Unforgivably Broken (The Broken Series Book Two)

by Maegan Abel

Now, she was starting to show her nerves. The prosecutor asked to speak with her this morning and warned her that she will most likely be taking the stand sometime today. They requested for her to go back with one of the clerks and wait to be called in, rather than waiting in the holding room upstairs.

  “You should go back to the room,” she whispered for the third time, not meeting my eyes.

  “No,” I repeated my answer, unwilling to leave her here to face this.

  “You don’t need to hear this,” she said, finally turning to face me. “You don’t need—” I stopped her with a finger to her lips.

  “I need to be right here. Got it?”

  “Lili,” someone called and I turned my head, spotting Kaitlyn as she approached. There were others with her, two women and a man that I assumed were Lili’s parents and aunt that Tish had told me about.

  “Honestly, Kylee. First one hoodlum and now another? What will the press say about your rotating men?” One of the women questioned as she frowned at me, barely giving me a cursory glance.

  “Hoodlum?” I asked at the same time Lili spoke.

  “You seem to forget that I don’t give a shit what the press says, Lydia.”

  “You must be Zane,” the other woman said, ignoring the heated exchange completely as she stepped up and immediately wrapped me in a hug.

  I blinked, looking to Lili who cracked a smile at who I assumed was her aunt. When she released me, I couldn’t help but ask, “What was that for?”

  “You saved my girl,” she said reverently, a hand over her heart. She glanced over her shoulder at Lili’s parents. “You should show this young man the respect he deserves. He took a bullet to protect one of your children.”

  The couple looked over at me uncertainly as I stood, positive my expression was locked in shock.

  After a heavy silence, Kaitlyn spoke. “Are you still coming to dinner?”

  Lili bit her lip, glancing up at me. Tish had warned me that her sister begged for her to come to her parents’ house for dinner, just once. Apparently, Kaitlyn disagreed with her parents’ ways most of the time but she loved them and wanted Lili to give them the chance to try to heal their family. I couldn’t deny her that. I wasn’t sure if, given the chance, I would try to make amends with my parents, but I wouldn’t deny Lili the chance.

  “I guess we are,” Lili said softly, seeming distracted. I followed her line of sight, seeing the prosecutor heading toward us from the other end of the hallway. Lili’s grip on my waist tightened and I knew her nerves were kicking in.

  “If you’ll excuse us for a moment,” I said, not giving any of them a chance to answer as I pulled Lili away. I gave us just enough space that I could whisper to her and not be overheard. Wrapping my arms around her, I pulled her to my chest, lowering my face so my lips were right beside her ear. “You are the bravest person I know. You’re strong, you have an amazing heart, and I love you to the bottom of my soul. You can do this. You hear me?”

  I could feel her trembling and I squeezed her a little tighter. “You have my heart and my strength. I’m right here. I’m not going anywhere. No matter what. Understand?”

  She looked up at me, fear evident in her eyes.

  “Kylee?” the prosecutor asked and she glanced back at him before returning her gaze to me. Her eyes were glassy, but I saw the determination in her expression.

  “I’m ready,” she said, squeezing my hand once before following the prosecutor down the hall.

  Trying to stay in my seat while the smug asshole glanced around the room when he was led in was brutal. He didn’t seem remorseful in the slightest that a girl was dead because of him. I was furious for the small family sitting to the side, the mother weeping openly when his eyes skirted past them.

  As they finished questioning the witness that had begun her testimony the day before, I saw the attack that I’d heard so much about. The defense attorney was good, great even. He found holes, or created them, pulling in doubt about the credibility of the story being told. My fear for Lili was building.

  “The State calls Kylee Camden to the stand,” the prosecutor said. There was a chuckle from Hunter’s table that was quickly covered by a cough. I nearly lost it but Kaitlyn touched my arm, drawing my attention to her.

