Chapter 12
Marcus typed rapidly on his old computer keyboard, the clacking keys echoing through the small office. "I'm drawing up the emergency guardianship paperwork right now. We'll need to file it at the courthouse by noon today before the afternoon docket closes. If we miss that window, you might have to wait through the weekend, and that gives social services time to flag the hotel incident from last night."
Jax clenched his jaw. "Hotel incident? How do you know about that?"
"Word travels fast among the local precinct contacts," Marcus replied without looking up from his screen. "Security at the grand charity gala filed an informal report about a suspicious man and a boy slipping out the service exit after causing a minor disturbance near the tables. They didn't press charges, but child services was copied on the digital log."
"Damn it," Jax muttered, running a hand over his beard. "We need to move fast."
"We will," Marcus said, hitting print on the machine beside him. Several sheets of paper slid out into the tray. He handed the packet to Jax along with a pen. "Sign here, here, and initial at the bottom of page three. Leo, you'll need to sign a brief statement confirming that Jax has been taking care of you and that you want to stay with him."
Leo stepped forward, taking the pen from the lawyer's hand with steady fingers. He looked up at Jax for confirmation, and the biker nodded encouragingly. The boy carefully signed his name at the bottom of the page, his handwriting neat and precise for an eight-year-old.
"Good job, kiddo," Marcus smiled warmly, stamping the documents with an official red seal. "Now, Jax, you and I are heading down to the municipal courthouse on Main Street. We'll walk these papers straight into Judge Callahan's chambers before she breaks for lunch."
"What about me?" Leo asked, a sudden flash of worry crossing his hazel eyes. "Can I come?"
"Protocol says you should wait in the family waiting room with a staff member," Marcus explained gently. "It's safe, Leo. No one will bother you there."
May you like
"No," Jax intervened immediately, his voice absolute. "He stays right by my side. If I go into that courtroom, my son goes with me. I'm not letting him out of my sight today."
Marcus looked at Jax's intense, unyielding expression, then nodded slowly. "All right. We walk in together. Let's go."
