Page 63 of Coming Unraveled
“Come on. I don’t want us to be late,” Brooks reminds against her mouth as one of his hands sneaks around her body and squeezes one of the globes of her bottom and then swats it playfully.
She yelps against his mouth, jumping back in response.
A glorious white-toothed smile breaks out across his face and she can’ help but mimic his response.
“There it is. I’ve been waiting to see that smile,” he adds as he slides out of her body and off the bed quickly, tugging the condom off at the same time.
He turns back to look at her, his naked body completely open for her to stare. Even now her body reacts to seeing him naked and waiting for her.
“I suppose we’re saving water?” she asks as she slides from the bed to stand before him. His gaze travels her body in appreciation and she feels her cheeks flush at his perusal.
His hand reaches out for hers and Brooks clasps it gently. “Always.”
The car ride to Raleigh passes far too quickly for Everleigh and before she realizes it she is standing in a courthouse waiting to be escorted to a conference room. A fierce looking woman walks towards her and she balks next to Brooks as she stops in front of them. Everleigh takes in the woman’s severe black suit with a red silk blouse peeking through the top of her jacket; her long legs ending at a pair of enviable black stilettos with a red sole. Her hazel eyes and mocha colored skin is highlighted by the short crop of her hair. If Everleigh ever needed someone to mirror when she needed a backbone it is this woman standing before her.
“Everleigh Connelly?” the woman asks briskly as she glances in her gold file folder.
She grips Brooks’ hand as she licks her dry lips. “That’s me.”
The woman smiles radiantly, transforming her entire demeanor, and Everleigh watches as a few of the men walking past stop and do a double-take.
“Wonderful. I’m Sierra Wilson and I will be your lawyer. I’ve spoken with Charleston and Brooks a few times about your case and I really want to help you stand against this man.”
“I’m sorry, but I don’t know if…” Everleigh begins, but quickly Sierra cuts her off.
“Oh, don’t worry, this is Pro-Bono. I want to help you take this scumbag down.”
“I’m not worried about the money.” And she isn’t, her trust from her grandparents is enough to set her for life, and she joined the pharmacy when it was in the black so she steadily had an income. “I just wasn’t expecting to need a lawyer. I thought I was just here to give a deposition.”
Brooks turns her to face him and she can see his concern over her confusion. “I’m not allowed in there with you, so I wanted someone I could trust to make sure that you were taken care of. And if you’re called to testify it will be good to have Sierra on your side. She’s very well known for her win’s over domestic violence cases.”
Everleigh’s shoulders sag and she rests her head against his chest. “I thought they would at least let you stand at the door.”
“They won’t want me to sway your answers or hold you back. And that’s ok. I’m going to wait with you until the very moment they lead you inside. And Sierra is going to take good care of you.”
“I don’t know if I can do this,” she confesses as she stands back from Brooks and Sierra, her body already gearing for flight. Her eyes go wild as she searches for an escape.
A hand reaches out and grabs her wrist, yanking her back towards the group. “Sweetheart, don’t run. Please. And I think Sierra wants to talk to you.”
Brooks' hand slides down from her wrist to capture hers and she clutches at it as if her life depends on it.
“Come follow me, Everleigh. I want to tell you a story about a woman that thought being beaten was a way of life and how she turned herself around to become an amazing lawyer and advocate for abused women and men.”
Everleigh sits patiently listening to Sierra relive her childhood and how she persevered to become the strong woman that she is today. Sierra preaches to Everleigh how important it is for her to be able to help those who are unable to help themselves and to be able to bring one more abuser and possible murderer to justice.
Brooks and Sierra succeed in keeping Everleigh’s mind away from the deposition, but twenty minutes later Brooks is kissing her as he wishes her luck.
The wood-paneled room isn’t nearly as daunting as Everleigh had expected. Instead, she feels a warmth in the timber-lined space. She follows closely behind Sierra and she approaches the stand where she places a shaking hand on a bible and is sworn under oath. Up until this moment, she hadn’t thought it was real, that she would actually stand here in front of a dozen or so strangers and give them her life story. But as the bailiff asks her to take a seat her memories soar forward.
Two hours later, Everleigh leaves the courthouse mentally drained and exhausted. She knew that the defense attorney would ask questions, trying to paint his client in the best light, but she hadn’t expected to feel so hurt or bare afterward.
She trails behind Sierra as Brooks walks beside her, Everleigh leaning into his side to help her remain standing.
As they reach the front of the courthouse Sierra turns around and addresses them both. “I need to head back to the office, but we’re looking at a court hearing in about a month or so unless Rich takes the plea deal we’ll present. Even with all of the depositions being heard in the next few weeks, I’m certain he’s too stubborn to accept any deals. He still believes he’s innocent.”
Everleigh watches as a conniving smirk expands on Sierra’s face, the kind of smile that has you wondering what secrets she has hidden up her sleeves.
“What do you know?” Everleigh asks curiously.
