*****

Hitter and I climb out of his car once we've reached his house and I let my eyes trail over the cream white mansion, more of a fortress than anything. Lots of windows, even doors, lots of greenery and running water fountains all outside and I'm surprised at how much it doesn't suit him but does all in the same.

I guess I expected a sleek two story modern house, but a mysterious cream coloured mansion is just what whoever is behind the mask needs.

He holds out his hand for me to take and I place my palm in his, interlacing our fingers and walking at his side.

"We have to be quick. We have at most fifty seconds to be in and out without them ever knowing I was here–let alone with someone else." I look sideways at him but choose not to question him. We reach the front door and Hitter looks at me. "Stay glued to me, follow my lead and most importantly. Count every second in your head." I nod.

Taking a deep breath, Hitter pulls a key out of his pocket and inserts it in the lock, turning it then pushing the door open, he rushes inside and I follow close at his heels, my shoes clicking within the high walls of the empty house I actually don't even have any time to take a look at.

Pausing at a set of black double doors, Hitter unlocks then lets us in. "Bottom right drawer in my desk, there's a red folder. Go to page twenty six and read it." I do as he says, jogging to the desk and crouching low, I pull the drawer open and sift through the folders until I find the only red one inside.

43...
42...

I flip through the pages, then pause at twenty six, straightening from the ground and reading over the contents, my eyes moving between Hitter and the documents in my hands as I do so.

31...
30...

"When you're done there, read this one. Then maybe I'll hand you part two one day." I nod and finish skimming through the file contents, setting the red folder down and grabbing the blue one from him, I read the page he opened and my heart swells a little bit now as I read over it all over again.

18...
17...
16...

"Jamie." I nod at his warning, toss the folder back to him, grab the red one and shove it back in the drawer, I slam the drawer shut then rush around the desk, grab his offered hand then we close his office door behind us and jog outside, back out to his car.

2...
1...

Once outside, I sigh, then I reach for the scarf around my neck and take it off, flipping my hair away from my eyes, I go ahead and climb in his car. He follows. I wordlessly tie the scarf around my eyes, and he must catch on, because his hands grab hold of my waist as he pulls me over the controls of the car and into his lap, I rest my head on his chest, my eyes now blindfolded by my scarf.

"I'm sorry that this is happening to you." I whisper, his hand running through my hair.

Wolf...was fifteen when he went into witness protection care to be hidden from his own parents after he saw them murder someone.

He's been in the program since then...took Crow with him just to be safe but she was never in any real danger from their parents while he...

"I've learned to live with the fact that my parents hate me. You know, they're the ones who taught me everything I know." He chuckles bitterly and I tighten my grip on his shirt, before releasing my hold and stroking his jaw blindly. I feel him lean into my touch more. "I'm fine Jamie."

"I've said those exact words to you too." I sit up. His own parents are trying to kill him because not only did he watch them murder, he holds some knowledge that's incriminating towards not only them, but people associated with them as well.

I move my legs up and my heels fall off, but I don't care. I bring them up on either side of him to straddle his torso then I pull him into a hug I know he needs. His lips graze my temple.

"Jamie..." He murmurs and I raise my hand and cup his cheek, massaging his jaw with my cheek still resting against his chest.

"I wanna kill them so bad." I confess and I feel him smile as he kisses my hand. "They deserve to be buried alive, watching their graves being filled with them inside."

He chuckles. "I do however, hold mad respect over the double life living."

"It works."

"I'm not letting them take you away, Wolf."

"It isn't permanent."

"Are you sure?" He stays silent and I nod. "Yeah, that's what I thought."

"I won't leave you." I pretend to scoff as though I don't care but he sees right through me as always. "I won't, Jamie." I turn my face up and my toes curl when his nose brushes against mine, the first time I'm feeling his skin without the mask in a while and it sends my body haywire,igniting heat all over my body and I shift in his lap to accommodate the new sensations moving around in my system while continuing to stroke his nose with my own.

He grunts at my movement and holds me still, his hand placed firmly on my hip and I pause.

"How did this happen?" I ask more myself than him. My phone rings from my purse and I turn my head to the sound of it, listening to the sound of Hitter's hand as he looks for it, he places it to my ear. I clear my throat.

"Jamie here."

"Sugar. Where are you?" My mom asks and I sigh.

"There was too much drama happening there and I didn't wanna deal with problems that aren't my own." I lie casually, my hand on Hitter's chest still and he places his own over mine and interlocks our fingers. Gosh I love it when he does that. "I'll meet you at the court. Your mask boy is on my tail anyways, so he'll drag me back eventually."

"Good. I know I can always count on him."

"Wow thanks mom."

"Bye Sugar."

"Bye momma." Lowering my phone from my ear I sigh hard. "Take me to face my demons then." He reaches for my scarf over my eyes and I blink the fogginess away before smiling when I meet his bright eyes, a black mask pulled up to his nose again. His phone now rings.

