K. Lynn - Reciprocity

Once I was calm, I leaned all the way back against the tub wall, hissing as I hit the cold portion of the tub that was not submerged in the water.

“Better?” I kissed her temple, and she tilted her head to look back at me. Our foreheads bumped as I slumped into her, happy to see life in her eyes again. Her hand cupped my cheek, and I leaned into her touch, not realizing how much I needed it.

“Thank you.”

“That’s what I’m here for—to take care of you.”

Her head stretched up, and she pressed her lips to mine. “I’m here for you, too.”

“We’ll worry about me later.” Fuck, she was so selfless when it came to me. “How was it today?”

She sighed and took my hands in hers, wrapping my arms around her waist. “It was so hard. I kept having flashes.” She paused, slipping her fingers between mine. “But at least I got some satisfaction out of the whole ordeal.”

“What was that?”

“When I had to state my name.” She turned back to me and smiled. “Adam stood up and screamed out that I was a fucking whore when it registered that I’d gotten married.”

My eyes widened and hope flooded my body. “And that reaction could only hurt his case.”

She nodded. “Mm-hmm. It was hard to talk, to answer their questions, but his constant state of aggravation was noticeable to everyone, especially the jury. At another point, he called me a lying cunt.”

I smiled wide. “Shit, his defense attorney should have sedated him.”

“I doubt he knew. Adam learned a lot from my father on how to spin things. I think he really had his attorney convinced I started it. Once the questioning began and Adam started going off, he changed his mind.”

Good. Adam’s fake innocence couldn’t combat his destructive nature.

“He was flustered when it was his turn to examine you, wasn’t he?”

Even Lila was smiling. “Very. He looked like a newbie, and even the judge was short with him.”

“He wasn’t expecting what his client really was.” I stroked across her arm over and over, drawing lazy patterns.

She pursed her lips. “We aren’t supposed to be talking about it.”

“No.” I drew circles around her breast and down her stomach. “I’m supposed to be making you forget.”

Her lips pressed against my neck. “You’re on the right path.”

After we got out of the tub, I carried her into the bedroom and laid her down on the bed. Then I did what I always did when she was upset—I lavished her body with mine, showing her my love through touch. Words would never do for her. They could never convey the truth my hands, mouth, and cock could.

As I was led into the courtroom, I couldn’t help but look around. I locked onto Adam, and he actually looked reserved. After everything Lila told me, I scoffed at his act. It was probably advice from his lawyer—to look repentant in front of the jury.

They’d dressed him up in a suit, shaved him, cut his hair—anything to make him look like a good boy. It was the way he held himself and the expressions on his face that gave him away.

It was odd being on the other side of the bench. I was used to being in front of the judge, not beside him. I took a deep breath to even myself out and looked at Lawrence. My hands gripped the chair in an effort to keep me calm as I braced to go through the usual retelling of events from my eyes.

Lawrence walked to the center of the floor. “Why were you going over to Delilah’s house that night?”

“We were going to have dinner.”

He looked around the room, trying not to focus solely on me. “Did you eat together every night?”

“Yes.”

“Did you notice anything strange or different that night as you approached her condo?”

I blew out a slow breath. “There were screams coming from inside.”

Lawrence stared at me, and I knew the hard hit was coming. “Tell me—what did you see when you opened the door?”

Fuck.

My heart was racing as the image popped into my mind. I let out a hard breath to steady myself. I had to answer and do so in a calm manner. The problem was that calm could be found nowhere within me in that moment.

My muscles flexed, ready to jump out of the stupid box and run to Adam so I could slam my fist in his fucking face. I wanted to reenact the events of that day in order to show the judge what little I’d done to him compared to what he did to her.

“Lila was on the ground with him on top of her.”

The prosecutor continued to lead me on. “And what was he doing to her?”

I knew where his questions were going—I’d been in his place and tried to prepare myself for them. It didn’t make it any easier. I could anticipate his questions, but not the searing emotions they evoked.

“He had her hands pinned above her head. Her shirt was ripped open, and he was pushing her skirt up.” My whole body was shaking, rage enveloping me.

The prosecutor stared at me, begging me to cool down. “What made it different from sexual play?”

My teeth mashed together as I fought for control. “Her face was covered in blood.”

I forced myself to stop the words “from him hitting her,” because I knew the defense would object.

After a while, the prosecutor glanced at the jury and back at me, then sighed. I wasn’t making a very good impression due to my anger seeping out.

“Tell me, why are you so agitated being in this room today?”

A good question. It would make the jury understand why. Who wouldn’t be angry, sitting across from the man who almost took your world away?

“Because he…” I couldn’t say his name, and I was so close to calling him a name the judge wouldn’t approve of “…hurt Lila. He tried to take my wife away from me. My love and reason for being.”

I took great pride in the murderous look that flashed on Adam’s face after calling Lila by her marital title. Lawrence smiled and continued on.

After a grueling fifteen minutes and more than one warning from the judge, the defense took over.

“Mr. Thorne, you and Delilah Thorne weren’t married when you first encountered Mr. Mitchell, were you?”

“No.”

“Neither were you engaged, is that correct?”

“Yes.” If I thought answering the prosecution was bad, it was nothing compared to the “yes” and “no” answers for the defense.

“Were you living together?”

