It was only when the judge said, ‘At this time, I would like to hear from the alleged victim, if she’s able,’ that Mav leaned forward in his chair. He held his breath as Nina slowly stood. His heart broke when he heard her breath sawing through the courtroom.
For the longest time, she didn’t say anything at all, only stood there, all eyes on her, her rapid breaths telling him she was on the verge of a panic attack.
‘I’m so s-sorry,’ she stammered.
The judge nodded kindly, said, ‘Take your time, Miss Keller.’
Come on, Nina, Mav thought.You’ve got this.
As if she’d heard the frantic thought, she turned to look over her shoulder, right at him.
Her eyes widened when she saw him.
Their gazes held.
Mav gave her a single bolstering nod, and mouthed, ‘Breathe,’ as he mimed taking a big breath and expelling it slowly.
Nina’s eyes welled, but she nodded. He saw her shoulders rise with the huge inhalation. And then she turned to face the judge again.
‘If you’d prefer, I can take your statement in as written?’
‘No.’ Nina shook her head. ‘I’m ready.’
Still, she took another minute to breathe. And then she began:
‘Your Honour, my name is Nina Keller.’ Though she started off a bit wobbly, her voice grew as she continued, ‘I am the victim – the survivor – in this case, and I am here today to express my concerns regarding the potential pretrial release of Alexander Cane on bail.’
She took a long moment to compose herself. ‘On June second, Alexander Cane broke into my home. He waited for me, and when I arrived home, he attacked me and then violated me in ways that I am still struggling to come to terms with. I truly believe that if I had not been talking to a friend on the phone at the time of the attack – a friend who called 911 on my behalf – I would not have escaped without being raped. Or worse.
‘The trauma I experienced that day has affected every aspect of my life. I struggle to sleep. I’ve developed intense anxiety and a fear of public places. Due to Alexander’s involvement as a producer, I haven’t been able to work or fulfil my contractual obligations on the set ofShadowlands, the film I’m currently acting in.
‘I can no longer stand to be touched, even casually, by anyone other than my closest friends.
‘I am a shadow of the woman I used to be. On some days, the woman I was only a few short weeks ago, one who was strong and successful andhappy, seems like a figment of my own imagination.
‘Knowing that the person who inflicted such harm on me could be released and possibly come near me or my loved ones is exceptionally damaging to my mental health, especially considering he has done so multiple times already. He came to see me in hospital after the assault, and the second time when he came to the place I was recuperating at afterwards. Both times, he attempted to talk to me about what he called a “misunderstanding”, but that to me was a trauma that I will be dealing with for the rest of my life.
‘As such, I respectfully ask that you consider the impact of this case on my life and the potential threat of Alexander Cane to my – and other women’s – safety and wellbeing. I urge you to deny bail, or if bail is granted, to impose stringent conditions that will ensure my safety.
‘This is not only about me and my personal safety but also about ensuring justice and preventing further harm to others. I hope the court will act in a way that reflects the severity of Alexander’s crimes.
‘Thank you for your time and consideration.’
The judge nodded. ‘Thank you, Miss Keller.’
Nina sat back down.
Mav exhaled his own breath. He wanted to stand up and shout, ‘That’s my woman!’ in front of everybody. He wanted to pull her into his arms and never let her go again. But knowing that she had asked for space, he didn’t do any of that.
He listened to the defence attorney’s statement, which undermined everything Nina had said.
‘Your Honour, the allegations made against my client are a complete farce, a desperate attempt by a woman who craves celebrity and attention, a woman whomy clientromantically rejectedmonthsprior to the alleged incident.
‘Yes, Alexander Cane did go to Ms Keller’s house that night; however, he did not go there with the intention of harming her. Quite the opposite, in fact. My client went to Ms Keller’s house to check up on her when rumours circulating on theShadowlandsset indicated that her mental health was suffering from the stress of filming.’
Maverick’s stomach roiled with literal sickness as the lies poured into the courtroom. His eyes flickered to Nina, and although she sat straighter now, she looked brittle. Breakable.
He wanted to go to her. He wanted to hold her and tell her that everything was going to be all right. But he couldn’t because she had drawn that line clearly. And that crushed him.
