Chapter Six
Justice of the Law
The trial was going to be brutal. She knew this; Barba knew this everyone knew this. No matter how much she tried to mentally prepare herself, no matter how much Rafael tried to prepare her she was still nervous. It didn't help that his wife blamed her or even her own family turning their back on her. Her own mother telling her in not so many words that it had been her own fault. That hurt her most, her own mother unable to support her only daughter. She was used to it; Rafael however became very angry when hearing this, not understanding. This only made him more determined to be there by her side. The two of them had become even closer over the past few months. She was practically living at his apartment and her own lay abandoned. The lease would be up in another month and she was still unsure what to do with it. It wasn't as if he had asked her to stay she just had never left and he seemed very happy at the prospect. In fact Olivia had voiced to her in more than one occasion how much happier he seemed, how they both seemed to fit. She just hoped that when this was done, when the dust had settled he would still be there. She was still gun shy by the whole thing and when she started to feel insecure about it he always reassured her.
The day of closing arguments had arrived. He had been charged with harassment, attempted kidnapping, stalking and a variety of other charges. She had testified, been cross examined and had to face him. She had been grilled by the defense, questioned by the prosecutor and ridiculed by his family. His wife, her cousin had said some horrible things about her. Rafael stood by her for the whole thing, never leaving her side. Maybe that was what sparked the event that they would soon be experiencing. They were actually in his office which was in the same building as the court rooms. He was sitting at his desk watching as she paced his office back and forth. They were waiting to hear from the jury and were four hours in. In her mind it was hell. After about the sixth trip around the room, he got up and stood in front of her. He stopped her by placing his hands on either side of her arms.
"Hey, the worst is over. He's not going to get away with this." She looked up at him with worry in her eyes.
"I keep telling myself that but I think I would have felt better if you had been the one prosecuting the creep." He laughed slightly trying to defuse the tensions she felt.
"I know sweetheart but you know I couldn't based on our relationship to one another. Besides you had a good prosecutor." He pulled her in for a hug as she rested her head above his heart listening to his steady heartbeat. A sound that was surprisingly very comforting.
"I know I just want this over with." She wrapped her arms around him pulling him closer. They were silent for a moment until he spoke again.
"Hey listen we get through this, how about I take you way for the weekend. Just you and me somewhere quiet away from the city." She sighed against him really liking the sound of that.
"Are you sure?" She asked almost afraid to look at him but he made her anyway.
"Amelia look at me." She finally did although reluctantly. "I wouldn't ask if I wasn't. Besides I think we need to talk about what happens when all of this is over." She started to protest suddenly getting worried about what he really wanted to talk about. He sensed this look in her eyes as he rubbed her arms with his hands. "Now don't get all worked up. It's nothing bad pretty girl. I just know you are struggling in what to do about your apartment." She looked at him slightly shocked.
"How did you...?"
"I work with detectives. Besides I would like to think I know you well enough to know what is really bothering you."
"So what are you saying exactly?" He took a step closer to her so that she had to tip her head up to meet his eyes.
"I'm saying..." He tucked a piece of her hair behind her ear as his finger traced down her check until his hand rested on the base of her neck. "I'm saying I want to make what we have official. I'm saying I want you to stay, if you want to." She couldn't breathe for a moment as she processed what he was really asking her. Warmth spread through her body and it felt as if the weight of the world had suddenly lifted.
"Rafa, are you asking me to move in with you?" He chuckled slightly.
"Well I hate to break it to you but I think you already have. I'm asking you to stay. To make this, make it permanent. Because quite frankly I'm not sure I could ever go back to the way we were befor..." She never gave him a chance to respond because she stood up on tip toes meeting her lips to his. He got over his surprise quickly as he returned the kiss as he wrapped his arms around her and slightly lifted her off the ground. We they finally pulled away both slightly breathless he set her down resting his forehead on hers.
"I take that as a yes then?"
"Take that as a yes." She responded.
"Well it's about time you two. I was beginning to think I was going to lose the pool." A voice called from the door way. Olivia stood there leaning against the door jam with a big smile on her face.
"Don't you knock?" Rafael asked sarcastically but still in good humor. She shook her head still smiling as she stepped into the room. "The jury is back." Amelia euphoria suddenly took a nose dive and her breath caught.
"That was quick." Rafael tightened his hold but looked down at her.
"Not necessarily. The evidence was pretty overwhelming. This could be a good thing Ame." She took a deep breath as the three of them left the room. Rafael never let go of her hand. Not when they walked into the court room , not when she walked past the glaring eyes of the family and not when they finally read the guilty in all accounts verdict. A sudden sense of piece settled over her and she buried her head into Rafael's shoulder to hide her tears. He put and arm around her and kissed the top of her head. When they went to lead Dylan out there was a lot of yelling, crying and obscenities thrown at her. He had even pulled away trying to get at her.
"You bitch! You will pay for this! You're dead! You hear me?! Dead!"
"Get him out of here!" The judge ordered. She was in such a state of shock that it didn't register what had happened until Rafael had led her from the court room. She was suddenly exhausted as she was say in a bench just outside.
"You are all right?" He asked her concern lacing his voice. She looked up into his worried eyes gripping his hand.
"Is it really over?" He smiled gently at her.
"Yes, sweetheart. It's really over. He can't hurt you anymore, so let's go home." She nodded as was led to the exit only to suddenly be stopped by Amelia's own mother.
She was a short older version of her daughter but the two couldn't be more different. She shoved herself into her daughter's face.
"I hope you're happy! You destroyed your cousin's life."
"Hello mother. Thanks for the support." She tried to steer around her but she stopped her once again.
"You just can't stand that your cousin had something that you couldn't keep. Her baby is due any day and now she is going to grow up without a dad. I hope you feel real good about that." Before she could answer however Rafael did.
"Mrs. Connors with all due respect the only one responsible for all of this is the man that they just took away. So do yourself a favor and stop blaming your daughter for the mistakes and wrong doings of a man whose only contribution to society is to belittle, scare and hurt women. He never deserved her, she was never his to begin with and he couldn't handle that." The look on her mother's face was priceless and worth every moment. It also deepened her love for him even more, if that was possible.
"And who are you exactly?" She demanded to know.
"I'm the one that is going to make sure your daughter is loved, safe and taken care of for as long as she will let me. I will never raise my hand to her and make sure she will want for nothing because she does deserve the very best." During this declaration he shifted his gaze from her mother back to her. She felt breathless as she read the meaning in the depths of his eyes. She knew she had final found her real home, with him.
Two weeks later this would once again be tested as she was staring down the barrel of a gun being held by her crazed cousin. She had a bad feeling in the bottom of her gut that this would end badly.
There you have it, another chapter on the way very soon. I believe there will only be one more. Thanks so much for the reviews, likes and favorites.
