Sanity returned in the form of Ace nudging my back and I jerked away from Magnus so fast, I hit my head on the top of the door frame. I met Magnus's gaze as he reached out to settle his hand on Ace's face. His eyes were filled with confusion and I hoped like hell he wouldn't remember any of this tomorrow. After studying me for several long seconds, Magnus leaned his head back against the seat and looked at Ace. "You'll take care of the horses, right?" he murmured. I knew he'd be out in a matter of minutes because even now his eyes were drifting shut.
"I'll take care of them," I responded. "I'll take care of everything, Magnus," I whispered, but I had no idea if he heard me or not because he was asleep a moment later. I pushed Ace back enough so I could close the door and then led the horses around to the other side of the car so I could get it started. I turned up the heat and then closed the door and leaned back against it to wait for Colton. Ace bumped my chest and I put my hands on each side of his big face.
"I'm so fucked, Ace. Completely and totally fucked."
* * *
I was fucked, but luckily Magnus remained blissfully unaware. I didn't know what deity I had to thank for Magnus being a functioning drunk with a shitty memory, but I was willing to sign my firstborn over to make sure the man didn't remember a single thing about the night before … specifically the part where I'd been about to take advantage of his vulnerability by kissing him. Sadly, no amount of alcohol would make me forget the events that had transpired less than 72 hours ago.
I'd waited at the cemetery only long enough for Colton to arrive and begin loading up the horses. He'd wanted to see Magnus, but I'd hesitated, not wanting his friend to see him like that. It wasn't that I thought Colton would think any less of Magnus, but I knew how much Magnus prided himself on his self-control. I suspected it would be bad enough if he knew I'd seen him like that. So once Colton had shown up, I'd handed him the reins, thanked him and made an excuse about Magnus being wiped out from the events of the day. I was sure the man hadn't believed that was all there was to it, but he hadn't pressed me for more. Once I'd gotten Magnus back to the house, it had taken some time to rouse him and get him up to his bedroom. I'd gotten him into bed, but had only removed his shoes since I was one hundred percent certain he wouldn't like knowing I'd undressed him. Colton had arrived about ten minutes later, but had driven straight to the barn to unload the horses. He'd sent me a text telling me the horses were put up for the evening and that he'd fed them as well. He'd also asked me to have Magnus text him the following day if he was up to it.
Sunday morning had come and gone with not a peep out of Magnus. Afternoon was the same. By evening, I'd become concerned and knocked on his door. He'd quietly asked me to leave him alone through the door. I'd taken some dinner up to him that night, but hadn't spoken to him again. By Monday morning, things were back to normal and Magnus was actually up before me. Freshly showered and shaven, he'd apologized for the day before saying he'd been worn out and had slept most of the day. There'd been no mention of the events that had transpired at the wake and afterwards. But there also hadn't been any kind of awkwardness between us which was confirmation enough that he didn't remember the details of that night or what I'd almost done.
I'd spent all of Monday finishing up the work on the outside of the house while Magnus had started to pack up his personal belongings that he would be taking back to Seattle with him immediately. I hadn't realized Magnus would be driving back to the city and more importantly, I hadn't been sure if the plan was for me to drive with him. By then the trial would be over so, in theory, he wouldn't be in danger anymore. But when Memphis had mentioned that fact to me, I'd found myself trying to convince the man that it would be better to play it safe and have me stick with Magnus until he was home in one piece. Memphis had told me it would be up to Magnus, but I had yet to approach him about it.
Because I was afraid of what his answer would be.
It was mind blowing to think that a week ago I couldn't wait to get away from him. The idea that he might be headed back to Seattle while I'd be on my way to my next job actually caused me physical pain.
Hence the reason I was so fucked.
Because my feelings clearly weren't just about lust anymore. I didn't know what they were, but I knew even the drastic step of fucking a Magnus look-alike in the very near future wouldn't solve my problem.
The District Attorney had called Monday afternoon to confirm that the jury had been selected and opening arguments had already been completed. He'd asked Magnus to arrive Tuesday morning since his plan was to have him testify right after the lunch break.
