Pierced (24 page)

Again, I look at Lucian as I answer. “My mother and stepfather were arguing. I was doing the laundry and couldn’t get out of their way fast enough. My mother left the room and I…he was really angry. He took the iron from my hand and tore my shirt. He put the iron on my back and said: ‘Cows are always branded so they know who they belong to, and you’ll always belong to me.’” Even from across the room, I see Lucian flinch. I have never gone into all the details of what had happened to me, and I realize I should have before today. Regardless of how humiliating this is for me, it’s inexcusable that I haven’t prepared him better for what he will hear.

The knot in my stomach had started to loosen slightly when the question I had been dreading came. “Miss Adams, did Mr. Dawson ever sexually assault you?” I knew the DA’s office already had this information from my deposition, so it’s only reasonable they would go over each point for the judge. Unlike my other answers, I can’t look at Lucian when I answer this. Why didn’t I tell him? God, how could I just let this hit him now? I focus on the paisley pattern on the prosecutor’s tie and strive for calm.

“In ways, yes.” From the corner of my eye, I see Max grab Lucian’s arm, trying to settle him. Before the prosecutor can ask me to clarify, I continue. “He came into my room for months at night. He…he would choke or hurt me until I took my clothes off.” I hadn’t even realized that tears were tracking silently down my face until one splashed on my hand. “He would touch me with one hand, while…masturbating with his other.”

Lucian shouts out as if in agony. Finally, my eyes are on his, and it takes my breath away. His face is filled with naked agony, my words shredding him. My tears flow faster now as my lips soundlessly whisper how sorry I am to him. For someone with his protective streak, news like this is shattering. The prosecutor wisely asks for a recess, and the judge agrees. I have a thirty-minute reprieve, and I need every moment of it to compose myself. As I stand and leave the stand, I am suddenly looking at my stepfather. I’m not sure if I expect some trace of guilt from him, but none is present. He looks at me in a familiar way that makes my skin crawl, as if we share a dirty secret. I turn quickly away and walk toward Lucian and Max. I have almost reached them when my mother steps from behind the table and smirks at me. I feel rage the likes of which I have never felt before. I want to claw her eyes out. She has no shame. She feels not one bit of remorse over not protecting her daughter. She seems to enjoy my pain.

As Lucian walks up behind me, settling a protective arm over my shoulders, she turns her attention to him. He meets her stare, his expression one of contempt and disgust; his opinion of her couldn’t be more apparent. He turns me from her without a backward glance, and we walk from the courtroom. He leads me down the hallway and into an empty office, shutting the door behind us. “I’m sorry,” I sob into his chest before he can speak.

His arms envelope me, pulling me into his shuddering chest. “Christ, baby, why didn’t you tell me what that bastard did to you?”

“He didn’t rape me,” I whisper against his neck, desperate to get closer.

“Lia, he sexually assaulted you. He may not have been inside you, but the fucker touched you…he fucking forced you to endure that. Goddamn it!”

The floodgates are open, and I am helpless to stop the flow of tears as I sob in Lucian’s arms, continuing to apologize. “Honey, please stop saying you’re sorry. You have nothing to apologize for. Yes, I wish I had known, but I understand how hard this must be for you.” He pulls back, holding me at arm’s length. “You know this doesn’t change anything between us, right? I’m just blown away by who you are and all that you have accomplished despite what you’ve had to overcome.”

My body sags in relief. A part of me has always been afraid he wouldn’t want me if he found out I had let someone do something so dirty to me. In my weaker moments, I second-guessed myself, wondering if he would have really killed me if I had refused. Had I taken the easy way out because of my fear? Didn’t that make me a coward? I had no idea I had spoken my fears aloud until Lucian growls.

“Baby, how can you even think that? You, a coward? Shit, that’s the most absurd thing I’ve ever heard. You’re one of the strongest people I’ve ever known. Most people would have given up after enduring what you have. Look at what an amazing woman you are. You refuse to take the easy way out of anything. Hell, you’re cleaning my house instead of letting me take care of you like I want to.”

