Conviction (A Stand-alone Novel): A Bad Boy Romance by Ellie Danes

worked so hard to build up his fortunes and invest. And that is why everywhere I turned, I could see his young, fresh face. Jace must have gotten up everyday, seen his past glory, and walked right by it.
    Only Jace could do that with a smile and find his way to bigger and better things.
    I marveled at a few of his stats, laughed at some of the candid poses he struck with famous people, and then my heart fell to my shoes. The photographs surrounding his desk and in frames on his desk were all from Texas. And my face smiled out of almost every one.
    I did not know Autumn had disappeared until she returned. An hour had passed with me just staring at Jace and I as young, smiling kids. Autumn tried to peek in the door, but her long blonde hair betrayed her.
    She tucked it neatly behind her ear and cleared her throat. "Sorry, but I thought you might want a ride to the lawyer's office."
    My stomach dropped out. The last thing I wanted to do was hear one more thing that Jace had done for me without my permission. "I'm sure it’s all just business stuff, right? Maybe I should pass. You know, keep the peace with David."
    Autumn shook her head and led the way downstairs. "The family dispensations have already been made so this is the final will and testament. The lawyer requested you be present."
    An hour later, I tried to excuse myself again. The lawyer's assistant had seated us in comfortable leather chairs and given us coffee in fancy mugs. We were told we were just waiting for David.
    "My assistant just called to confirm, and David Rooke is in the parking garage. He'll be right up. Hello, I'm Bryon Shelton, Mr. Knight's personal lawyer." He took off his silver-rimmed glasses and gave me a firm handshake.
    "And I was just leaving; sorry to intrude," I said.
    "No, Ayden, wait--"
    Bryon Shelton cut Autumn off with a sharp look. "Ayden King? I'm glad you could make it. Please have a seat." He gave a pointed cough and looked at the leather armchair I had just vacated.
    I sat back down and blinked. Jace had chosen wisely. Bryon Shelton was a shark dressed in the dapper suit with the silver hair of a wealthy retiree. As we waited for David, I imagined Shelton tearing apart the small county prosecutor that pushed to get me a maximum sentence. It was relaxing to imagine him clouding the water with her frigid blood.
    The daydream vanished when the office door flew open, and David Rooke rushed in. "I do apologize for being late. I'm sure you know how it is with an estate as large as Jace Knight's. I've spent all day chasing down every last one of his accounts to make sure they don't fall into the wrong hands."
    I felt his beady eyes sweep over me; an inference Shelton's razor sharp gaze did not miss. "May we begin?" he asked, not impressed.
    "Of course, yes." David pulled a third leather chair up closer to the desk, so Autumn and I were almost sitting behind him. He opened his briefcase, shuffled a bunch of unrelated papers, and then pulled out a digital recorder. "Whenever you're ready, Mr. Shelton."
    Shelton held David in a steady gaze just long enough to make the short man sweat. "There are, of course, many details but the general dispensation is easily explained in two words: Ayden King."
    David made a strangled sound but managed to say, "Do go on."
    "Business interests, properties, assets, bank accounts, and personal belongings not otherwise mentioned in the family will are all to go to Ayden King." Shelton pulled his glasses down and swept a steely look over each one of us. "With a small token of Mr. Knight’s gratitude to both his executive assistant and his business manager."
    The silence was deafening, or maybe it was just the locomotive roar of blood pounding in my ears.
    David cleared his throat, almost choked, and tried again before he said, "Mr. Shelton, I'm announcing that I want to contest the will--"
    "Let me just stop you right there, Mr. Rooke, was it? Your employer made sure that anyone who benefits from the will may not