It’s out there, and I don’t regret it. If anything, his silence actually makes me smile. Slumping back in the large chair, I wait as the seconds tick by.

“Did you hear me? I’m in love with you, and seeing you with my mom makes me sick. I want to throw up, probably will. Thinking about you, and how you feel when you’re inside me, and knowing you’re doing that with her…”

“I’m not.” His deep voice makes me sit up.

I try to calm my racing heart, but can’t breathe. Holy shit, this is it. He’s going to say the words I need to hear.

“We will talk about this later.” His voice is clipped, almost annoyed sounding.

“That’s all you’re going to say? I’m not? I’m not what?” I demand, because I’ve come this far, so why stop now?

“I’m not discussing this on the phone.” His voice is full of warning.

Inhaling deeply, I nod, then let the hysterical laughter come out.

“Well, at least you don’t have to worry about pregnancy. You have a good day, Mr. Powers.” That’s enough humiliation for today, or any other day. I’m about to hang up.

“Raven.” His voice stops me.

“What?”

“I haven’t been with your mother, or anyone else, since the day I took your virginity.” And then the line goes dead.

Chapter Twenty-Four

JETT

“Becca, call Doug Jefferson and tell him I’m passing on the Hopper case.” I walk past a stunned Rebecca who jumps up from her seat as if I’ve scared her.

“Yes, of course. Do I give him a reason?”

Glaring at her, I swing my massive office door open.

“I’m so sorry. Coffee?” she calls after me as I shut the door. She’ll bring me coffee and every kind of Danish since she knows she fucked up by questioning me.

I should just call it a day, I think, looking at my Rolex. It’s almost three. I spent way longer than I wanted to today in court, only to be hit with nonstop messages about taking this murder case as soon as I got out. It’s the type of case I should jump at: wealthy woman killing her husband of twelve years. She said it was because he had just found out he was dying and that it was a suicide. I can definitely work that, even with the lack of weapon or any real concrete testimony saying that he was indeed terminal.

It will be a major event. Paparazzi will eat it up. They need something since the Disciples case is over. Young, beautiful Mrs. Hopper, a former Playboy bunny, found depressed, older husband dead because he couldn’t handle going through a lengthy death.