Part 26 (1/2)

”He died?” Faith felt small and young, and she curled her upper body over her legs. ”He died?” She'd left home almost six years ago, and hadn't seen or heard from her father in all that time. The distance had made him more her daddy in memory than he had been when she'd left.

”I told you it would happen, Faith. Come home. Stand with your family and say goodbye. Sera's comin'. She's already on her way.”

Sera was living in New York City, a rising star in the world of international finance. Faith was still working on the Pier, but she was starting to make things happen with her art, too.

She could not possibly be within a hundred miles of her mother. Margot in grief, unfettered by her husband's control? Her daughters both before her, a ready comparison? No. Absolutely not.

”I'm not coming, Bibi.”

”Faith!”

”I love you. I'll talk to you soon.” She ended the call and turned the phone off.

Then she pulled her legs onto the ottoman and sobbed.

Tau came out and squatted at her side, his strong brown hands smoothing over her hair. ”What is it, love?” he asked in his melodically accented voice.

She didn't love him-she didn't think she could love anyone anymore-but she was glad of him, and she was grateful he was here with her now. ”My daddy died.” She curled into his arms.

”Ah. I am sorry. What can I do?”

”I just want to go back to bed.”

He nodded and picked her up, and he stayed in bed with her the whole day.

If she could love anyone but Michael, she would know it now, because Tau was someone who deserved her love. He was beautiful, kind, and strong, and he loved her.

But she couldn't love anyone but Michael, and she'd never see him again. She could never see him again. Not after what her parents had taken from her. From them.

Even in Tau's arms, Faith felt a loneliness as dense as the bottom of the ocean.

CHAPTER EIGHTEEN.

Demon rolled his shoulders and tried not to fidget. He didn't understand how it could be true: he wore a heavy leather kutte on his back every day, but the lighter wool blend or whatever it was of his new suit felt like a G.o.dd.a.m.n straightjacket. It was the sleeves, that was it. His arms didn't fit in the G.o.dd.a.m.n sleeves, and he couldn't move.

And the tie. Christ, the tie. Men like Finn Bennett dressed like this every day, but Demon knew he was sitting here like a gorilla, embodying every cliche about uncivilized bikers with his squirming.

Finn had told him that he needed to dress 'respectfully' in court, so Bibi and Faith had taken him shopping. He was going to burn the results of that outing at his earliest opportunity.

It wasn't his first time in court, but it was his first time as an adult that he hadn't been brought in a side door wearing a jumpsuit and shackles. The only times he'd actually gone to trial for his transgressions had been in juvenile court. Then, too, he'd been shoved into some ridiculous getup and had sat there squirming next to his lawyer or advocate or whoever.

Those 'whoevers' had been court-appointed. Now, he was in family court, sitting next to the great and powerful Findley Bennett. Faith was sitting right behind him, and every now and then, usually after he'd squirmed, her hand came forward and rubbed over his back. Hoosier, Connor, Muse, and Sid were behind him, too. Bibi had Tucker in the corridor outside. She'd dressed him in a silly little suit, too, for no reason Demon had understood, except that she'd thought it was 'darlin'.'

This was it. He would either leave this building with custody of Tucker, or with no chance of ever having it.

He turned and looked at Faith. She smiled at him, her eyes sparkling with love and encouragement. G.o.d, she was so beautiful, she was so good, and she was his. Today-today-he might be on the path to have everything. They'd moved Margot into a home the week before. They were getting her house ready to put on the market, and they were looking for a home of their own. The life he wanted was right in front of him, close enough to wrap his arms around.

But if he lost Tucker, he knew everything would fall apart. He knew that it would break him, and he'd take everything he loved down with him.

So he faced the bench and waited.

The process was different from what he'd expected. Almost everything had been done ahead of time. Papers had been filed and counterfiled, reports had been submitted and responded to, affidavits and sworn statements and who knew what all. Finn had told him that the judge would have read the entire record before today and would likely have her ruling prepared. Today was for any final statements, and then, unless something new required further deliberation, the ruling. According to Finn, some judges did a hearing and then just emailed their ruling out later. This judge preferred all the parties to be present when she ruled.

