“Good afternoon, Mr. Bordeaux. I'll need to speak with the young lady about what happened. If she is a minor her parents will need to be there as well.”
“I'll bring dem in tomorrow.”
“Have them at my office at three. I'll see you then.”
Caine hung up the phone, locked his computer, and left to go speak with Mia and her parents.
Eliza heard the knock at her front door and frowned. When she saw Caine standing there she arched a brow. “Afternoon, Caine. Please, come in. What brings you by?” She stepped back so he could enter and led him to the kitchen. “Would you like someting to drink?”
“No, I'm fine, thank you. Gage stopped in to see me. He told me Mia pressed charges against da boy who assaulted her. I've hired her an attorney. Da Pard has one on retainer now. He wants to see her in his office tomorrow at tree. Either you or Efram need to be dere since she's a minor.”
Eliza looked a little stunned. “I was just wonderin' how we were gonna get someone to represent her if dis goes to court. You've only been Alpha a short time but already you're a far better Alpha den Zachary was.”
“Thank you for dat. I'm tryin'. I want to know da Pard is strong, capable, and taken care of. It can't be strong and capable if people are goin' without da tings dey need.”
“You're a good man, Caine Bordeaux.”
Caine chuckled. “I tink so, too. I'll let you be now. Have a good evenin'.”
“You too. You know, when you find your mate, she's gonna be a lucky woman.”
Caine shook his head but he didn't respond. The chances of that happening were pretty slim unless he left New Orleans to petition other Pards for the chance to meet with their unmated females on the hopes of finding his mate. Maybe one day he'd find a human he could love and settle down with, but his mate? That was next to impossible.
Mia
“I thought I heard Caine.” Mia frowned when she saw her mother standing in the kitchen alone.
“You did. He stopped by to tell us he's hired a lawyer for you. We have to meet him tomorrow at tree.”
Mia swallowed. She didn't want to talk to a lawyer and tell him what happened. Sure, Cole didn't succeed in what he'd planned, but she still felt violated and the thought of talking to a stranger, a man, about it made her feel a little sick to her stomach. “Do I have to, mama?”
“If dis goes to court, you'll need someone to get you through it.”
She sat down at the table and sighed. “I guess you're right. I just...I don't wanna tell some strange man what happened.”
Eliza went to her daughter's side and knelt down. After taking Mia's hands in her own she studied her face. “Do you want to talk about it? It might make dis easier for you tomorrow.”
Mia couldn't look her mother in the face. “I was so weak, mama, I felt like a newborn kit. I told him no, I told him to stop, but he wouldn't. He got his fingers inside me.” Her voice came out in a whisper. “I feel so...dirty.”
Eliza closed her eyes a moment before she hugged her daughter tight. “I know you do, cher. But you're not. You did no'ting wrong. He did. You'll get past dis but it'll take time.”
“I feel like...I don't have a right to feel dis way. He did so much worse to da other girls, da ones who told me I wasn't alone.”
“You listen to me, Mia. You have a right to da way you feel. It doesn't matter dat he did more to dem, what matters is how his actions made you feel.”
Mia sighed. “I suppose you're right. Thanks, mama. I tink I'm gonna go paint a bit.” She needed to get out of her head and that was the best way for her to do it.
“A'right. Just be back for dinner.” Eliza watched her daughter go and her heart hurt for her. No mother wanted to have to help their daughter deal with being sexually assaulted.
Chapter Nine
Mia
Mia sat there in the chair at the attorney's office playing with the hem of her shirt. She didn't want to tell a perfect stranger what happened to her, but there she was doing it. “Cole Ambrose asked me to be his date to prom and I said yes. It was okay, I was enjoyin' da music even if I really wasn't interested in hearin' him go on and on about sports. At one point he went to get me a drink of punch. About twenty minutes later I started feelin' weird, shaky, and like I couldn't breathe right so I said I needed some air. We went outside and it got worse, til I felt really weak. He helped me into his car so I could sit...and den...he started touchin' me. I told him to stop, I told him no, but he wouldn't listen.” She looked down at her lap and her cheeks heated in embarrassment and shame. “He put his fingers in me and I was too weak to stop him. Dat was when Gage showed up.”
“You are referring to Gage Delacroix?” At her nod Miles continued. “How did Mr. Delacroix know you were outside?”
“Todd Stevens. He saw Cole put someting in my cup before he gave it to me and...his conscience got da better of him and he went to tell Gage because he knew we were friends.” Mia swallowed. “I have proof dat Cole drugged me and gave me da cup wit' it in it.” She pulled the photos out and offered them to the attorney.