I reach up, kissing his throat. “Geez, I needed that.” I surprise a laugh out of him, causing me to smile in return. A throat clearing behind us has us both looking toward the door.

Max steps around us, leaning against the opposite wall. “I thought you did well, Lia. We only have a few minutes before we have to go back. Do you have any questions for me?”

“Yeah, when’s the next bus run by here?” He grins at me, something I have a feeling he doesn’t often do. I think he’s secretly relieved I’ve finished falling apart and am attempting a bit of humor. Something about men being around crying women makes them damn uncomfortable.

“Fair question. I think Luc here will make sure you have a ride out of here at the earliest opportunity. If you are ready, we better get back inside.”

Lucian gives me a quick kiss before dropping his arms. “Come on, baby. If we’re lucky, we can fit in some more delightful conversation with your mother before they call court to order.” I jab him in the side with my elbow, trying to suppress a smile at his words. It’s hard to believe I am anything other than a basket case after my testimony, but Lucian makes things better just by being near. I have little doubt this whole ordeal would be much different were he not here with me.

My mother, thankfully, keeps her back to us, and I exchange no further words with her. Uneasily, I let myself look toward my stepfather’s table and find him staring back at me. The bastard looks completely unconcerned and almost...giddy. I see him look past me to study Lucian, a frown forming on his face. Something about it makes me more uneasy than having him watch me. I hate exposing Lucian to all the ugliness that is my past, especially my mother and stepfather. I don’t want to think of either of them even breathing his name, much less looking at him with interest.

My mother is called to the witness stand next and goes through the same process of being sworn in and giving her information to the court. “Mrs. Dawson, has Mr. Dawson ever assaulted you in any way?”

“No, of course not. He’s my husband and sometimes we like things rough…you know, but it’s all consensual.” Mouths drop throughout the courtroom. Lucian tenses, and my ears buzz. What is she doing? Hadn’t she instigated this entire process because he hurt her?

The prosecutor seems to be floundering in shock. Clearly, this is not the response he had been expecting. “Mrs. Dawson, perhaps you didn’t understand the question. Has Mr. Dawson ever harmed you physically at any point up to and including the incident that brought us here today?”

My mother looks lovingly at her husband as if such a notion is absurd. “Not at all. That was all just a misunderstanding. I got jealous because Jim was flirting with our neighbor and started a fight with him.” She giggles, doing a good job of looking embarrassed before saying, “I was throwing some books at him, and I just fell down, hitting my head on the fireplace. Jim was so worried about me afterwards, but I was still so mad…you know? Our neighbor is a lot younger, and it made me jealous.” She shrugs her shoulders as if to say, ‘you know how it goes.’

I sit rooted to my spot, stunned speechless. What is she doing? Swiveling my head back to my stepfather, I see him lounging back in his chair, a smirk firmly attached to his lips. His lawyer sits next to him looking stunned. The prosecutor’s face is red, and he looks just minutes away from a heart attack. “Mrs. Dawson, I…did you witness any assaults from Mr. Dawson against your daughter?”

My mother looks straight at me and God help me, I know what’s coming. This is payback. I dared to taunt her earlier, and she won’t let me get away with it. Looking the picture of innocence, she faces the judge. “No, I have no idea what she is talking about. Jim tried so hard to be a father to her, but she rebelled at every opportunity.” Giving a dramatic sigh, she adds, “I blame it on myself, Your Honor; I let her get away with everything, trying to make up for the fact that she didn’t have a father like other girls. After a while, she had no respect for authority or rules. She resented Jim and was always making up stories to get back at him.”

The roaring in my ears grows louder, and I vaguely hear Lucian shout my name. Standing without thinking, I yell, “You’re lying, why are you lying!” This starts a fiasco of yelling, gavel banging and movement that makes my head swim. Before I know it, Lucian is leading me from the room with Max following closely behind.