  I glanced over, noticing again how strange it was to look into a face so similar to Lili’s and yet completely different. I was brought back to the moment by the sound of a door opening. Lili stepped into the courtroom, her head high, and took her seat on the witness stand. She didn’t look at anyone but the bailiff as she was sworn in and then her attention turned directly to the prosecutor, who would question her first.

  “Would you start by stating your full name for the court,” he asked and she didn’t waiver.

  “Kylee Asher Camden,” she said, leaning into the small microphone in front of her. I watched carefully, searching for some sign that she was nervous but she showed nothing but an almost unshakable, self-contained calm.

  “Thank you, Kylee. And how do you know the defendant?”

  Lili’s eyes flicked for only a moment to Hunter’s table before returning to the prosecutor. “We trained at the same gymnastics club.”

  “Were you ever in a relationship with him?”

  “Objection. Clarify?” The defense attorney stood, drawing the attention to himself. One thing I’d noticed about this man, other than the fact that he was younger than I would’ve thought for his talent and skill, was that he was constantly trying to disrupt the flow of questioning. I was sure, if you studied law, it was probably a technique used often to bring the witness out of the moment and fluster them.

  Lili however, looked unfazed.

  “I’ll clarify,” the prosecutor said before the judge could respond. “Were you and Hunter Davis ever what someone would consider a couple?”

  “No.”

  “How well did you know Brooke Hansen?” He moved away from the questions directly about Lili, which confused me until he stepped aside again and I could see her face. Something had drawn her eye, pulling her attention and rattling her as she lowered her head, looking away from the small group of people behind Hunter’s table.

  “She… uh… I was her mentor in the semi-elite program,” Lili stumbled over her words, clearly losing her focus. I let out a breath, feeling nervous for her when she was this unsure.

  “We’re here for a jury to determine if Ms. Hansen’s accusations against Mr. Davis are valid. You understand that, correct?”

  “Mmhmm,” Lili hummed, still looking at her hands.

  “What was that?”

  “Yes,” she responded, finally lifting her head again.

  “We’re also here because a charge of aggravated sexual assault of a minor was added to Mr. Davis, naming you as the victim. You have your own testimony to give, is that correct?”

  “Yes.”

  “Can you walk us through your experience with Mr. Davis?”

  Lili proceeded to tell the same story she’d told us in the living room, answering direct questions from the prosecutor. She seemed to be holding her own despite the fact that the defense attorney continued to object to what felt like every other question in an attempt to throw her.

  By the time the prosecutor finished and the judge dismissed us for lunch, my nerves were shot. Listening to this story the first time was horrible. Hearing it now, in even more graphic detail, knowing the piece of shit that put her through that was sitting closer to her than me, was enough to push me to the edge.

  Lili ignored everyone else, running straight to me when she came out of the back doors, throwing her arms around my waist and burying her head in my chest.

  “You’re doing great, Pixie. I’m so proud of you,” I whispered, holding her tight and rubbing her back to calm her down. “Let’s go for a walk, huh?” I asked, hoping to keep her moving and her mind off what was to come. She’d done exactly what she’d set out to do so far but after lunch, the defense attorney would start questioning her. I could feel how te
nse she was.

  “We’re just going to wander around the building,” I announced to Lili’s family as we continued right past them. After the comments from her mother earlier, I had no desire to spend any more time with her parents than necessary.

  I let her lead and she took me to the stairs, pausing once inside the small entry to look up and down before seeming to make her decision. She started down the stairs, following them to the bottom floor.

  She didn’t stop until she got to the glass door on the side of the building. Unlike the front doors, which were locked, requiring you to go through two tunnels to enter or exit, these were functional. She stared out at the park across the street and I was stunned to see that there didn’t seem to be any photographers on the side of the building. They seemed to keep to the front sidewalk, knowing we would have to come that direction anyway, I supposed.

  “There’s a food truck,” she whispered and I followed her gaze to where the line of men and women, most in business attire, stood along the sidewalk.

  “Are you hungry?” I asked, unable to hide my surprise. She hadn’t eaten last night or this morning and I knew from what Tish had told me, she didn’t seem to have much of an appetite at all.

