Devil's Pawn (Completed)

28.

I looked in the mirror and shuddered. I was terrified. I'd have to sit in court today and testify against the guy who abused me. I knew I wouldn't be the only one doing it. A total of 10 girls raging from 6-21 would be testifying against Robert Hiede. He would be sent away for life. He had over 20 murder charges written down and more over 50 rape counts on a minor. Attempted murder as well as tampering with evidence as he tried to dispose and burn things when the detective showed up.

"Are you ready?" I nodded toward my father. So much had changed in these last three weeks.  My father had filed for a divorce. My mom asked for custody of the twins. My dad willingly gave up Chloe but he refused custody of Charlie and after threatening the neglect I was given when he was away on business trips, she conceded. 

 I was wearing a black dress which fell to my knees with a long black cardigan over top. My lawyer said it would help my "grief" claim. I didn't think my wardrobe even mattered. To be honest, I wanted to wear a plastic bag, anything to keep that creep from seeing skin. He didn't deserve it. 

 I was immediately taken off the medicines my mom had me on, but I was prescribed a small dosage of a seditive to help calm my anxiety and help me sleep at night. I felt...okay. 

 My dad outstretched his arm to me and I took it feeling a little better knowing I'd have his support at the trial. 

 ** 

 "He was found dead in his jailcell. His rectum was ripped open from being raped so many times, he was so badly beaten that he was hardly recognizable. If it's one thing inmates show no mercy to, it's pedophiles." I looked at my lawyer and nodded. I felt her hand over mine. "I know you wanted to see him rot in jail, but it was bound to happen sooner than later." 

I nodded again. At least I didn't have to face him in court.

 A few hours later I was knocking on the door of River house. "Joey!!" I smiled down at the little heartbreaker who was gazing at me with a smile. 

"Riley!" I shrieked scooping him up. "I haven't seen you in over a month." 

"I know! I've missed you. I saw you on tv."  I frowned knowing he was talking about the trial . It had gotten so much buzz, it was horrifying. My dad's lawyer was working on suing all those sites and networks for defamation of character. I told him it was okay, but he needed someone to legally pay for what happened to me. 

"Yeah, that's over though." I said shaking his hair. 

"I bought new Legos!" he said squirming to get down. "Wanna play?" 

I smiled and nodded. "Sure!" 

 Riley is gifted. He made an entire city out of Legos in little under and hour. He was now making another garage for his "wife" her name was Michelle. I smirked. 

"What's that?" he asked I looked at him to see he was staring at my wrist. 

"Nothing." I said pulling down the shirt sleeve. 

"Jesse had those. She called them her tiger stripes. Is that what you call yours?" I opened my mouth to come up with some excuse when I heard his voice. 

"I thought I heard someone trying to steal my girl." I turned to face him and smiled. 

"Hey."

"Hi." he said stepping toward us. "Can I steal her for a second?" Riley nodded relunctantly. 

"Come back before you leave so I can give you some El Tigre bandaids for your tiger stripes!" I looked out the corner of my eye to River, I hoped he didn't catch on, but of course this was River we were talking about... 

"How many times have you done this?" River growled grabbing my hand exposing the marks I hoped he wouldn't see.

"It was an accident." I said looking away from him.

"I mean its just stupid. I don't get why you'd hurt yourself! Is it for attention?" I shook my head.

"Then what?" He yelled making me flinch. "Why?"

"I don't know." I mumbled looking at my feet. This is not the reaction I expected. This doesn't make you wanna talk about your feelings it makes you want to keep it all bottled in.

"Joey. It's just I don't get how you would feel this bad and I didn't notice." His boyish features that looked carefree yesterday looked tired and stressed. He was worried.

"I didn't want you to know." I whispered touching the skin of his cheek softly.

"Joe. It's just so stupid. I'm trying not to get angry but I can't. I'm so angry at you."

I felt ashamed. This is the feelings of disappointment.

Disappointment in myself.

"Its how I dealt with it." I whispered.

He brought his blue eyes to look into my own.

"Its addicting." I said sadly. "One day you're just looking for anything to take away the pain in your heart and then the next anything can trigger you to cut. Its like a rush of completion. It makes the coil in my chest that tightens every time I get called a freak or I'm scowled at by my mother or each time I get a nightmare about Havenwyk, disappear. It was the only thing keeping my here. As ironic as it seems it was my hope. A place to disappear to."

"You get drunk off the feeling." He said nodding as he looked at me. His blue eyes were true windows of salvation. I begged those orbs for the forgiveness I never thought available to me.

"Jolie. Whenever you feel that you want to hurt yourself you call me. You tell me. I don't care if I'm the cause baby girl. You tell me so I can talk you out of it. Okay?"

"But how?" I asked feeling unshed tears start traveling to my ducts from the deep canals of my heart.

"Ill tell you how perfect you are."

"I don't like being perfect." I admitted sniffling.

He smiled up at me as he kissed my hand. "Too bad. You're effortlessly perfect to me." I smiled at this.

"I'd tell you how much value your smile means to me. I'd tell you how happily surprised I was to see it was you who came to me on the steps of the dance hall that day, February 6th."

My heart was rejoicing at the sound of his deep, emotion filled voice admitting to me, the very words I've never heard.

"I'll remind you of the time we went to my house. How in the car you forgot who you were and you became yourself. The day I fell in love with you. Not Joe, but you. I didn't even know you and I knew you, were for me. You could barely speak to me without stuttering but you yelled in my face the day I kicked out of my house."

"You're strong and brave Joey. You're beautiful and picky but you're also neat," he raised an eyebrow, "in every context."

I allowed myself to laugh at this.

"And Jolie Mitchell I love you. I love being around you and soaking up your perfection because before you I was a wreck living to disappoint my parents to make them feel the sadness I felt. But now I know I have someone to please and impress. I can't let myself slip away anymore."

I felt his soft hand cover my cheek in a soft embrace. "I really mean it all." He whispered in my ear.

"Say it again." I whispered. Why were we whispering? Were our words to delicate to be overheard I don't know, but we talked only to each other and loud enough for us to hear and feel the sensitivity of our words.

"I love you Jolie."

I smiled at his declaration and although I didn't love him yet. I knew I loved hearing the words roll off his tongue.

"Joey?" He called looking up at my big Brown eyes.

"Yes?"

"Can I kiss you?" He asked with his voice laced with lust.

I looked at his dark eyes and felt my lips slide up to a Cheshire cat smile. "Yes."