Chapter One - The Honorable Judge Pickney-Murray.

One Month Prior

“Carmella, I hope you’re not calling me trying to sell that nasty-ass weight loss tea. I already told you, even though I gained a few pounds I’d like to lose, I’m not down with shittin’ like a duck to lose weight.”

“Janelle, first of all, that’s not why I called. And second of all, why you gotta be like that? You know I get paid to sell that tea. Plus, it works!”

I rolled my eyes at that. “It works? You have a full gym in your basement, two personal trainers, and a plastic surgeon who knows you by your first name. But you’re tryin’ to tell me that your body looks like that because of some tea? Girl, please. Don’t play me for a fool.”

She scoffed as if I were getting on her last nerves when, in fact, it was quite the opposite. As much as she tried to claim she wasn’t hitting me up to help build her brand, we both knew she was. The crazy thing was, she didn’t have to. She thought she needed my help when she was making waves all by herself.

“Why are you so damn rude all the time? It took nearly two decades, but your husband’s ugly-ass attitude is finally rubbing off on you.”

I laughed as I checked my rearview mirror to back out of my circular drive. “What is it that you called me for, Mel? I know you want something. That’s the only reason you ever call this early in the morning.”

“It’s only because I know if I get you early, you’ll still be in a good mood,” she replied.

I pursed my lips. I couldn’t argue with that because Carmella was right. Spending all day in the courtroom did wonders for a good mood. And I didn’t mean in a good way.

“But anyways, I heard that you have a luncheon coming up, and I was wondering if one of the sponsors could be my tea company. The owners really want to break into the political space. And… I promised them I could do that as part of our deal.” She added that last part under her breath.

“What?” I choked in the middle of drinking my coffee. “You can’t be serious, Mel. I don’t even drink that shit, and we both know that you don’t either—” She said nothing to refute that, and her silence was everything. “—But you want me to list it as a sponsor of a major political event? I can’t do that.”

“Please, Janelle?” she begged, and I rolled my eyes. “This could help me land even larger sponsors because of your connections. I’m trying to find my way, and this might be the avenue to attract more people that could help me with that. Do you know what this could do for my career?”

I paused for a beat, reading the subtext of what she was saying. “I can’t do that, Mel. It’s not ethically or morally correct. You can’t use my role as a judge for your financial benefit. You’ve got to stop making promises you know you can’t keep.”

“Why can’t I?” Carmella said, huffing a breath. “White people do that shit all the time, and don’t nobody say a damn thing to them. Donald Trump ass had all his kids doing shit, making money off all of us, but if I sell a little harmless tea, I’m a criminal?”

“Well, you know it’s not the same thing, Carm. They had the complexion for the connection. We don’t. They would lock our black asses up and throw away the key.”

“Oh...Well, yeah. I guess you’re right.”

It was evident in her tone how disappointed she was. And I hated to hear it. Blowing out a breath, I rolled my eyes, knowing that, as usual, my little sister was about to get her way. The same way she did every damn time. It never failed. As the older sister, I couldn’t help but be there in any way I could when my younger sisters needed me.

Me and my people-pleasing ass, I thought, annoyed with myself.

“Mel, don’t even worry about it. I’ll let your lil’ boo-boo tea sponsor my event, and I’ll even have our marketing admin tag your page in all the pictures.”

“Thank you, sis. It’s the least you could do,” Carmella huffed.

I shook my head and grabbed my badge to enter the secure parking area.

“A normal fuckin’ person would say ‘thank you,’ Carm.”

“Thank you, Carm,” she echoed after me before hanging up the line.

That was Carmella. 100% entitled. 100% bitch but also 100% my sister and 1000% my best friend. And that’s why I loved her.

Pulling into my reserved parking space, I took a moment to sit and admire the sign in front of my car.

Space Reserved for the Honorable Judge Pickney-Murray.

Every time I saw it, it reminded me of one of my most significant achievements.

At only forty-four years old, I was a Federal Judge who was also being considered to replace a seat on the Supreme Court. It was unprecedented and unheard of. Sometimes I couldn’t even believe this was my life.

Dropping my neck back to relax on the headrest, I took a few deep breaths to mentally prepare myself for the day. I was presiding over an incredibly tough case, and it could determine whether or not I would be chosen as a Supreme Court Judge. One of the judges was planning to retire due to medical issues that made her unable to continue, and I was slated to take her spot. Nearly half the country was waiting on my ruling because how I handled this high-profile case could determine everything.

The defendant was a young woman, Sage McMillan, who was the heir to a multi-billion-dollar real estate empire, and she was being accused of murder. What made the trial so high profile is that she was married to a celebrity tattoo artist named Ink, known as Infamous Ink, the owner of the most famous Black-owned tattoo shop chain in the country.

Years ago, Ink was tried for the murder of his wife and got off when it was discovered that the murderer was his best friend. But in the case that I was currently presiding over, a lot of evidence suggested that it may have been his current wife, Sage, who killed his ex-wife.

