Remember The Nights Ch. 11

Ten months later

Twelve pairs of eyes intently followed his movements as the Public Defender hefted Exhibit #24, a flat-bladed Bowie knife, its serrated edge sharp enough to slice through a sheet of paper. His fingers lifted it with reverence, his eyes focused on its shiny, silver shape.

"The Prosecution wants you to believe that Dennis Kennedy used this knife to kill his wife. Dennis Kennedy couldn't have killed his wife because of the accident he'd had as a child." The jurors openly stared at the defendant's arms, scarred and twisted by a fire, his hands melted into claws. "Dennis Kennedy and his wife were separated and were not getting along, true, but Dennis didn't want a divorce. Why?" He looked down at the blade, then back to each one of the men and women in the box. "Sheila Kennedy was pregnant with his child."

The mention of the unborn and now dead child wrenched a cry of despair from Kennedy who tried to cover his face with his ruined hands. "More than anything in the world, Dennis Kennedy wanted to be a father. He wanted to give this child the chance at life that he had missed out on. He wanted to watch Little League games or dance recitals: he didn't care which, he just wanted the opportunity to be a father."

Soft sobs interrupted the silence and he set the knife down in full view of the jurors. "This knife took that opportunity away." He turned his back on the jury box, his eyes scanning the crowded court room before turning back to the judge and jury. "Ralph Gillespie wanted his ex-wife back and when she spurned him, he used this knife to end her life. Then he went over to the Kennedy residence, gave Dennis a dose of GHB and the next morning, Dennis Kennedy awoke covered in blood and under arrest for her murder."

He picked up the knife and returned it to the Evidence Table. "Ladies and gentleman, Dennis Kennedy has already lost his future. He lost the woman he wanted to spend the rest of his life with ... " His voice cracked and softened. "And he lost his child. He should not be forced to lose his life." Few eyes were dry as he allowed the words to sink in. "Thank you."

Charlie Weatherly sat down at the table, rubbing his temples as he fought his own tears away. Defendant Dennis Kennedy reached over and they held hands for a few minutes while the attorney composed himself. Deputies escorted Kennedy into the custody chamber and the judge issued instructions to the jury, sending them to deliberate. Charlie went out into the hallway and dialed a phone number, an anxious smile on his face.

* * * * *

The Armani's West grand opening was a hit. Serena and Venus Williams, Jessica Simpson and Nick Lachey, Lindsay Lohan and Usher had arrived early to join in the festivities and promised to return for the party at Jay-Z's club 40/40. Many more of New York City's movers and shakers arrived throughout the day and Tamiko welcomed them all with the grace and elegance of the woman that she was. Her new hires, Angela and Prentiss, were expert in handling fittings and as a result of their hard work, nearly all of the merchandise was sold and the orders they had would last for months.

"Tamiko? Telephone."

The Asian beauty excused herself and took the phone from Angela's hand. "Hello?"

"Hi, baby."

"Hi, Charlie. I wish you were here."

He laughed on the other end. "I wish I was, too. I'm sitting here staring at four boring walls while we wait for the verdict."

"How did your summation go?"

"It went fine."

Tamiko couldn't help smiling. "You cried, didn't you?"

His shaky laugh confirmed her suspicion. "You know me too well, Tam."

"That's why I love you so much." She heard voices in the background. "Hold on a second, honey." Tamiko held the receiver to her ear, watching the people continue to enter the store and mill around. "Tam? They're back with the verdict."

"Wow, that was fast."

"Yeah, it was. Twenty-three minutes by my watch. I'll call you in a few."

"Okay. Good luck."

"If I haven't said it today, Tam, I love you."

She blinked tears away. "I love you, too."

Prentiss dramatically fanned his face, obviously overwhelmed. "Tamiko, we have no more clothes left. What are we going to do?"

Tamiko grinned. "Time to raid the other store."

* * * * *

Not guilty. The moment the verdict was read was one of the best of Charlie's life. Dennis Kennedy collapsed in tears and after being discharged, many of the jurors had sought them out, offering words of support and tearful hugs. Charlie spent an appropriate amount of time in celebration but his mind was on Tamiko and the promise he had made to her. A vacation in Fiji if he won the case. He called her to let her know that he was going to go have a few celebratory drinks with the staff and that he would be home in an hour.

Seventy-five minutes later, he arrived at his apartment and found a sea of creamy candles lighting every nook and cranny of the space. Tamiko came striding over, her delicious body covered in a short silk robe. "Congratulations, honey." She handed him a cold martini and kissed him, pressing her body against him. "Are you tired?"

"Not at all." He bent down to kiss the exposed tops of her breasts, dropping his briefcase next to the couch. "Not one tiny bit."

"Shall we go upstairs then?"

She led him up the stairs and undressed him in the spacious bedroom, hanging his suit up next to Professor Harding's jacket and sliding her robe off her shoulders. The moment his lips touched hers, she almost swooned. Even after a year of being together, she never tired of the passion in his touch and her cock twitched. He pushed her onto her back and started pressing open-lipped kisses against her neck and over her collarbones before reaching her nipples. She moaned loudly as he sucked them into hard buds, then ran his teeth along the ridges.

Charlie traveled farther down her luscious body, dropping light kisses along the rim of her stomach and stopping just short of her six-inch cock. "You don't have to, Charlie." He made a decision. He'd bypassed her prick so many times and he knew that it was something he was going to have to get used to if he was truly going to commit his love to her. He spent a few seconds examining her pole, then licked the head. Tamiko cried out as if she was coming apart, her body arching.

"God, Charlie." This time, his mouth closed over the head and he let his tongue swirl around it before deep-throating her thin rod. Tamiko thought she was seeing stars. Her body tingled and shivered uncontrollably, her emotions and responses wrapped around his tongue. Each stroke took her breath away, propelling her closer and closer until she was teetering on the edge. "Charlie!" The first spurt caught him off-guard and he nearly recoiled until he looked up and saw a vision of absolute bliss. Her head was thrown back, her body arched with breasts quivering and it was because of him. He welcomed the next few bursts, learning to like the salty-sweet taste of her cum and now secretly wondering what his own tasted like.

Tamiko pulled him up for a kiss, spreading her legs and using her hand to guide him into her ass. He slid in, savoring the warmth of her body and loving the fact that she was his, that he could make love to her any time he wanted. Looking down in her eyes and moving inside her, he felt her love around him and reached down to stroke her awakening cock. She came first, her release smaller this time but Charlie exploded, holding her tightly against him as he squirted inside her, sharing himself with her.

They snuggled together and Charlie sighed deeply. Never would he have imagined that his life could be so perfect and it was all because he had taken a chance, he had opened his mind and had found someone worth taking that risk for. He pressed a kiss to her ear, smiling at the shiver that traveled through her. If tonight was indicative of the rest of their lives together, rest assured he would never forget to remember the nights.