Pierced (23 page)

Since he walked back into my life after disappearing for days, things have been different between us…better. I have spent every night at his apartment. He continues to push my boundaries both in and out of bed, and I love it. To my knowledge, he hasn’t had any more nightmares. He hasn’t said anything, but I have seen him taking medication before bed the last few nights. He is sleeping deeper and looks groggy in the mornings. I know he is afraid of hurting me again, but I wish the medication wasn’t necessary. Maybe, after this is all over, we should both check into therapy. If Lucian won’t talk to me, possibly he will open up to someone else. I just hope that being involved with someone dealing with their own demons isn’t pushing him to a place he can’t handle.

I reach up to cup his cheek in my palm, rubbing the smooth skin there. He has become such a big part of my life that I can’t imagine what I’ll do when he’s gone. I can’t think about that now, though; I have to survive today before I can dwell on tomorrow. “I’m fine, Luc. He can’t hurt me anymore. I’m glad you’re going to be there; you make everything better.”

He turns his head, kissing my palm. “I’ve got you, baby. We’ll get this behind us today, then I’ll bring you home and make love to you all night. Fucking bury that shit behind us where it belongs.”

“Oh, Luc.” A vice squeezes my heart at his words. I have no defense against him when he gives me sweet. He’s possessive, dominant, and protective toward me, but sometimes so gentle and sweet it brings me to tears. In moments like this, I feel he would battle the world to take care of me. It makes the girl who no one ever wanted feel like the woman who has it all. Words of love rise to my lips, threatening to choke me, but I hold them back. It’s too soon, and I know instinctively he’s not ready to hear them. I’m so afraid they’ll slip out in a vulnerable moment, and it will be the catalyst that causes him to leave me.

We stand there for a moment longer, each lost in our own thoughts, before he checks his watch and pulls back. I smooth down the material of the simple linen-shift dress I’ve borrowed from Rose and square my shoulders. Luc takes my hand and pulls me through the apartment and out to the curb where Sam is waiting in the Mercedes. He straightens from where he is leaning against the car to open the backdoor for us. “Good morning, Lia,” he says giving my arm a gentle squeeze of encouragement as I pass him. I hear Lucian exchanging a few words with him before he enters behind me.

Lucian puts his arm around me and pulls me into his side as the car moves through traffic. Neither of us speaks on our short ride to the courthouse, and all too soon, Sam is turning off the engine and opening the door for our exit. “I’ll be right here waiting when you are finished,” he says. I know this is his way of trying to reassure me that everything will be fine. Impulsively, I turn back, giving him a hug. I can tell he is surprised, but his arms encircle me briefly as he returns the embrace. Lucian takes my hand once again, and we walk up the stairs to the double set of doors where his lawyer Max is waiting.

Lucian’s lawyer appears to be in his thirties. His hair is dark, almost black, and neatly styled. Like Lucian, Max is tall and powerfully built. He extends a hand to me. “Miss Adams, I’m Max Decker. Sorry to meet under less-than-desirable circumstances.” I shake his hand, liking his straightforward manner. He turns to greet Lucian before turning back to me. “Miss Adams…”

Before he can continue, I hold up a hand, saying, “Please, call me Lia. I have a feeling I’m going to be Miss Adams far too much today as it is.”

With a brief incline of his head to acknowledge my request, he continues, “Lia, I realize this will be difficult for you. If it’s any consolation, though, I believe this will be fairly quick and straightforward. There is no line of witnesses to go through nor any other testimony besides that of you and your mother, and possibly Mr. Dawson on the rebuttal. There is no jury involved, so the judge will handle the ruling. You will be called to testify first. The purpose is to establish a past pattern of violence and instability. Your mother will testify next and the court will likely break after that. Mr. Dawson will testify after the break, if he so chooses and that should be it.

My body relaxes slightly, responding to the confidence in his voice; if he thinks it’s going to be okay, surely he knows better than I do. “You make it sound so simple.”