The case was massive. Every eye in the country was watching me. I was getting more play time than the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp case trial, even more than the O.J. Simpson trial. My case was being broadcasted live and played on every news station. Law professors were making their students watch and dissect it the next day. Every media outlet was covering it. In weeks, I’d gone from being locally known in only the tri-state area to being a household name.

Everything I worked for my entire life came down to this single moment. This was the case that could guarantee my forever success. History would remember my name.

* * *

“Congratulations, Judge Pickney-Murray. How you handled this case has made me a fan all over again.”

I smiled, ducking my head as Teema walked in, playfully fangirling me.

“Thank you so much, Tee.” I blushed. “Honestly, I’m trying not to think about it because I don’t want to fold under the pressure, but I’m just so happy to know that there seem to be people out there who think I’m doing a good job.”

Sucking her teeth, Teema placed both of her hands on her hips.

“A good job? Janelle, they have your name in the news every day!”

My eyes bugged. “Really?”

Teema popped a hand over her mouth. “Forget that I told you that.”

The anxiety that suddenly fell on me was crippling. I sunk down into the seat at my desk and shook my head.

“No, I can’t listen to or read any coverage about the case, and everyone in my house knows not to discuss it. I do that to stay impartial and focused only on what’s happening in the courtroom.”

Closing my eyes, I took a deep breath to calm my nerves before I continued. “But also, with this case, there is the added pressure of it being such a monumental thing for my career. All of my dreams could rely on this moment.”

Smiling gently, Teema sat down in the chair across from me and placed her hand on mine, giving it a squeeze for encouragement. “Janelle, that’s true about every moment. And you always manage to make it through shining. Stop stressing.”

I relaxed immediately. As always, she was absolutely right. “Anyways, enough of that.” She lifted a hand and lifted something up in the air. “I really came in here to give you this.”

She rolled her eyes as she dropped a letter on my desk. I picked it up and flipped it over in my hands. It looked like a greeting card.

“Judge Rosa asked me to give it to you.” She wrinkled up her nose in disgust, and I laughed as I tore open the envelope. She couldn’t stand Judge Rosa and made that clear every chance she could.

“Oh, this is nice. Rosa’s throwing a brunch and wants me to go.”

Twisting her lips up, Teema crossed her arms over her chest and sat back in her seat. “Of course, she does. She’s such an opportunist. She wouldn’t give a damn about you if you weren’t who you are.”

I exhaled a long breath and placed the card to the side.

“You’re right, but I have to be nice to her. Believe it or not, judges are very cliquish, and Rosa is one of the most liked. Her friendship works for me just as much as it does for her.”

Teema rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah, I know. Just watch her is all I’m saying. She’s not loyal. And if anything goes down, she’ll always be out for herself.”

Loyalty.

That was the foundational principle of the BBM. In such a simple way, she was giving me a warning. She was letting me know that, in a world of only friends or foes, Rosa would never be a friend.

“Understood,” I began, deciding to shift gears. “Anyways, how are the plans for the anniversary dinner?”

Teema’s face brightened immediately with an excited glow. Not only was she my personal assistant, but she was unofficially my event planner. She had a gift for planning events, and I’d been trying to convince her to start her own business for years.

“You say ‘dinner,’ but I say ‘extravaganza,’” she quickly corrected.

Before I knew what was happening, she reached God knows where and pulled a notebook out of thin air. Wetting one of her fingers with her tongue, she got to work flipping through the pages until she arrived at the exact one she was looking for.

“So, here are the updates on the plans I’ve made so far,” she started, scanning through the pages like a pro.

My brows bunched tightly in the middle of my forehead as I peered over, trying to make sense of her scribbles. “Do you carry that thing around in your back pocket or something?”

Her gaze swung up from the notebook pages and locked into my eyes. Then, as if changing her mind about addressing my question, she waved her hand at me to fan my question away.

“Don’t let the devil use you to damper my mood. Nothing in the world can take away my excitement about this.”

I rubbed at my temple, knowing that whatever Teema was up to was much more than the simple get-together I had in mind. This year marked year 25 of Luke and I tying the knot. It was a milestone that so many people never thought we would reach, and, to be honest, there were some moments when I wasn’t sure we would either. Our marriage had many trials, some of which would have ripped any other couple apart. Still, somehow, we’d been able to make it through each one together.

A celebration was a must—there was no way that I could let this year pass without spending it with my friends and family around me. But I didn’t want to make a big deal out of it. There was a lot on my plate that I needed to deal with. Not only that, but I was the exact opposite of Luke. He loved the spotlight, but I hated being the center of attention.

“So, I booked Lotte Palace in Midtown Manhattan for the event. Since we have about 220 guests, they will give us their largest ballroom. I don’t know if you’ve ever seen it, but I toured it last week, and the place is fabulous. I’m talking crystal chandeliers and a gilded ceiling…of course, we will go hard with decorations. Still, even without any, the room took my breath away.”

I didn’t hear a damn thing coming out of her mouth because I was still stuck on the fact that she said 200 guests.

