Reconnect

Chapter Fifty-One

"It's about time you two got your asses down here." Eros said with his arms crossed as we made our way down the stairs. I was finishing the second blood bag and Adam was fixing his cuff links when Eros grabbed his phone. "Everyone's here, they're waiting on you." He tucked his phone back into his pocket.

As I took the last sip of blood, Adam took it and threw it on the table and grabbed my hand pulling me through the livingroom and out the front doors. I wiped my mouth as we ran across the street into a very large old building. Once we were inside, I saw a young girl who looked eager to work. Adam nodded his head at her and she whispered something into a small microphone on her blouse.

We passed through two large double doors and entered into a circular room that held a conference table. Adam sat me in one of the chairs next to him in the center and soon after, about ten other people entered the room and took their seats. Eros sat on the other side of me and he looked extremely angry. I looked over to Adam to see he held a similar gaze on his face. All I could do was sit there and hope Adam remembered what I asked him. Once everyone was seated, they all looked at me.

"We will now begin the hearing for Braxton Gregory Walsh, first allow me to introduce the victim, Renae Elizabeth Riley. Now bring in the accused." Adam spoke loudly and strong. Before I could catch my breath, Braxton came into the room, hands shackled with the same chain shackled to his feet, the chain wrapped around his waist and even came up around his neck. Following right behind him was my dad. He held onto Braxton so he wouldn't fall. He left Braxton standing in front of the table causing him to kneel in front of us. Braxton looked tired and scared, but most of all sad. Seeing how broken he was only broke my heart.

"Now Jarrod, please hand the evidence bag to Divina." My dad handed a bag containing my robe that Eros took off of me. When she pulled it out there was a large hole where the back of my neck should have been. The entire top portion was covered in my blood and had splinters of wood stuck in the silk. As I saw how bad the robe was, I began to shake. I clenched my hands onto the arms of the chair and closed my eyes and took a deep breath. When I opened them again she was pulling out the rest of my pajamas from that night. The top of the set was stained with blood which made me sick to my stomach. When she pulled out the bottoms, I saw a lot of splinter pieces of wood stuck to them which made me wonder how the hell all of this even happened. After she laid out my clothes on the table, she pulled out the same piece of wood Eros had pulled me off of. Seeing how large it was made me want to faint. Adam must've seen my distress because he reached under the table and grabbed my hand without taking his eyes off of Divina.

"Braxton, we will now hear your plea." I couldn't take my eyes off of Adam, I was too scared to.

"I... I don't know what happened. I just wanted to see her one last time before I tried to move on and I heard him ask her to marry him and everything went black. I don't even remember what happened. The next thing I remember, I saw Eros picking her off of the bench and flower cart and I watched the piece of wood fall from her back onto the ground. I'm sorry, I never wanted any of this." I could hear his voice cracking, as much as I wanted to look at him right then, I couldn't bring myself to.

"Now, the council will hear the victims case." Adam looked at me with hopeful eyes. I stood up, not taking my eyes off of him.

"I-" I paused and took a breath. I turned to the center of the table and looked at my clothes.

"I have a kind heart, that's what everyone tells me and that's what I know. Three days ago, this world was on the brink of losing my kind heart but it's here today." I looked up at my dad who was smiling at me in the corner.

"I don't believe anyone should be punished by death. I remember Adam asking me to marry him and then being tackled to the ground which was two stories down. There was a fight between the two and Adam tried to bring me inside but we were tackled again. I remember everything, from feeling on top of the world to feeling my own life slip away. I couldn't move let alone speak. I felt no pain but I was paralyzed as a large piece of wood kept me frozen in place. I was able to watch Adam fight off Braxton for me and finally talking and trying to get through to him, again, for me. He calmed down enough to listen and that's why I want to give him a chance. I can feel it in my soul that he deserves to live even if he doesn't feel the same. He was stupid and irresponsible yes, but we need not punish his entire life, we're still basically children. I believe the best course of action should be some sort of community service. He deserves to have a chance at life and live that life. Let him find his mate and find true happiness. Everyone, and I do mean everyone deserves a chance to find happiness in life. Even if it's not with me." I finally looked up to Braxton with tears in my face. He was shocked and concerned but he held a bit of appreciation in his eyes. I looked around the room to see everyone in the room except my dad and Adam were shocked.