Lucian

“Lia…talk to me, sweetheart.” She hasn’t said a word since we left the courtroom. We are back in the same office we used during the recent recess. I have taken one of the available chairs in the room and pulled her trembling form down onto my lap. I rub circulation back into her cold hands and whisper soothing words I know are meaningless to her right now. Her mother’s testimony had invoked a lot of strong emotions. I wanted to fucking kill the lying bitch; Max was also seething and Lia…she had simply come undone. Her shouts had echoed off the walls, making her the sole focus of the room. At Max’s urging, I had gotten her out of there as fast as possible. As I continue to reassure her, Max steps into the room, looking at Lia in concern.

“She okay?”

“What do you think? Her mother pretty much threw her under the bus and backed over her for good measure.”

Max winces before shaking his head. “I’ve met some messed-up people in my time, but that woman takes the cake. There is no question in my mind she was lying through her teeth; hell, everyone in the place knew it. Unfortunately, there’s not a damn thing that can be done. Brian is pissed as hell. He’s going to have charges brought against her for filing a false police report, along with anything else he can think of. He’ll do it, too. He’s a good guy, but she made him look like a complete fool in there.” Pointing to Lia, he adds, “He feels really bad about what happened to her, as well. Said he would have never brought this case to trial had he known her mother was going to get up there and lie her ass off.”

I run a hand through my hair before shifting Lia to a more comfortable position on my lap. “Whole thing blows my mind. That was just pure spite. I can’t believe Lia is even related to that woman.”

Max and I are both surprised when a voice interjects, “Maybe I was adopted. That would explain a lot. Well…except that I can’t see my mother wanting a child enough to actually go that far.” She looks at me, giving a half-smile before stretching her limbs. My jaw clinches, and I feel like a bastard for the immediate response of my cock to her movements. There is no way to tell the guy downstairs about bad timing; he doesn’t give a damn. When Lia’s tight little ass is wiggling in close proximity, all the blood flow rushes down south. I grab her hips, stilling her movements while I fight to control my reaction. I’m pretty sure Max is stifling a grin behind the hand covering his mouth. Bastard, I’d like to see him handle it any better. She turns to look at him, asking, “Can I go now or will I be cross-examined?”

“You’re free to go, Lia; that’s what I came to tell you. The judge has called it a day, due to the mess your mother’s testimony created. Brian needs time to deal with the fallout. I’ll give Lucian a call when and if we need to return, but I would hardly expect this case to continue. There is nothing more to be gained from a cross-examination at this point.”

Lia slides from my lap, and I discretely button my suit jacket as I rise behind her. “Thanks, Max, I appreciate you being here today.”

Max takes my proffered hand then claps me on the shoulder. “Of course. I’ll be in touch. Turning to Lia, he says, “I’m sorry again about what happened in there. Just try to put this behind you. As I said, I believe this will be the end.” We leave the courthouse and find Sam waiting at the curb with the car. I open the door, helping Lia inside. Sam, always discrete, climbs in the driver’s seat, giving us privacy. Max motions for me to hang back, so I close the door after telling her I’ll be another minute. “Luc, I’m a little worried about this whole thing. I didn’t want to mention this in front of Lia, but Brian will probably have no choice but to dismiss the case against Lia’s stepfather. I would expect he will be free within a few days.”

“Shit, and now she’s back on his radar again.”

Max nods in agreement. “She testified against him, tried to put him away. I think the mother was trying to get to Lia, but I believe, in the end, she was also scared to go up against him. He probably threatened her. Just tell Lia to be careful. The usual stuff: walk in groups, check the door before opening it, be more aware of her surroundings, maybe have someone stay with her for a few days.”

“She will stay with me.” Max isn’t blind; he knows Lia and I are involved, but he also knows me well enough to realize I don’t have relationships…or haven’t in a long time. He is aware of my past; he has helped me legally deal with much of it. So, the surprise on his face at my statement is understandable and almost comical.