by Mandy Magro
He rose up and took a nipple into his mouth, teetering her on the edge between pain and pleasure. She could barely catch her breath as she arched further into him. Succumbing to her silent pleading, his thrusts became harder, hungrier, deeply satisfying. The madness of tumbling off the erotic abyss gripped her tighter and tighter as he took control, taking them to where they both needed to be. The blazing fire built between them as she trembled then grabbed him as she made a low sound of surrender, quivering and falling even further in love with him.
Sated, she collapsed into him, and he rolled her over, easing himself on top of her. The weight of him, warm and solid, made her softly sigh as happy tears stung her eyes – ones filled with relief and gratitude for this magnificent man. He held her close, loving her without a word needing to be spoken, more deeply than she’d ever felt. A tragedy had pulled them apart, and now fate had brought them back together, stronger and more in love than ever. She was never going to leave his side, and as she pondered this beautiful notion, she drifted and then slipped into a satisfied slumber.
It was pouring buckets when she woke hours later, close to midnight, the heavy drops crashing on the corrugated roofing of the barn like bullets. Finding Joel gone, she slipped from the bed, tugged her robe back on, and made her way down the staircase. She found him in his office nook. Watching him from the doorway, his feet up on the desk and his handsome face aglow from the brightness of his laptop, Juliette felt her heart and soul stir. He was a whole lotta man. And the best thing was, he was all hers. Her heart skipped a few beats with the very thought.
She padded in quietly and placed a hand upon his neck, massaging the knots with her fingers. Joel groaned and pressed back into her hand, his eyes closed.
‘You like that?’ she purred.
‘Yes, I most certainly do.’ Casting a dreamy look upwards, he smiled. ‘You. Are. Amazing.’
‘Ditto, Mr Hunter.’ She leant over and gave him an upside-down kiss. ‘And just for the record, I can’t wait to become Mrs Hunter.’
‘You’re not the only one,’ he said, flashing her his knee-buckling dimple-clad grin.
His mobile phone rang from the desk, making both of them jump.
Spotting the caller ID, he snatched it up. ‘Hey, Mum, is everything okay?’ Juliette watched his face grow grave with concern as he nodded. ‘Okay. I’ll be there real soon.’ He ended the call and sucked in a shuddering breath.
Juliette moved to stand in front of him, fear gripping her insides. ‘Joel, what’s happened?’
‘Dad’s been rushed to hospital. He’s had a minor stroke.’ Joel was as pale as a ghost. ‘He started slurring, and then he couldn’t focus on anything. Mum wanted to call an ambulance, but you know my old man, he wouldn’t let her and insisted she drive him to the hospital. By the time they got there, he was apparently real bad.’
‘Oh my god. Is he going to be okay?’
He nodded, very slowly, as if unsure. ‘Mum said they’ve got him on a drip with some clot-busting medication, and apparently he’s out of danger for now, so that’s a relief.’ He grabbed his LandCruiser keys from beside his laptop. ‘Talk about everything happening at once.’
‘Murphy’s law.’ Juliette placed her hand on his back. ‘Do you mind if I come in with you?’
He cupped her cheeks and held her gaze. ‘Of course not. It would mean a lot to me, and to Mum and Dad, having you there.’
‘I’ll just go and throw some clothes on. Won’t be a sec.’ And she dashed back upstairs, as did he, both of them dressing in record time before rushing out the door and to Little Heart Hospital.
* * *
Reaching the hospital, Joel strode towards the front sliding doors with Juliette’s fingers tightly interlaced within his. The scent of steriliser and the squeak of the linoleum floors beneath their shoes greeted them, as did his mother, near the reception desk.
‘Hey, Mum.’ He hugged her, kissing her cheek. His already laboured breath caught in his throat as he met her worried, red-rimmed gaze. ‘How is he?’
‘He’s not getting any worse, so that’s a positive.’ She brushed a hand down Juliette’s arm, a silent gesture of gratitude. ‘I don’t want either of you to be shocked when you see him.’ She sucked in a sharp breath, her eyes teary. ‘He looks pretty bad, love, with one side of his face a little droopy, but that’s to be expected, the doctor said, and apparently, in time, it can improve.’
