My brows furrow. “How do you mean?”
“Just like in the real world, murder is a crime that cannot go unpunished, and until now, the death of your parents was always considered a tragic accident—it still is. Some believed it was murder, others believed the accidental fire story, so no punishments were handed out. Taking the life of our leader … that’s unheard of. It’s the worst crime anyone in this world could commit, and once the truth got out, Royston Carver would have been sentenced to death—an eye for an eye as you like to say.”
“So, I’m in the clear?”
“Not exactly,” he tells me. “The only evidence you have to prove he was guilty is now the words of a dead man. No one heard what he said to you. There’s no recording or proof that he did it, just your word, and considering the position you’re now in …”
“I’m fucked.”
“Exactly.”
My head drops and I study the backs of my hands far too closely. “So, what’s going to happen after I’ve said my piece?”
“Same as everything else,” he says, giving me another tight smile that doesn’t reach his eyes. “They’ll put it to a vote and you better hope that one of those eight families are feeling lenient and give you the benefit of the doubt.”
“And if they don’t?”
“Then it’ll be an even split and you’ll be thrown back in here until there’s a final decision.”
Dread sinks heavily into my gut. “I’m screwed,” I murmur into the quiet cell. “They’ll never agree.”
Cruz’s eyes drop, feeling the heaviness just as I am. “That’s why I’m hoping Carver might come around.”
I drop my head into my hands and the room falls into silence once again. If my future is dependent on Carver, then I’m royally fucked. I’ll never get out of here. Though a small part of me is glad that I’m here for avenging my parents’ murders. At least I can live with myself knowing the man I killed completely deserved it and that the outside world is now better off for it. The same goes for Kurt. Scumbags like that don’t deserve to walk the earth, they deserve to rot in hell. If only I could get my hands on Sam. Now that would just be the cherry on top.
A few minutes pass before I glance back up at Cruz to find his concerned stare already locked on my face. “Don’t look at me like that,” I tell him.
“Like what?”
“Like I’m doomed,” I say with a deep sigh, my bottom lip pouting out knowing damn well that I am doomed. “You’re supposed to be the inappropriately flirty one. If doom and gloom was the vibe you were hoping for, you should have sent Grayson.”
A small smile tugs at the corners of his lips as he raises a brow and slowly pulls himself up off the ground. “And what would you have gotten had I sent King?”
A breathy laugh pulls from deep within me as a cocky grin tugs at the side of my mouth. “A little something to soothe my sore throat.”
Cruz rolls his eyes but can’t help the laugh that bubbles out of him. “Come here,” he says, stepping into the bars and offering me his hands. I take them and he instantly pulls me up to my feet before pulling me flush against the bars and wrapping his warm arms around me.
His hands roam over my back, dropping down to my ass before traveling back up. I try to smoosh my face into the side of his neck where it usually belongs, but the bar makes it impossible. “You’re going to be fine. If Dynasty can’t agree to let you go, then I’ll bust your sweet ass out of here myself.”
“Oh, really,” I laugh, raising my head to meet his sparkling green eyes. “And how do you suppose you’ll do that?”
He scoffs as though the answer is as clear as the bright blue sky. “How do you think?” he smirks. “Just one little flick of my finger and this whole cell would come crumbling down around you.”
“Then go right ahead, Hulk. Show me your impressive skills.”
Cruz sucks in a horrified gasp. “What do you take me for? I’m only looking out for your safety. I’m not a complete savage.”
“Only in the bedroom then?”
“Damn right,” he grumbles, his voice low and filled with lust as he grips my chin and raises it, bringing my lips to his. “Now shut up and let me take your mind off it.”
I don’t even get a chance to respond before his warm lips are pressing down over mine and he kisses me deeply. Cruz’s tongue slips inside my mouth and I melt into him, letting him hold my weight as I quickly get lost in his kiss.
My pussy clenches with desire and I wonder just how far things can go with these stupid bars between us when Cruz pulls back and runs his heated gaze down my body. He reads the phrase on the front of my panties before taking my hips and slowly dropping to his knees. “Well, well,” he murmurs, his eyes rising to meet mine as he slowly draws my panties down, making heat flood between my legs. “The panties have spoken. Who the hell am I to disappoint?”