Chapter 7 #2
“How did you get that?” I asked, noticing a small, faint scar on his jaw illuminated by the streetlights outside the car. That definitely hadn’t been there four years ago. If I hadn’t been looking so closely, I would never have noticed it.
His finger brushed over the scar. I longed to do the same. “Ben. We were paintballing last year, and he shot me in the face. It bled like a bitch.”
“Don’t you have to wear protective gear for that?”
“You’re supposed to, but apparently that’s pussy paintballing. Ben changed his mind after I shot him in the forehead for revenge.”
“Mature.”
He shrugged. “It’s Ben, and it fucking hurt.”
The taxi pulled into Ali’s drive, and I suddenly wished we had gone back to the bar. Our night was over.
“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asked.
I nodded. “Definitely. You still want me to view the house?”
“I’ll pick you up at five-thirty.”
“Great.” I bit my lip, staring into his eyes and wishing he could come in with me.
Cole shuffled in his seat, and I was hyperaware of the crackling air between us. So was the driver who cleared his throat, wanting this fare over.
“Bye,” I whispered, getting out of the car with burning cheeks.
“Bye, baby,” he called before I shut the door.
The next day, after picking the key up from the estate agent, Cole and I arrived at the house. I’d only seen pictures he’d shown me, but I already loved it and could see him there.
The agent was Cole’s new aunt Crystal after marrying his uncle last year, so we were trusted with the key.
Plus, the house was empty because it was in serious need of some TLC.
The window frames had to be replaced because the wood was rotting and falling apart, and it needed a new door. I hoped Cole wouldn’t be put off because, even from the outside, I could tell it was perfect.
It was a detached, yellow brick house with a bay window and ivy climbing every corner, choking the life out of it.
Cole unlocked the door, and I stepped inside.
The entrance hall was large with an old-style black-and-white-tiled floor. It had a high ceiling and a dark oak staircase to the side. Past the square entrance hall and staircase was a long corridor with three doors off it.
“This is incredible,” I whispered, looking around in awe. For a second, I forgot myself, and I imagined living here with Cole, walking through this door, clutching our shopping bags, or stumbling up those stairs kissing after a night out.
Cole stepped forward, his chest pressed against my back, and I bit my lip as my pulse thudded under my hot skin.
“We’re only in the entrance hall, Oakley. The rest of the house might be a craphole,” he whispered in my ear, and I shuddered at his breath on my skin.
“So? This room’s huge. Just camp in here.”
He chuckled and nudged me forward, towards one of the doors. “Let’s go in this one.”
I didn’t pay any attention to what he’d said. All I could concentrate on was how close he was and how my body felt alive again… how badly I wanted to turn around and kissed him.
Cole reached around me and opened the door.
“Wow.”
We stepped into the most amazing kitchen. It needed a lot of work. Like, a lot. The units were old and falling apart, the floor tiles were cracked so bad it looked like a road map, and sockets hung off the walls, but it was huge—perfect for parties and entertaining.
I turned to him. “Cole, buy this house.”
He rolled his eyes. “You’ve only seen two rooms, and one was a hall.”
“But if it’s all like this—”
“Broken and falling apart?”
“Even the things that look broken beyond repair have a chance at being whole again. It just depends on how much you want to rebuild it.”
He reached out and stroked his thumb along my jaw, smirking at the breathy moan that escaped my lips. “Why do I get the feeling you’re not just talking about the house?”
“Because I’m not.” I frowned and forced myself to step away, not wanting to bring my ugly past into this house. His hand dropped. “Let’s check out the other rooms.”
Grabbing his hand, I pulled him out of the kitchen and into the lounge next door. It was large with a chunky wooden floor, which also needed more work.
“All right, if you don’t buy this place, I’m going to.”
Cole smirked and looked around. “I do like it, but I want to see the rest first.”
“Come on, then. Oh, and promise me you won’t replace the wooden floor. Have it restored instead.”
“Yes, boss.”
After making our way through the house, checking out the three bedrooms, box room, and bathrooms, we went out in the garden. Outside was also a decent size, but completely overgrown. If Leona was out there, we’d never see her. The patio was broken up and covered in slimy green moss.
