Total pages in book: 95
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 85183 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 426(@200wpm)___ 341(@250wpm)___ 284(@300wpm)
He looks different, but his eyes, his eyes are the same, that deep shade of green that always makes my heart race. His eyes convey everything he cannot say to me. I love you.
A court clerk moves to the stand, holding a Bible up in front of me. I place my right hand on it, my eyes never leaving Jude. "Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth so help you God?"
No. "Yes," I whisper, my voice breaking. Tears prickle my eyes because I feel like my heart is being ripped out.
My attention is pulled from Jude as the door to the courtroom quietly opens and two figures step inside, taking a seat at the back. It's Detective Lowe and another agent. Her eyes fix on me, a small smile pulling at her lips. I have never hated anyone as much as I hate this woman. I am only doing this because Jude asked me to, not because of her. I'm doing this for my baby. I'm about to drive a wedge between Jude and myself that is so big, I'm not sure I will ever be able to forgive myself. The prosecution lawyer gets up and comes to stand in front of me. "Miss Devaux, do you know this man?" She points to Jude, and I narrow my eyes at her.
"Yes," I say through clenched teeth.
"Can you please tell the court your relationship with this man?" she asks.
I take a steadying breath, squeezing my eyes shut. "He... he is the man who held me hostage." My voice is strangled, as though the very denial of what he is to me is impossible to verbalise. Jude's eyes meet mine, a reassuring smile on his face. He ever so slightly in a nods his head.
"And can you tell the court how you came to be Mr. Pearson's hostage?"
"My boyfriend owed him a debt, and when he couldn't pay it, he offered me to one of Jude's staff as collateral," I say without any emotion.
"So you were brought to his house, and then, what happened to you?" She studies me intently.
I glance at Jude and his eyes are fixed on the table in front of him.
"I... I was held there for several days. I lived with him and his brother. Euan never paid the money."
She presses her lips together. "How were you treated while you were held captive? Did Mr. Pearson provide food for you? Reasonable living conditions?"
"Fine. I was treated well," I say quickly. I can feel Lowe's eyes burning a hole in me, but I don't look at her.
"When the prison physician inspected you upon your initial arrest, he reported several concerning injuries, inflicted during your time as a hostage." She points to the screen behind me. I turn and see the photograph of my torso, covered in scars. I quickly spin back around to face the front of the courtroom again.
"That wasn't him," I say, ashamed of the fact that this entire room of people have seen the scars I never allow anyone to see, except Jude. I stare straight at him, and he holds my gaze, a soft smile on his lips. "It wasn't him." God, this is so hard.
"But it happened under his supervision, did it not?" "It..." I pause.
I know what I'm supposed to say, what Jude wants me to say. "It happened whilst he held me hostage, yes," I whisper.
"So, you would agree then, that you were not treated 'well'," she adds, and without missing a beat goes on to her next question. "Did you witness the dealings within Mr. Pearson's house while you were there?"
"No, I never saw any of that." It's true really. Jude never brought business home. I never saw that side of his life, unless I asked. I never saw it until I was no longer a hostage.
I know I've slipped when she smiles. "Any of that? So you knew what he did for a living?"
"I was taken hostage for a gambling debt." I point out.
"Do you know who Joe Campbell is, Miss Devaux?" My stomach bottoms out and bile rises in my throat. The thought of that man makes me sick, and I press my hand to my stomach.
I can hear Jude breathing from across the room. When I glance over at him, his jaw is ticking, the muscles of his neck strained.
"I do," I whisper.
"How do you know him?"
I glare at her. "He kidnapped me." My jaw clenches so hard my teeth hurt.
Her expression remains blank. "So Joe Campbell kidnapped you from your kidnapper?"
My eyes lock with Jude's. I know I should just say yes, but the way she says it implies that Jude and Joe are the same, as though what Jude did was as bad as Joe. I can't. I can't say those words.