‘Well, that’s a good thing, right?’ A huge lump formed in Joel’s throat as the reality of the situation hit him, damn hard. He swallowed it back. He had to be strong for Juliette and his mother, as well as his father. ‘Can I go in and see him?’
‘Yes, of course.’ Sherrie started walking down the deserted hallway. ‘His room is just down the end of this corridor.’
Joel’s breath caught in his throat as he and Juliette followed his mum. William Hunter was a proverbial shadow of himself, and even though his mother had tried to prepare him, it was a shock to the system. He’d never seen his father looking so weak, so vulnerable, as if all the life had been drained from him. A drip in his arm, machines beeping beside him, and his eyes closed, he almost looked dead. On the opposite side of the bed, Juliette’s arm went comfortingly around his mum’s shoulder. He blinked fast as he looked to them, and his mother gave him a sympathetic smile. He dropped his gaze to the floor, needing a few moments to gather himself. Nobody said a word as he took a few deep breaths.
His dad stirred, shifted a little in the bed. ‘Sherrie.’ He blinked open heavy eyelids. ‘Are you here?’
‘Yes, love.’ Joel watched his mum step to his father’s side, placing a gentle hand upon him. ‘I’m here, and so are Joel and Juliette.’
He looked up at her with a soft, favouring smile. ‘They are?’ His gaze drifting over the room, William turned his face to Joel, Juliette now by him. A small smile curled his lips. ‘Hi, son,’ he said, slowly.
‘Hey, Dad.’ The droops of his father’s lip and cheek were extremely confronting. Joel sank into the chair beside the bed for fear of buckling to his knees. ‘How are you feeling?’ Juliette was rubbing his back, and it was helping him stay somewhat centred and calm.
‘I’ve been better,’ his father said with a soft chuckle. ‘But, on the plus side, god’s kept me alive to fight another day.’
‘Yes, yes he has,’ Joel said with gratitude spilling from his heart. To lose his father before they’d made amends would have been devastating. ‘I’m so glad you’re going to be okay, Dad.’ He choked back a sob, unable to hold it at bay as a few tears sprang. He sniffed and quickly wiped them away.
‘Oh, Joel.’ With gentle, caring eyes, his father lifted a hand, reaching for him, the gesture making it impossible for Joel to keep it together. More tears built and rolled down his cheeks as he took his father’s hand within his.
‘I love you, son,’ William said, his voice croaky.
‘I love you too, Dad. So much.’ Joel watched his mum cover her heart with her hands, tears falling.
His father broke too, and wept. ‘I’m so sorry for turning my back on you. I never should have done that.’
Joel couldn’t believe what he was hearing and, although relieved to hear it, he didn’t want his dad wasting energy on him. ‘Don’t worry about it now, Dad. Focus on getting better, okay? Because we all want you back home.’
William nodded and gave Joel’s hand a squeeze. ‘You’re a good boy. I’m proud of you.’
‘That means everything to me, Dad.’ Joel felt a comforting hand on his shoulder and he turned around to see Juliette giving him a warm and encouraging smile through her tears.
To be forgiven and loved, even before his father knew the truth of it all, was more than Joel could have ever wished for. With his parents near him and Juliette by his side wearing the ring he’d longed to slip upon her finger, his dreams had come true.
CHAPTER
24
Four months later
Juliette woke with a start, her heart beati
ng its way into her throat. Today was the day they’d been waiting for. Cuddled up beside her, Joel tenderly soothed her, his soft whispers all she needed to slow her racing pulse. Blinking heavy eyes, she looked to the glow of the bedside clock for what felt like the umpteenth time – exactly four hours and twenty-three minutes, and they’d be back in court to hear the verdict. She was losing herself in Joel’s rhythmic breath as he drifted back to sleep when a flash of lightning through the crack in the curtains followed a boom of thunder. With Joel not stirring, she tried to stay still. He was absolutely exhausted after the events of the past few months; with day after day of court and helping with his father’s recovery, he needed his sleep. It was wonderful to see William and Joel closer than they’d ever been, the knowledge of why Joel had done what he had to Levi only adding to William’s desire to make things right between them.