  She shrugged noncommittally, keeping her eyes trained outside. I glanced around, seeing Denni and Kaitlyn nearby. “Why don’t you wait here and I’ll go grab something for us?” I asked. I didn’t want to drag her outside and risk her getting hounded by press if they came snooping. She would be safer inside.

  She nodded and I kissed her forehead, motioning to her aunt and sister before I slipped out the door. The heat of the sun was immediate but it was the humidity that hit me hardest, making it difficult to breathe.

  As I made it to the back of the line, I was thankful for the trees casting shade over the sidewalk. At least I was out of the direct line of the midday sun, even though there was no breeze to help with the overwhelming heat. I took a moment to glance around again, noticing a large, white gazebo in the center of the park. It seemed to be made even more beautiful by how foreign it was — a serene escape in the middle of a sprawling metropolis.

  “Beautiful, isn’t it?” a voice said beside me and I turned, realizing the line had moved but I’d stayed rooted in place as I stared down into the tiny park. I didn’t speak but nodded at the guy who was probably close to my age. “I think they leave this here for guys like me, a final moment of serenity to hold us over before we end up missing the tranquility of it all in there.” He nodded his head toward the building at the next intersection. I narrowed my eyes to read the words on the sign.

  Travis County Jail.

  I looked back to the guy, studying him closely. His expression was sorrowful, regretful even, as he took in his surroundings.

  “I’m turning myself in to start a four year sentence,” he admitted, without making eye contact. Maybe it was the idea of confessing to a stranger, or maybe he was always this open, but he didn’t seem to care what I thought of his words. “This is the last view I’m going to have of the outside world.” He took a deep breath and shook his head before turning to me and nodding once. “God bless you, man.”

  I returned his nod and watched him walk away without looking back. Once he disappeared inside the jail, I realized that I hadn’t spoken a single word to him during the entire interaction. I caught up to the end of the line, trying to figure out what could’ve gone wrong in his life to lead him to this moment.

  Kaitlyn gripped my wrist when I tensed, yet again. Watching Lili flinch from the harsh words of the asshole defense attorney was harder than listening to her retell the story. Lili was pushing into a second hour of questions from him, all of which consisted of him trying to punch holes in her story or discredit her as a witness. She was struggling and it was killing me to sit here when all I wanted to do was hold her.

  “Do you deny the claims of some of the other witnesses who said they’d seen you flirt with Mr. Davis?”

  Lili pulled in a deep breath. “No.”

  “So, you liked him and you flirted with him.” This wasn’t a question and the condescension in it infuriated me.

  “I had a crush! I was fourteen years old and he was almost twenty. He was cute and older and he paid attention to me but that doesn’t mean—” I saw the prosecutor shaking his head at her, causing her to pause mid-sentence in her outburst. Swallowing hard and pressing the heels of her hands against her forehead, she took a moment to compose herself.

  “And what about the gentleman you’re currently seeing?” Lili’s head snapped up and my breathing stopped altogether. I hadn’t thought for even a second that my presence would make a difference or even be noticed by the attorneys.

  “Objection. Relevance?” The prosecutor stood and I could tell by his posture he already knew where this line of questioning was headed. I didn’t, but I knew what could be found by digging and it wasn’t something I wanted thrown at Lili in a room full of people or used against her in this trial.

  The judge called both attorneys to the front and there were whispers from the crowd as they spoke. Several people cast glances in my direction but I did my best to keep my eyes solely on Lili. She wasn’t looking at me, her eyes were closed as she bit her lip, absently toying with the ring there.

  “I’m going to allow the question as long as Mr. Andrews rewords it,” the judge said. I watched the prosecutor scribbling notes on his tablet and wondered just what the fuck was coming next. How could they use my past against her?

  “Miss Camden, are you currently in a relationship?” The defense attorney was smug now, clearly pleased with this small win in the ability to use the information he’d found.

