Redemption (Savior Seires Book 2)

by Callie Anderson

  “Knock, knock,” Cole said as he entered my office. I still couldn't believe that after all this time whenever I saw him clean-shaven with his suit on I would get butterflies in my stomach. That was one thing I hoped would never change.

  “How was your long weekend?” he asked before giving me a deep, loving kiss.

  “Good.” I smiled up at him. It was the first time I had seen him since leaving for Napa. “I missed you. Did you have a good time at Caleb’s?”

  “Drunken men and strippers.” He shrugged. “Nothing crazy.“ He moved around my desk sat on the chair across from my me. “I missed you more.” His hand grazed my skin. “Did you get your grades?”

  “I did.” I danced in my chair. “I aced them all!”

  “I knew you would.” He nodded. “Do you know what your plans are for after you’re done with school.”

  “Not really.” I sighed. “Well, to take the bar of course.”

  “After that?” He looked at me tentatively. “Howard mentioned to me once that you wanted to work for the DA, do you still want to do that?”

  “Yes,” I hoped my words didn’t hurt him. “It’s always been a dream, but I’m really happy here too.”

  “Good.” He smiled. “I just want you to be happy.” The tone in his voice had shifted.

  “Cole?” I said hesitantly. “What’s wrong?”

  He sighed and ran his hands through his hair. “I need to talk to you about something.” He looked down at his hands.

  “Oh, God.” In the pit of my stomach, I felt something was off. “What happened?”

  I watched as he cracked each knuckle before looking up at me. “I don't want you to freak out.”

  “You're scaring me.” He licked his lips, and I felt my heart sink. “Are you breaking up with me?”

  “What?” He cocked his head to the side. “No. God, no. I love you, Katherine.”

  I sighed a breath of relief. “Then what is it?”

  “I found out that you're going to get subpoenaed,” he said carefully.

  “What?” I asked. “For what?”

  Cole sighed and stood. “Gary.”

  One word.

  Four letters.

  Cole's hands grabbed mine and brought my knuckles to his lips. “Don't shut me out of your thoughts. Talk to me.”

  Pain and anger coursed through my body. “Why am I getting subpoenaed for Gary?” My words scraped against my throat like razor blades.

  “From what I understand, he molested a little girl named Harper. He was married to her grandmother, and the parents caught him on their nanny camera.”

  “Stop.” I lifted my hand to stop him. “Please don’t give me any more details.”

  “Based on the time he showed up at your house to when he was arrested, it was a few days apart. I'm assuming he asked for your forgiveness because he knew that he was going to be arrested.” Cole gripped my shoulder.

  “How did they get my name?” I covered my face. “Ho… how… do they know what he did to me?” I cried. “I've never told anyone.”

  “From what I know, Gary slipped your name to another victim, and you will be subpoenaed to testify against him.” He pulled me into his chest and let me cry.

  “Cole.” I pushed away and looked up at his eyes for comfort. “I can't.” My voice cracked. “I can't see him again.”

  He crouched down in front of me so we were eye level. “Look at me, Katherine.” He wiped away the tears that stained my cheek. “You’re the strongest person I've ever met. Every day you continue to rise above what he did to you, and I know that you can confront him. You can make sure that he goes to jail and pays for what he did to you.”

  I nodded knowing that he was right. “Will you be there?”

  “I wouldn't be anywhere else but right beside you.” He hugged me again.

  In his arms, I was safe. In his embrace, I knew that I could face Gary, even though every memory was crashing into me like a typhoon. In Cole’s presence, there was no need for a drug to drown out the pain. He did that for me.

  It took the messenger thirty-two hours from when Cole told me, to knock on my office door. When he called for the elevator, Cole came into my office to stand beside me. We both watched as he stepped off the elevator and stopped at Melissa’s desk. She pointed to my office, and he nodded towards her. It took him twenty-three seconds to enter my office.

  “Katherine Wolf?” he said stepping into my office.

  “Yes?” My voice was weak and barely audible.

  “You’ve been served.” He handed me the yellow legal-sized envelope.