The rain came stealthily at first, a drop here, a drop there, tapping on the leaves of the big old gum outside the window and popping off the corrugated roof over the back verandah. Slipping from Joel’s arms and their bed, she wandered over to peer outside. A sudden gust of wind shook the shrubbery and blew the rain in slanted rivulets across the drive, sending a fine spray across her face. A deluge of rain, as if the storm was directly upon the barn, swiftly followed with another deafening clap of thunder, as if god had just upended a lake from the sky. She quietly shut the window and crept from the room and down the stairs, adoring the way Brute was curled up on his rug, with Red settled on his perch beside him. He was the most overconfident yet loveable rooster she’d ever met. It was endearing how the mismatched pair had become the best of friends.
Shutting herself in the bathroom, with a candle lit, she turned the tap and filled the bathtub. The water was deliciously hot and steaming, and she slipped beneath it while trying to empty her mind. As she’d predicted, it soothed her aching muscles and helped ease her worries. Nearly half an hour later, with the bathwater cooling, she slipped out, dried off and tugged Joel’s fluffy robe around her, loving how his scent still lingered upon it. How she loved him so. She held up her hand and admired the symbol of their love, his grandmother’s beautiful engagement ring, now hers.
Amongst the angst of their lives, there were so many blessings to be thankful for, and she pondered them as she dried her hair. Levi had been arrested for a long list of offences – assault, attempted rape, intimidation with intent to cause harm against Ben, along with the charge of tampering with William’s fence.
It had taken an immense amount of courage for Ben to come forth with the video he’d kept all these years of that horrible night in all its graphic detail. The amount of bullying and intimidation the poor bloke had endured at the hands of the Muller boys had been heartbreaking to hear in court.
The way the townspeople had rallied around her and her mother, and Joel and Ben, gave Juliette immense peace and helped her sleep at night. The church community had essentially chased Malcolm from town after shunning and shaming him, and her mum was tentatively enjoying her newfound freedom as a single and very safe woman. And to top it all off, Juliette’s lawyer had been able to find a loophole in the pre-nup, giving her exactly what she was entitled to from her marriage with Lachlan. Lachlan and his parents were none too happy about it, but there was nothing they could do – the law was the law. She had let people know he’d had an affair, and that was the reason she’d left, but nothing else. Not that his infidelity had hampered his cause – Lachlan was now the very proud town mayor and, with everything aside, he was doing a lot of good for the community, and Juliette had found it in her heart to be happy for him. All in all, things had worked out better than she’d hoped or expected the day she’d decided to leave him. And the icing on the cake was that she was going to marry her childhood sweetheart, the love of her life, and they were going to have the family they’d always dreamt of.
Emerging from the steam of the bathroom, she headed down the hall to the kitchen, where she planned to make herself a hot chocolate as well as a coffee and some scrambled eggs on toast for Joel. Breakfast in bed was one of his favourite things and he deserved to be spoilt. She flicked on the overhead light – sunshine should have been glittering through the bay window by now, but the ominous clouds had stolen the sky. With the rain still drumming upon the roof, it blurred the glass of the windows, the breeze pushing its way between the cracks. She hoped the storm cleared before they had to head back down to the Cairns District Court. The Kuranda Range was a shocker in the wet. Although nervous, she couldn’t wait to hear what the jury had decided.
* * *
Joel woke with a start and stared at the shadows that crept about his walls and ceiling. Thunder grumbled in the far-flung distance and the scent of rain filled the air. With Juliette gone from their bed, and the smell of toast and coffee wafting up the stairs, his belly rumbled. That, and his longing to kiss her good morning, had him swinging his legs over the side of the bed. Images of the previous night swept through his mind, hardening him in an instant. A demanding, generous lover, Juliette was all he’d imagined her to be, and more. He was totally sated and, from her pleasure-filled cries, he gathered that she too was satisfied.
