After the defense attorney declined to cross-examine his client, the judge declared a short recess. Our lawyer explained that the defendant is smart and had others do his dirty work so that he could not be incriminated. If we wanted to win, we would have to prove how he was the mastermind of our kidnappings. I tried to wrack my brain from that time to find something I could use against him, but my thoughts were so scattered that it is hard to recall and I feel a headache beginning to form.
Returning back to our seats, it is now our turn to be called up as a witness. My nerves return but I continue to search my brain for any stable memory of that time. It seems that the only thing I can truly remember is the bad man and the darkness.
"I call up Damon Night as a witness." The defense lawyer starts. Kissing my hand, Damon stands and walks over to the podium.
"How do you know my client?"
"He works for a company similar to my family's. We have mutual acquaintances."
"Is it true that you framed my client's family?"
"No."
"No?"
"No, I did not frame your client's company. I simply shared the truth about them switching the files of the cars my family's company was selling. I have proof of that as well, if you would like. I think my lawyer submitted it."
The defense lawyer's eyes slightly widened in shock. I guess his client forgot to mention that part.
"Are you saying that my client's company corrupted files?"
"Yes."
"Have you ever seen my client before?"
"Yes, we run in similar social circles due to our companies' success."
"So you would know if this is the man that kidnapped you?"
"Yes."
"Well, was he the one that kidnapped you?"
"Yes."
"So, my client," the defense lawyer starts, pointing towards the defendant, "was the one who physically kidnapped you?"
"No, he did not physically kidnap me. He-" Damon says, but is cut off by the lawyer.
"No further questions."
"Your witness," the judge says to our lawyer. Time for cross-examination.
"You said that the defendant was the one who kidnapped you, is that correct?"
"Yes."
"But you also said that he did not physically kidnap you, correct?"
"Yes."
"What part did the defendant play in your kidnapping if he was not physically there?"
"He was the one who hired people to kidnap and torture me for months."
"What proof do you have of this?"
"The phone he used for all of his alternative business projects."
I turn my head to look at the defendant who was whispering harshly to his lawyer, eyes wide with shock and fear.
"Objection, Your Honor! I have had no prior knowledge of the evidence being called upon," the defense attorney exclaims.
"He is correct. You must submit all evidence before it is mentioned in my courtroom. Let's take an hour recess to discuss the inclusion of the new evidence. Lawyers, please follow me into my chambers. The current witness may step down."
Damon steps off the podium while our lawyer collects the phone from Damon who, reluctantly, handed it over before following the judge to his chambers.
"You did so good!" I whisper to Damon as he sits back at my side.
"Can we go somewhere?" He asks. Finally, looking at his face, I see every emotion that he was trying to hide during his testimony.
"Come on." I grab his hand and pull him out of the courtroom, sending a smile to Brandon and his parents.
Finding a dark corner, Damon wraps his arms around me like a boa constrictor. All the air is squeezed out of my lungs, but I take it, giving him the same treatment back. He is my lifeline and, at this moment, he needs me to be his.
Damon pulls back slightly to stare into my eyes. Removing his hands from around my waist, he brings them to my face, tilting my chin up to look into his eyes. Moving his face closer to mine, our lips collide. The kiss is rushed, angry. He attacks my lips, biting my bottom lip to where I taste the smallest hint of blood as he lets go.
In a movement so quick I barely register it, I'm in Damon's arms with my back slammed against the wall. His hands grip my butt, his fingers digging into the soft flesh. It brings about the smallest bit of pain, but nothing I can't handle. For him, I would make the ends of the world meet if only to see him smile. I will take everything he is giving me because I know he needs it.
His lips find my neck, assaulting the skin as he sucks and kisses his way up from the hollow of my throat to my sensitive spot just below my ear. I gasp as his teeth bite into my skin, a strangled moan slipping passed my lips.
"Damon," my voice is breathy. I tangle my fingers in his hair, leaning my head back so he has more access to the sensitive skin.
My response seems to spur him on further as he pushes me tighter against the wall so I can't move as his hands roam up and down my body. I tug his hair, moving my hands so that they travel down his broad shoulders to his arms where I can feel the muscle straining against his suit.
"Rose? Damon?" Brandon's voice calls out from around the corner.
My body tenses as I hear his voice. My dress is pushed up to my hips and Damon is devouring my neck as if it's a world-class meal. While I hear Brandon's voice, Damon's movements don't halt or pause as if he didn't even hear his brother's words.
"Damon?" I whisper out.
