“Run by the guy she’s now shacked up with!”Jackson snorted, slamming his palm down on the wooden ledge enclosing him.
I shot a glare in his direction, staggered that, even then, at that most pivotal moment, he insisted on hearing his own voice instead of mine.
“The defendant will remain quiet.”Akari leaned into her mic to admonish him.“For the record, the defendant Ian Jackson refers to Adam Harper, who has signed a plea deal with the court in return for his valuable cooperation.”
For one tense moment, Jackson glared Harper’s way, the two men silently brooding at one another while the judge continued.
“You’re a fucking traitor!”Jackson spat the insult at Harper.“I should have had you killed while I had the chance.”
“Silence!”Akari’s voice boomed through the speakers rigged in the four corners of the court.“Mr.Harper is not preparing for trial here, Mr.Jackson.But you are.”
She stared at the odious prick until he withered under her stare.“Please, Miss Craness, do go on.”
“Fortorus was Jackson’s idea.”I turned my full focus onto the idiot that time, refusing to cower under him any longer.“He wants as many women there as possible.He believes we’re all unworthy whores.”
Another rumble of shocked gasps reverberated from the other side of the court.
“If you don’t mind pausing your statement, please tell us what happened to you at Fortorus,” Meyer prompted.
“Terrible things.”I swallowed back the dismal recollections.“There were daily whippings, ritualized humiliation by a lot of the commanders.”I paused, thinking of Mitchell.“I suffered this myself for months, and there were regular rapes by the sentries.I narrowly avoided that fate as well.”
My focus flitted back to my handsome savior.
“There was also very little food and no medical provisions provided to the prisoners.”I shook my head.“Fortorus is seen as the jewel in Jackson’s disgusting crown.”
Meyer pressed her lips into a hard line.“Did you have anything to do with Mr.Jackson himself?”
“Yes.”My gaze floated by the bloated jerk who’d destroyed my country.“I was taken to his so-called palace in London once.”
“And what happened there?”Meyer pressed.
“I was stripped and made to kneel and serve the men there.”I gulped, aware that much of that service had been to Harper, who, thankfully, had protected me from too much exposure to Jackson that day.
“Did Mr.Jackson ever assault you?”Meyer looked up from her notes.
“Thankfully not,” I replied with a shudder.
“Were there other women there?”Meyer asked.
“Yes,” I replied.“There were others kept in cages out of the way.They were allowed out when Jackson wanted to use them for his personal titillation.”
“I thought this was an impact statement,” Jackson scoffed.“Not a witness for the prosecution!”
“The court is interested in hearing the things Miss Craness has experienced,” Akari answered.
“This is a kangaroo court!”Jackson roared, his face a satisfying red color.“You have no authority over me.”
“This is the final time I will ask for your silence, Mr. Jackson.”Akari’s voice had slowed to a more intentional pace.“The next time you speak out of turn, you will be escorted back into custody, and the evidence will be heard in your absence.”
Jackson huffed, but Akari urged me to go on.
“More women were called for while I was there,” I eventually replied.“One of the girls told them they were taken from a local club, and the men helped themselves to whoever and whatever they wanted.They made us play sick games, which resulted in us crawling and being told to have sex with the men.The women had no choice but to accept the degrading treatment.”
Staring at Jackson, my voice trembled with anger as I repeated that most important point.“You never gave any of us a choice.”
Months of indignity and endless violations were funneled into that one succinct statement.Staring into his piggy eyes, I hoped he understood my intentions; that I wanted to see him rot in a cell for as long as the court would possibly allow.
“Please continue with your statement, Miss Craness.”Laurent’s voice stirred me from my fervor.
