Page 124 of Misguided

He chuckles. “Brother, I did for the last seven years.”

I shake my head, disgusted that we share the same blood. “You deserve every year of jail you get.”

He glances over his shoulder at Mel, as though finally realizing the doors keep shifting. “You’re so naïve, Koen. Doesn’t matter what I did, the company has enough money to buy out even the toughest jury. I’ll never hang for it.”

Interestingly, Mel lets the doors slide open this time. She steps out, and I follow, over this bullshit conversation with Derek.

“I see you here again, you better watch your back.”

“Bite me, fuckhead,” I spit back as I turn and take two steps backward.

The elevator doors close, and the numbers count their way up to Lorelle’s floor.

I turn and reach for Mel, running my hands over her face, her shoulders. “You okay?”

She nods, a small smirk tugging at her plump lips. Slowly, she lifts her hands from behind her back, showing the recording screen on her phone. The ticker at the bottom shows a little over five minutes.

“You caught all that?” I ask.

She nods, looking up at me from under her lashes. “Thought we could double back on that blackmail of his.”

I laugh, taking her head in my hands and plastering a kiss to her lips. This woman—she never ceases to amaze me. “Fuckin’ love you, woman.”

“Love you too. Now let’s get you ready for that video call.”

***

I disconnect from the Skype call with clammy hands, pushing my phone along the table. King let me use the meeting room for the interview under one condition: I stop lying about who I am. He said I don’t have to come clean, but if anyone wants to know my real name, I tell them and trust that it won’t affect how people see me.

Baby steps, I suppose.

Mel greets me with a smile as I step out into the common room. “How did it go?”

“Easier than I thought.”

She pushes out of her seat on one of the sofas and walks toward me. “What did you tell them?”

“The truth.” They asked if Derek could be trusted, and I said no. “Didn’t elaborate on anything they didn’t directly ask about, but I gave them enough to want to dig a little deeper.”

“How do you know they won’t just sweep it under the carpet, though?” Her hands find my cut as she rests them against my chest. “It was his lawyer you spoke to.”

“Yes,” I say, lifting a finger. “But the prosecution was present, too.”

She smiles, pushing up on tiptoes to place a kiss on my lips. “You’re a good man, Dog.”

“I try.” Especially now I have her, my reason to.

“What about Lorelle?”

“What about her?”

Mel huffs out her nose, pressing her lips together. “You saw how miserable she was.”

“Not my problem.”

She slams a hard fist against my chest. “Hey.”

I roll my eyes and sigh. “Fine. I can have a word with King. You still got that recordin’?”