  “Yes.” Lili’s response was hesitant.

  “And how old is your boyfriend?” he asked bluntly, causing Lili’s eyes to meet mine.

  “Twenty-five,” she answered. I watched the color drain from her face as realization set in.

  I shook my head at her slowly, trying to tell her not to panic. This was not the direction I expected the questioning to take, but it wasn’t any better for Lili’s frame of mind.

  “So, he’s about the same age as Mister Davis. Is that correct?”

  He was pushing, trying to draw a parallel between my relationship with Lili and what that piece of shit did to her. When I saw the first tear drop to her cheek, I broke our eye contact, unable to watch her cry without needing to console her. I ran my hands over my hair as I hung my head, letting out a slow breath as I tried to keep my calm. This was such bullshit.

  “Yes,” Lili’s voice cracked on the single word and I felt the echo of that crack in my heart. He’d done his job perfectly. He’d put doubt not only in the jury’s mind but also in Lili’s.

  “Did you not realize before now that you had a pattern of going after older men?”

  I felt a hand on my back and I knew it was Lili’s aunt. I wanted to shrug away from the touch but I needed something to ground me.

  “It shouldn’t matter. I said no to Hunter so—”

  “So you say. But according to Mister Davis’ statement when he was told you were testifying, he said it was you who initiated what happened that evening.”

  “I didn’t.” The sound of desperation in Lili’s voice made me look up again. I could see it in her eyes and posture, she was panicking.

  “This is turning into a lot of ‘he said, she said—”

  “I have a tape,” Lili cut him off mid-sentence. There was a beat of silence before several people gasped at once, myself included, as the realization of her words hit. There was an immediate murmur in the small crowd and I could hear the judge calling for order.

  The judge finally recessed the trial, asking to see both attorneys in his chambers. Lili was escorted out of the courtroom and into the back again. I stood with the crowd, antsy as we waited for the jury to file out before we were allowed to leave the room. I paced the hallway outside of the door I knew Lili would exit from, becoming increasingly anxious as the minutes ticked by.
<
br />   After about half an hour, the bailiff came out to let the jury know they were dismissed for the day. He told us that the judge was still discussing what would come next in light of the new evidence and we would resume in the morning. When I asked about Lili, the bailiff said she was currently speaking to the prosecutor and it could be a while. When he disappeared back inside, I turned to Lili’s family.

  “You should go. I’m sure she’s pretty rattled right now so I’ll get her back to the room and try to calm her down some. I’ll text you and let you know if she’s up for dinner,” I spoke directly to Kaitlyn and Denni, doing what I’d done since I first met Lili’s parents — ignoring them completely.

  “Let us know if she needs anything,” Denni said, stepping up to give me a hug. “Don’t let it get to you. She’s rattled but she’s smart. She’ll see through it,” she whispered when she was closer. I hugged her back before they all headed out, leaving me to pace the hallway alone.

  I was leaning against the wall about halfway down the hall when the door finally opened again and Lili stepped out. She didn’t raise her eyes to meet mine as she walked toward me but I tried not to let it bother me. She paused, leaving distance between us, and as much as I wanted to cup her cheeks to force her to look at me, I didn’t. Truth be told, I was terrified of what she would do.

  “Are you ready?” I asked, knowing it was a stupid question. Of course she was ready or she wouldn’t be out here. She nodded without speaking and the crack in my heart expanded further, threatening to break.

  Turning to face the end of the hall, we walked side-by-side to the elevator. I fought the urge to touch her, wrap her in my arms, or even speak as we rode down to the bottom floor. It was torture. All I’d wanted to do when she was on the stand was comfort her and now I couldn’t even do that.

  As we exited the elevator, I saw the crowd of reporters still lingering and interviewing people just outside the main doors of the building. I paused before we headed into the tunnel and she did too, still not looking up to meet my eyes. I swallowed, hating that I felt unsure of what to say. “I need to put my arm around you. I don’t want us to get separated in the crowd. Is that okay?”