  I didn’t thank him. I sat in my chair with the envelope on my desk until he got back on the elevator. When he was no longer in sight, I sighed and slid my finger through the sealed paper. With a shaky hand, I pulled out the large file.

  “Hey,” Cole said placing his hands on my shoulders. “You can do this.”

  “I know.” I nodded looking over the case file that was attached to the subpoena. “I just feel like this is all my fault.” My hand slid across the paper.

  “How so?”

  “If I had said something sooner, maybe this little girl wouldn’t have gone through this.” I flipped over the page and scanned the file. My eyes blurred as I read the parents’ statement.

  We were out to dinner when there was a notification on our phone. We have a nanny camera in Harper’s room, and when there is movement, it notifies us. It was heartbreaking to see him over her bed.

  My hands trembled with fear. “I can’t do this.” I looked up at Cole. “I don’t want to do this.”

  “Yes, you can.” He nodded. “I’m not going to lie to you and say it’s going to be easy because it’s going to fucking suck, but I’ll be right here.”

  I sighed and ran my hands under my eyes. “I just wish we could disappear for a while.” I leaned my head on him.

  “What if we go away?” Cole’s voice was lighter.

  “Huh?” I looked up at him.

  “Let’s get out of here.” He turned my chair towards him. “Let’s go away for a week.”

  “Cole, I just got back from Napa. I can’t just leave again.”

  “Why not?” He leaned down and kissed my cheek. “Your summer semester doesn’t start for a few weeks. This is the perfect time.”

  “You’re insane. You can’t just up and leave.”

  “If I can make it work, will you go away with me?” He cupped my cheek, and I sank into him.

  “You know I’ll go anywhere with you.” I smiled.

  Lila and I had planned a trip to Mexico for spring break our last year of college, but when we both came down with the flu two days before our flight, we’d had to cancel our trip, so I had never been out of the country. Since he wouldn’t tell me where we were going, I’d packed for every type of occasion.

  I wheeled my suitcase behind Cole, following him to the premier check-in area. I giggled to myself. The excitement was more than I could contain. Cole handed our luggage to the attendant, then winked at me when he handed me my boarding pass.

  “Surprise!”

  I scanned the document until I found the city we were flying to. Naples, Italy. “We’re going to Italy?” I bounced around before moving closer to him, lifting onto my tippy toes, so I could kiss his cheek. Not only was I flying out of the country for the first time, but I was going to Europe.

  After checking in, we walked through security, making it to our gate in time for boarding. Group 1- Business Class. The flight attendant brought me sparkling water and a whiskey for Cole. I leaned my seat all the way back, lying flat on my back before straightening up again.

  “Are you enjoying yourself?” Cole asked, leaning towards me.

  “A little more than I should be.” I beamed.

  “You’re beautiful when you smile, you know that?” he whispered, and I felt my face burn from the embarrassment.

  “I want to join the mile high club,” I whispered.

  Cole leaned forward, his lips mere
inches from mine. “To join the mile high club, we have to be miles high up in the sky, not at the gate.”

  He was making fun of me. Jerk. I pulled the sleeping mask out of my travel pack and slid it over my head like a headband. “I’m going to make you pay for that.”

  “I like your threats.”

  Nine hours later we were landing in the beautiful country of Italy. Though I’d joked with Cole about joining the mile high club, once we were in the air, I curled up with my Kindle before passing out for the flight. My limbs ached from the cramped position I fell asleep in, but the ache was quickly forgotten when the plane touched down in Naples.

  Walking out of the airport with our luggage rolling behind us, we were greeted by a man who looked to be in his early thirties with dark hair and eyes as he waited by a dark-red convertible Ferrari California T. As we walked closer, he straightened his stance and popped the trunk of the car.

  “Ciao, Mr. Rhodes. Your car.” His accent was mouthwateringly delicious. He took our suitcases and stowed them in the trunk of the car. Cole introduced me to Giuseppe, then walked to the passenger side and pulled the door open for me.

  “I guess you come here often.”

  “Not as much as I’d like, but it’s my escape destination.”