Instead of answering me, he brings one hand to cover my mouth, his teeth, once again, biting into my neck. I moan at the sensation, but bring my hands back to his hair and pull. He begrudgingly lifts his head away from its hiding spot, no doubt leaving love marks. Bringing his eyes to mind, I gasp at the intensity of them. There is so much anger and hurt, but, most of all, lust swirling in their depths.
Not giving me another second to look into his haunting eyes, he crashes his lips against mine as if I'm his only source of oxygen. I try to keep up with his urgent pace. I have never seen him like this before. Has he been holding back with me or is this because of the case?
Not having another second to focus on the sensations, I once again hear Brandon call out for us, closer this time. Ripping my mouth away from Damon's, I whisper "your brother is looking for us. We need to go."
He hands, now back on my butt, squeeze the flesh there. I hiss out in surprise at the sudden pressure.
"No. Mine. You're mine."
His eyes keep mine captive as I take in his words.
"Yes, yours. All yours. I'm not going anywhere."
Seemingly satisfied by my answer, he rests his forehead against mine, allowing us to catch our breaths. We stay like that for what seems like hours, but is only minutes before Brandon rounds the corner. I see him first and before he can say a word, I shoo him away.
"We have to go back now." He doesn't answer me, but looks back into my eyes. "I will be with you the whole time, I promise."
Moving back the slightest inch, I slide down his body until my feet hit the floor. I quickly adjust him and myself before we walk back to the courtroom hand-in-hand.
__
The judge allowed for the evidence to be admitted which provided enough evidence that the rest of Damon's testimony was pretty short and to the point. He primarily had to provide evidence of the call that was made when he was kidnapped the first time and the instructions that were sent by text. He did the same thing for my own kidnapping. Hearing the instructions made my stomach twist. I'm lucky I made it out of there alive - I wasn't supposed to. Perhaps I have the bad man to thank for that.
Scoffing at my own thoughts, my heart sinks as Damon sits next to me. It's my turn to tell my story.
"Last witness to take the stand, please," the judge calls. Scooting my chair back, Damon squeezes my hand while Brandon squeezes my shoulder. I walk on unsteady legs to the podium. After taking the oath, the defense attorney is the first to question me.
"Do you recognize my client?"
"No."
"So, you have never seen him before?"
"No."
I'm confused as to why he is asking these questions when the phone Damon provided the court is enough to incriminate the defendant.
"Do you recognize that man?" The lawyer asks me while pointing to Damon.
"Yes."
"What would you say your relationship is to that man?"
"Objection! Relevance?" Our lawyer calls out.
"Establishing a connection to provide motive," the defense lawyer says.
Motive for what?
"Overruled. Please continue."
"Thank you. Please answer the question."
"He is my boyfriend."
"Would you say that you love him and would do anything for him?"
"Of course!"
"Would you lie for him?"
"I'm sorry?" My brain is confused. Why is he asking me these questions? What would I need to lie about? My heart sinks as it registers. No, please no. Damon will never forgive me.
"Answer the question."
"There is no reason to lie."
"Answer the question!" His tone is sharp, demanding.
"Yes," I say, defeated as I hang my head.
Satisfied with his first round of questions, he changes his topic. "How would you describe your mentality during your captivity?"
"Objection! Relevance?" Our lawyer calls out again.
"If her mentality was at all compromised during her captivity, how can she say that my client had any part in her kidnapping and captivity? Perhaps she was influenced," he explains to the judge.
My eyes fly to Damon to see his jaw ticking, his eyes anywhere but on me. He is going to hate me as I get this case thrown out because I couldn't keep it together during my five months locked in that basement.
"Overruled. Please answer the question."
I feel tears of frustration build behind my eyes because I know there is no way to say anything that would provide evidence that I am a good witness to this case. "I- I- I was not given any food or drink or had any concept of time so I was confused for a portion of my captivity. I was-"
"That's all. Thank you."
"Your witness," the judge says to our lawyer.
Walking up to me, our lawyer gives me a second to collect myself before asking his first question. "What do you remember about your kidnapping?"
"I- I was checking in on Damon because we had had a disagreement the night before. I wanted to make sure he was fine, but in doing so, I did not shut their front door. After making sure he was fine, I turned to go back to my own apartment across the hall to get ready to go to work at the publishing company near my home. However, when I started to leave their apartment, there was a man standing in the doorway. I couldn't make out any of his features, but he grabbed me and, along with his partner, they dragged me out of our apartment building and into a car. They threw me in the backseat and I tried to escape but the doors were child locked and I was blindfolded with my hands tied together. When we finally made it to our destination, I heard one of my captors talking to someone else about Damon following us. Then I was tied to a pole in the basement."
"You didn't see any of your captors?"