Whatever. He just wanted somebody to f.u.c.king tell him if his life was starting or ending.

The rear door to the courtroom opened, and the state's attorney came in, followed by the guy that had been helping a.s.semble the state's case for making Tucker a permanent ward. Sid's old boss, Harry Rucker. That was a guy Demon would have liked a few minutes alone with.

Neither the lawyer nor Rucker looked their way as they sat down. Finn turned and offered Demon a little smile and a nod. He looked pleased. Demon tried not to let that get his hopes up.

The bailiff called for the room to rise, and the judge, a woman in maybe her fifties or so, stepped up behind the bench. She sat, everyone else sat, and the proceedings were called to order.

He tried to pay attention to the legal blather that started things off, but a lot of it didn't make much sense. But then the judge nodded and crossed her arms on the bench before her.

”Before I make my ruling, each party may make a final statement.” She nodded at the state lawyer. ”Mr. Gomez?”

Rucker leaned over and whispered something in Gomez's ear. He nodded and stood. ”Our filings are complete, and we have nothing new to add. We would, however, ask the Court to seriously consider Mr. Van Buren's violent criminal record, which includes a conviction for second-degree murder.”

Finn stood. ”Objection, Your Honor. The conviction to which the state's Counsel refers is a part of a sealed juvenile record.”

Gomez turned on Finn. ”And you know full well the seal doesn't apply in court.”

”It doesn't apply in criminal court. This is family court. Or did you get lost?”

The judge rapped her gavel. ”Okay, gentlemen. Points are taken. I am fully acquainted with the facts of this case, including the pet.i.tioner's adventures with the law. But Mr. Bennett's objection is overruled. I have the discretion to consider Mr. Van Buren's full record, and I have.” She turned to Gomez. ”Anything further?”

”No, Your Honor.” He sat.

Demon's stomach felt twisted up. f.u.c.k. Would his childhood f.u.c.k him up again? He looked over his shoulder; Faith looked worried, too. Oh, f.u.c.k.

”Mr. Bennett?”

At the judge's prompting, Finn stood. ”Thank you, Your Honor. Our filings are complete as well. They tell the story of a man who loves his son deeply and who is doing everything in his power to help him overcome the traumatic beginnings of his life. Little Tucker was born addicted to methamphetamine. He was left in the care of an addict who neglected and mistreated him even before he was born, and that addict was allowed nearly free rein by a negligent caseworker who, as we showed in our filing and has not been disputed, falsified reports. In contrast, all of the objective parenting evaluations and observation reports of Mr. Van Buren and of Tucker show a loving father-and-son bond and a stable environment for the child to be raised in. Mr. Van Buren is as much a victim of our broken and overworked system as Tucker was a victim of his mother.”

”Objection!” Gomez jumped up. ”The 'system' isn't on trial. Mr. Bennett is playing out his next sound byte.”

”Sustained. Let's keep the focus on the boy, Mr. Bennett.”

”Of course, Your Honor. It's clear that Mr. Van Buren is a fine parent who will give Tucker a fine home. Three separate reports-including Tucker's current caseworker-recommend custody. The record Mr. Gomez would like you to consider has not had any new entries for years-since long before Tucker was born. This is a man who has turned his life around. A man who loves his son and has been nothing but stable and nurturing. The case speaks for itself, so I have nothing further. Thank you.”

Bennett sat down. Demon looked at him, dissatisfied. It wasn't enough. He knew it wasn't enough.

The judge was quiet for a few minutes-or maybe it was just seconds-making some notes. Demon sat, feeling bound by his clothes and trying not to fidget.

Then she looked up. ”Since there was no new information provided today, I am ready to rule.” Demon expected her to tell him to stand, but she didn't. ”Lots of evidence has been submitted, lots of opinions have been offered. This is always the case with child custody. But what my ruling must come down to is one simple question: in what situation is the child best served? My only interest is the child. Whether or not Mr. Van Buren was treated unfairly in the past is a concern for another court. Here, I only care if Tucker has been treated unfairly. Mr. Van Buren's criminal record is indeed...elaborate, and it tells the story of a man who has lived a violent life.”