The Artist's Amour (BWWM) ✓

Chapter 40: Fin

Stay tuned to the end for a little appreciative surprise:) and don't forget to let me know how you feel about it.

Aria's POV
"Mr. Garret here will receive 90 days of community service, along with paying a certain amount of fines that will include any hospitalization that has taken place with Ms. Jones. The victim will also have the opportunity of taking out a restraining order against the defendant-"

"That's ridiculous!" I heard a few men shout from the audience.

"Order. Order in the court! The decision is final." Judge Marshal announced. "Case dismissed." She spoke, striking the gavel on the sound block one last time before leaving the courtroom.

"Wait a fucking minute. I didn't hear jail time in there." Lacey hissed, finally letting go of my arm. I sighed deeply, running my hands carelessly through my hair as I tried to get a cap on my anger. In all honesty, he was facing more charges than I actually thought he would.

I couldn't lie though, I was hoping we had nailed him enough for jail time.

We all stood up and packed our things. The audience was released first into the courthouse. Lacey's head hung low as we made our way out of the courtroom. "Listen to me." I spoke, turning to her. "That sentence in there? It's just the beginning." I admitted.

"What do you mean?" Lacey asked, her eyebrows scrunching up in confusion. I moved to answer her, but my eyes caught sight of the back of a man entering the men's bathroom.

"I'll tell you when I return." I replied, slipping away from Lacey and Max, to follow the man into the bathroom.

I watched as Steve bent down and captured some water in his hands, before splashing it onto his face.

"Steve Garret." I spoke, leaning against the paper towel dispenser. He jumped slightly as he became aware of my presence.

"What do you want?" He barked out, continuing to wash his face.

"Or should I say, Pat Gonzales?" I asked. His body froze up completely. His hands remained under the running water from the faucet.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." He whispered at me, the anger now replaced with something else. Fear.

"You see, Mr. Gonzales, I'm a very thorough lawyer. This trial today had nothing to do with your past life, oh no, you managed to fuck up that situation all on your own with your liability known as Bud Light. But understand, this trial was only the beginning." I spoke.

He had completely abandoned the act of washing his face as he began to draw nearer to me. "How did you discover my identity?" He asked, stalking closer. I took a few steps back until my back hit the wall.

"You did a very good job of covering up the fact that you're supposed to be dead." I commemorated.

"And I'm willing to take even more dire precautions to keep it that way." He replied, moving closer until we were standing face to face.

"I'm sure you are." I nodded, struggling to keep my actions and voice as steady as possible while my heart beat practically best out of my chest. "But something troubles me. How can a man as bright as you, forget to check if all the stalls were actually empty in here?" I asked. His eyes grew large as he backed up away from me and started checking underneath all the stalls. He then kicked one open, and his body froze completely.

He slowly raised his hands, backing up out into the middle of the bathroom as an agent advanced him with his gun drawn.

"You see, Mr. Gonzales, I might have been checked for wire taps before the trial started, but these government official men weren't at the trial. Everything that has been said in this bathroom, has been recorded. Why, you might ask? Well, regardless of how quickly the federal bureau can uncover your true identification, a confession always seems to speed things along." I replied, watching as the man cuffed him.