Conscious Bias by Alexi Venice

Author:Alexi Venice [Venice, Alexi]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: Fiction & Literature
ISBN: 9781456633172
Published: 2019-05-23T23:00:00+00:00

Chapter Twenty-Two

The next morning

Monica awoke with a vague annoyance that she had to attend Trevor McKnight’s entire murder trial, where her legal skills would be required only on the day her physicians testified. She understood Al’s logic in wanting a hospital representative there, and he was paying her handsomely for her time, but she didn’t think it was necessary for her to sit with the Seifs for the duration. That was Mike Warner’s job. She had so much on her plate right now. She sighed and threw back the covers. The smell of coffee from her automatic machine lured her to the kitchen.

She frothed some half-n-half in her cup and poured the delicious dark brew through the pillow of froth. After stirring in some sugar, she leaned against the counter and looked out the window over the kitchen sink. The sky was rippled with dark clouds, representative of her mood.

While preparing for work, she promised herself she would tell Al Bowman she was gay at the next opportunity. He had to hear it from her first. She drew her hair back in a smooth bun after using the flat iron, then saw a Facebook message pop up on her iPhone. She clicked it open and discovered it was from Shelby. Monica’s first message from Shelby! Monica had accepted Shelby’s friend request the night prior but was surprised to receive a private message so soon.

Shelby wrote: Hey Sleepyhead! Class started. Where are you? Do I have to come over there and drag you out of bed?

Tangible proof of her physical attraction, Monica’s heart skipped a beat at the suggestion. She was torn between her responsibilities for work and a ferocious desire to be with Shelby. God, she missed her, and only a few hours had passed. She replied: Sorry. I have to attend the McKnight murder trial this week because my doctors are testifying. Miss you.

She lay her phone back on the counter next to her flat iron. By the time she finished brushing her teeth, another message had arrived from Shelby. Miss you too. Good luck.

Lightning bolts shot up Monica’s spine, prickling her libido. Is Shelby being endearing or romantic? We have chemistry, right?

With a supreme effort of will, Monica forced herself to set aside further romantic thoughts, selecting a conservative pinstriped suit that had a slimming effect across her hips. She quickly tidied up her kitchen, pouring the remainder of her coffee in a Thermos, grabbed her laptop and overcoat, and left for court.

She entered the strained atmosphere of a courtroom overflowing with the jury pool, the media, and several spectators, including students from the university. The air sizzled with dramatic uncertainty. In support of the prosecution, the Seifs sat directly behind Dominique Bisset and her cadre of legal assistants. Monica slid into a small opening a few rows behind the Seif family, unable to meet Al’s request that she actually sit in the same row with them, because they took up an entire row.

The Seifs couldn’t have looked

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.