  Cole said goodbye to Giuseppe and hopped in the car, lowering the top and taking his Tom Ford aviators from the glove compartment to cover his golden eyes. He looked delectable—young, filled with life, and I wanted more than anything to have him.

  Cole and I drove for an hour and a half southward towards the Almafi Coast. The air was fresh, the scent of the salt water all around us. There wasn’t a worry on my mind as I gazed up at the clear blue sky, letting the mid-afternoon sun coat my skin. When we entered the town of San Cosma, he pulled the car over near a bistro that had been built on a ledge looking straight out into the ocean.

  Cole led me into the small bistro, where we sat facing the water. We sat there without saying a word, watching the water come in, crashing over the rocks as we enjoyed our lunch. After two cappuccinos that were to die for, and pastries and fruit for dessert, we were back on the road. Cole drove slowly down the highway, pointing out different landmarks and explaining where we were. It also gave me a chance to catch the amazing views of the mountains and blue water on my phone camera.

  We drove up to a villa that sat high on a mountain. The villa was massive, built completely out of white marble and stone. The gate opened electronically as the car pulled up to the cobblestone driveway. Two staff members waited at the front door for our arrival.

  “Welcome home.” Cole smiled as he shifted the car into park.

  I jumped out of the car, excited to explore the property. Like a true tourist, my eyes darted around, taking it all in. Cole met me around the car, wrapping my hand in his. “Come on, I’ll give you a tour.”

  The seven-bedroom home sat on top of a cliff looking over the ocean. An infinity pool measured long across the terrace. Cole guided me through the foyer and into the family room that overlooked the cliff. Like in his penthouse, we looked down on the world below us, but instead of our Central Park view, here it was the Almafi Coast in all its glory. Crystal blue water crashed into the rocks three hundred feet below us.

  Cole followed me into each room. I explored one after the other, mesmerized with it all, especially the nine—count them, nine!—bathrooms. The state-of-the-art kitchen was open, the panoramic window allowing a complete view of both the oceanside and mountainside. The eat-in-kitchen led to the back terrace laid with stone pavers. Lemon trees and grape vines provided shade over the outdoor patio set. The staff had prepared a crudité platter for our arrival: fresh fruit and an assortment of cheeses were laid out neatly. The freshly squeezed juice made my mouth water.

  One of the servers pulled out my chair, and I sat, taking my napkin and laying it on my lap. “Grazie.”

  “Possiamo avere un po ‘di acqua minerale per favore?” Cole asked before looking at me. “Do you like the house?”

  “I love it. I would live here if I could.”

  “We can if you want to.” He sat beside me and brought my hands to his lips. “It’s my house.”

  “Oh yeah, because leaving our lives behind in New York would be so easy.”

  “If I get to wake up every day with you, and see that smile on your face every morning, leaving it all behind would definitely be worth it.”

  I tucked my chin to my chest shyly before I took a sip of my orange juice. “Is this your vacation home?”

  “My grandfather built it for my grandmother when they decided to retire. At first, it started as a small house, but with each year that passed, my grandfather added another room until my grandmother could fit all of her children and grandkids inside it. When he passed, he left it for me in his will.”

  “It’s beautiful. I still can’t believe I’m in Italy.”

  “We can come here anytime you want.”

  “Promise?”

  “Cross my heart.” He leaned forward, pulling my chair closer to his. My lips met his halfway.

  Cole sent the staff home for the week, and we were left with the house to ourselves. We managed to fill our days with activities around the town of Sorrento. We took a hike up to the volcano, swam in the ocean, and watched as homemade limoncello was made. But the last two days we spent locked inside the house. We were like teenagers, unable to keep our hands off each other. Cole catered to me, bringing me breakfast in bed every morning before we’d shower together then laze around the pool naked.

  Cole’s love was my everything.

  The way he took me, kissing me passionately with each thrust. He had me, all of me. I would always be his because no other man would be able to climb under my skin and take control of my heart, my soul, and possess me the way Cole had. Needing him like I needed my next breath was an understatement. He was the breath I needed to keep me going.

