Broken (Brown Eyed Boy book 2)

Punished (Carlos POV)

“So what you're saying is, you didn't actually see my client slip anything into Jessie Morrison's drink?”

            I stared at Michael's lawyer, trying not to show too clearly how much I hated her. It wasn't bad enough that she was defending the bastard but to top it off she was twisting everything Jeremy, Samara and I said. Regardless of whether her last question was true or not, it irritated me beyond words. But I knew enough about court to know that you shouldn't let your emotions show too much. And after what happened at Nicole's party two days before, I had almost no emotion left in me to show. None that could be used against me here, anyway. “No, but we know he did it,” I answered, digging the heel of my shoe into the floor beneath me.

            “Because you say he and Jessie had a past,” she smiled coldly at me and I immediately knew what the next question would be. “What past exactly would that be?”

            My eyes darted out to Jessie's mom sitting behind the lawyers and she nodded encouragingly at me, like I should know telling Jessie's biggest and darkest secret to a room full of strangers was okay. My stomach went cold and I started fidgeting with my bracelet. “When they were younger, Michael used to hang out with Jessie and her cousins,” I answered, barely managing to get his name out in a normal tone. “When she was twelve he raped her at a party they went to.”

            “A party she went to with him, willingly?” the lawyer asked.

            “No,” I answered. “A party she went to with her cousins that he happened to be at. She lost track of her cousins and he said he knew where they were. But he lied. Instead he took her into a room and he...he raped her.” I stumbled slightly and took a breath to calm myself. “Then he left her in the room like nothing happened.”

            “Nowhere in this case does it say a prior charge has been made against my client,” she continued. “Do you want to explain why that is?”

            “Because Jessie felt ashamed,” I answered. “She was hurt and ashamed of what happened to her. She didn't want to tell anyone about it. And she said Michael told her that she shouldn't tell anyone because no one would believe her anyway.” That they would only think she was damaged goods, I added mentally.

            “She said?” the lawyer responded. “As in, you only know what Miss Morrison told you. You weren't actually there for any of this?”

            “Of course not, do you think Michael would be that stupid to rape her in front of me?” I spit out before I could stop myself. So much for keeping my anger in check.

            “So like the drug you claim he gave her, you have no actual proof that Mr. Evans ever had any sort of relations with Miss Morrison. You only have hearsay?”

            “Did you listen to anything I just told you,” I responded. “He didn't have any relations with her. He raped her. As in he forced himself on a twelve year old, made her feel like shit about herself and then told her no one would believe her if she told, so she was better off not saying anything.”

            “Mr. Rivera, I am going to ask that you watch your language from here in,” Judge Thomas said from next to me. “All that is necessary is that you answer the questions the counsel asks you.”  

            “Yes, Your Honor,” I said flatly. I continued turning my bracelet around my wrist, trying to calm myself again. Just a few more questions...

            “I think we should move away from this subject,” the lawyer representing Jessie said. I couldn't bother to remember any of their names and I figured it would be better to forget all this once it was over anyway. Thankfully, Jessie didn't have to be here for this.