Page 21 of A Pawn for Malice
“Don’t. I made a grave error in judgement.She wasn’t the woman I thought she was.”
Jessica scrunched her lips to the side. “Icertainly can understand that.”
His brows furrowed, as he gazed at her. “Howso?”
She waved her hand like a warning signal at atrain crossing. “Oh, that’s a story for another time, truly. Justknow, my feelings were far from hurt. I hope you don’t think lessof me, when I confide, that I rather enjoyed the exchange.”
She could see a chuckle begin to bubble upinside of him, until it escaped.
“You really slapped her down too. I ratherenjoyed it myself.”
Jessica couldn’t contain her own giggles andtogether they enjoyed the moment of mirth, before attempting tocontain themselves.
“Well, with that being said,” he pausedbriefly, “I called upon her this morning to officially break offthe engagement and learned that she had left the country on aholiday.” He snapped his fingers in the air. “Just like that. Ofcourse, she’s avoiding the inevitable but, as far as I’m concerned,it’s over.”
“All for the better, I suppose.”
He nodded slowly. “Yes, all for the better.Jessica, another reason why I wanted to talk to you, is to let youknow your official start date won’t be until Wednesday.”
She tried not to let the disappoint registeron her face.
“Oh! You won’t be in town, until then?”
He took a hearty sip from his tea, beforeanswering.
“Quite the opposite. I spoke with MarcusWainright this morning. He’s head of the Senate’s Journal Clerk’sOffice. He knows the ins and outs of the legislative process betterthan the Member’s themselves. I thought his instructions would helpyour transition more smoothly. Marcus will work with you for a fewdays to explain that process, the breakdown of committees and theirrealm of responsibility. First thing Wednesday morning at 9 a.m.you’ll meet with Senate Personnel to process your paperwork forpayroll and insurance coverage. I have a staff meeting set for ten,then you and I will meet for an hour to go over my agenda and willmost probably work through lunch, which I’ll have ordered in. Howdoes that sound?”
“I, so, can’t wait.” She replied.
His hearty laughter warmed her insides to atoasty melt down. The dimple to the right of those luscious lips ofhis was more pronounced than she had remembered.
Please dear Lord, she quietly prayed.Don’t let me disappoint this man.Bless me with theknowledge and intuitiveness to do him proud. Please. Please.Please.
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CHAPTEREIGHT
Sylas Corbat was driven close to the edge ofventing his pent-up frustration and wrath for anyone, who got inhis way.
The air in the courtroom, one would say, wasso tense, you could slice through it with a knife. Sylas knew thebastards sitting in the jury box, would find his brother, Luther,guilty of murder. His brother’s lawyer had told him just thatmorning, that a conviction was inevitable and there would be nochance for acquittal.
Luther, was by far meaner and crazier thanhim. The asshole purposely aimed, shot, and killed those people andthat rookie cop, after Luther robbed that grocery store atgunpoint. The god-damned fool never even used a mask to hide hisidentity, Sylas thought. As much as he hated cops himself, hewouldn’t had gone that far.
The judge’s pounding of his gavel, arousedSylas from his musings.
“Mr. Foreman, has the jury reached averdict,” Judge Atkins questioned with authority.
“Yes, your Honor, we have,” stated a lanky,thin-lipped foreman.
“And, what is the decision based on the factsbrought forth in this trial against the defendant.”
The foreman nervously cleared his throat andbrushed the sweat from his brow with a swift swipe of the back ofhis hand.
“We, the jury, find the defendant, LutherSamuel Corbat, guilty of robbery in the first degree yourHonor.”
“And on the second count of murder in thefirst degree?” The judge pursued.
“Guilty, your Honor.”