  I pouted when Sunday morning rolled around. I repacked my bag with the clothes I never wore and got in the car heading back to Naples. I was heartbroken to leave, but Cole promised we could come back towards the end of the summer and spend as much time as I wanted. The drive to Naples was quick, but I was dreading the long flight home. Flying to a new destination is always easier than flying home. But I also knew that the reason I didn’t want to go home was that I would have to eventually face Gary.

  As much as I wanted to hide in my bubble, I couldn’t do it any longer. It was time to go home.

  32

  Katherine

  My reflection stared back at me as I ran my hands down the navy blue suit I had picked for the court hearing. I kept my hair down but away from my face, my makeup light, and I wore a cream-colored blouse underneath my blazer. It was simple—nothing that could sway a jury in the wrong way. The nerves and anxiety coursed through my veins, but as I stared at myself, I realized I was no longer the little girl Gary had taken advantage of.

  I wasn't that little girl who would cry herself to sleep every night after he left her bedroom.

  I wasn’t that addict who used pills and mixed it with meaningless sex throughout college to feel validated.

  I wasn't that young woman who had a purse filled with prescriptions so she could forget all the memories he had tarnished.

  I wasn't that person anymore.

  I had gone to rehab. I had spoken to professionals, slowly put my life back together, and moved on. The woman who stared back at me was free of Gary, free of the demons that haunted her in the past.

  “Sweetie.” I heard my mother's voice before a gentle tap on my bedroom door. “Are you ready?” she asked, pushing the door ajar.

  “Yeah,” I said and cleared my throat. My mom walked over to me, her hands grasped mine, and she brushed my hair behind my ear.

  “You’re so strong,” she said as tears filled her eyes. She had spent the last few days with Lila and me. When I’d informed her that I’d have to testify against Gary, she drove down. Late at night, I’d heard her cryin
g. She felt guilty, ashamed, and, embarrassed that she had not seen what he had done to me. I knew she blamed herself, but I didn’t. I had let go of the past, and after today I would never let the thoughts of Gary invade me again.

  “You can't cry in court, Mom.” I wiped away a tear that slipped from her eye. “You can't let him see you cry.” She nodded and closed her eyes. “Thank you.” I hugged her again. “Thank you her for being by my side.”

  The drive to Boston was quiet. Ben sat with Cole in the front while my mother and I sat in the back. Lila had insisted on tagging along because she wanted to show her support, but with her wedding right around the corner, I didn't want her to take any unnecessary days off, so she reluctantly stayed behind.

  The rain slammed against the roof of the car making it soothe my nerves. After parking the car in a lot, we rushed inside the courthouse. Under any other circumstance, I’d admire the cornerstone building with large pillars, but my stomach turned, and I felt like I’d pass out at any given moment. I cleared my throat and inhaled one deep calming breaths.

  I could do this.

  “Over there,” Cole said as he placed his hand on the lower part of my back. On autopilot, he led me to a group of lawyers who were in the midst of a deep discussion. “Jackson,” Cole said as he shook hands. “This is Katherine.”

  “Nice to meet you.” My voice sounded weaker than I'd expected.

  He smiled, and I saw the kindness and his eyes. It was the, I'm sorry for what you went through. I'm sorry that you were a victim of a pedophile, look. “Likewise.” He shifted his weight from one leg to the other. “Do you have any questions for me?”

  I shook my head. “I’ve been briefed on the case,” I added and looked over at Cole. He had been my mediator through this all. I knew that Harper Storo, age nine, whose parents had accused Gary of sexual assault of a child in the first degree. Gary was married to Harper’s grandmother, Alice. While vacationing with Harper’s parents, Nicole and Justine, Gary snuck into her room in the middle of the night and assaulted her. What Gary wasn't expecting was that her parents had a camera in the room. And even though her parents were out to dinner at the time, they were able to watch everything on camera. The parents called the authorities the second they heard their daughter crying, and the little girl admitted to her parents that he’d touched her in her private area. Gary denied the accusation, stating that he went in to check on the child and simply kissed her goodnight after a bad dream.