but he doesn’t turn around to look at me.
"I tell you that I love you, andthat’sall you hear?" I ask him almost angrily. "Are you fucking kidding me?"
