Even the sunlight that beamed through the silk curtain couldn't fade away drowsiness from his face. After the last night event, James couldn't find himself the energy to walk up the stairs to his room. As if the unpleasant encounter with mysterious men hadn't tired him enough that the police had to make him go through a long, torturous session about the boy Lucifer had murdered.
" I wouldn't mind if you take my licensed pistol with you and see if the bullet matches," he had said. And sure enough, the police had taken his gun away only to call him midnight to tell it was indeed not him. In fact, they have caught the person who shot the boy in the first place; he even confessed to committing the crime. The news was a hard gulp for him to swallow but nevertheless, he could only hope it was Lucifer.
" Sir will you get up or shall I do the honours?"
James almost touched the ceiling at the sound of a man's voice by his ear. With parted lips and wide-opened eyes, he stared, from foot to top, at the man standing beside his couch. Every trace of sleepiness flew away from his face. From the look he carried, James could presume he was a lawyer but that grin.... that foolish grin through a dense forest of black moustache told him otherwise.
"Who the hell are you?" James asked, looking down at himself before abruptly standing straight and passing a hand through his hair in a vague attempt to assemble them.
" A lawyer," he replied, the grin still dancing on his lips.
" I can see that much." James fought the urge to roll his eyes, " But what explains your presence at my home without my call?"
"You did." he giggled. Yes, giggled!
Eying him a bit suspicious, James thought him a retard and made up his mind to stride up the stairs if he advances a step.
"I.....I never did!"
" Yes, you didn't."
" Did you perhaps escaped a mental asylum?"
"No, Sir."
James let out a sigh before falling back on the couch. It was no use arguing with him.
"Hey bro!" The door flew open and in came Justin, James best friend and mommy of J squad_ their college group and the most famous one ever. Justin was a blond with ocean blue eyes, pretty much like the rest three in J squad. It was one of the many reasons why_ though the whole group was quite at the top_ James used to stand out the most. Each one of them held their own position in means of traits and personality, which no other could match. Justin's easy-go aura and his light nature was perhaps the most loved one not only among the girls but the squad too.
" Your presence makes so much sense," James muttered.
"But yours don't. Why would you leave daddy's house and come to this.... this thing here? He asked, throwing his jacket at the couch before jumping on it.
" Chairs don't bite, Mr Savva."
" I hope." with that, the supposedly Mr Savva walked to the dining room.
"What is this man?" James asked exasperatedly once the man left.
"A lawyer."
James face palmed himself, all the while rolling his eyes a million times. " Oh really? I thought he was a freaking ship captain!"
" He can make a good one." Justin shrugged.
" Can you explain why you had to bring this weirdo here? He was watching me sleep for Lord sake!"
" Oh god!" Justin laughed, clenching his stomach like a baby. " You should.... have se...een yourself saying tha... that"
" Wake me up when are done," James slid down, resting his head against the back of the couch.
" He is here for you," Justin informed once his laughter died down.
"Why would I be needing one?" James questioned through closed eyes. " The last time I checked, I was within the limits of law."
"You have a hearing today in the court."
With those set of words, his eyelids flew open as a rush of adrenaline pumped through his veins. " After what Jenna Berry has confessed on the media the other day, the court ordered for your arrest. Thanks to God, Mr William was able to intervene at the right time to persuade the court that you should be given a chance to fight for your innocence. " Justin explain only to have James curse out a few colourful words under his breath.
" When's the hearing?"
"In two hours"
"And why am I not informed earlier? What does father expect from me?" He paced around the room, the thoughts of that woman making him lose his ability to think.
"The order's issued this morning."
" This so-called Jenna is counting on her days. She won't like it if I come to my ways!"
***
Paparazzi is hard to deal with especially when you carry an accusation on your back and they are more than eager to scratch it to its core! This morning had already left him at the edge, media was just another nail to the coffin of his restraint.
" Will your good for nothing lawyer deal with these kids or is it also on me?"
" Mr Savva please." Justin nodded towards the huge crowd of manic reporters waiting at the steps of the main entrance to the courtroom, ready to pound of them as soon as they take a step.
To James surprise, Mr Savva dealt with them in quite a professional manner, something his personality seemingly opposed.
"James," Justin called out before James could take a step. He craned his neck, looking him in the eye. "You do know that the hearing won't be rainbow and sunshine, right?" Justin chuckled nervously, " Don't lose your cool man..."
A look of irritation crossed James features. He wasn't Hulk or something that he would lose his cool. And despite the fact that he was more interested than ever before to hurt Jenna, he was still in the phase of figuring things out. " I am not an idiot, Jus."
***
"I am not an idiot, Jus."
"I am not an idiot, Jus."
"I am not an idiot, Jus."
His previous statement was the only thing that kept him from flipping the table off and beating the crap out of the lawyer Jenna has hired to tag him with some ugly accusations of harassment, abuse and assault!
Every now and then, Mr Savva would whisper to him to "let them cry their heart out, we will have our turn!" but his assurance fell on deaf ears. James wasn't a man of patience, especially not when it comes to something such as this!
He could feel her eyes on him every now and then, probably studying the stiffness in his body and the effect her lawyers words had on him. He could feel her gaze on his clenched jaws, travelling to his fists on the table before him. He could feel her watching him and it only fueled his fire! Looking her way will drain away the last drop of patience he was desperately holding on to.
"I am not an idiot, Jus-"
Well, I am an idiot!
" Your Honour! With all due respect, Mr Davidson is throwing more then he can catch!"
Silence befell the courtroom apart from a few gasps. Satisfaction washed over James as he sat back in his seat, next to a stunned Mr Savva. It took him everything to not let a victory smile break on his lips at the state of Mr Davidson. The man looked as if someone slapped him across his face not once but twice!
