by Laura Sutton
“I know.”
“You were never supposed to show that video. You saw how much it hurt her. You had your hand on her thigh trying to stop her from fidgeting.”
“Nate, were you listening at all? They are angling for putting charges on Violet for taking that footage.” Morgan groaned quietly. “Nate, I know she’s been through hell and she knows that she’s going to have to pass through the fucking fire in this courtroom to put him away.”
Nate knew that Morgan was right even if he hated it. His thoughts were interrupted by Morgan’s voice. “Nate, she needs you. You have to be there for her and not be standoff-ish like you’ve been this past week.”
“I’ve been working.”
“Fuck work, your woman needs you... man up and be there. The Sub comes first or is the Dominant training we do at the Manor wrong?”
“Fuck! You’re right.” Nate pushed his hand through his hair.
“Now go by with your girl. Only you can get her through this.”
“Keep her out of jail. If he gets out, we’ll run… I have plans in the works already.”
“Let me do my job first.” Morgan squeezed his shoulder in support as he moved past him and out of the courtroom.
Violet ate a few more bites before Nate and Morgan stormed through the door. She sat at the table quietly as she watched the people around her. Slowly she came out from behind the walls that she had built up around her as she sat alone in the courtroom. These were her friends; they didn’t judge her or treat her any different after watching the video that still haunted her deep in the night. She smiled as their usual banter surrounded her. She could almost pretend that they were all out just enjoying a nice dinner together but through the glass, she could still see the courthouse standing as a giant monster. One by one she looked at each of the friends that she had grown to love over the past few months. On each face she remembered her favorite memory of them; she wanted to remember the happy times that they had before she had to leave them and run to protect Nate and herself.
Chapter Sixteen
Two Months Earlier
Violet was running around her cabin, frantically checking every detail, especially the buffet of food that she had laid down on the counter. She wanted everything to be utterly perfect. She had been working at The Manor for a little over a month and had made some good friends. The Manor was feeling more and more like home to her. She wanted to throw a party at her home; something that she had dreamed about for a while. Nate had told her to make the place home and she was taking him at his word. She had asked several of her friends, knowing that Nate was working the night shift at the hospital. Everyone coming tonight knew how much she cared for him; they did not judge her or make her feel any less. Family. Yes, that was what they had become to her in such a short amount of time.
The bell rang as Violet practically skipped to her door. She smiled as Ashton Ainsley stood there with a bouquet of Violet's. “Hey Flower! Happy Housewarming. Thought you could use some flowers.” His smile reaching his eyes as Violet squealed with joy. “You do know how much I love flowers.” She hugged him as she ushered him inside.
“Where’s Brian?” Violet asked, looking outside the door before she closed it.
“Oh, you know him.” Ashton shook his head. “Late as always.” Violet laughed.
Before she could say something else, another knock sounded. Opening it she smiled as she saw several of her friends standing in the door: Sylvia, Colton, Tyler, Brian, Aaron, and Taylor. They were all Dominant’s of The Manor that worked there in some way or other. She welcomed them in, and she was loaded down with welcome gifts. “Feel free to dig in.” She smiled. She knew how hungry they probably were since many of them were coming straight from work.
Colton came over to her and quietly spoke to her, “Nate gave me this to give to you. I know you scheduled this, so he couldn’t be here, but he wanted to give you something for the special night.” Colton smiled as he handed her a long rectangle jewelry box. She opened it and gasped at the beautiful silver bracelet, pulling it out she tried not to smile to large. “Here is mine and Tyler’s gift.” He handed her a small, ring like jewelry box. She looked up to Colton as he smiled. She opened the box and saw two beautiful charms. “They fit onto the bracelet. Thought they would be perfect to mark the occasion.”
“They’re gorgeous,” Violet said as she took each charm and placed them onto the bracelet. The first charm was a phone. She smiled at the memory of first meeting Colton and she had taken his daughter inside and started answering phones immediately. The second charm was a single angel wing. A small tear slipped from her eye. It didn’t make it far down her face as Colton wiped it away.