"No."
"But you heard them?"
"Yes."
"Would you recognize their voice if you heard it again?"
"Yes."
"Please play the tape admitted to evidence."
The audio starts to play and I hear the bad man's voice, the defendant's, and one other voice I don't recognize.
"Please play voice a again."
Audio, once again, comes out of the speaker to reveal the bad man's voice.
"Do you recognize this voice?"
"Yes," my voice is shaky. I was hoping I would never have to hear that voice again.
"Is this person in the courtroom today?"
"No."
"Please play voice b." The defendant's voice comes out of the speakers. "Do you recognize this voice?"
"Yes, my captors referred to this voice as 'boss.'"
"Is this person in the courtroom today?"
"Yes."
"Please point them out."
I point to the defendant.
"Please let the records show that the witness pointed to the defendant. No other questions."
"You may step down," the judge says. I quickly step down from the podium and take my seat next to Damon.
"I'm sorry," I whisper, hoping I didn't ruin this case.
"You did amazing, my pretty flower. Do not apologize," he says, kissing my forehead.
"The court is adjourned for today for deliberation. Please be back here tomorrow at 8am for the deciding consensus."
Standing up, Damon and I shake our lawyer's hand. "You both have a very good shot of winning. That phone broke the case wide open."
With a nod, we continue out of the courtroom, Damon's family following us.
"Why don't we all go grab some lunch to celebrate?" Carol suggests.
Looking up at Damon, I wait for his reaction. I really just want to go back to his apartment and relax with him. I'm emotionally, physically, and mentally drained after today.
"Thanks, mom, but we are going to head back. Neither of us slept well last night."
"Okay, honey. Call us if you need anything. We will see you both in the morning."
Giving us a hug goodbye, Carol and Dave walk out of the building and into the car, leaving the three of us in the hallway. "Let's go home," Brandon says, breaking the silence.
Wordlessly, we climb into his car and drive back to the apartment where we all just flop on the couch. I lay sideways across them, Damon's hand playing in my hair, and Brandon absentmindedly rubbing my feet. I feel my body begin to relax for the first time today. Shifting to look up at Damon, I see the anxiety on his face about the decision. Pulling one of his hands from my hair, I place a kiss in his palm. "Everything will be okay. Stay with me."
He nods his head, putting his hand back in my hair. We lay like this for the next few hours, looking at the television screen but not really seeing anything.
At around six that night, the phone rings, startling all of us from our thoughts. It's Damon's.
Pulling it out of his pocket, I see the lawyer's name flash across the screen. He looks down at me while swiping across the screen and putting the call on speaker.
"Hello?"
"Hi. Damon?"
"This is him."
"Great! Is Rose near you?"
"She's right here."
"Okay, perfect. I just wanted to update you that the defendant took a plea bargain due to the admittance of the new evidence. He will have a reduced sentence," Damon's hand, still tangled in my hair, closes into a fist, pulling the hair against my scalp. "but he did give up the name of the associates involved in the kidnapping. We believe one of them may be the man that hurt you, Rose."
My heart stops. Is it possible?
"W-What?" My voice shakes.
"It is not certain, but he did give up three names. Two of which are your captors which was verified by the security footage of when Rose was taken, but we are unsure of the third. All of this will be discussed further tomorrow, but I wanted to keep you both updated. Do either of you have any questions?"
"No, thank you for the update."
"No problem. I will see you both tomorrow at 8am."
Hanging up the phone, I sit up and walk into the bathroom, standing in front of the full length mirror. Taking off of my clothes, I stare at the scars marking my body. The ones that adorn my wrist like a bracelet, the ones that cover my back due to the violent strikes of his whip, the ones across my hips and stomach as he cut me with his knife because he liked to 'see my blood leave my body.' This is the man I may have to face in the near distant future.
My heart feels as though it is beating faster than a freight train and I can't breathe fast enough to keep up with it. Putting my hand on the door, I hunch over trying to get enough air into my lungs, but it is fruitless. Black spots start to decorate my vision, the darkness trying to take over, but I push it back.
Focus. Focus.
I close my eyes, trying to recall the memory - the only memory that helped me keep a margin of my sanity during my captivity. "Such a pretty flower," Damon's deep voice plays in my mind on a loop. I focus only on this memory as I feel my body start to calm down, my heart beat starting to return to normal.
Standing up straight, my hands still shake and my heart is still too fast, but I feel more stable. I can do this. I will face him and I will win. He will suffer for what he did to me. I will make sure of it. With this thought in mind, I redress and walk back out to the couch cuddling against both boys. You can run, but you can't hide. We will find you.