“So, what do you think?” I asked, watching Cole looking around the garden.
“I like it.”
“You going to buy it?”
“You will be helping me. You’re staying here until stupid o’clock in the morning, painting and tiling. You’re working for hot chocolate and ice cream.”
I laughed, stepping closer. “Deal.”
He shook his head. “I can’t believe I’m going to buy this shithole.”
“It won’t be like this.”
“I know. I wanted a project, and I’ve certainly got one.” He glanced back at the house—at his house.
I wanted it, too. My heart ached for how much I longed for this to be our home, but that was a fantasy I couldn’t let myself think about.
The next morning, I had a meeting with my lawyer.
With dread in my stomach, I made my way downstairs and into the kitchen. Each step was an effort that I didn’t want to make.
“You back with him yet?” Jasper asked as I walked through the door.
“Jesus!” Startled, I leapt back and whacked him. “What the hell?”
“Well?”
“No, Jasper!”
“You two are stupid.”
“Shut up.”
“It’s going to happen eventually,” he said.
“Hi, honey,” Mum said. Her voice was soft—the same one she’d used for me as a child. I hated it.
“Hey.”
“Are you sure you don’t want us to come?” Jasper asked, getting straight to the point.
“I’m sure.”
Mum sighed as if she carried the weight of the world. “We don’t mind. We want to be there for you.”
“I know, but the best way you can help me is by letting me do this alone. Please?”
“Okay, darling. Whatever you want,” she said, avoiding my gaze.
The doorbell rang, breaking me from my thoughts and this awkward conversation. I felt guilty for making her stay behind, but I couldn’t worry about her while I was there.
“I got it!” Jasper shouted, even though we were all in the same room.
“He’s so loud,” I said.
Mum huffed. “He’s never been anything but.”
I looked up, my heart skipping as Cole walked into the room, followed by Jasper.
His eyes found mine instantly, and the room heated by several thousand degrees. He was wearing jeans and a long-sleeved top. Simple. Hot.
“Shouldn’t you be at work?” I asked, unable to keep the smile off my face.
“Not right now.”
“Cole, it’s–”
“Don’t.”
“Erm,” Mum said. “Call me if you need anything, Oakley. Jasper, you can come and help me at the supermarket.”
“What?” Jasper said as if Mum had asked him to follow her into battle.
Mum ushered him out of the room.
“Ah, you’re giving them time alone,” he said, finally catching up.
“Mum and Jasper offered to come with me,” I said to Cole once they’d left.
“You don’t want them to, but you’re not going to tell me to stay behind.”
He was cocky, confident, and one hundred precent correct.
I opened my mouth, but no argument came out.
“I’m taking you. I’ll wait outside if you want me to, but I’m going. If I have to, I’ll just stalk you there. Please don’t make me stalk you.”
“Creep.”
“Shut up and get in the car.” He tried to sound stern, but a little smile let him down.
“Fine.”
I called goodbye to Mum and Jasper as we headed out, not stopping to chat. The sky was clouded over but it didn’t look like it would rain. Still, it wouldn’t be that warm today.
Cole and I got in his car. We drove in silence, and I was fairly relaxed considering what I was about to be discussing. However, as we pulled up outside Linda’s office, my stomach rolled with waves of nausea.
“Hey, it’s going to be okay,” Cole said, rubbing the back of my hand with his thumb. “I know you can do this, but if you want me to come in, I will.”
“Thanks. I need you.” I licked my dry lips and caught him looking. This meeting was only about what would happen during the trials. I wasn’t actually going to see my father or Frank in my lawyer’s office. I was being stupid. “Okay, let’s just get this over with.”
I got out and followed Cole inside, wanting him to hold me. Her building was shiny without being flashy. Lots of glass but a big oak reception desk that softened the appearance.
Linda stood by a cabinet, sliding blue files into a wooden tray. She looked up and gave me a warm smile that was instantly reassuring.
“Oakley, hello. Come on through.”
