Justice Is Always Ready (A Graham Family Story, 1) (25 page)

Dinah’s eyes were shrewd
and they raked up and down her body. “You better not make me regret
this,” she stepped closer, “I understand the pain of losing a loved
one but heed me well, Kassidy Barrow. There is nothing, and I
mean
nothing
, as
ferocious as a mama protecting her baby. And that man, no matter
how old he is, is still
my
baby.”

The gauntlet had been thrown down.
Swallowing the lump in her throat Kassidy nodded. “Yes,
ma’am.”

The woman’s entire visage softened.
“Good. Because I really like you, Kassidy, and think you’re good
for my son. Now, he’s in court today, I’m on my way over if you’d
like to go with me.”

“
Court? Something to do
with Torrie?”

“
Yes, Carly—what a darling
woman—finagled a way to get him before a judge sooner.”

“
Please.” The need to be
with him during this time was alive and fierce within
her.

The ride was quiet as Dinah drove
through the city to the courthouse. They took the elevator up to
the third floor and as she followed his mother toward the courtroom
her nerves began to work up within her.

With a deep breath, she held the door
and they slipped silently into the room. Justice stood in the front
at a table with Carly beside him. The judge behind the podium
looked like he had a bad case of indigestion. She slid into a seat
in the back while his mother moved up further.

“
What makes you think
you’re the right man to raise this child?” the judge
asked.

Justice tugged on his suit coat and
spoke with a clear voice. “Your Honor, I was the one who rescued
her, it was my boat that found her hiding crouched behind her dog
while her mother’s dead body lay before her. When she wrapped her
arms around my neck and put her trust in me, my life changed in
that second. I wanted to be there for her for the rest of her
life.”

“
Do you feel that way
about everyone you save?”

“
No, sir. Torrie is
different. She is so innocent, I can’t imagine what it must have
been like to be helpless and watch your mother die before your
eyes. She thought her mom was sleeping. I stand here before you and
swear I will do my best by this child.”

“
It says here you drive a
sports car, hardly a family vehicle.”

She clamped her lips to refrain from
lighting into the judge about his comments. If he was concerned,
Justice didn’t show it.

“
I don’t have my Corvette
anymore. I have a sports utility vehicle now. Torrie will have a
room of her own in my apartment. When I’m gone to work my mom is
willing to watch her. Torrie has no one now, but with me, she will
always have someone who loves her, close. I know I’m single and in
the military, but I will give her all the love I can.”

“
You seem passionate about
this little girl and I’m sure she is lucky for that. But what
happens when you have a girlfriend and she doesn’t want a child not
her own coming into your relationship?”

“
Then that girl isn’t the
one for me. My girlfriend will love Torrie as much as I
do.”

“
I’d like to hear that
from the girlfriend that she won’t make it hard on Torrie when she
is getting settled in, if I make a judgment in your
favor.”

Kassidy stood and smoothed her hands
down the side of her black leather jacket. “She doesn’t have a
problem with it, Your Honor.”

Every head in the place turned to her.
She ignored them all but one. Justice was the man she wanted to
see. His eyes grew wide for a moment before he composed himself. He
stared at her, his gaze dropped down and ran the gamut of her
form.

“
Step forward,
Miss.”

Kassidy moved up parallel to Carly,
who now served as the buffer between her and Justice. “Yes, Your
Honor?” The nameplate read Judge Tomas Barken.

“
You are the
girlfriend?”

She sliced her gaze over to where
Justice continued to watch her. All she could do was hope he could
ever want her back. He stepped around Carly and positioned himself
right before her.

“
Kassidy?” his voice low
and full of disbelief.

They didn’t move. He lowered his head
and captured her mouth. She sighed and sank into him raising her
hands and settling them along his chest, feeling the smooth silk of
his suit.

“
Excuse me,” a male voice
said.

“
Forgive me?” she
whispered.

“
Always.” He drew her in
close and stroked a hand down her cheek.

“
We’re still in session
here,” the judge said.

“
I’m sorry, Your Honor.
It’s been a while since I’ve seen her.” Holding Kassidy’s hand, he
tugged her along so she stood at his side.

A smile lifted the corner of one side
of the judge’s face. “I can tell. Let me ask you, young lady, do
you foresee a problem with bringing Torrie into his
life?”

“
Not at all. Justice loves
her. I saw it in him the day he brought her in. It killed him to
have to leave her with Ms. O’Neill. I can’t imagine a better parent
for Torrie than this man.”

The judge leaned back in his chair and
chewed on the earpiece of his glasses. Justice’s hand tightened
around hers and she squeezed back. Silence filled the room. She
tensed when Judge Barken leaned forward. He placed his glasses on
the flat of his desk and rested his arms on either side of
them.

“
I think I’ve heard
enough. I’ll render my verdict in a week at nine o’clock.” He
reached for his gavel and banged it. “Court adjourned.”

She didn’t move while the judge left
the room. Nor did she when Carly turned to Justice and talked to
him, all she did was lean into him and continue to hold his hand.
He spoke to his mother and grandfather who, after hugging him,
left. Finally, it was just the two of them. He stared down into her
eyes, his hands cupping her face.

“
Kassidy,” he said in a
soft almost reverent tone.

“
I’m so sorry,
Justice.”

“
I need to know something,
Kassidy.”

“
What?”

“
I need to know you aren’t
going to change your mind and push me away again.”

“
I love you, Justice,” she
said. The words flowed smoothly from her mouth and the instant she
said them, she knew they were true.

“
For now?”