"Mr Maxwell, such language will not be tolerated in the room. You are warned." The judge spoke, fixing her glasses on the bridge of her nose.
" I apologize." I do not! I will say it again and again and again!
Just as Mr Davidson recovered from his phase and begun taking, James felt the need to interrupt yet again, " But your honour, as being a man of pride, I can not take accusation on my character without any proves. Believe me, when I say, it takes all of me to not lay Mr Davidson respectfully on a hospital bed once I break his nose."
Silence. Again.
This time it was not in him to hold back a smile. He was already struggling to keep in a peal of laughter threatening to burst anytime now. For some odd reason, James found the whole situation quite funny. Him being tag as an abuser? That was ironic! He entered the room with the thought to clean himself of the dirt carefully placed on him but now he could care less. If they think of him as an abuser, then abuser it is. He had no intention of begging anyone of his innocence.
After giving an ear to the rubbish gathered up against him, James knew it was time to make his own decision and lay out his own plan!
" Mr Maxwell, you say another word and it will you who will be walking out with blood oozing out of his nose!"
James snorted, rolling his eyes as if the man just uttered something that opposed the basic laws of nature.
" I would like to see you try."
" Gentlemen this is a courtroom, not a boxing ring where you can boast about breaking bones! Either you show discipline or make your way out!"
After the judge's interference, things fell back in place like they were right from the start except the blames were a lot more aggressive and facts were more twisted and amplified. Oh and of course to end it all, James Maxwell learned that he was also a harasser and women were terrified of being in close proximity with him. Great!
***
" You think the proves will be sufficient?" Jenna asked Mr Davidson who was totally engrossed in flipping the papers of his files as they walked through the corridor, totally unaware of approaching steps of James, Justin and Mr Savva from the other end. The court had ordered for a break before then next hearing.
" Miss Jenna... I mean-" he began only to be cut off by Jenna
" It's okay."
" Like I was saying, I have everything to get him behind the bars. Mr Huntsman has chosen me cause he knows I am the best! I have never lost a case in my life." His attention was still focused on the papers, totally ignoring the distant noises of people chattering.
The mention of his name was a hard gulp to swallow. It was a bit difficult for her to calm her erratic thoughts and convince herself that he wasn't around. Before she could make out an answer, her eyes snapped up to a known voice.
" Then this will mark your first."
James stood a mere foot away from them, hands tucked in the pockets of his black trousers, without an expression on his face. Jenna couldn't help but appreciate how freaking attractive he looked in the black suit and a grey shirt! Her heart skipped a beat when his fiery blue eyes landed on her, a storm raging inside of them.
Time stood steady with just him and her. She could feel herself cowering under his gaze yet she clung to her superficial bubble of confidence as she returned the heat of his gaze with the coldness of her own. It was clear to both of them who dominated there yet it was just a matter of acceptance and bowing heads.
" Walk with me." He ordered, his eyes daring her to say otherwise.
" No."
" Fine." He said, eyeing Justin and Mr Savva once before his hand reached out to grasp her upper arm in a tight grip as he pulled her behind him, ignoring the cries of her lawyer that it was illegal to harass his client like that.
His move was a bit unexpected for Justin and Mr Savva as well, yet they had his back, blocking Mr Davidson and his men.
" Leave me, Mr Maxwell!" Jenna, shouted, slapping his hand with her free one yet to no veil. James had already pushed her into an empty room in the corridor and locked the door in a blink of an eye. Mr Davison's shouts came as muffled sounds though he stood just outside the door, pounding on it.
" Actually, I should thank you," She said, breathless. " You have just provided me with another reason to support my claim-" before the words could roll off her tongue, Jenna was already pushed to the wall and caged in the arms of now fuming James Maxwell.
" What claim?! Huh?" He hissed, a thin layer of air keeping their faces from touching. Her breath quickened as fear took over her body. Everything flashed before her eyes as she shut them closed, silently praying she wouldn't lose it in front of him.
"Open your eyes." James hissed, his breath fanning her lips. A shiver ran through the length of her body. He was bad but James is worse.
"Open your eyes!" James shouted, banging his fist on the wall next to her head. The jolt in her body didn't go unnoticed by James as he studied the fear stuck to her features.
The pain in her palm from digging her nails did nothing to distract her from the man who had her shaking to her soul. The least she wanted was for him to see her cry but the stupid tears couldn't be kept at bay, could they?
" What do you want from me ?" She asked, her tone surprising herself. Despite nearing to faint, her voice carried an edge of firmness.
She did learn something after all.
" Truth," James said, backing a bit but not enough to let her out of his cage.
" You know it all." She said, wiping a tear off her face.
Tears, she wanted to shed a lot of them!
" What I know is that you are not Jenna."
" If that's what brings you the satisfaction." With that Jenna tried walking away only to be brought back in her place with a jerk, the same fear returning in those blue orbs.
" Listen to me, and listen to me carefully." James pulled her closer to his body, snaking one hand around her waist much to her futile protests to free herself. " There is no doubt that I'll tear down the facade of lies you have build up in no time but before I make a step, let me warm you to step back."
" A...are you threatening me?" Jenna asked, her gaze searching for an answer in his eyes.
" Worse. If you think you can get me behind the bars with these courts then let me remind you of who I am and what I can do. " James smiled, his gaze falling to her now parted lips and then back to her eyes, " I will delay the hearing to years. A few years are more than enough to do all I want..." He pulled her closer, his hand taking hold of both of hers to bring a stop to her useless efforts of pushing him away... " After all, I am the abuser!"