As he pulled on some boxers and a T-shirt, he contemplated the day ahead. Even though they had damning evidence, the legal system could still be a gamble – corruption and underhanded payouts were rife within what should have been a system for the victims, not the criminals. He didn’t trust Levi or his scheming solicitor. Tension coiling like a spring within him, he said another silent prayer as he rubbed a hand over the rough stubble along his jaw. He’d have to make sure to shave this morning. But first, he wanted to go and shower his beautiful fiancée with the love she so deserved.
* * *
Almost seven hours later, they sat amongst their family and friends in the crowded courtroom. Television crews had come in hordes to hear the outcome of the highly publicised case. Offering her a look of support, he held Juliette’s hand, and she squeezed his fingers tight, her anxious expression the epitome of what he was feeling inside. On the opposite side of him, his father rested a reassuring hand upon his back and his mum offered him a comforting glance. Ben and his parents sat in the seats behind them, and he turned to offer Ben a reassuring smile. Ben, now looking more like the man Joel remembered, nodded in return. His life was on the road to better things.
The judge looked to the prosecutor, Valerie Shaw. ‘You may proceed to close.’
Valerie stood, straightening her skirt before stepping out from behind the desk and stopping two feet short of the jury box. ‘Ladies and gentlemen. You’ve heard from the witnesses, and from Miss Kern. You have seen the irrefutable evidence, so please, do not allow your judgement to be clouded by the defence’s very clever, and very misguided, declarations.’ Valerie flashed Levi’s lawyer a solemn glare as she marched past him in her skyscraper heels, her strides deliberately measured.
Joel felt a certain kind of relief with her on their side. It had been a gruelling few weeks, theirs and Ben’s sworn testimonies being dragged over the coals. But the prosecutor’s delivery was faultless, her pauses punctuating her declarations of guilt on all the charges, and her lengthy, meaningful looks to the jury holding their attention, each juror clearly hanging on her every word.
After a long pause, Valerie continued. ‘I trust you are all going to do the right thing, the just thing.’ Valerie’s sharp eyes scanned over the men and women of the jury. ‘Juliette Kern deserves justice, as does her fiancé, Joel Hunter.’
Watching her take her seat again, the sting of emotion almost overwhelmed Joel. Over the other side of the courtroom, a sly smile was itching to spread across Levi’s face. Jackson Muller would be facing his charges of being an accomplice at a different time. Levi’s shrewd lawyer tried to desensitise the jury to the horrendousness of the crime by repeating, over and over, how it was, in fact, an attempted rape, reminding them how much of an asset to the community Levi had been, and still was, how he’d repented after losing
his brother, Desmond, in the car accident, and how he was no longer the senseless boy who’d committed the attack all those years ago.
The judge and Valerie shared a brisk nod, and he brought his gavel down. ‘We will have a recess to allow the jury to reach their verdict. Court will adjourn until then.’
They’d been warned the verdict could take some time but, before Joel knew it, he and Juliette were back in their seats, breaths held, pulses racing, as they watched the lead juror stand, ready to deliver their verdict.
‘Ladies and gentlemen of the jury.’ The judge looked towards the middle-aged woman. ‘I understand you have reached a verdict?’
She nodded. ‘Yes, we have, your honour.’
The judge nodded. ‘Would you please give the verdict to the court so it can be read out.’
The bailiff approached her, took the paper, and then handed it over to the judge.
The judge stared at Levi, his steely gaze unrelenting. ‘The defendant will please rise.’
Levi did as he was told. Joel glanced over to where Bluey, Nugget and Curly were seated at the back of the courtroom. He was honoured the three of them had made the long trek here to support him and Juliette.
The judge took a moment to adjust his glasses, and then proceeded. ‘We, the jury, find the defendant, Levi Rodger Muller, guilty of all charges.’
There was a collective gasp as Joel and Juliette shared a look of elation coupled with relief.
Joel took great satisfaction as he watched the shadow of defeat fall upon Levi’s face as a murmur of voices quickly led to a loud commotion.
