Path To Realization (Fighter's Den, #4)

Chapter 4 - Aria

PRESENT

I close the file in front of me when I feel my eyes start to burn. The words in front of me start to blur and tell me I've reached my limit for the day. I look at the clock in my office and suppress a groan when I realize the time. It's nearly midnight and explains my total exhaustion. As much as I love my job, it drains the life out of me.

"Oh, Jesus." I mutter when I check my phone and realize I have several missed calls from Nate. I love him to death but he gives overprotective a new meaning. He knows I work insanely long hours and am hardly on my phone but still thinks I've been kidnapped in plain sight if I don't pick up right away.

"You're going to have to wait until I'm home and in some comfier clothes, bro." I mumble, shutting my phone off before I receive another call.

I pack up everything in my briefcase before leaving my office, closing the lights and locking the door behind me. I pass a co-worker's office and call out to her, surprised that she's still here.

"Working late, Fawn?"

"Can't crack this case." She smiles tiredly at me and gestures at the laptop in front of her. "It's one of those ones that make you question why you became a lawyer instead of a shoe salesman."

I have to laugh at that. "You're telling me. How much longer are you sticking around? I could give you a ride."

"I'm okay, thanks. I'll probably catch a ride with Owen."

"Owen, huh?" I lean against the door frame. "He's cute."

"I guess." She mumbles, cheeks turning a little pink.

I giggle at her obvious crush on him and drop my voice down to a whisper. "You should go for it. I swear his eyes are always glued to you."

"No, they're not." Despite her words she sits up a little straighter.

"They so are."

"Oh, whatever. What about you? Nobody at this firm ever catches your attention. Are you taken?"

Yeah, right. More like allergic to relationships but I keep that bit to myself.

"No. It's just not a good time for me right now. I've got enough on my plate settling in here."

"Well, you'd never guess that. You fit right in."

"Thanks." I straighten up and wave a hand. "Have a good weekend."

"You too, Aria. Goodnight."

My heels clack noisily as I make my way out of the building, waving a hand to the lobby man on the way out.

The drive home is a blur. It's been a long week and with my nightmares still ruining my sleep on a nightly basis, I feel like a zombie. It's a miracle I make it home in one-piece but I sigh in relief when my house comes into view. All I want is to throw my bra across the room and get into bed. My back hurts, my feet ache, and my head is pulsing with a killer headache. Even so, I'd never want anything else but this for a career. There's nothing more exhilarating than winning a case and bringing justice to the innocent, especially when they throw their arms around you in sheer gratitude. The knowledge that I can save lives even though I couldn't save my own kind of makes up for everything that I went through. In a way, this job is what saved me in the end and I couldn't be more proud that I'm my own hero of my story. So many things were taken away from me but this? This is mine.

I slip my heels off as soon as I'm inside the dark and quiet house, making my way up the stairs as quietly as possible. I don't get very far when a light somewhere to my right comes on and I turn towards it, not at all surprised when Nate comes out of his temporary room and closes it behind him.