The front door opened right before we reached it. Mum and Dad stepped out. Mum had her bag and Dad was holding his car keys. It was all looking positive. “Oh, hey. Did you get everything you need?” Mum asked me as she gave Oakley a hug.
“Pretty much. You guys going out?” Please say for a while.
“Yeah, dinner at Judy’s,” Dad grumbled. Judy’s my aunt, Mum’s sister, the lady that criticised everything.
“Oh, stop moaning, David. I endure your mother, the least you can do is put on a smile for my sister.”
“My mother is nowhere near as bad as your sister,” he argued.
“Alright parents! As fascinating as this is, we’re going to go inside. You two enjoy your dinner.” I pushed Oakley inside and shut the door before they could say anything else.
“Rude,” Oakley said.
“I know. Sorry about them,” I chose deliberately not to understand her.
“I wasn’t talking about them.”
“I know,” I replied, grinning. “Come on. Bed you.” She giggled and grabbed my arm, pulling me towards the stairs.
The second I’d closed my door, I pulled her top gently over her head. “I love you,” I whispered, against her lips and moved us both down on to the bed.
Oakley yawned and laid back. “I’m so tired.” She yawned and pressed her face into the pillow.
What! I groaned internally. “Okay, get some sleep then.” Be understanding.
She looked up and grinned. “Oh, stop teasing me!” I dived down on top of her, making her squeal and laugh. I kissed her hard, gripping her face between my hands. She wasn’t going back to Australia. There was no way we were being apart again.
Chapter Twenty-One
Cole
“Do you want to sit with your mum and Jasper?” I asked as we stepped inside the public gallery. I swear if he didn’t get sent down for the rest of his pathetic little life I was going to murder him.
She shook her head. “No, it’s okay.”
I gripped her hand and led her to the end of the first row of chairs. “You got me. Always.” We still hadn’t had that what’s going to happen when this is all over conversation. I had no idea where she was on that score. Not going back to Australia, I hoped and prayed.
Sarah sat the other side of Oakley and Jasper was beside me. He muttered something under his breath that would probably turn the room blue. I glanced at him and he whispered: “I wish I owned a gun,” in my ear. I couldn’t agree more.
There were a few reporters in the room; they all turned to look at us. The case had become so high profile that it was in the national newspapers every single day. Even my family were featured. The press were like vultures, hovering around, waiting to dive on you the second they got the chance.
Oakley had been offered so much money for her story, most of her family and friends had too. Of course, no one had taken up the offer. I really hoped they never did that to her. The last thing she needed was someone she cared about profiting from the trauma she’d lived through. The attention was mental, but if it made the world see what disgusting fucking monsters those bastards were then it was worth it.
“It’s almost over,” Oakley whispered, seemingly to herself. I squeezed her hand. This was the only part that would ever be over. We could all try to forget, but it would never happen – especially not for Oakley. I couldn’t even imagine what it was like for her.
I looked to my side, knowing where he was. As my eyes locked on his face, I felt my stomach turn. Oakley once referred to his eyes as ‘beady’ and I saw what she meant. Looking at him, I saw her as a child, scared and confused, and I saw how cold he looked as he stared back at her.
It was only when my jaw ached that I realised I was clenching it. My muscles ached. Everything ached. I wanted to jump over everyone and beat the shit out of him. I hoped someone in prison would kill him. It shocked me how readily these thoughts came to me, and how much I meant them.
Oakley kept her eyes ahead, watching the judge. Her body was stiff and tense. This was the first time she had seen him in four years, since the day she ran and called me. I wanted to say something to her to make her feel better, but what?
I didn’t have a damn clue what to say. There weren’t any words that could make it okay. I could never take back the years of pain and betrayal she’d suffered. I hated it, but there was nothing I could do.
Her breathing became heavier. I wrapped my arm around her waist and pulled her against my side. Was she going to pass out again? “Do you want to leave?” I whispered. She shook her head. Should I just pick her up and take her out? Was it worth her staying if she was going to suffer? “Oakley, you’re not okay—”
“Fine,” she muttered, leaning heavily against me.
I was aware that the judge had started to speak, but I couldn’t concentrate on anything other than Oakley. She looked like all the blood had drained out of her. I was terrified she was going to collapse again. Her breathing was heavy and laboured. Sarah had realised something was wrong and turned to Oakley, running her hand over her forehead to check her temperature.