Patrick’s smile was a bitter and twisted thing. “You don’t know that.”
He didn’t, but Jono refused to believe this was a fight they would lose. Despite everything standing against them, Jono wasn’t going to back down when giving an inch meant giving up the world.
“If we weren’t a threat, the Dominion Sect wouldn’t be trying so bloody hard to take us out.”
“Well, they’ve succeeded in the sense that my job is fucked, and what federal coverage I could get us is no longer available.”
“So what do we do?” Wade asked.
He had a box of Pop-Tarts in his lap and was steadily eating his way through it. It was his second box since they’d arrived, and Leon had a third waiting on the kitchen counter for him. Jono hoped they had more in the pantry. Wade was prone to stress-eating right now, and that got expensive.
“We wait to see what, if any, charges come down like Danai advised yesterday,” Sage said.
“You sure that’s the best option?” Emma asked.
Sage frowned. “It’s the only one we have right now. Youssef’s death changes everything. Estelle got ahead of the story before we could, effectively changing the narrative of the past few months. All the attacks might have been perpetuated by her and her pack, but she put on a good show yesterday, and the media ate it up.”
Patrick set his glass on the table and leaned back against the sofa, pressing the heels of his hands against his eyes. “Every single case I’ve worked on since last June is now open to being thrown out by the courts, and that includes the shine case from last August that directly impacts Estelle and her god pack.”
“Fuck,” Leon said. “Every case?”
Patrick dropped his hands, staring up at the ceiling. “I have a fuckingbiaswhen I shouldn’t.”
“Everyone has biases,” Sage said.
“They’re not supposed to be overt in a federal job. The SOA’s Legal department is going to be working overtime addressing every single case I’ve touched since I arrived in New York last year.”
Jono tightened his hold on Patrick’s hip, dragging him closer. Patrick didn’t try to stop him. “What about the ones concerning the hunters in New York?”
Patrick grimaced. “Everycase is subject to review now, especially the ones where you are involved.”
“So, what? Estelle gets away with murder?” Wade asked.
Marek sighed. “Sure sounds like it.”
“What are we going to do about it all?” Emma asked.
Patrick opened his mouth, but Sage raised her hand, cutting him off to answer for him. “We can’t talk about that.”
Emma frowned. “We need to be prepared.”
“Ourgod pack needs to be prepared. That’s confidential information we’ve discussed with our attorney and no one else at this time. To keep attorney-client privilege, we can’t tell you what our defense is going to be.”
“No one’s been charged with anything yet.”
“The court of public opinion begs to differ,” Patrick muttered.
Emma let out a frustrated sound. “Then what can wedo?”
“We’ll need you to keep an open channel with all the other packs under our protection. Danai said our communications are evidence, so going forward, we’ll need you to act as our intermediary. We’ll meet with you every day if we have to,” Jono said.
“Of course,” Leon said, nodding along with Emma. “Does that mean you need some time off from the bar?”
Jono sighed. “Might be for the best right now. The media has been a bloody annoyance since our suit fitting got interrupted.”
“We could close the bar until things die down. It’ll be safer for everyone right now, especially if the packs will be calling us to get in touch with you.”
“Don’t close the bar,” Sage said, not looking up from her laptop. “Closed means Jono can’t work, and that might impact his visa.”