She was a petite lady with prematurely greying long hair. She looked more like a teacher than a lawyer, but her looks were very deceiving. The woman was a shark in court.
“Thank you.” I looked up to Cole, biting on my lip as panic buzzed through my bloodstream. “Come in with me, yeah?”
He took my hand and gave it a squeeze. “Of course.”
Linda took us to her office. It was cosy. Comfortable chairs and a large desk. Photos and plants made it look homely. A reed diffuser sat on a shelf, pouring the aroma of fresh linen around the room.
Cole and I sat opposite Linda, but I didn’t feel like I was about to be scolded by the principal.
I swallowed down what felt like sand, trying to wet my bone-dry throat. I was only here to talk about what was going to happen when the trial started.
We were touching base now that I was here in person. That was it.
Cole rubbed his thumb over the back of my hand, sensing that I was about to pass out. “Breathe,” he whispered.
Nodding, I did as he said and turned to Linda. “So, what’s going to happen?”
“Well, as you know, the trial is starting in just under two weeks. I’m not exactly sure when you’ll be giving evidence yet, though.
” She frowned. “This is a very complex case, but I predict it’ll take roughly three or four weeks.
It just depends on how cooperative Mr Farrell is.
His lawyer also has a long list of witnesses to call. ”
“They’re still pleading not guilty?”
If they just admitted the truth, there would be no need for me or any other of their victims to cut ourselves open and bleed out in front of a jury.
His final act of control.
Linda dismissively waved her hand. “Don’t you worry about that. When the judge is considering their sentences, it’ll go against them that they tried to get off. The jury can’t ignore the evidence we’ve found. There are five girls, including you, giving evidence against your father.”
Metallic acid hit the back of my throat.
Five girls had suffered physically at the hands of my dad. He’d used me as a pawn in his sick games, but those women were abused by him.
I hated him so fucking much, it was overwhelming. He was poison I had worked so hard to purge from my life.
Linda was so positive that I nodded along, needing to believe her… but we all knew sometimes guilty people walked free.
That couldn’t happen.
“So, you have complete confidence, then? They won’t get away with it?” If they did, it would kill me.
“I have confidence, yes.” She leant forward. “I believe you, Oakley, and I believe justice will be served.”
“How close will they be to me?” I whispered. An icy shiver ran up my spine, freezing me from the inside out. The same room was too close, but there was no way around that.
Cole squeezed my hand again, bringing me back.
“They won’t be close to you. There is no way they can get near you. You’ll be safe, but if at any point it becomes too much, I can ask for a break.”
I sucked in a breath. “Okay. Thank you. What if they try talking to me?”
“They won’t be allowed to. They will be warned not to. If they attempt to, there will be consequences. It would look incredibly bad on their part if they tried anything like that.”
I let out a deep breath. Thank God.
“Do you think they’ll get the maximum?” Cole asked. My eyes slid to his and, this time, I had to squeeze his hand. He looked seconds from exploding.
“I’m going to ask that the judge considers the maximum sentence, absolutely.”
“Good. Just a shame we don’t still have the death sentence,” he said.
Linda answered a few more questions and told me to dress smart but as myself, so the jury would connect with me.
We began to stand the moment I ran out of things to ask her.
“I’ll be in touch soon if anything changes. You can call me if you think of anything else,” she said. “Anytime.”
“Thank you.”
Cole and I stood with Linda, and she led us back to the lobby, despite the building being too small to get lost.
Her receptionist, a man in a sharp suit and shaved head, who hadn’t been there when we arrived, gave us a wave as we left.
Cole dragged me into his arms as we stepped outside, a slither of sunshine making a break through parted clouds.
He gripped me tightly, needing the connection as much as I did.
I laid my head on his shoulder, feeling the tension slowly ebb from his muscles.
His arms were my favourite place in the world to be.
“It’s going to be okay. I’ll be with you; I promise.” His lips pressed against the top of my head. “I never stopped loving you, Oakley. You must know that. There’s only ever been you.”
Tears welled in my eyes, blurring my vision. “I never stopped loving you, either. Not even for a second.”