He gives me a look tinged with sympathy, and I decide I quite like Max Decker. It’s easy to see why he and Lucian are associates; they both exude the same power and confidence that draws everyone around into their orbit. “The process is simple, Lia, but the reality of what happens in the courtroom is often anything but. Brian Starnes is the prosecutor from the DA’s office on this case, and he is a good guy. He’ll try to guide you through your testimony as easily as possible. When Brian is finished, Mr. Dawson’s lawyer will have the opportunity to cross-examine you.”

When he would have continued on, I stop him. “What do you mean, cross-examine me?” I know Lucian has picked up on the quiver in my voice when his grip on my hand tightens.

“Each party has the right to cross-examination. They may or may not use that right. You need to be prepared that Mr. Dawson’s lawyer might try to discredit parts of your testimony.” I feel the blood drain from my face as the impact of his words hits me. I’m not just going into court to give a simple statement and leave. I’ve seen enough movies in my time to know I might very well have my entire life ripped apart in front of everyone there.

“But…I’m not on trial. I—I didn’t think I’d have to do anything other than testify.” By this point, I am shaking and trying desperately to swallow the bile threatening to choke me. If I wasn’t so close to freaking out, it would probably be amusing to see two strong men like Lucian and Max so upset over my reaction.

“Lia…I’m so sorry. I assumed you knew that was a possibility. Surely, the DA’s office mentioned it to you.” He mutters what sounds like a curse word under his breath before adding, “We should have met before now so I could have prepared you. Let me talk to the judge and see if we can get a postponement.” As Max starts to walk off, I grab his arm, stopping him.

“No. I just want this out of the way. If I leave now, I will be back in a day, a week or sometime soon. I’ll just spend that time dreading this. Maybe it’s better this way.” Looking down at my watch, I attempt a joke to lighten the mood. “Look, I only have ten minutes left to completely lose it, so I better get started.” Max gives what sounds like a reluctant laugh before looking at Lucian, as if silently asking him what he wants to do. Since Lucian is paying his salary, it’s probably only fair he get the final decision.

“Give us a minute, will you, Max?” The other man nods his agreement and walks down the hall, pulling out his cellphone to push some buttons. Lucian turns back to me, his eyes full of concern. “Baby, I’m so fucking sorry. I…shit, I thought you knew what would happen today. This is all on me. I should have had Max meet with you days ago. Please, let him try to get this postponed to give you a few days to prepare. I don’t want you going in there blindsided.”

I step closer to him, resting my hands on his chest. “I don’t want to start over again Luc. Yes, finding out I may be cross-examined is a bit of a surprise, and I’m nervous about it, but I need for it to be done. I don’t want to leave here today with this still hanging over me. The DA’s office probably mentioned it to me, but I just didn’t understand.” Uncaring of who is watching Lucian cups my face in his hands, looking into my eyes for a moment and seeing the resolve there.

Finally, he expels a breath and kisses me hard on the lips. His kiss conveys his frustration, but the gentle touch of his finger stroking my cheek infuses me with strength. I can do this; I have been through worse in my life. In a few hours, Lucian and I will leave, and it’ll be finished. Looking back later, I will realize that believing anything that involves my mother and stepfather could be simple was completely naive. I should have known better.

Max leads the way into the courtroom, stopping by a bench on the front row. “I’ll sit first, then Lucian if you’ll come next and let Lia have the end.” No doubt, he’s afraid I will fall on my face if I have to climb over them when my name is called. We settle in just as he requested, and Lucian clasps my hand once again. I look around the room, thinking it looks exactly like something from
Law and Order
. When I make another pass, a woman at the table directly in front of us is staring at us. Shock waves roll over me as I recognize my mother. Her blonde hair is now a dark brown, and she looks fifty pounds smaller than the last time I saw her. Her face is hollow and her body almost emancipated. She looks like someone fighting off a horrible disease.

