“Alayah…Alayah, baby, wake up. You’re havinga nightmare.”
I tried to shake her awake, and shewoke up screaming and swinging. I wasn’t quick enoughwith my movements, and she manage to get me inthe jaw.
“Shit!”
“Killian? I’m so sorry. I’msorry.”
She broke into a fit of tears. I movedmy mouth to make sure nothing was dislocated, and itwasn’t. It just hurt like a bitch.
“Don’tcry,” I said, pulling her into my arms.
“I hatebeing like this,” she wailed. “I don’t want tokeep hurting you.”
“I think you need to talk tosomebody, baby.”
She nodded as she pulled away from me.She tossed back the covers and got out of bed.
“Where are you going?”
“To my room. I just…Ithink I need to sleep alone for a little bit.”
“Layah…Layah, wait.”
She ignored me as she left theroom.
Since that night, she’d been sleeping in her room. That didn’t stop me from waking up when she screamed. I always ran to check on her. Usually, the door was locked. She said she didn’t want me to see her like that. I felt like she was reverting to who she was when we first got back in contact.
Knowing those tapes still existed was really doing a number on her. She’d agreed to talking to someone and had set up virtual meetings with a psychiatrist. I hoped that it would help. Honestly, she probably should have been seeing someone all along. As much as she wanted to live normally, her circumstances weren’t normal at all.
Erica and I had sat in her office going through them. They were hard to stomach, but we had to get a timeline of the dates from the timestamps. It didn’t help that we could hear everything. I couldn’t get the sound of Rodney grunting and Alayah’s whimpers out of my head. After we finished going through them, I’d gone to the bathroom and thrown up because I was disgusted.
With this evidence, the case Erica and I had been working on would be foolproof. We’d already filed an appeal of Alayah’s conviction with the new evidence presented. I was sure it would take some time, but given everything we provided, there was no way we would be rejected.
The sound of Erica’s voice broke my thoughts.
“You okay?” she asked.
“Yeah. Just in deep thought. I still can’t believe this shit, Erica.”
“I know, but justice will be served.”
The door to the small room opened, and I looked up to see Kennedy walking in with a sour look. Her attorney walked in behind her and took a seat. Kennedy sat, and the guard handcuffed her to the table before leaving the room.
“The fuck are you doing here?” she spat.
“We have a matter to discuss, Ms. Chambers,” Erica said. “I’m sure your attorney has had time to go over the additional pending charges you have.”
Kennedy ignored her as she glared at me glaring at her.
“Don’t I know you?” she asked, squinting at me.
“Alayah and I studied together at your home when we were in high school.”
She smirked. “Yeah, that’s right. You were always sniffing around her like you wanted something. Did you get it?”
I cleared my throat as I reached into my briefcase. “I’m not here to discuss my prior relationship with your daughter.”
“Then how about we discuss the current one. You fucking her?”