“Freedom looks good on you Little One. Congrats on the cabin. It looks beautiful. Thanks for having us over.”
“I’m just glad you all came Sir.”
“Did you think that we wouldn’t?”
Violet shrugged. That was exactly what she had been thinking. She had not had many friends and she was not even sure how to ask people over to her place. She’d mostly just seen it in movies, read it in books, and even googled it. She smiled at all the ideas that they had given her. In the end, she mostly just went what she dreamed about late at night.
Colton lifted her chin. “Little One, you’re part of our family now. Get used to us being around always.” Violet hugged him tightly before she walked back into the kitchen where people were laughing and enjoying themselves already.
The party was in full swing, alcohol flowing fully. They were getting silly and crazy, especially Violet. “Come on Vi, tell us how long until you and Nate are doing the horizontal mambo?”
“Ugh” she groaned and slouched even farther down on the couch, making all the Dom’s in the room laugh. “Never if he has his way. I’ve done everything but sit naked on his stairs, displayed for everyone to see.” She rolled her eyes. The thought had occurred to her a few times.
“Well we all know you dance naked in this room when he is home, so he can watch.”
“He never watches.”
“Hell, yes he does. Several of us watch.” Tyler said with a certainty that made Violet sit up straight. They had seen her naked? She never thought that anyone else could see. Of course, she only had eyes for Nate. She sat there looking at each of her new “family” members that had crawled under her skin as she played with the charms around her wrist.
Present Day
“Violet?” She looked up at Nate’s voice as she saw everyone standing. She looked down to the bracelet that she was fidgeting with. It had grown with charms since that one night where she learned that she had gained a new family.
“Yes, Sir?” She asked quietly, knowing that she had missed something.
“Little One, we have to get you back over to the courtroom.”
She stood up, wobbling a little, as Nate’s arm snaked strongly around her waist. His breath was suddenly at her ear as he quietly whispered. “I’ve got you. You’re safe and I will keep you that way. No matter what.” He vowed as he pressed a gentle kiss on the side of her forehead. She kept quiet, so her thoughts would not betray her. She trusted him, but it was her turn to keep him safe. She knew that Raymond would kill them both for putting him through this court case when he was free. She had seen the looks on the juror’s faces and she knew that they would never blame Raymond for the abuse; they blamed her for what she went through. Who was she kidding? Even she blamed herself.
Feeling Nate’s arm around her waist, she focused on the feeling. She was going to miss Nate, more than ever. Walking back into the courtroom, Nate’s arm disappeared, and she instantly felt the loss of his heat next to her. “You’ve got this little locket. We will be right behind you.” She heard his words, but she knew that she had to shut down her emotions before they started the trial. She nodded as she broke away from his side and joined Morgan at the table. She closed her eyes, taking a deep breath as she steadied herself.
Chapter Seventeen
Standin
g tall she watched as the Judge came back into the room and everyone sat down. She was too terrified to look over at the jury. Every time she looked all she could see where the people judging her. Looking down on her and her submission that she had stupidly gave to a monster. After the videos were shown; especially the last video where she almost died, she could not bear to look up from her hands. Her heart was frantic.
Finally, the verdict was handed to the Judge who nodded. Raymond stood cockily as they read his verdict. He was guilty of assault and assigned six years without the possibility of parole. He was not guilty of rape. Violet heard the outrage from the people behind her, from Raymond across from the courtroom, and even from the lawyer beside her. She wanted out of the courtroom immediately. She wanted to be home in Nate’s arms. The man was gone for six years and she would not have to run like she expected; at least for six years. She could go finally go home and live a life like she always wanted with Nate. The judge agreed with the verdict and the court was adjourned.