“
For forever,” she vowed,
pressing her lips to his.

His low growl reverberated through her
and she smiled into the kiss. Justice was so strong, so powerful,
and so gentle. Best of all, he was hers.

“
Let’s go home,
beautiful.”

Arms around one another, they left the
courtroom. He led her down to a black GMC Envoy.

“
Where’s your
car?”

“
I sold her, if I
get…when,
when
I
get custody of Torrie she’ll need to be in a safer
vehicle.”

“
You loved that car.” She
looked inside and smiled at the sight of the car seat.

“
I love Torrie more.” He
faced her. “And you, beautiful. I love you, so much.”

“
I love you, too,
Justice.”

He drove them to her house where he
swept her up in his arms and carried her in to the bedroom. Later
when they’d finished making love, they lay in the bed, limbs
entwined. She dragged her fingers up and down his chiseled
torso.

“
What about Duke?” she
asked.

“
Mom will swing by on
their way home and pick him up.”

“
They can bring him over
here or we could go get him. I know Libs would love to have him
back.”

“
You missed him, didn’t
you?”

She smiled. “I did. He’s a great
dog.”

“
Marry me.”

If she hadn’t been off her feet surely
she would have fallen to the floor. The statement came out of left
field and she didn’t know what to say. So she lifted up on one arm
and leveled a look at him.

“
What did you
say?”

Justice readjusted so he was balanced
on one arm as well, and she held his gaze. Seriousness leaked from
every pore. He wrapped some of her hair in his free
hand.

“
You heard me. I want you
in my life, Kassidy. Forever. I want to be a family with you,
Torrie, Libs, and Duke.”

Grab happiness and make it
your own
. Her dad’s words drifted to the
forefront of her mind.

“
Yes,” she said, soft but
with conviction.

“
Yes?” he asked, a grin
consuming most of his face.

She nodded. “Yes.”

In the blink of an eye she found
herself on her back, Justice over her. “I love you, Kassidy Lyra
Barrow.” Then he kissed her.

Kassidy knew her choice
had been the right one. This man had the power to make her life go
from ordinary to extraordinary. More important than that, she loved
him more than she ever believed possible. She would be at his side,
no matter the outcome of the adoption attempt with Torrie and she
knew he would
always
be there for her. It was a few hours later before they gave
in to the sleep they’d been missing while apart from one
another.

A week later, she sat behind Justice
and waited for Judge Barken to speak. Her fingers of one hand
clenched, she did her best not to fidget. Dinah held her other hand
in a death grip.

Barken opened a folder and picked up
his pencil. He lifted his head and looked over the few people in
the courtroom. His fingers smoothed over his mustache and he
nodded.

“
I must say I was
intrigued when presented with this case. A child’s welfare is
nothing to be taken lightly and even more so given the tragic
nature of how this little girl lost her mom. I’ve never found it in
the best interest of the child to send them with the family member
who moves so much being in the service of the country. I think it’s
better for them to be able to grow roots, friends, and have as
normal a childhood as possible.”

Kassidy bit back a whimper and fought
the urge to sit by Justice and hold his hand.

“
I’ve listened to your
eloquent statement on how you would care for this child. I’ve heard
your girlfriend and your parents also speak on your behalf. Even
Ms. O’Neill did.” The judge waved one hand and set it back down.
“And yet I still hesitate. You are a young man, Mr. Graham, used to
a free life of coming and going when you please.”

Get to the point
already!
Kassidy hadn’t any clue how
Justice remained so still and appeared so composed.

“
This child is going to
need to be put first. And—”

“
Jus-is!” the cry filled
the courtroom.

Justice moved this time. He pushed to
his feet and whipped around. Kassidy looked over her shoulder and
saw Torrie being carried down toward them but she struggled to get
down and when she finally made it to the floor she, along with her
blanket, fairly flew into Justice’s open arms. He picked her up and
held her close. A whisper to the child and she fell silent,
burrowing her face into his neck and sucking her thumb.

He retook his seat and said, “I’m
sorry, Your Honor.”

Judge Thomas Barken smiled. A
full-fledged smile. “No need to apologize, son. That only
solidifies my decision. I can’t think of a better man to raise this
child. I’ll have Ms. O’Neill get started on the paperwork. Court
dismissed.” He banged the gavel and with a sharp nod, walked
out.

Kassidy jumped up and hugged them both
when he turned around. Her heart was as light as it could be. “I
can’t believe it. Congratulations, Justice.”

“
Thank you,
beautiful.”

His mom hugged him next and then his
grandfather. Torrie reached over to Kassidy and climbed into her
lap before playing with her engagement ring.

“
Shiny,” she
said.

“
Yes, it is, isn’t
it?”

“
Torrie have?”

“
Sorry, sweetie, this one
is mine.”

“’
Kay.” She sighed and
snuggled closer.

Justice sat beside her and asked,
“Ready to go home, Torrie?”

“
Stay with Jus-is,” she
pouted.

“
Yes, baby. You’re coming
home with me.”

Her grin melted Kassidy’s heart and
Torrie launched herself into his arms. “Yay! Go with Jus-is an’
Duke.”

Torrie in one arm, Justice
looked down at Kassidy and reached for her hand. Allowing him to
draw her to her feet, Kassidy knew this was her future.
This man and this little girl.
Together, they left and headed back to his
apartment where he’d had the other room set up as a bedroom for
Torrie.

After dinner, while Torrie was happily
playing with Duke and Libby and some blocks, Kassidy curled up on
the couch beside Justice. His lips caressed her forehead
lightly.