He picks it up. "She's just at some café...Bring her in? Alright, I'll bring her to you...Bye." Hanging up, he discards of his phone then leans down to brush his nose over mine.

Even through the mask, my eyes flutter shut and I place my hand on the side of his neck, feeling content from his touch which I can never get sick of.

.....

The courtroom is silent, the pews on the right filled with family from both sides of the Prescott family while the ones on the left, only seat the Davenport girls, Yasmine, Crow and Mario.

Jamie's side all wear their best clothes and have their hair styled to perfection, even Mario. They sport sunglasses regardless of their being indoors and intimidating scowls.

"Mrs. Zeeford, where is your client?" The judge asks Jamie's lawyer in the absolute silence and she answers quickly.

"On her way sir. Please give us a few more–"

The double doors in the courtroom entryway swing open and the sound of high heels click in almost dramatically slow as Jamie makes her entrance, her purse clutched in her arm, her fluffy hair strategically messy and her blush pink pantsuit being the brightest colour in the dark wooden courtroom.

Passing Yasmine, Jamie gives a shrug then steps into her place next to her lawyer, pulling off her sunglasses.

"It's good to finally have you grace us with your presence Miss. Davenport." The judge remarks and she nods.

"I know sir, you're welcome." Her lawyer gives her a dirty look and she smiles, a wink glinting her eye then she's told to sit down while the two opposing lawyers present their opening statements. Jamie's eyes move to the side where she meets Emerson Prescott's gaze. She smirks then faces the front again.

Jamie plays restlessly with the scarf around her neck, muting out whatever sounds or voices that are said in the court but then they slowly become unbearable as the pressure of being in the same room as her biological blood sinks in when he's called to the stand. Jamie slowly lifts her eyes and watches.

"Mr. Prescott." Emerson faces Jamie's lawyer head on. "Please take a look at my client."

Emerson looks at Jamie and she doesn't move, not even to take a breath or blink.

"Do you see her?"

"I do." Emerson answers, staring right at Jamie's stoic expression.

"Doesn't she look a bit familiar?"

"I don't know how to answer that."

"Okay, let me give you a little help. Your honour I'd like to present imagery before the plaintiff." Jamie's lawyer says and the judge nods.

"I'll allow it."

Jamie watches as a large television screen is brought out, Jamie's lawyer holding the remote and then he clicks a button and asks, "Mr. Prescott, have you ever seen baby photos of your recently deceased wife?"

"Of course."

"Can you tell me which one she is on the screen?" Two images of babies pop up and Jamie glances over her shoulder at her mother, who gives a small smile. Jamie turns to the front of the pictures of her, and who she guesses is Connie.

"The one on the right." Jamie doesn't move her face as his replies come, her surprise staying inside as the rest of everyone else waits for confirmation on if he's right.

"Mrs. Zeeford, get to the point please." The judge says and Jamie's lawyer nods and turns the slideshow off.

"The images we saw today were two baby comparisons from the stage of newborn to the year of six years old. The females  in those images were my client, James Davenport and her biological grandmother Rosie Lee. All the images Mr. Prescott chose were of the defendant."

"Objection! Pictures don't prove substantial evidence, Your Honour!" Emerson's lawyer argues even when his client's face goes pale as he looks at Jamie, whose face hasn't moved an inch the entire presentation.

"Let's do a final side by side comparison of James Davenport, Connie Prescott, her sister Sally Lee and finally the grandmother, Rosie Lee. At the age of twenty one." Mrs. Zeeford says before the judge can answer and the court gasps, Jamie almost loses her own cool expression herself at how identical she is to the other women.

"Mrs—"

"Thank you Your Honour. No further questions or statements." Zeeford interrupts, going to sit with her client again and she gives Jamie a tight smile.

"Mr. Conwell, would you like to cross examine your client?"

"No thank you sir but I would like to request a DNA test—"

"Objection—"

"No need Mrs. Zeeford. I'll allow it. Please prepare the defendant, we'll see to it after recess. We'll take fifteen." The judge grabs his gavel and slams it down once, causing Jamie to finally jump out of her thoughts then she stands and storms out a second after the judge, her family chasing after her.

"Jamie—"

"Please just let me be alone for a bit." Jamie says, raking a hand through her hair as she finally stops once they're outside.

"Sugar—"

"Mom please. Can you drive me since you brought me here?" Jamie looks at Hitter and he looks over at Yasmine, who nods.

"Just bring her back in fifteen." Yasmine sighs and he nods, walking to the car and opening the back door of the Davenport Bentley, Jamie climbs inside and he closes the door before going into the driver's. He pulls away from the court then drives a while, before pulling over in a dark underground parking lot, he turns the car off and they sit in silence.

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