Chapter Six

Chapter Six

Aspen's POV

The familiar scent of the court hit me as I stepped in. It's been two years or so that I've stepped foot into the courthouse just to leave behind everything but thanks to Giovanni, I'm able to get back here even if it's at the cost of working for a faction filled with illegal dirt in return.

I straightened my jacket as I stood next to the courtroom’s door. My eyes were closed as I tried to calm myself down. If I said I wasn't nervous, it would just be a total lie. Giovanni had handed over to me the evidence needed like a loaded weapon and even went as far as taking care of the arrest and all I had to do was just show up in court countering them. It all sounded easy to do. It all sounded like I was given an easy task but I knew it was far from being easy if it had something to do with the mafia.

That's part of the reasons I don't get involved with them before I was dragged into it. I had made up my mind not to get involved no matter how impossible it seemed but here I am playing into a mafia's game and trying to get rid of another.

They were caught with tons and tons of illegal goods with mostly drugs which had put them on the current hot seat they were in. They won't escape harsh consequences as long as I did my job right. And that was the worrisome part for me no matter how it is viewed. There would surely be more of this to come in future since Giovanni wasn't the type to just be satisfied with what he wanted. He wanted more. And this illegal business wasn't always a bed of roses.

I stepped into the courtroom, heading towards my seat. I glanced around, trying to catch the glimpse of Kai but he was nowhere to be seen which was a worry for me. He was meant to be here and from the reports I got, he wasn't involved in all of this which was shocking. He was literally their underboss.

I caught a glimpse of DeLuca Vincent, the Scars’ attorney, as I walked into the courtroom. DeLuca had the kind of face you would expect to see in a luxury cigar lounge– slicked black hair, perfectly pressed suit, and a permanent smirk that made me want to punch him in the face. He'd been their lawyer for years, and rumors had it, he never lost. I confirmed that myself when I was trashed by him two years ago, mainly because he had the type of presence that scared the witnesses and intimidated them. Also, I wasn't even prepared for what I was getting into back then.

As I sat down at the prosecution's table, DeLuca turned and gave me a mocking salute. “Good to see you, Aspen. Shame we're on opposite sides today again. How does it feel like to be a first timer again?”

I rolled my eyes, ignoring his attempt to get under my skin. “Save your charm for the jury, Vincent. You'll need it.”

He chuckled, leaning back in his chair with that kind of smug that grated on every last nerve. “You seem confident. We might be a sub in this territory, but remember the Scars have a lot of friends in this city.”

“Maybe,” I replied, looking away from him. “You'll be shocked.”

The session soon started and it was finally my time to speak. Taking my time to rise, I deliberately walked before them to make sure I had their full attention.

“Ladies and gentlemen of the jury,” I began, “This case isn't just about the drug dealing of the Scars families but also the violent enterprises they've run that affect the entire city.”

I laid out the evidence I had prepared and I could see their faces hardening on the fact that I was even prepared enough to make them guilty.

DeLuca soon took his turn, oozing that confidence that was enough to throw me off balance the first time I faced him in court two years ago.

“Ladies and gentlemen,” he began. “My clients are businessmen, not criminals. But what's all this, just rather baseless assumptions. And why would the Scars family be arrested for this if there are other factions out there and these dealings are already a part of our daily lives. This city is filled with mafia men disguised as businessmen and you and I know that well, your honor.”

What he said was right. In the cities dominated by mafia families, the law wasn't even up to them but as long as they got caught, they wouldn't be spared from punishment. That's why having a mob attorney who knew how to get their factions out of messes was important and I doubt I was cut out for the job, so I wonder why Giovanni wanted me in the first place.

After a lot of back and forths, it was finally decided. “Under the Act, the defendants are sentenced to life imprisonment without parole, and all assets linked to their criminal activities will be forfeited to the state.”

The gavel slammed down, sealing their fates and I finally let out the breath I didn't know I was holding all this while. This was how it felt to win a case after all these years.

I could see the angry look on the Scars' leader's face as he almost turned the entire place upside down. That would spell the near end for the Scars family. It bothered me that Kai wasn't here but without a family, I doubt there would be anything he would try.

Even if he wanted to seek help, those other factions were filled with nothing but greedy men who wouldn't render help if they have nothing to gain from it. It's just the way of life over here.

As the courtroom emptied, a livid DeLuca cornered me, his face darkened with rage. “You think this is over, Aspen? I don't know where you came up with all that but you'll never best them. The Scars will always come back and by then, you'll pay for what you've done.”

He didn't wait for my response and just disappeared into the crowd. I wasn't even going to respond to him in the first place anyway.

Stepping out of the courthouse, it was nearing late evening already and the sky was filled with different colors scattered across it. I paused in my tracks as my gaze fell on the black haired individual leaning against a white sports car with a cigar in his mouth.

Like the last time, his hands were gloved. He didn't seem to care about the fact he was in a legal environment and just smoked openly. “You're done.” His baritone vibrated through my head as I got within earshot.

“Yeah.”

“Get in,” and without another word, he got into the car.