“I speak for all of the women still there.”I glanced back to the judges, my thoughts returning to Fern, Jean, and all of the other strong and amazing women I’d met at Fortorus.I would never have survived a single day without their fortitude and moral support.Wherever they were, whatever had happened to them, they deserved for me to speak up.“For the ones who’ve been judged, stripped, kidnapped, assaulted, and murdered.I speak for the ones who’ve been trampled underfoot, the ones who are still forced to denigrate themselves, and the ones who are gagged so they do not have a voice.Ihave a voice, and I choose to use it today, on behalf of us all when I ask the court to find Mr.Jackson guilty at trial and allocate the most severe sentence possible.”
The words flew from me, no longer scripted, nor prompted by the judge’s questions.They were from the heart.
“Jackson was not the only problem in Great Britain, but he was the head of the ugly beast who brutalized its people.Let’s take the head off that monster for all those who’ve suffered its ferocious indecency.”
The silence that followed was louder than any of the earlier shouted responses.
“Thank you, Miss Craness.”
It was Akari who spoke, but as I left the stand and was guided back to my seat, all I could hear was the thundering of my heart.
Chapter Twenty-Seven
Caroline
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“YOU DID IT.”HARPER’Sarms tightened around me, and I didn’t resist his embrace.“I’m so proud of you, little girl.”
Breathing in the scent of his spicy cologne, I snuggled closer against his chest.My head had started to pound after we’d left the court, and he’d brought me straight back to the hotel in a taxi.
“I’m glad it’s done.”I sighed, releasing some of the tension hiding in my muscles.“I hope I did Fern and the others justice.They deserve Jackson to do some serious time for what he’s done.”
“You all do.”He sounded serious.“I just hope that taking the whipping and managing to hand him over to the authorities excuses me of some of my responsibility in all of this.”
“You did everything you could, Sir.”I kissed his shirt, wanting to console him.
“I really didn’t,” he scoffed.“I could have given myself over to imprisonment, but I preferred to stay here with you.”
My lips tugged at the way he put that.“I’ve wrestled with that myself.I know many people will think the ‘right thing’ for you to do would be to hand yourself over to the ICC, but bringing Jackson in means a lot more.He was the one in charge, Sir.The buck should stop with him.”
“I’m not sure you can offer impartial advice on this one, sweetheart.”He smirked down at me, wincing as he shifted to sit upright.
“I’m happy to be partial.”I rolled from his arms onto my back.“I’m rather partial to you, Mr.Harper.”
“I’m pleased to hear it.”He reached for my shoulder and squeezed it softly.“Because we’ve got a future to plan together, Miss Craness, and it needs to be a good one.”