“Mom?” I whisper, still in shock at the woman looking back at me. She turns fully in her seat, her eyes sliding over me and then taking in Lucian, who, as if sensing a threat, has stiffened beside me. I hate I even cared enough to ask, “Are you all right? You look…”

Her dull eyes seem to suddenly sparkle as the familiar look of malice takes over. “That’s real nice, Lia. You take off years ago; don’t say a word about where you are, and now you’re insulting me. Still just a spoiled brat.” I sit there gaping at her then wonder why she still has the ability to surprise me. Have I not heard some version of this crap my entire life? Beside me, Lucian’s face has reddened, and he looks very close to completely losing his cool. I put a restraining hand on his thigh, trying to calm him down. I needed him, which means he has to keep it together. I need to show him I can handle what my mother is dishing out. I don’t need him to fight this battle; I’ve done it my whole life.

“Mother, I believe we both know I didn’t take off; you kicked me out on the street. And in order to be a spoiled brat, I would have had to be given something in life, and you made sure that never happened.” When she would have interjected, I keep going, not giving her time to interrupt. “Now, you want something from me. That’s rich, Mother; it really is. I should have went with my first inclination and let them lock me up before helping you in any way, because you never helped me a day in my life.”

If the whole white-trash drama that has just occurred wasn’t so damned sad, I would probably laugh. She stares at me with her mouth hanging, unable to come up with anything. I have never dared talk back to her, and she is stunned silent. God, if only I had known that years ago, I might have saved myself a lot of abuse. Lucian’s big body has relaxed slightly with my words. I was scared he would think me a horrible person for talking to my mother like that, but a quick look at his face seems to show equal parts amusement and pride.

“You ungrateful bitch,” my mother hisses before someone at her table shushes her. She gives me a look that promises retribution before turning in her seat without another word.

Lucian leans down to whisper in my ear. “So, I guess we aren’t hosting a Mother’s Day lunch this year?” Since his words carry over, both Max and I are struggling to cover our mouths and choke off our laughter. Lucian, as always, understands exactly what I need; instead of coddling, he has given me comic relief. Just another thing about the man that is impossible not to love.

As quickly as the smile had come, it is wiped away as my stepfather walks into the room. He hasn’t been able to raise the funds for bail, so he has been held in custody prior to today. Instead of the prison-orange I expected, he is wearing a cheap-looking blue suit. Unlike my mother, he looks much the same. Jim Dawson is what some would consider handsome, but to me, the cruelty in his eyes has always been obvious. He always made my skin crawl, and today is no exception.

Court is called to order as the judge enters the room. The case information is read off and before I know it, my name is called. “The court calls our first witness, Lia Adams, to the stand.” Lucian’s hand tightens around mine before releasing it. I fight the urge to run the other way. Instead, I take a steadying breath as I walk toward the front. I am sworn in and seated in the box next to the judge.

The first series of questions are establishing my relationship and other superficial information. I shift uncomfortably in my wooden chair, feeling the pressure of being the center of attention. “Miss Adams, has the defendant Mr. Dawson ever struck or physically assaulted you?” Even though I knew the question was coming, it still drives the breath from my body. My eyes fly to Lucian who gives me a nod of encouragement.

“Yes…both.”

“Miss Adams, could you be more specific as to the nature of the assaults?”

I moisten my suddenly dry lips and clasp my hands together tightly to keep them from shaking. “He…slapped me, choked me, kicked me and…burned me.”

“Your Honor, I would like to admit into evidence Exhibit A, showing a scar on Miss Adams’ back from a hot iron.” Color stains my cheeks as the photo is handed to the judge. Max had arranged for someone from the district attorney’s office to come take the photo at Lucian’s. I was extremely grateful it had been a woman; something about a man other than Lucian seeing my shame is almost too much to bear. “Miss Adams, can you tell the court how you came to have this scar, please?”