Violet quickly went to Nate’s side as she eloped in his arms in a strong hug. She was glad that she was finally done with this court. She hated that she was not getting the justice from all the times that he had raped her, but no one was sympathetic to that kind of truth. She tightened her grip on Nate’s waist as he gave her a reassuring grip. She finally pushed back from Nate, a small smile on her face. She was finally gaining back her life that she had been pushing away for the last couple of weeks in fear of what the verdict would be.
A loud commotion happened behind her as she turned, she saw Raymond taking down the armed guard that was leading him away. Grabbing the guard’s gun, he turned towards her. Several people were shouting and giving demands, but Violet’s eyes were on one thing and one thing only. “You will regret the day you were born, whore,” Raymond sneered. He turned his gun and aimed for Nate.
Everything seemed to go in slow motion as Violet turned towards Nate. “No!” Violet’s screamed filled the courtroom as she ran, jumping in front of Nate. Gunfire echoed in the small room. She knocked Nate and herself to the ground. Pain sliced through her as blackness engulfs her. Sylvia stood there her gun smoking from the shot she had let loose along with Colton’s gun. Guns were out all over the building from the bodyguards, federal employees, and police officers that were in the room. In no time at all, other police were running through the front door; weapons up. Sylvia made sure that Raymond was down, and his gun moved away from him. She checked his vitals and found no pulse. She looked back and saw Nate on the ground with Violet in his lap. Fear enclosed around Sylvia; she had waited too long before she shot and now Violet was injured by the monster again.
“Get an ambulance,” Sylvia shouted as she raced over to Violet.
“Nate, where is she shot?”
Medics ran into the room and had people moving back out of there way as they got her onto the gurney and rushed her from the building.
Nate. Protect Nate. Her mind was on overdrive the sounds of sirens and voices filled her ears. She pushed through the darkness that had taken over until she finally saw a sliver of light and ran towards it. When she opened her eyes, she saw that she was inside an ambulance. The moment that her eyes were open the paramedic was over her asking her a million questions. Her mind was so fuzzy that she could not concentrate on anything he was saying. She kept looking around the rig until her eyes landed on Nate. Seeing blood on his shirt she freaks out trying to get up, screaming that they need to help him. The Paramedic, Sylvia, and Nate all try to keep her stationary and pen her down to the stretcher. Nate leans over her and in his Dominant voice commands in her face, “Stop! Relax!” She did.
“You’re bleeding. You’re hurt.” She pleaded.
“The blood is from you darling. I am not hurt.”
“I was shot?” She looked back between Nate, Sylvia, and the Paramedic.
“You were barely grazed, little one. The blood is from where you hit your head a couple times on the way down.”
“Oh.” She breathed a sigh of relief. She did not want to stay in the hospital a moment longer than she had to. She knew she would be there a while with a gunshot but just a head wound and small graze, she would be home that night. Home. She smiled at the thought.
“What were you thinking? Stepping in front of me when I was trying to block your body?”
“I cannot live without you. Seeing that gun pointed at you… I had to protect the things that I love. Raymond was my fault and I could not let you pay for my bad decisions.” Violet smiled softly at him.
“Again, it’s my job to protect you.”
Violet saw the paramedic trying not to laugh. Violet did laugh. “Oh yes the struggles of being ‘the man.’” Violet teased him as she put her hand out and he grasped it tightly. The ambulance pulled up to the hospital as they wheeled her inside.
Tori Ainsley was standing there, her white jacket flowing around her. “Hey repeat offender. Can’t believe that you are back again so soon.” Violet smiled.
“I’m sorry Tori. It is all Nate’s fault this time. He was standing in front of a gun.” Violet smiled; her eyes were getting heavy again. All she wanted to do was sleep. Tori shook her shoulder.
“I need you to stay awake for me. We are going to get you straight into a CAT scan.” Tori quickly walked alongside the gurney. “Nate, I’m sorry but you need to wait in the waiting room with Sylvia. I will get you when I am finished.” Nate wanted to argue but he wanted Violet to get seen quickly; so, he agreed. Kissing Violet’s head, he told her to listen to Tori and he will see her soon. He turned and walked towards the waiting room.