“How do we have 200 people? I gave you a list of thirty!”

Teema glared at me as if she couldn’t believe I would dare open my mouth and try to spoil her fun.

“I just took that list as the people you wanted to be there, but I added to it.”

Closing her notebook, she sat back in her seat and exhaled heavily.

“Janelle, you are the primary pick to be the next Supreme Court Judge. Do you really think we could get by without inviting the Who’s-Who of the city to your party? I know you want to keep things small, but this is not small. Outlaw is making huge moves in the world, and so are you. Y’all are the Black power couple that the world was waiting for. There is no way that you can have a 25th-anniversary party and not make it huge. Years from now, you’ll want to look back at this.”

I took a moment to allow her words to work through my mind.

“Fine. But under one condition.” I raised my finger in the air as Teema flashed me a blindingly white smile. “Tomorrow night, Luke is coming home after a crucial business meeting—”

Her eyes shot open at my mention of that. “Oh my God, so it’s not a rumor! He’s really about to land that new partner—”

I held my hand up to stop her before standing up to ensure my office door was fully closed. What we were discussing was BBM business, meaning it was top secret.

The level of confidentiality that I kept with the things that Luke told me was held to an even higher degree than I did for any case. The only reason I was even about to share with Teema was because she was married to Kane, which made her a BBM by marriage. The things I was about to tell her, I couldn’t even tell Carmella because she wasn’t married to Cree.

“Nothing has happened… yet,” I began once I’d settled back into my seat. “Things are looking good, but he’s already gotten a verbal agreement from everyone involved, so all that’s left is for everyone to sign on the dotted line. Which will happen tonight.”

Teema covered her mouth and squealed into her hands. I only offered a simple smile, but I shared in her same sentiment. The partnership that Luke was out of town negotiating was huge.

Over twenty years, he had been working partnerships and agreements with powerful Black families and leaders to make the BBM into a force that the U.S. government was forced to respect. Now, he’d set his sights on expanding globally, and a positive outcome to this meeting would lead to that. The time of Black oppression and victimhood was over, and Luke was a big part of what led to that.

“So, back to what I need from you,” I continued. “I want to have a dinner—a small dinner,” I clarified with a pointed look. “Only family. It’s been a long time since Luke has been in a room with all his brothers. It’s just a dinner, but it’s also like a mini celebration to welcome him back and celebrate what he’s done.”

Nodding her head, Teema pulled out her notebook once again and began scribbling viciously. “Got it. I’ll send messages to everyone to let them know they’ll need to fly in and be in place no later than noon tomorrow.”

“And please send out the jet to get January,” I added, grabbing my phone to text my daughter. “I’ll tell her about the dinner and make sure she comes.”

Looking up at me, Teema lifted a brow, her lips curving into a knowing smirk. I didn’t have to ask. I already knew what was on her mind.

“Will Legend be at the dinner?”

I sighed and placed my phone down after sending January a quick text to request her presence. “He should. He’s the only one who went on the trip with Luke. They should be flying in tomorrow together.”

“Oh, yes. Sounds like drama,” Teema replied before grabbing her phone, no doubt already making arrangements.

I pursed my lips but didn’t say anything to that. Ever since getting engaged, January and Legend were constantly on and off. And, at the moment, they were off, but I was doing all I could to change that.

My non-committal child, I thought, shaking my head.

She gave me as much of a headache as her father did. Every night I prayed, I sent a special one up for Legend. It took a special man to deal with her.

“Well, I’m going to get on to these dinner plans, and you need to go home. Take the back exit. I heard that the main doors are blocked by news crews and paparazzi.”

Frowning, I checked the watch on my wrist. “Shouldn’t they be gone by now? I’m sure Sage and Ink left over an hour ago.”

“Maybe.” She shrugged before standing to her feet. “But, if I were you, I wouldn’t even take the chance.”

“Enough said.”

I took a moment to gather my things and felt a weight begin to lift as I left the office. The prosecution asked for an extra day to look into some new evidence so I didn’t have to come back for the rest of the week. I loved my career, but I also loved the role that I played when I was home. I enjoyed going home and being a wife. Especially when my husband was there.

The past few weeks, it felt like Luke and I spent more time apart than we did together. It was a compromise; we both understood the goals that we had in mind, and we agreed to never get in the way of the life each other wanted to lead.

Doing shit like that would only create resentment. We dealt with that before, and thankfully, we were the type of people who learned from our past. The only thing I didn’t expect to come out of our compromise was all the time we spent alone. All the time spent sleeping apart. When I got married, I never thought I would go home to an empty bed, but those days were here.

It’s part of the compromise, I remind myself constantly. It’s the compromise you both agreed to never get in the way of each other’s dreams. So you could be a couple but also an individual and live your life.

I wasn’t just one person; I was a multi-faceted woman. A mother, a wife, and, hopefully, one day, a mogul. I had dreams just as high as those of my husband. I couldn’t do one thing without doing the other, and that meant that I had to learn to accept the good right along with the bad.