Magnus hadn't shown any kind of nervousness about testifying and I'd actually been the one who hadn't been able to sit still as we'd spent the morning in a conference room in the courthouse waiting for Magnus to be called to the stand. It had ended up being well after two o'clock in the afternoon before he'd been summoned. I'd been on high alert the entire day in case Trent tried to make some kind of last ditch effort to silence Magnus, but everything remained quiet.
Too quiet as far as I was concerned.
"Your witness," I heard the prosecutor say just before he sat down at the table on his side of the courtroom. His questioning of Magnus had taken about an hour and I'd been impressed by how calm and cool Magnus had remained as he'd recounted the events of the day the girl had died shortly after crossing over the US border. The prosecutor had made sure to have Magnus highlight his career in law enforcement since the ultimate argument would come down to credibility. I'd taken a seat in the back row of the courtroom so I could see all the comings and goings and not have my back to anyone or anything. Magnus's eyes had met mine a few times during his testimony, but he hadn't lingered in any way. I, on the other hand, had had to remind myself to keep scanning the audience rather than just sit there and be enamored with how Magnus handled himself.
"Mr. DuCane," the defense attorney began as he climbed to his feet and buttoned his pricey suit. There were two other lawyers sitting with Lachlan Trent at the defense's table and another three sitting in the first row right behind Trent. The man had clearly spared no expense in hiring the best people to get him off.
"I just want to make sure I'm clear in regards to the events that transpired the afternoon of March 15th."
The lawyer proceeded to go through every minor detail of what had happened from the moment the girl's car had been stopped at the border to the moment she died. Magnus had already gone through the steps with the prosecutor, but I recognized the move for what it was. The defense attorney was trying to trip Magnus up. Pride welled inside of me as Magnus stuck to his story even when the asshole lawyer questioned every little detail, wondering how Magnus could remember the events so clearly. Magnus's response couldn't have been more straightforward.
You never forget the day a sixteen-year-old girl dies in your arms.
The defense attorney continued to try and provoke Magnus into making a mistake, but after an hour, he hadn't faltered at all. But that all changed when the defense attorney suddenly asked, "Mr. DuCane, you don't like my client much, do you?"
"I don't know your client well enough to have formed an opinion of him, Mr. Salvatore," Magnus responded easily.
Salvatore was quiet for a moment as he paced back and forth in front of Magnus. His eyes connected with the jury as he said, "So you have no personal feelings about this case?"
"No," Magnus answered.
I stiffened because I saw a smirk flit across the man's mouth. His back was to Magnus, so he couldn't see it.
"Mr. DuCane, do you have any children?"
"Objection," the prosecutor called out.
"Goes to credibility," Salvatore responded.
The judge paused and then said, "Overruled."
Magnus didn't physically react to the question, though I saw his eyes briefly fill with anger.
"No, not anymore."
"But you did at one time?"
Magnus glanced at the jury before saying, "Yes."
"Son or daughter."
"A daughter."
"What happened to your daughter, Mr. DuCane?"
The prosecutor objected again. There were several seconds of back and forth between the two lawyers and the judge. My eyes connected with Magnus's. I saw the hard set of his jaw and I could tell he was pissed.
I knew immediately where the defense attorney was going with the questions and I suspected Magnus did to. His personal life and his daughter's memory were about to be dragged through the mud.
The legal talk continued. I was still focused on Magnus when the door to the courtroom opened. I automatically checked to make sure whoever was coming in wasn't a threat to Magnus, but it didn't take long to realize that was exactly what they were.
Only it was a threat I couldn't defend Magnus against.
Because standing by the door in an expensive looking emerald green dress and killer heels was Magnus's ex-wife, Mel. Waiting dutifully next to her was one of Trent's many attorneys. Mel's eyes held Magnus's long enough for her to send him the briefest of smirks before the lawyer showed her to a seat at the back for the courtroom and sat down next to her.