“Yes.”

“But you still retained separate residences?”

“Yes.”

“And that is because your employer did not allow fraternization between its employees, correct?”

“Yes.” I shifted in my seat, but made sure it wasn’t noticeable.

“Is it true that you destroyed all the drywall in your entryway in a fit of anger?”

“Objection,” Lawrence called out. “Irrelevant to the case.”

The defense attorney didn’t flinch. “Mr. Thorne also has a history of violence. I am strictly trying to show that, your Honor.”

“What relevancy does it pose?” the judge asked, his voice clipped in annoyance at the defense attorney. Lila was right—the judge didn’t like him.

“That Delilah Thorne is the instigator of violent reactions.”

The judge thought on it for a moment. “I’ll allow it. Please answer the question, Mr. Thorne.”

I sighed, unhappy with the twist. “No.”

“No, you did not destroy your entryway.”

“Yes, I did, but not—”

“You blamed it all on your coworker, Delilah Palmer, isn’t that right?” He cut me off, keeping me from elaborating.

“No.”

“Weren’t you angry at her?”

“Yes.”

“You’ve shown us your anger today. Have you ever hit Delilah?”

“No.” My gut was tied in knots at even the thought of it, and I somehow managed to keep from flinching.

“Never?”

“Never.”

“The defense rests.” He wore a smug look as he moved back to his seat.

The prosecutor stood, and I knew they wanted to redirect after some of the questions posed by the defense.

“Mr. Thorne, you destroyed your entryway, but not in a fit of anger?”

“I tore down the drywall in a fit of despair after separating myself from Lila in a futile effort to keep her safe from a mob boss who wants me dead—because I prosecuted his daughter, and she’s in jail.” I sat up a little straighter.

“And why were you angry with Lila?”

“Because ever since my wife and child were murdered, I didn’t want to fall in love. I didn’t want to care about anyone. If I cared, they could kill them as well. But, Lila worked her way inside me without me even knowing it, and it made me angry at her for reviving feelings in my dead existence. I didn’t want to love her, but in the end, I couldn’t fight fate.” My jaw tightened with each passing second, making it increasingly difficult to get the words out.

His lip twitched as he fought a smile. A quick glance to the jury confirmed that my honest and passionate answer hit many of them in the heart.

Afterward, I was led back to another room, forced to be separated from Lila again until the jury left for deliberation. It was a grueling time. Thoughts that maybe I’d feel lighter once I got it out to the jury and others knew what he’d done was a myth.

The knot in my chest was weighing me down like chains wrapped around my body, dragging me to unknown depths. I’d fucked up, unable to control my anger. It looked bad and could undermine some of my good testimony with the jurors.

My skin itched with the need to feel it marring Adam’s flesh while simultaneously begging to be all over Lila. She was my oasis in the giant sea of fuckery.

When the bailiff came to let me out, I ran right into Lila, who was waiting for me. She threw her arms around me, and it was then peace started to settle in. The hard part was done—now it was up to twelve people.

The jury couldn’t come to a decision in the short amount of time left in the day, so we arrived at the courthouse bright and early the next morning. We didn’t have to wait long—an hour later, the jury was done deliberating. The short time could be a good sign, or a bad one. Either way, our group filed into the room and took a seat.

We’d waited so long, gone through so much, and the moment was finally upon us. My arm was around Lila’s shoulders, holding her close, our hands entwined. The whole room was tense as the jurors entered and took their seats.

The judge entered a moment later, read over the findings, and settled in.

“Will the defendant please rise.”

Prompted from the judge, the jury foreman stood, and my breath halted.

“On the first count of Aggravated Sexual Battery, how do you find the defendant?”

The world stopped, time stopped, and the entire room held its breath.

“We find the defendant guilty.”

I scooped Lila up in my arms, holding her tight as we cried out in joy.

The judge called for order, and we settled down. I looked into Lila’s eyes and for the first time in days, there was life and light. We didn’t pay attention to the judge, only every single “guilty” that rang out from the jury foreman.

Adam was found guilty on all five charges.

“Sentencing will be held on April twenty-first. Court is adjourned.”

I couldn’t help smiling as I watched the bailiff approach to take him away.

“You fucking cunt!” Adam screamed out, garnering the attention of the room. “I will fucking kill you!”

I pulled Lila behind me as Adam jumped over the banister and charged toward us. The beast in me smiled, ready to get a good swing in, to pulverize his face, but Adam was subdued by the bailiffs before I got the opportunity. He continued to act out as they hauled him away.

After he was gone, I used my hands to direct Lila out into the aisle, then to the hall.

Smiles lit up everyone as we exited. Hugs were spread around.

I couldn’t wait to celebrate.

My mother hugged me as Lila made her rounds. “Now?” she asked, and I nodded. “Okay. I’ll be right back. I’ll have her text you the information.”

“Thank you.” I kissed her cheek and moved back over to Lila.

We said goodbye to everyone, thanking them for coming and for their support. The sun was shining as we exited the courthouse, smiling down on us.

“Joan?” Lila blinked at an older woman standing outside the door.

She stood, and I got a good look at the woman who freed my love from possible death. There was more gray than brunette in her well-kept hair, and her suit was from another decade but fit her age well. A kind smile graced her face as she stood.