“Let’s get some glamour shots of you.”
“I like you… you’re funny.” Violet slurred as she tried to open her eyes wider to keep her awake.
“I like you too Hun.” They went into the CAT scan room and she quickly got the shots that she needed. She kept talking to Violet in order to keep her awake. She knew that Violet was tired, and she just wanted to get her back to Nate.
Nate paced the waiting room waiting to get back to Nate. Sylvia watched him. “Sylvia, I have to protect her. How can I protect her? She is injured, and I am stuck out here.”
“Nate, she’s safe. Raymond’s dead and she is going to be just fine. She may have some nightmares, but I know that you will help her get through it. We all will help get her through it. She is safe now.” Sylvia got up and hugged Nate as Nate’s hands went around her and hugged her back.
“God I am so scared that I am going to lose her.”
“You won’t.”
Tori walked into the room. Smiling as she saw Nate. “So, boss man, almost got your gorgeous body shot? It would be a crime to put a hole in that amazing suit. Do I need to call my brothers and get you some protection?”
“Brat! No, the guy was put down. My body is safe from harm. Violet’s, on the other hand, is not.” Nate looked to Tori, knowing that the danger must not be too bad since she was joking with him. He’d always liked the spunky girl that he had watched grow so much in the last six years he had known her. Her brothers were good friends of Nate’s and a large part of The Manor.
“The lucky bitch,” Tori said under her breath.
“Language or I can make sure you luckily become very red, and sore,” Sylvia whispered quietly in her ear. Tori gave an involuntary shudder as she looked over at Sylvia.
“Let me take you both back to Violet. You need to make sure that she stays awake. The scans should be in soon and I can look at them. The other bruises seem fine and she has four stitches in her arm.”
“What about her blood tests a week or so ago?”
“She was not pregnant like I thought. At least it wasn’t showing in the blood work. I honestly think that the sickness is from all of this stress and she is probably under more stress than any of us know with all of the abuse she’s gone through.”
“Thanks, Tori,” Nate said as he walked in the door of the room where Violet was in. He smiled as he looked at her.
“Hey, sexy!” Violet smiled, almost drunkenly. The room was darker from the lack of light in the room. Nate watched as she tries to avoid any kind of light.
“Sexy, am I?”
“Yep good enough to eat. Eat. Ooh, I’m so hungry. Can we do Chinese? No, Mexican. No, ice cream. Ooh no, I want that chicken that you brought the first night I was at The Manor. It was orgasmic.”
“Orgasmic?” Sylvia tried not to laugh as Nate let out a laugh.
Nate leaned down to Violet’s ear. “I can think of better things that are orgasmic.”
“Cotton candy?” Violet smiled.
“I get it. You’re hungry.” Nate shook his head. “We have to wait for the doctor’s order and then we will get you some food.”
“Yay food.” Violet smiled. The room was quiet except for the heart monitor showing “Did Raymond get away?”
“No, he is dead.”
“Good,” Violet said harshly. She was glad to be rid of the man. He deserved his death. Looking over she saw Sylvia’s eyes. “You killed him, didn’t you?”
“Yes. Rest assured. You’re safe. None of us would ever let anything happen to you.”
“I’m sorry that you had to kill him though I’m not sorry to see him go.” Violet held out her hand towards Sylvia. She took it in hers. Violet squeezed it. “Thank you for saving me.” Sylvia leaned forward and kissed Violet’s temple.
“Anytime Bug.”
Violet giggled at the old nickname that Sylvia uses to call her when she was driving her nuts with questions about Nate. Ashton always called her Flower and Sylvia called her Bug. “You haven’t called me that in a while.”
“Well, today deserves that nickname, don’t you think?”
“Maybe.” Violet looked her over. “I guess I don’t need those things that I asked for.”
“What things?” Nate asked looking between the two of them.