Dancing With The Devil

Chapter 47

"Guilty." The judge announced.

Tax evasion.

Corruption.

Blackmail.

Fraud.

He said more, so much more. He explained the sentence and what it would entail, who would receive what. I was no longer listening. My eyes glazed over with tears that refused to progress down my cheeks. My hands trembled in my lap. My lips were locked together, not making a single sound. I just stared down at the purple dress, the one I had purchased just for this day to match my recently dyed hair. It had been my tiny protest against my parents. But now, I couldn't even look at them.

"Camila."

Alistair's voice seemed distant. I didn't even raise my head.

"Ma chérie."

That caught my attention. At least what little there was that could still be captured.

And beside me in the courtroom was Alistair. Healthy and physically healed from the vile attack that we had both endured. And my parents had played their role in the traumatic experience. They deserved to be punished. This was a victory, we both knew that. But he was staring at me with his sharp green eyes, looking as concerned as he ever had.

"It's over." I said.

"Yes, it's all over."

He looked like he wanted to hug me but wasn't sure if I would crumple against him, sobbing with relief or suddenly start screaming and thrashing about in a fit of rage. In all fairness I wasn't sure what I would do either. What was I supposed to feel? My parents, the people who had raised me, had just been sentenced to lengthy prison time. The ones who were supposed to care for me the most had intentionally put me in harm's way and were going to be paying for their sins. And the informant that Josh had placed on jasper's team was also going away for a very long time.

I should've been thrilled, I should've been delighted. Or maybe it was best that I would be saddened. At least that seemed mildly logical. I was neither. I was numb and stricken. Not surprised exactly, just dazed.

"Come on." Alistair encouraged, slowly standing up. He extended a hand towards me. "We need to go home."

The rest of the courtroom had been vacated. The only people left were Alistair's family and Sophie. Jasper and his mother had come to testify alongside me, but everyone else had come to simply support me. Now they were all watching me with worry. I felt like they were expecting tears or angry screaming or a whoop of victory. I could give them nothing.

But I took Alistair's hand knowing that I couldn't stay here forever and the longer I remained here the more inclined everyone would feel to try and pacify me. As we progressed out of the courthouse Brad apologized to me, but I couldn't understand why. Emma and Jasper said that they had done the best they could. Sophie didn't say anything. She just pulled me in for a quick hug and told me that she was always a phone call away.

Alistair didn't let go of my hand until I was buckled up in his car. He tucked me into the passenger seat with added care, much like I had done for him all those months ago when we left the hospital.

We drove to the apartment I had started renting in silence. I thought about saying a hundred things. I wanted to tell him how much I needed him and that I so appreciated him coming with me today. Facing my parents for the first time since the hospital encounter had been harder than I could've imagined. Especially since I knew there was a good chance I would never see them again. I wanted to tell him that my heart was aching because, as terrible as they had been, they were still the people who had raised me. I wanted to tell him that I couldn't be alone right now. But now of those words would willingly tumble out of my mouth.