Chapter 169. Finally Prelim Hearing

Tristan's POV

The courthouse smelled like old paper, polished wood, and fear. I didn’t know how else to describe it. Maybe it was because fear had become the only thing I could taste since I walked through those doors. It sat at the back of my throat, bitter and metallic, no matter how many times I swallowed.

I sat beside Reggie on one of the hard wooden benches outside the courtroom, my hands clasped between my knees, staring at the closed doors ahead of us. I hadn’t looked across the hallway once. I knew Grace was there. I could feel her presence without seeing her and that was the problem, every part of me wanted to look.

I wanted to know whether she was nervous. Whether she was sorry. Whether she was sitting there with the same confidence she had when she first made those accusations. I wanted to see her face and find some indication…anything