Page 46 of Judge's Justice

"It's honest. And I get it." I take her hand. "But Nora, I need you to understand something. I've always wanted a family. Always. But I didn't think I'd ever have one. Didn't think I was the kind of man who got that. And now here you are. Here Grace is. And you're offering me exactly what I've wanted my entire life."

My voice drops lower. More intense.

"So yeah, I want to be Grace's stepfather eventually. I want to be the man she runs to when she's scared. I want to teach her to ride a motorcycle when she's older, with your permission. I want to be there for school plays and scraped knees and all the normal family shit I thought I'd never get to experience." I squeeze her hand. "I'm not going anywhere. Not unless you tell me to. So, take all the time you need to be sure. I'll be here. And when you're ready, when we're both ready, we'll tell Grace together."

Tears well up in Nora's eyes. "How are you real?"

"I'm real. Just took forty-three years and a war to find you."

She stands on her toes and kisses my cheek. "Good luck with Phoenix. I'll be with Grace."

"I'll find you after."

She walks back toward the common room, and I head in the opposite direction. Toward Phoenix's office at the end of the hallway.

The door is closed. I knock twice.

"Come in."

I push the door open and step inside.

Phoenix is behind his desk, paperwork spread out in front of him, a cup of coffee cooling at his elbow. He looks up when I enter, and relief flashes across his face.

"Judge. Good to see you on your feet." He gestures to the chair across from him. "Sit. You look like you're about to fall over."

I sit, and my ribs thank me. "Saint said you wanted to talk."

"I did. I do." Phoenix leans back in his chair, studying me. "How are you feeling? Really."

"Like I got the shit kicked out of me. But I'll live."

"Saint said it was bad. Two broken ribs, dislocated shoulder, concussion. Said you didn't fight back because the Vipers had security footage of the civilians and threatened to go looking for them."

"That's accurate."

Phoenix is quiet for a moment. "You could have died."

"I know."

"You took a beating that could have killed you to protect two civilians you'd known for less than a day."

"Yeah."

"Why?"

Phoenix's eyes are sharp, assessing, but not unkind. He's not judging. He's trying to understand.

"Because it was the right thing to do," I say finally. "Because they needed help and I was there. Because—" I stop. Start again. "Because the second that Viper put his hands on Nora, the second Grace looked at me and asked if I was nice, I was done.They became mine to protect. And I don't do things halfway. You know that."

"I do know that." Phoenix picks up his coffee, takes a sip, sets it back down. "Saint also said something interesting when he brought you in. Said you were already in deep. That you cared about these civilians more than just professionally."

"He was right."

"And now?" Phoenix's eyes lock on mine. "Now that you've been here for two days recovering with them hovering over you? Where are you now?"

This is it. The moment where I tell my president that I just started a relationship with a woman I'm supposed to be protecting. That I crossed a line I shouldn't have crossed.

That I don't regret it for a second.