I’d just settled into my chair beside Viktor when the bailiff announced the judge. We all stood for the man as he swept into the courtroom and took a seat at the bench. Most of us sat down then, but the DA stayed on his feet.
“Your honor, can we please have a meeting in your chambers?”
The judge scowled, but he stood again. “Fine. Both attorneys and the defendant can come into my chambers.”
The room was small but there were enough chairs for the three of us in front of the judge’s desk. I sat between my lawyer and the DA, keeping my face carefully neutral as Reid requested that the case be dismissed due to insufficient evidence.
The judge let out a sigh. “You didn’t realize this before we went through several days of all this?”
“I apologize, your honor,” DA Reid said through gritted teeth. “But I’m hoping to stop wasting the court’s time now.”
“Fine.” The judge waved a dismissive hand. “Case is dismissed.”
And just like that, it was over. The charges were dropped, and I didn’t have to worry about prison anymore. I could focus all of my attention on bonding with my woman and my daughter, as well as dealing with the Italian assholes who framed me for murder in the first place.