The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY novel Chapter 32

Chapter 1

By the time I tore through the trafficking ring. my brother Evan was already dead.

A boy around his age crawled toward me through the wreckage, blood streaking his face.

He collapsed at my feet.

“He died saving me. So now I’m yours. My life, my death–all of it.”

His eyes were raw with grief and worship.

I brought him home.

Ten years later, Cade Thorne became the sharpest blade I’d ever forged.

Ruthless. Efficient. Feared.

In our world, they called him The Wolf–my enforcer, my killer.

And he’d never once disobeyed me.

I thought I had him on a leash.

Until some girl showed up at my door, smug as hell.

“Heard you used to play piano. Cade gave me your spot at Van Cliburn.”

“He said someone with blood on their hands doesn’t belong on stage.”

She wrinkled her nose.

“He said you disgust him.”

I smiled. Turns out, you can’t tame a wolf forever.

Cade wanted to bite the hand that fed him?

Fine.

Let’s see how far that gets him.

An hour later, Cade showed up.

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The Verdict on My Husband the Judge: GUILTY

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Chapter 1

He dropped into the chair across from me, eyes cold.

I slid a box toward him.

He flipped it open. A severed hand stared back at him.

His jaw clenched.

Before I could blink, his gun was out, aimed straight at my hand.

“You crossed a line.”

I wrapped my fingers around the barrel and pulled it closer!

“Did I?”

His finger twitched on the trigger. “Don’t push me.”

“Then shoot.”

Click.

Nothing.

He stared at the empty chamber like it had just betrayed him

Vincent stepped forward, holding out a handful of bullets–the ones he’d quietly lifted when Cade walked in.

I snatched the gun from his hand, loaded it in one smooth motion, and fired.

The shot punched through his shoulder. He staggered back, blood spreading fast across his shirt. But he didn’t even

flinch.

“Let her go.” His voice was rough. “Please.”

I walked over and drove my heel into the wound.

Sweat broke across his forehead.

His breath came in short, sharp bursts. But still–not a sound

“She’s a joke,” I said quietly. “Can’t read music. And you gave her Van Cliburn?”

“You trying to humiliate me?”

Behind me, the girl Vivienne Hart stumbled out, clutching her bandaged hand. She collapsed against him, sobbing,

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“Cade–she destroyed me! I’ll never play again–you have to kill her, please-”

He wrapped his good arm around her and held her like she was the only thing keeping him upright.

“I’ll fix this,” he whispered. “I swear.”

That tenderness in his voice? It made me want to put another bullet in him.

Three years ago, I had it all lined up.

Van Cliburn. A record deal. A future that didn’t involve blood on my hands.

Then Cade got himself kidnapped by a rival crew.

I went in alone. No backup. Just me and whatever deal I could make.

They wanted leverage? I gave them myself. Took every hit, every cut, every second of pain just to buy time for

extraction.

When they were done with me, my right hand was useless. Tendons severed so cleanly I’d never touch a piano again.

Cade held me while I bled out. Slapped himself ninety–nine mes, tears streaming down his face.

“I’m sorry. San, I’m so sorry.”

“I’ll get you the best doctors. I’ll fix this.”

“I’m yours. Forever. I’ll only ever listen to you play.”

Three years.

That’s all it took for this bastard to forget every fucking word he said.

Vincent moved fast. His whip cracked through the air toward the girl.

She screamed and crumpled.

“Disrespect Miss Winters again,” Vincent said coldly, “and you won’t walk out of here.”

Cade caught the whip mid–strike and ripped it from his hands.

“You’ve gone too far.”

Vincent’s lip curled. “You’re a dog. What makes you think-

BANG!

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The teacup on the table exploded into porcelain shards.

The door slammed open.

Cade’s men flooded in–tactical gear, rifles raised, fanning out across the room.

Cade looked at me, blood still dripping from his shoulder.

“You were saying?”

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