Ex Delicto Read Online Free PDF

I really did think Michael was scared.”
    “He’s a rich guy who has a good chance of going to jail. Of course he’s scared.”
    Xavier shook his head. “I don’t know. That scared? I don’t know.”
    I turned and faced Xavier, putting one arm on the wall above his head. I put a finger under his chin. The way he blushed made my cock stir. I could barely restrain myself from kissing him on the spot.
    “Hey,” I said. “If he is innocent, we’ll find out, okay? If anyone can, it’s Greg and I.” I ran a hand through his hair. “And with your help? Whoever did this doesn’t stand a chance.”
    “How do you know?” Xavier said. “You don’t even know me.”
    “Maybe not,” I said. I leaned in closer. “But I’d like to.”
    “Aiden, don’t,” he whispered. “Greg’s coming back in any second.”
    I brushed my thumb over his lip. “No, he won’t. When he’s done in there, he’ll say—”
    “Coffee’s ready!” Greg called from the kitchen.
    I sighed. I never realized Greg had such a terrible sense of timing. “Just so,” I told Xavier. “Let’s get to work then, shall we?”
     
    By five p.m. we were all running on empty. Even I had to admit, the past couple of days had really taken their toll. It wasn’t just the lack of sleep. Cases like this took a lot of mental effort. Most of them did, but a financial firm like ours didn’t always handle cases that involved anyone facing jail time. When we did, it always upped the stakes.
    I wish we had been able to find something that suggested Patterson was the least bit innocent. But so far, it didn’t look good. I wasn’t even able to find any mitigating factors. By all accounts he was a rich man who wasn’t facing divorce or a lawsuit or anything that would make a judge go easy on him for committing fraud. Patterson’s only possible motivation was greed.
    But even so, why now?
    “I’m sorry, I’m an asshole, but I’ve got to go,” Greg said, cutting into my thoughts.
    I looked at my watch and chuckled. “Again, Greg?”
    He rubbed his eyes as he stood up. “I know, I’m sorry, but Michael and his lawyer called me last night about that client meeting this morning, and then I came in early, so I really didn’t get that much sleep.”
    “I was kidding, it’s fine,” I said. “Go home.”
    Greg shook his head and headed out. “I swear, he better let me get a good six hours this time.” He opened the door and glanced back at us. “Sorry, Xavier.”
    “It’s okay,” Xavier mumbled.
    The door shut and a heavy silence came over the room.
    “Xavier—”
    “Can I have some more coffee?” Xavier interrupted.
    “Uh…sure,” I said. I got up and went in the kitchen. I poured in the water, then put the filter in with freshly ground coffee. I turned the machine on and went back in the living room.
    He was still staring at papers. A little too intently, I thought.
    I smiled and sat back down beside him. “It’ll be ready in a minute.”
    He barely glanced up. “Thanks.”
    I pretended to look over something, but really was watching his reaction to the situation. He was so hard to read though. I knew the only way I’d find out what he was thinking was to get close to him. He was so responsive to me that I knew I’d get it out of him.
    The coffee maker gurgled in the kitchen. I got up and grabbed Xavier’s coffee mug, hesitating over him just a second too long. He shifted in his seat.
    I couldn’t help grinning. I loved watching him react. “Be right back,” I said.
    I poured the coffee and left it black, the way he’d been drinking it. We hadn’t known each other long and I already knew how he took his coffee.
    Then again, we’d also already made out on the couch in the office.
    I sat down beside Xavier and put his coffee down on the table.
    He blushed. “Thanks,” he said.
    The silence was so heavy. I knew he could feel it. He had been relatively relaxed earlier, leaning over the table with all his papers spread out,