I heard footsteps down the hall, and I didn’t have to wonder who it was.
Justin… you fucking pussy.
His revenge was served on a cold platter. After over a year, he finally got the last word, fully aware I wouldn’t have the funds to get a good attorney. I didn’t know much about the law. However, I knew enough. I was almost eighteen, and I’d spent years dreaming about the day I’d finally be an adult.
I just never imagined it’d come with handcuffs and a warrant for my arrest for defending her.
CHAPTER
THIRTY-FIVE
ISLA
“What doyou mean you can’t find him?” Julius paced back and forth in his lawyer’s office, pulling his hair back.
I sat in the chair in front of his attorney’s desk. A lawyer he’d been using for over a year as he tried to adopt Kraven. That was only one of the things I learned about Julius in the past week of dealing with the fallout that was Justin.
I couldn’t get too upset about Julius keeping things from me, considering I was doing the same. That didn’t stop the hurt I felt that he couldn’t trust me with his plans, especially since I kept asking him about exactly that.
Not only was I learning new things about Julius but his parents were included as well. We hadn’t been able to locate Joe for the past two weeks. He was MIA, and without him, the detention center holding Kraven wouldn’t release him. Once he turned eighteen, we could request to go before the judge again, but that could take months to get approved.
When it came to the law, nothing moved fast.
Justin suffered irreparable damage to his jaw or some bullshit like that. Guys like Justin had to win no matter what, andthat was what this situation felt like. I wasn’t sure why he waited so long, though he was still within the statute of limitations to file a case.
I tried to stay quiet, blend into the background, and help where I could to find Joe. I didn’t want to burden Julius with any more drama or questions, so I pretty much just listened to how shitty this whole ordeal truly was and stayed silent. His lawyer did most of the talking, and seeing the two-inch-thick folder that he held in his hands, full of their parents’ rap sheets, told me everything I needed to know about their upbringing.
I wondered what else Julius had kept from me.
I couldn’t help it, particularly now. Listening to all this new information was upsetting for many reasons, and, again, I tried my best not to make it about me. It wasn’t.
Not in the least.
“I have my best guy trying to find him,” he announced.
They hired a private investigator.
Where is he getting all this money?
The question loomed in my mind, though the answer was not far from reach. However, I tossed that aside, telling myself he was better than that. He wouldn’t resort to what I was thinking. It all fit together, though. All the pieces to the puzzle of why he was so private made sense.
“I’m not impressed,” Julius replied, bringing me back to the present.
“Julius,” he coaxed. “You need to calm down, okay? We’re doing the best we can, given our circumstances. Your brother can take care of himself in there. He’ll be alright.”
“After everything I’ve told you about my brother, do you really think he’ll be able to keep his mouth shut? The second someone challenges him, whether it’s another inmate or authority figure, he’s going to lose his shit if he hasn’t already.”
“I haven’t heard anything.”
“Doesn’t mean it hasn’t happened. We both know how these centers are run, Mark.” Julius leaned against the wall. “I can’t believe Kraven! How can he do this to me? Does he even care about howfucked we are right now? No! Of course he doesn’t! He doesn’t give a shit about anyone but himself!”
Their lawyer proceeded, “I understand you’re pissed, but what about if we look for your mother instead?”
He didn’t hesitate in spewing, “Not a chance in hell.”
“Julius…” I rasped, low and transparent.
“All she will do is cause more chaos,” Julius explained. “She will do more harm than good.”
