Page 34 of Second Chance Christmas

“I’m not a lawyer, but he’s guilty of assault, at the very least. Possibly attempted murder. I know how afraid you are, and I understand why, but guess what?”

“What?” She whispered, eyes round.

“I can afford pretty great lawyers too, and I’m going to make sure you have the best people looking out for you and Audrey. Trust me, Cass. I will never, ever let him hurt you or her. Trust me.”

It wason the drive to her father’s place that she realized something important.

Shedidtrust him.

Not just about this, but in every way.

She knew he was a good person. She knew he cared about her. She knew he wouldn’t hurt her, that he wanted to protect her from being hurt by anyone.

And it was such a relief to finally accept that he was on her side, that he probably always had been, that she sobbed again. Leo reached over, putting a hand on her leg.

“It’s going to be okay.”

She turned to look at him and her heart rammed into her throat, because she really did believe him. She trusted him, and even though she knew he would leave, that he would get on with his life, she’d done the one thing she’d promised herself she wouldn’t, and fallen right back in love with him. And it was okay. Because it was better to accept that she loved Leonardo than to spend the rest of her life being angry at him. She loved him. They couldn’t be together, but loving him set her free in a way she needed.

She smiled at him, what felt like the first real smile she’d offered anyone in a long, long time and though she didn’t understand the reaction, Leo’s eyes widened, and his lips parted, and a breath hissed between his teeth. A moment later, he was looking forward again, but when he reached for her hand, he squeezed it in a way that almost made her feel as though he’d never let go.

Nine

LEONARDO DA COSTA WAS probably one of the few people in the UK who could organise a full scale legal effort on Christmas eve. While Audrey, Cassidy and Harry were at the nativity, under the watchful eyes of two police officers and two private security guards Leo had somehow magicked up out of thin air, Leo was in Harry’s lounge room, placing calls, gathering information, and doing whatever the hell he could not to look at the photos Cassidy had taken after each ‘incident’. But they drew his gaze and anger built inside of him so for the first, and he hoped only, time in his life, he knew what it was to feel a truly murderous rage. If Grant Burrows were to appear at Harry’s house in that moment, Leo wasn’t sure he could be considered responsible for his actions.

But the last thing Cassidy needed was two violent men in her life, so he focused on the task at hand, and by the time Cassidy and her family returned from church, the dinner party Harry had planned had been cancelled and instead of a table full of old family friends, the living room was packed with legal representatives and detectives.

Settling a child on Christmas eve was no easy task. In the time it took Cassidy to pat her daughter’s back, until she fell asleep, Harry had enough time to prepare toasted sandwiches for everyone assembled—insisting on providing them with a meal and a hot chocolate, given they were working on Christmas eve.

And then, when Audrey was fast asleep, dreaming—Leonardo hoped—of sugar plums and sleigh bells—Cassidy began the harrowing task of recounting what she’d told Leo. This time, there were more pointed questions from the solicitors as well as the detectives. Leo sat at her side, holding her hand, murmuring to her when she seemed to need encouragement, and thinking about how damned strong she was. Harry was with them too, brave in the face of what must have been one of the hardest revelations a man could ever face.

At one point, he heard the older man mutter under his breath, ‘Why didn’t she tell me?’ and Leo threw him a look. Blaming Cassidy for any of this was wrong. It wasn’t Cassidy’s fault. None of it.

If anyone other than that piece of shit Grant bore the responsibility, it was Leo. If he hadn’t gotten drunk and cheated, if he hadn’t left Cass, if he had stayed here with her, she would never have slept with some prick like this and wound up in this situation. He’d failed her in the most basic of ways.

Finally, the detectives said they had what they needed.

“What will happen now?”

“He’ll be arrested, love,” the female detective said. “You’ve been incredibly courageous, right?” She spoke only to Cassidy. “I’ve been working DV cases for a long time. I know how hard it is to walk away, and even harder to stand up to your abuser. It might not feel like it now, but you’re reclaiming your power. Well done, you.”

Cassidy’s eyes filmed with tears. “I’m tired,” she whispered, but with a small, apologetic smile.

“Of course you are. I’ll bet you feel like you were married to him for an eternity.”

“Yes,” Cassidy whispered, toying with the ring Leo had given her. His heart thumped at the site of it on her hands, albeit the wrong hand to what he’d imagined when he’d bought it. “That’s exactly it.”

The female detective reached over, put her hand on Cassidy’s knee. “We’ll have the paperwork for a restraining order started tonight.” Then, with a sideways glance at the solicitors. “I imagine you’ll want it expedited.”

“Yes.”

“And Audrey?” Cassidy whispered.

“That’s our job,” another of the solicitors spoke. “But believe me when I tell you, there is not a hope in Hades of that man getting any kind of custodial arrangement.”

“How can you be sure?”

“Because he’s going to jail, for a very long time,” the female detective said. “You’re free, love. You’re free.”

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