Katherine clutched her chest. “What?”
“I know it's not what you want to hear, but—”
“Of course, it’s not what I want to hear! My father abused me and others for years. Now, you’re telling me he’s gonna get off with a slap on the wrist!”
“He’s not getting off, Katherine. In addition to serving his time, your father is about to help convict dozens of pedophiles. Please, try to think of all the children we’ll be protecting by taking these monsters off the street.”
Katherine rolled her eyes and blew out a frustrated breath. She did, however, notice that Joseph was unusually quiet. She looked over at him and threw her hands up.
“Sweetheart, I understand that you’re upset,” Joseph said. “In a perfect world, all the bad men would go to prison forever. But this world is not perfect. Sometimes, we gotta take what we can get. Your father is going to prison. He will never navigate this world the way he’s accustomed to. His life is ruined.”
Of course, Jake and Joseph were right, but Katherine wanted to see her father pay in a manner that befitted his crimes.
“Fine.” Katherine exhaled. “You know where to find me if you need me.”
“I do,” Jake confirmed.
When Joseph opened the door for them to leave, Katherine moved to the door. However, before she left, she turned back to Jake. “What does this mean for Gabriela Rodriguez?”
“Since she originally discovered the evidence, she’s still a material witness. She’ll be fine.”
Katherine breathed a sigh of relief. She’d known Gabby for most of her life. While living in her parents’ house, Gabby had been her only ally. Joseph placed his hand on her lower back and urged her along. “Come on, sweetheart. Let’s get out of here.”
Katherine nodded. She left the courtroom, relieved she didn’t have to testify but upset that her father wasn’t truly paying for his sins.
Chapter Twenty-Five
KATHERINE
Joseph pulled into the parking lot and looked over at Katherine with a raised brow. “You ready to knock out this last year?”
Katherine smiled. “So ready.”
It was the first day of the fall session and Katherine was looking forward to getting on with her life. Her father’s case had been going on for months. So far, there were fifteen plea deals that had culminated from her father’s statements. The wheels of justice were turning too slow, but at least the press had eased up. A story about an heiress and her lover, who was also her stepson, killing her husband knocked them right out of the news cycle. Thankfully, they made better news.
Joseph reached over and grabbed her hand. “Sweetheart, how bout we go out to dinner tonight?”
“I would love that.” Katherine grinned with mischief on her mind. “And dessert when we get home?”
Joseph reached up and ran his thumb along her jaw. “You read my mind, baby girl.”
He hopped out and walked around to open her door. After grabbing their bags from the back seat, he hooked them on his shoulder. Katherine slipped her hand in his and together, they walked hand in hand toward their last year of law school.
* * *
JOSEPH
Joseph opened the door and helped Katherine out of the car. For the hundredth time that night, he admired her beauty. Her dark hair flowed over one shoulder and her body was perfection in a fitted black dress. “Have I told you how beautiful you look tonight, Miss Chase?”
She blessed him with a beautiful smile. “Yes, you have, Mr. Storm.”
Joseph draped his arm around her. “Let’s go in so I can have my dessert.”
As they walked arm and arm toward the building, Joseph ran a play-by-play of everything he had planned for his woman. However, when they reached the entrance, they were intercepted by the equivalent of a bucket of cold water.
“Mother, what are you doing here?” Katherine huffed.
Katherine’s mother approached with fury and tears in her eyes. “You have destroyed this family!” she spat.
